أنصارَ حافظ السلام عليكم

أنصارَ حافظ السلام عليكم

من عادلٍ يزن الحجى ويقيسُ

من عادلٍ يزن الحجى ويقيسُ

Supporters of Hafez, peace be upon you,

Supporters of Hafiz, peace be upon you,

from a just man who weighs judgment and measures it.

from a fair-minded man who weighs and measures wisdom.

إن كنتمُ كرمتموه فإنما

إن كنتمُ كرمتموه فإنما

في غير مصر لمثله التقديسُ

في غير مصر لمثله التقديسُ

If you have honored him, it is only because

If you have honored him, it is only

outside Egypt, one like him is accorded reverence,

outside Egypt that one like him is venerated.

في مهرجان نال من ألبابكم

في مهرجان نال من ألبابكم

وقلوبكم والشعر فيه عروس

وقلوبكم والشعر فيه عروس

at a festival that won over your minds

At a festival that captivated your minds

and hearts, where poetry was the bride.

and hearts, where poetry was a bride,

أنسيتموه ليالياً مرت به

أنسيتموه ليالياً مرت به

وبصحبه الأحرار وهي نحوس

وبصحبه الأحرار وهي نحوس

Have you made him forget nights that befell him

you made him forget nights that had passed over him

and his free companions, when those nights were calamitous?

and over his free companions—nights of ill omen.

أيام يضحك للرفيق تجمّلاً

أيام يضحك للرفيق تجمّلاً

وفؤاده جمُّ الهمومِ عبوس

وفؤاده جمُّ الهمومِ عبوس

Days when he smiled at a comrade to keep up a brave face,

Days when he smiled for a friend, putting on a brave face,

while his heart, crowded with cares, wore a frown?

while his heart, laden with cares, frowned.

يشكو معالجة المعالي والغنى

يشكو معالجة المعالي والغنى

وكلاهما غال لديه نفيس

وكلاهما غال لديه نفيس

He lamented the struggle for high distinction and wealth,

He laments the struggle for eminence and wealth,

both dear to him, both precious.

and both are dear and precious to him.

يا حافظ الآداب فيك تعلَّتي

يا حافظ الآداب فيك تعلَّتي

ما اشتاقت الجاهَ الرفيعَ نفوس

ما اشتاقت الجاهَ الرفيعَ نفوس

O Hafez, guardian of letters, to you have clung

O Hafiz of letters, in you lies my solace,

souls whenever they yearned for lofty rank.

so long as souls yearn for lofty standing.

أرضيت قومك شاعراً وتود لو

أرضيت قومك شاعراً وتود لو

ترضى حكومتهم وأنت رئيس

ترضى حكومتهم وأنت رئيس

You pleased your people as a poet, and wish that

You pleased your people as a poet, and wish that

you might please their government while serving as its head;

their government might be pleased with you as a chief.

وضعتك موضعك الأحق وحجة

وضعتك موضعك الأحق وحجة

لك أن يقول الحاسدون حبيس

لك أن يقول الحاسدون حبيس

it placed you in the position most rightfully yours—and proof

It has placed you where you most belong; and it is proof

in your favor is that the envious call you “a prisoner.”

in your favor that the envious call you a captive.

من لي بدار الكتب أسكنها ولي

من لي بدار الكتب أسكنها ولي

فيها كما لك سامر وأنيس

فيها كما لك سامر وأنيس

Who will give me the House of Books to dwell in, and let me have

Who will grant me the House of Books to dwell in, with

there, as you do, an evening companion and intimate friend?

a companion for evening talk and a friend there, as you have?

وفَّرتَ حظَّكَ من مقاليدٍ ومن

وفَّرتَ حظَّكَ من مقاليدٍ ومن

رتبٍ وحظُّ الآخرين خسيس

رتبٍ وحظُّ الآخرين خسيس

You secured an ample share of the reins of power and of

You have enlarged your share of the reins of power and of

official ranks, while the others’ share is paltry.

rank, while others' share is paltry.

واجتزت قبلهم السبيل تريهمُ

واجتزت قبلهم السبيل تريهمُ

أن الصروف تجاربٌ ودروس

أن الصروف تجاربٌ ودروس

You traversed the path before them, showing them

And you have traversed the path ahead of them, showing them

that fortune’s vicissitudes are experiences and lessons.

that the turns of fortune are trials and lessons.

قد كنت بلبلهم وأنت اليوم في

قد كنت بلبلهم وأنت اليوم في

حلل العلى وحليِّها طاوس

حلل العلى وحليِّها طاوس

Once you were their nightingale; today, amid

You were once their nightingale; today, in

the arenas of glory and its finery, you are a peacock.

the robes of eminence and its jewels, you are a peacock.

حسب البلاد مراسهم ووفاؤهم

حسب البلاد مراسهم ووفاؤهم

إن أعوزتها عدة وخميس

إن أعوزتها عدة وخميس

The country has enough in their mettle and loyalty,

Their mettle and loyalty suffice for the country,

even should it lack arms and an army.

if it lacks equipment and an army.

لو كان بين الروس منهم واحد

لو كان بين الروس منهم واحد

لم يخش قيصر أن يثور الروس

لم يخش قيصر أن يثور الروس

Had there been among the Russians a single man like them,

Had there been one of them among the Russians,

the Tsar would never have feared the Russians rising in revolt.

the Tsar would not have feared that the Russians would revolt.

راحوا كما شاء الأمير المفتدى

راحوا كما شاء الأمير المفتدى

وغدوا كما ود الحمى المحروس

وغدوا كما ود الحمى المحروس

They went as the cherished Prince wished,

They went at evening as the prince, for whom lives are pledged, wished,

and became as the guarded realm desired.

and at dawn as the guarded homeland desired.

إني لأطمع أن أرى ذا إمرة

إني لأطمع أن أرى ذا إمرة

منهم يدير ولايةً ويسوس

منهم يدير ولايةً ويسوس

Indeed, I long to see one vested with authority,

Indeed, I hope to see one in authority

one of them administering a province and governing.

from among them, administering a province and governing.

يا غارساً في المخلصين جميله

يا غارساً في المخلصين جميله

للملك يثمر ذلك المغروس

للملك يثمر ذلك المغروس

O sower of his favor among the loyal,

O one who plants his kindness among the loyal,

for the king that planting will bear fruit.

for the throne, that planting bears fruit.

حمد الرشيد اليوم برك فيهمُ

حمد الرشيد اليوم برك فيهمُ

وأجل عدلك بينهم رمسيس

وأجل عدلك بينهم رمسيس

Today al-Rashid praised your beneficence toward them,

Al-Rashid has praised your kindness toward them today,

and Ramses esteemed your justice among them.

and Ramses has revered your justice among them.