ياO آلfamily of لطفLutf (kindness) اللّهAllah (God) آلَhas passed إليكمُto you
يا آل لطف اللّه آلَ إليكمُ
قصرُthe palace الجزيرةGezira (the island) بعدafter إسماعيلاIsmail
قصرُ الجزيرة بعد إسماعيلا
O House of Lutfallah, to you has passed
O family of Lutf Allah, there has passed to you
the Palace of Gezira after Ismail.
the Gezira Palace, after Ismail.
فاستقبلواso welcome فيهwithin it الوفودthe delegations وسيمةًcomely
فاستقبلوا فيه الوفود وسيمةً
والدهرَand time حرّاًnoble; free والنعيمَand bliss جزيلاabundant
والدهرَ حرّاً والنعيمَ جزيلا
So welcome there the delegations, resplendent,
So welcome within it comely delegations,
and an age of freedom and abundant bliss.
and a noble age, and abundant bliss.
أحرزتمُyou have attained خُلُقَthe character of الملائكِthe angels طاهراًpure
أحرزتمُ خُلُقَ الملائكِ طاهراً
وملكتمُand you have gained سكنَthe dwelling of الملوكِthe kings جميلاbeautiful
وملكتمُ سكنَ الملوكِ جميلا
You have attained the angels’ pure character
You have attained the pure character of angels,
and gained the kings’ beautiful abode—
and gained the beautiful abode of kings.
عقبىthe reward of الذينthose who لمالِهمْfor their wealth ولجاههمْand for their standing
عقبى الذين لمالِهمْ ولجاههمْ
فيin كلevery ناحيةٍquarter مكارمُbenefactions طولىfar-reaching
في كل ناحيةٍ مكارمُ طولى
the reward of those whose wealth and eminence
Such is the reward of those whose wealth and standing
bring far-reaching acts of grace to every quarter.
have yielded far-reaching benefactions in every quarter.
أنسhas found joy الوجودthe world بكمin your company فلوso if شارفتمُyou approached
أنس الوجود بكم فلو شارفتمُ
جبلاًa mountain لأصبحit would then become ناضراًverdant مأهولاinhabited
جبلاً لأصبح ناضراً مأهولا
Existence has rejoiced in you; were you to approach
The world has found joy in your company; were you to approach
a mountain, it would turn verdant and inhabited.
a mountain, it would become verdant and inhabited.
ولكلand for every سمحgenerous person فيin البلادِthe land صنائعٌbenefactions
ولكل سمح في البلادِ صنائعٌ
وأرىand I deem صنيعكمُyour beneficence أعزَّmost precious جليلاnoble
وأرى صنيعكمُ أعزَّ جليلا
Every generous soul has benefactions throughout the land,
And every generous soul in the land has benefactions,
but I deem your benefaction the proudest and most magnificent.
and I deem your beneficence most precious and noble.
وأجلُّand the noblest غَاياتِaims of الكرامthe generous منfrom الغنىwealth
وأجلُّ غَاياتِ الكرام من الغنى
ماwhat سرَّgladdened أفئدةًhearts وراضand trained عقولاminds
ما سرَّ أفئدةً وراض عقولا
The noblest aim generous men pursue through wealth
And the noblest goal the generous seek through wealth
is whatever gladdens hearts and satisfies minds.
is what gladdens hearts and cultivates minds.
الشامAl-Sham (the Levant) أكبرُgreater فيamong الممالكِthe kingdoms مظهراًin prominence
الشام أكبرُ في الممالكِ مظهراً
بكمُthrough you وأعظمُand greater حجةًin argument ودليلاand proof
بكمُ وأعظمُ حجةً ودليلا
Through you, Syria makes a grander showing among kingdoms
Al-Sham is greater in stature among the kingdoms,
and offers a mightier proof and demonstration.
through you, and stronger in argument and proof.
جاريتمُyou have rivaled الأردنَّthe Jordan فيهtherein ندىًin bounty وكمand how often
جاريتمُ الأردنَّ فيه ندىً وكم
جاريتمُyou have rivaled كرماًin generosity بمصرَin Egypt النيلاthe Nile
جاريتمُ كرماً بمصرَ النيلا
In bounty there you have rivaled the Jordan; and how often
You have rivaled the Jordan there in bounty; and how often
in generosity, in Egypt, you have rivaled the Nile.
you have rivaled the Nile in generosity in Egypt!
ونصرتمُand you have aided أحرارَهits free men وحماتَهand its defenders
ونصرتمُ أحرارَه وحماتَه
وضمنتمُand you have guaranteed استقلالَهits independence المأمولاhoped-for
وضمنتمُ استقلالَه المأمولا
You have supported its free people and its defenders
And you have aided its free men and its defenders,
and guaranteed its longed-for independence.
and guaranteed its hoped-for independence.
وعسىand may أرىI see فيin الشرقthe East منfrom among نجبائكمyour distinguished men
وعسى أرى في الشرق من نجبائكم
بطلاًa hero يقودcommands الجيشَthe army والأسطولاand the fleet
بطلاً يقود الجيشَ والأسطولا
May I yet see in the East, from among your noble sons,
And may I see in the East, from among your finest,
a hero leading the army and the fleet;
a hero who commands the army and the fleet.
وتقرُّand acknowledge للعربِfor the Arabs الممالكُthe kingdoms بالعلىas preeminent
وتقرُّ للعربِ الممالكُ بالعلى
وتكرِّمand honor الأجيالُthe generations هذاthis الجيلاgeneration
وتكرِّم الأجيالُ هذا الجيلا
then kingdoms will concede high rank to the Arabs,
And may the kingdoms acknowledge the Arabs' eminence,
and generations will honor this generation.
and may generations honor this generation.
هنأتكمْI have congratulated you بالقصرon the palace أقضىI discharge بعضpart of ماwhat
هنأتكمْ بالقصر أقضى بعض ما
يقضيimposes عليَّupon me بهthereby ندىthe generosity of ميشيلاMichel
يقضي عليَّ به ندى ميشيلا
In congratulating you on the palace, I discharge some of what
I have congratulated you on the palace, discharging part of what
Michel’s generosity lays upon me as a duty.
Michel's generosity lays upon me.