بِأَرضِ الجيزَةِ اِجتازَ الغَمامُ

بِأَرضِ الجيزَةِ اِجتازَ الغَمامُ

وَحَلَّ سَماءَها البَدرُ التَمامُ

وَحَلَّ سَماءَها البَدرُ التَمامُ

Clouds passed over the land of Giza,

The clouds passed over the land of Giza,

And the moon in its fullness alighted in its sky.

And its sky was graced by the full moon.

وَزارَ رِياضَ إِسماعيلَ غَيثٌ

وَزارَ رِياضَ إِسماعيلَ غَيثٌ

كَوالِدِهِ لَهُ المِنَنُ الجِسامُ

كَوالِدِهِ لَهُ المِنَنُ الجِسامُ

And rain visited Ismail's gardens,

Abundant rain visited the gardens of Ismail,

Like his father, his benefactions are mighty.

Bestowed like a generous father.

ثَنى عِطفَيهِما الهَرَمانِ تيهاً

ثَنى عِطفَيهِما الهَرَمانِ تيهاً

وَقالَ الثالِثُ الأَدنى سَلامُ

وَقالَ الثالِثُ الأَدنى سَلامُ

The two pyramids bent their flanks in pride,

The two pyramids bowed their shoulders,

And the third, the lower one, said, "Peace!"

And the smaller third one bid peace.

حَلُمّي مَنفُ هَذا تاجُ خوفو

حَلُمّي مَنفُ هَذا تاجُ خوفو

كَقُرصِ الشَمسِ يَعرِفُهُ الأَنامُ

كَقُرصِ الشَمسِ يَعرِفُهُ الأَنامُ

Come forth, Memphis: this is Khufu's crown,

My dream, this crown of Khufu

Like the sun's disk, known to all mankind.

Is known to all like the sun disk.

نَمَتهُ مِن بَني فِرعَونَ هامٌ

نَمَتهُ مِن بَني فِرعَونَ هامٌ

وَمِن خُلَفاءِ إِسماعيلَ هامُ

وَمِن خُلَفاءِ إِسماعيلَ هامُ

Heads among Pharaoh's sons raised it,

It was erected by the determined descendants of Pharaoh,

And heads among Ismail's successors.

And by the caliphs, descendants of Ismail.

تَأَلَّقَ في سَمائِكِ عَبقَرِيّاً

تَأَلَّقَ في سَمائِكِ عَبقَرِيّاً

عَلَيهِ جَلالَةٌ وَلَهُ وِسامُ

عَلَيهِ جَلالَةٌ وَلَهُ وِسامُ

It shone in your sky, peerlessly splendid,

It shone brilliantly in your sky,

Majesty rests upon it, and it bears a badge of honor.

Bearing majesty and decorations.

تَرَعرَعَتِ الحَضارَةُ في حُلاهُ

تَرَعرَعَتِ الحَضارَةُ في حُلاهُ

وَشَبَّ عَلى جَواهِرِهِ النِظامُ

وَشَبَّ عَلى جَواهِرِهِ النِظامُ

Civilization grew within its adornments,

Civilization flourished in its shadows,

And order came of age upon its jewels.

And governance grew on its gems.

وَنالَ الفَنُّ في أُولى اللَيالي

وَنالَ الفَنُّ في أُولى اللَيالي

وَأُخراهُنَّ عِزّاً لا يُرامُ

وَأُخراهُنَّ عِزّاً لا يُرامُ

And art attained, in the earliest nights

Art attained glory in its first nights,

And the last of them, a glory beyond reach.

As well as its last, untouchable might.

مَشى في جيزَةِ الفُسطاطِ ظِلٌّ

مَشى في جيزَةِ الفُسطاطِ ظِلٌّ

كَظِلِّ النيلِ بُلَّ بِهِ الأُوامُ

كَظِلِّ النيلِ بُلَّ بِهِ الأُوامُ

A shade walked through the Giza of Fustat,

A shadow walked in the Fustat of Giza

Like the Nile's shade, by which thirst was quenched.

Like the shadow of the Nile, flooded by waves.

إِذا ما مَسَّ تُرباً عادَ مِسكاً

إِذا ما مَسَّ تُرباً عادَ مِسكاً

وَنافَسَ تَحتَهُ الذَهَبَ الرَغامُ

وَنافَسَ تَحتَهُ الذَهَبَ الرَغامُ

Whenever it touched soil, that soil became musk,

Whenever it touched soil, musk emanated,

And beneath it dust rivaled gold.

Competing with scattered gold nuggets.

وَإِن هُوَ حَلَّ أَرضاً قامَ فيها

وَإِن هُوَ حَلَّ أَرضاً قامَ فيها

جِدارٌ لِلحَضارَةِ أَو دِعامُ

جِدارٌ لِلحَضارَةِ أَو دِعامُ

And if it settled in a land, there rose within it

If it landed anywhere, a wall rose for civilization,

A wall for civilization, or a pillar.

Or a pillar for its support.

فَمَدرَسَةٌ لِحَربِ الجَهلِ تُبنى

فَمَدرَسَةٌ لِحَربِ الجَهلِ تُبنى

وَمُستَشفى يُذادُ بِهِ السَقامُ

وَمُستَشفى يُذادُ بِهِ السَقامُ

So a school is built to wage war on ignorance,

A school was built to fight ignorance,

And a hospital through which sickness is driven away,

A hospital was founded to cure the sick.

وَدارٌ يُستَغاثُ بِها فَيَمضي

وَدارٌ يُستَغاثُ بِها فَيَمضي

إِلى الإِسعافِ أَنجادٌ كِرامُ

إِلى الإِسعافِ أَنجادٌ كِرامُ

And a house where help is sought, from which go forth

A place to seek help so caravans set out,

To the rescue, valiant and noble men:

Of generous people, to provide aid.

أُساةُ جِراحَةٍ حيناً وَحيناً

أُساةُ جِراحَةٍ حيناً وَحيناً

مَيازيبٌ إِذا اِنفَجَرَ الضِرامُ

مَيازيبٌ إِذا اِنفَجَرَ الضِرامُ

Healers of wounds at times, and at times

Sometimes a surgery to stitch wounds,

Water spouts when the blaze erupts.

Sometimes conduits, should veins burst.

وَأَحواضٌ يُراضُ النيلُ فيها

وَأَحواضٌ يُراضُ النيلُ فيها

وَكُلُّ نَجيبَةٍ وَلَها لِجامُ

وَكُلُّ نَجيبَةٍ وَلَها لِجامُ

And basins where the Nile is tamed,

Basins where the Nile floods joyfully,

And every thoroughbred has its bridle.

Each noble stream with its canal.

أَبا الفاروقِ أَقبَلنا صُفوفاً

أَبا الفاروقِ أَقبَلنا صُفوفاً

وَأَنتَ مِنَ الصُفوفِ هُوَ الإِمامُ

وَأَنتَ مِنَ الصُفوفِ هُوَ الإِمامُ

O father of Farouk, we have come in ranks,

Abu Al-Farouk, we came in rows before you,

And you are the imam among the ranks.

And you were the imam leading the rows.

إِلى البَيتِ الحَرامِ بِكَ اِتَّجَهنا

إِلى البَيتِ الحَرامِ بِكَ اِتَّجَهنا

وَمِصرُ وَحَقَّها البَيتُ الحَرامُ

وَمِصرُ وَحَقَّها البَيتُ الحَرامُ

Through you we turned toward the Sacred House,

To the Sacred House, we set out before you,

And Egypt, in her own right, is the Sacred House.

And Egypt has rights to that Sacred House.

طَلَعتَ عَلى الصَعيدِ فَهَشَّ حَتّى

طَلَعتَ عَلى الصَعيدِ فَهَشَّ حَتّى

عَلا شَفَتَي أَبي الهَولُ اِبتِسامُ

عَلا شَفَتَي أَبي الهَولُ اِبتِسامُ

You rose over Upper Egypt, and it rejoiced until

You appeared on the plateau, so the smile

A smile rose upon the Sphinx's lips.

Widened on the lips of the Sphinx.

ركابٌ سارَتِ الآمالُ فيهِ

ركابٌ سارَتِ الآمالُ فيهِ

وَطافَ بِهِ التَلَفُّتُ وَالزِحامُ

وَطافَ بِهِ التَلَفُّتُ وَالزِحامُ

A cavalcade in which hopes journeyed,

A procession in which hopes paraded,

And turning heads and pressing crowds surrounded it.

Accompanied by attention and crowds.

فَماذا في طَريقِكَ مِن كُفورٍ

فَماذا في طَريقِكَ مِن كُفورٍ

أَجَلُّ مِنَ البُيوتِ بِها الرِجامُ

أَجَلُّ مِنَ البُيوتِ بِها الرِجامُ

How many villages lie along your path,

So what ingratitude awaits on your path,

Where the grave-stones are grander than the houses!

More glorious than houses adorned with battlements?

كَأَنَّ الراقِدينَ بِكُلِّ قاعٍ

كَأَنَّ الراقِدينَ بِكُلِّ قاعٍ

هُمُ الأَيقاظُ وَاليَقظى النِيامُ

هُمُ الأَيقاظُ وَاليَقظى النِيامُ

As though the sleepers in every hollow

It is as if those asleep in every place

Were awake, and the waking were asleep.

Are the awake, while the awake are dozing.

لَقَد أَزَمَ الزَمانُ الناسَ فَاِنظُر

لَقَد أَزَمَ الزَمانُ الناسَ فَاِنظُر

فَعِندَكَ تُفرَجُ الإِزَمُ العِظامُ

فَعِندَكَ تُفرَجُ الإِزَمُ العِظامُ

Indeed, time has afflicted the people; look,

Hard times have worn out people, so look,

For at your hands the great hardships are eased.

For in you unfolds relief for great sorrows.

وَبَعدَ غَدٍ يُفارِقُ عامُ بُؤسٍ

وَبَعدَ غَدٍ يُفارِقُ عامُ بُؤسٍ

وَيَخلفُهُ مِنَ النَعماءِ عامُ

وَيَخلفُهُ مِنَ النَعماءِ عامُ

And the day after tomorrow, a year of misery will depart,

After tomorrow departs, a woeful year,

And a year of blessings will succeed it.

Succeeded by years of blessings!

يَدورُ بِمِصرَ حالاً بَعدَ حالٍ

يَدورُ بِمِصرَ حالاً بَعدَ حالٍ

زَمانٌ ما لِحالَيهِ دَوامُ

زَمانٌ ما لِحالَيهِ دَوامُ

Over Egypt rolls, from state to state,

Before Egypt will pass many uncertain states

A time whose two states have no permanence.

Without its circumstances lasting.

وَمِصرُ بِناءُ جَدِّكَ لَم يُتَمَّم

وَمِصرُ بِناءُ جَدِّكَ لَم يُتَمَّم

أَلَيسَ عَلى يَدَيكَ لَهُ تَمامُ

أَلَيسَ عَلى يَدَيكَ لَهُ تَمامُ

And Egypt is your grandfather's building, still unfinished;

And Egypt, your grandfather’s creation,

Is it not to be completed at your hands?

Was not finished - is it not by your hand that it will be completed?

فَلَسنا أُمَّةً قَعَدَت بِشَمسٍ

فَلَسنا أُمَّةً قَعَدَت بِشَمسٍ

وَلا بَلَداً بِضاعَتُهُ الكَلامُ

وَلا بَلَداً بِضاعَتُهُ الكَلامُ

For we are not a nation sitting idle in the sun,

For we are not a nation sitting in sunlight,

Nor a country whose stock-in-trade is talk.

Nor a land whose wares are words.

وَلَكِن هِمَّةٌ في كُلِّ حينٍ

وَلَكِن هِمَّةٌ في كُلِّ حينٍ

يَشُدُّ بِناءَها المَلِكُ الهُمامُ

يَشُدُّ بِناءَها المَلِكُ الهُمامُ

But a resolve, at every moment,

But an ambition bound in every era

Whose edifice the valiant king strengthens.

By the efforts of the steadfast king!

نَرومُ الغايَةَ القُصوى فَنَمضي

نَرومُ الغايَةَ القُصوى فَنَمضي

وَأَنتَ عَلى الطَريقِ هُوَ الزِمامُ

وَأَنتَ عَلى الطَريقِ هُوَ الزِمامُ

We seek the furthest goal and press onward,

We strive for the highest goal and go forth,

And you are the guiding rein along the road.

And you are the one holding the reins!

وَنَقصرُ خُطوَةً وَنَمُدُّ أُخرى

وَنَقصرُ خُطوَةً وَنَمُدُّ أُخرى

وَتُلجِئُنا المَسافَةُ وَالمَرامُ

وَتُلجِئُنا المَسافَةُ وَالمَرامُ

And we shorten one step and lengthen another,

We shorten one step and lengthen another,

And the distance and the goal compel us.

Compelled by the vast distance and destination.

وَنَصبرُ لِلشَدائِدِ في مَقامٍ

وَنَصبرُ لِلشَدائِدِ في مَقامٍ

وَيَغلِبُنا عَلى صَبرٍ مَقامُ

وَيَغلِبُنا عَلى صَبرٍ مَقامُ

And in one situation we endure hardships,

We are patient at every stop,

While another situation overwhelms our patience.

Outlasting the stations of patience themselves.

فَقَوِّ حَضارَةَ الماضي بِأُخرى

فَقَوِّ حَضارَةَ الماضي بِأُخرى

لَها زَهوٌ بِعَصرِكَ وَاِتِّسامُ

لَها زَهوٌ بِعَصرِكَ وَاِتِّسامُ

So strengthen the civilization of the past with another,

So strengthen the civilization of the past

Proud of your age and marked by it.

With one graced by splendor in your time!

تَرفُّ صَحائِفُ البَردِيِّ فيها

تَرفُّ صَحائِفُ البَردِيِّ فيها

وَيَنطُقُ في هَياكِلِها الرُخامُ

وَيَنطُقُ في هَياكِلِها الرُخامُ

Papyrus pages flutter within it,

Leaves of papyrus in it fluttering,

And marble speaks within its temples.

And granite temples give speech.

رَعَتكَ وَوادِياً تَرعاهُ عَنّا

رَعَتكَ وَوادِياً تَرعاهُ عَنّا

مِنَ الرَحمَنِ عَينٌ لا تَنامُ

مِنَ الرَحمَنِ عَينٌ لا تَنامُ

May you and the valley you guard for us be protected

We pray protection for you, and rain to irrigate the valley,

By an eye from the All-Merciful that never sleeps.

From the Merciful, a spring that never sleeps.

فَإِن يَكُ تاجُ مِصرَ لَها قِواماً

فَإِن يَكُ تاجُ مِصرَ لَها قِواماً

فَمِصرُ لِتاجِها العالي قِوامُ

فَمِصرُ لِتاجِها العالي قِوامُ

For if Egypt's crown is her support,

So that the crown of Egypt may endure

Then Egypt is the support of her lofty crown.

And Egypt may be everlasting for her towering crown!

لِتَهنَأ مِصرُ وَليَهنَأ بَنوها

لِتَهنَأ مِصرُ وَليَهنَأ بَنوها

فَبَينَ الرَأسِ وَالجِسمِ اِلتِئامُ

فَبَينَ الرَأسِ وَالجِسمِ اِلتِئامُ

May Egypt rejoice, and may her sons rejoice,

That Egypt may delight, and her sons delight

For the head and body are united.

In the joining of the head with the body!