يا راكِبَ الريحِ حَيِّ النيلَ وَالهَرَما

يا راكِبَ الريحِ حَيِّ النيلَ وَالهَرَما

وَعَظِّمِ السَفحَ مِن سيناءَ وَالحَرَما

وَعَظِّمِ السَفحَ مِن سيناءَ وَالحَرَما

O rider of the wind, salute the Nile and the pyramid,

O rider of the wind, salute the Nile and the pyramids

And revere the slope of Sinai and the sanctuary.

And glorify the foothills of Sinai and the Sacred House

وَقِف عَلى أَثَرٍ مَرَّ الزَمانُ بِهِ

وَقِف عَلى أَثَرٍ مَرَّ الزَمانُ بِهِ

فَكانَ أَثبَتَ مِن أَطوادِهِ قِمَما

فَكانَ أَثبَتَ مِن أَطوادِهِ قِمَما

Pause beside a relic over which Time has passed,

Stop at a trace crossed by time

Yet its peaks stood firmer than Time's towering mountains.

That was more enduring than its high mountains

وَاِخفِض جَناحَكَ في الأَرضِ الَّتي حَمَلَت

وَاِخفِض جَناحَكَ في الأَرضِ الَّتي حَمَلَت

موسى رَضيعاً وَعيسى الطُهرَ مُنفَطِما

موسى رَضيعاً وَعيسى الطُهرَ مُنفَطِما

Lower your wing in the land that bore

And fold your wings over the land that carried

Moses as a suckling infant, and Jesus, the pure one, weaned;

Moses as a suckling babe and the pure Jesus as a newborn

وَأَخرَجَت حِكمَةَ الأَجيالِ خالِدَةً

وَأَخرَجَت حِكمَةَ الأَجيالِ خالِدَةً

وَبَيَّنَت لِلعِبادِ السَيفَ وَالقَلَما

وَبَيَّنَت لِلعِبادِ السَيفَ وَالقَلَما

And brought forth the wisdom of generations, everlasting,

And brought forth the eternal wisdom of generations

And revealed to humankind the sword and the pen.

And explained to mankind the sword and the pen

وَشُرِّفَت بِمُلوكٍ طالَما اِتَّخَذوا

وَشُرِّفَت بِمُلوكٍ طالَما اِتَّخَذوا

مَطِيَّهُم مِن مُلوكِ الأَرضِ وَالخَدَما

مَطِيَّهُم مِن مُلوكِ الأَرضِ وَالخَدَما

And was honored by kings who so often took

And was honored by kings who for long took

Their mounts and servants from among the kings of the earth.

Rulers of earth as their mounts and servants

هَذا فَضاءٌ تُلِمُّ الريحُ خاشِعَةً

هَذا فَضاءٌ تُلِمُّ الريحُ خاشِعَةً

بِهِ وَيَمشي عَلَيهِ الدَهرُ مُحتَشِما

بِهِ وَيَمشي عَلَيهِ الدَهرُ مُحتَشِما

This is an expanse the wind visits in humility,

This is a space where the wind blows submissively

And upon which Time walks in solemn reverence.

And time walks over it with humility

فَمَرحَباً بِكُما مِن طالِعينَ بِهِ

فَمَرحَباً بِكُما مِن طالِعينَ بِهِ

عَلى سِوى الطائِرِ المَيمونِ ما قَدِما

عَلى سِوى الطائِرِ المَيمونِ ما قَدِما

So welcome to you both, arrivals here,

So welcome, O you two, coming into it

Who came on none but the auspicious bird.

Above the auspicious bird's precedent did you set foot

عادَ الزَمانُ فَأَعطى بَعدَما حَرَما

عادَ الزَمانُ فَأَعطى بَعدَما حَرَما

وَتابَ في أُذُنِ المَحزونِ فَاِبتَسَما

وَتابَ في أُذُنِ المَحزونِ فَاِبتَسَما

Time turned again, giving after withholding,

Time has returned and after denying has given

And whispered repentance in the mourner's ear, and he smiled.

And relented in the sorrowful one's ear, so he smiled

فَيا رَعى اللَهُ وَفداً بَينَ أَعيُنِنا

فَيا رَعى اللَهُ وَفداً بَينَ أَعيُنِنا

وَيَرحَمُ اللَهُ ذاكَ الوَفدُ ما رَحِما

وَيَرحَمُ اللَهُ ذاكَ الوَفدُ ما رَحِما

So may God protect the delegation before our eyes,

So may God protect a delegation before our eyes

And may God ever have mercy on that delegation.

And may God have mercy on that delegation as long as there is mercy

هُم أَقسَموا لِتَدينَنَّ السَماءُ لَهُم

هُم أَقسَموا لِتَدينَنَّ السَماءُ لَهُم

وَاليَومَ قَد صَدَّقوا في قَبرِهِم قَسَما

وَاليَومَ قَد صَدَّقوا في قَبرِهِم قَسَما

They swore that heaven would surely submit to them,

They swore the sky would submit to them

And today they have fulfilled an oath in their grave.

And today in their graves their oath came true

وَالناسُ باني بِناءٍ أَو مُتَمِّمُهُ

وَالناسُ باني بِناءٍ أَو مُتَمِّمُهُ

وَثالِثٌ يَتَلافى مِنهُ ما اِنهَدَما

وَثالِثٌ يَتَلافى مِنهُ ما اِنهَدَما

And people are builders of a structure, or its finishers,

While people build a structure or complete it

And a third repairs whatever of it has collapsed.

And a third avoids what collapsed of it

تَعاوُنٌ لا يُحِلُّ المَوتُ عُروَتَهُ

تَعاوُنٌ لا يُحِلُّ المَوتُ عُروَتَهُ

وَلا يُرى بِيَدِ الأَرزاءِ مُنفَصِما

وَلا يُرى بِيَدِ الأَرزاءِ مُنفَصِما

A cooperation whose bond death cannot loosen,

Cooperation that death does not invalidate its bond

Nor is it seen broken by the hand of calamities.

And no weakness is seen in the hands of the virtuous

يا صاحِبي أَدرَميدٍ حَسبُها شَرَفاً

يا صاحِبي أَدرَميدٍ حَسبُها شَرَفاً

أَنَّ الرِياحَ إِلَيها أَلقَتِ اللُجُما

أَنَّ الرِياحَ إِلَيها أَلقَتِ اللُجُما

O Adramid's two companions, it is honor enough for her

My friend, it is enough honor for Damireed

That the winds have cast their bridles to her;

That the winds have cast the ships unto it

وَأَنَّها جاوَزَت في القُدسِ مِنطَقَةً

وَأَنَّها جاوَزَت في القُدسِ مِنطَقَةً

جَرى البِساطُ فَلَم يَجتَز لَها حَرَما

جَرى البِساطُ فَلَم يَجتَز لَها حَرَما

And that in Jerusalem she crossed a region

And that it surpassed in Jerusalem a sphere

Whose sanctuary the speeding carpet never crossed.

Where the carpet was spread but did not deem it inviolable

مَشَت عَلى أُفقٍ مَرَّ البُراقُ بِهِ

مَشَت عَلى أُفقٍ مَرَّ البُراقُ بِهِ

فَقَبَّلَت أَثَراً لِلخُفِّ مُرتَسِما

فَقَبَّلَت أَثَراً لِلخُفِّ مُرتَسِما

She trod a horizon through which al-Buraq had passed,

It walked upon a horizon which Burraq crossed

So she kissed the imprinted trace of its hoof.

And kissed the trace of a hoof left behind

وَمَسَّحَت بِالمُصَلّى فَاِكتَسَت شَرَفاً

وَمَسَّحَت بِالمُصَلّى فَاِكتَسَت شَرَفاً

وَبِالمَغارِ المُعَلّى فَاِكتَسَت عِظَما

وَبِالمَغارِ المُعَلّى فَاِكتَسَت عِظَما

And rubbed against the place of prayer, becoming clothed in honor,

And wiped itself with the place of prayer, acquiring honor

And against the exalted cave, becoming clothed in grandeur.

And the sublime cave, acquiring greatness

وَكُلَّما شاقَها حادٍ عَلى أُفُقٍ

وَكُلَّما شاقَها حادٍ عَلى أُفُقٍ

كانَت مَزاميرُ داوُدٍ هِيَ النَغَما

كانَت مَزاميرُ داوُدٍ هِيَ النَغَما

And whenever a singing guide stirred her longing on a horizon,

And whenever a rebel crossed its horizon

The psalms of David were the melody.

David’s psalms were its melodies

جَشَّمتُماها مِنَ الأَهوالِ أَربَعَةً

جَشَّمتُماها مِنَ الأَهوالِ أَربَعَةً

الرَعدَ وَالبَرقَ وَالإِعصارَ وَالظُلَما

الرَعدَ وَالبَرقَ وَالإِعصارَ وَالظُلَما

You two made her endure four terrors:

You charged it with four horrors

Thunder, lightning, the whirlwind, and darkness.

Thunder, lightning, gales and darkness

حَتّى حَوَتها سَماءُ النيلِ فَاِنحَدَرَت

حَتّى حَوَتها سَماءُ النيلِ فَاِنحَدَرَت

كَالنَسرِ أَعيا فَوافى الوَكرَ فَاِعتَصَما

كَالنَسرِ أَعيا فَوافى الوَكرَ فَاِعتَصَما

Until the sky of the Nile embraced her, and she descended,

Until the Nile's sky embraced it and it descended

Like an exhausted eagle that reached its eyrie and took refuge.

Like an eagle returning, reaching its nest, finding refuge

يا آلَ عُثمانَ أَبناءَ العُمومَةِ هَل

يا آلَ عُثمانَ أَبناءَ العُمومَةِ هَل

تَشكونَ جُرحاً وَلا نَشكو لَهُ أَلَما

تَشكونَ جُرحاً وَلا نَشكو لَهُ أَلَما

O House of Uthman, our cousins, do

O clan of Othman, sons of the maternal aunt, do you

You lament a wound without our feeling its pain?

Complain of a wound while we do not feel its pain?

إِذا حَزِنتُم حَزِنّا في القُلوبِ لَكُم

إِذا حَزِنتُم حَزِنّا في القُلوبِ لَكُم

كَالأُمِّ تَحمِلُ مِن هَمِّ اِبنِها سَقَما

كَالأُمِّ تَحمِلُ مِن هَمِّ اِبنِها سَقَما

If you grieve, we grieve for you in our hearts,

If you are saddened in hearts, for you we have

Like a mother made ill by her son's distress.

Like a mother bearing the worries of her son’s illness

وَكَم نَظَرنا بِكُم نُعمى فَجَسَّمَها

وَكَم نَظَرنا بِكُم نُعمى فَجَسَّمَها

لَنا السُرورُ فَكانَت عِندَنا نِعَما

لَنا السُرورُ فَكانَت عِندَنا نِعَما

And how often we saw a blessing upon you, magnified

And how often we considered you blind, so happiness

For us by joy, becoming many blessings in our eyes.

Visualized it for us, and it became bounty

وَنَبذُلُ المالَ لَم نُحمَل عَلَيهِ كَما

وَنَبذُلُ المالَ لَم نُحمَل عَلَيهِ كَما

يَقضي الكَريمُ حُقوقَ الأَهلِ وَالذِمَما

يَقضي الكَريمُ حُقوقَ الأَهلِ وَالذِمَما

And we give wealth, not compelled to do so, as

And we spend money not coerced to it, as

A generous man fulfills the claims of kin and his pledges.

The generous fulfills the rights of family and oaths

صَبراً عَلى الدَهرِ إِن جَلَّت مَصائِبُهُ

صَبراً عَلى الدَهرِ إِن جَلَّت مَصائِبُهُ

إِنَّ المَصائِبَ مِمّا يوقِظُ الأُمَما

إِنَّ المَصائِبَ مِمّا يوقِظُ الأُمَما

Be patient with Time, even when its calamities are great;

Patience over the days, even if its afflictions multiply

For calamities are among the things that awaken nations.

Afflictions are among what awakens the nations

إِذا المُقاتِلُ مِن أَخلاقِهِم سَلَمَت

إِذا المُقاتِلُ مِن أَخلاقِهِم سَلَمَت

فَكُلُّ شَيءٍ عَلى آثارِها سَلَما

فَكُلُّ شَيءٍ عَلى آثارِها سَلَما

If the vital parts of their character remain sound,

If the warrior’s morals are safe

Then everything in their wake remains sound.

Then everything in its wake is safe

وَإِنَّما الأُمَمُ الأَخلاقُ ما بَقِيَت

وَإِنَّما الأُمَمُ الأَخلاقُ ما بَقِيَت

فَإِن تَوَلَّت مَضَوا في إِثرِها قُدُما

فَإِن تَوَلَّت مَضَوا في إِثرِها قُدُما

Nations are only their morals, so long as these endure;

The nations last as long as their morals do

If these depart, the nations follow straight in their wake.

And if they decline, they follow them step by step

نِمتُم عَلى كُلِّ ثارٍ لا قَرارَ لَهُ

نِمتُم عَلى كُلِّ ثارٍ لا قَرارَ لَهُ

وَهَل يَنامُ مُصيبٌ في الشُعوبِ دَما

وَهَل يَنامُ مُصيبٌ في الشُعوبِ دَما

You slept amid every blood-feud that would not be still;

You slept at every place with no stability

Can one who has shed blood among peoples sleep?

Can one afflicted among peoples sleep blood?

فَنالَ مِن سَيفِكُم مَن كانَ ساقِيَهُ

فَنالَ مِن سَيفِكُم مَن كانَ ساقِيَهُ

كَما تَنالُ المُدامُ الباسِلَ القَدَما

كَما تَنالُ المُدامُ الباسِلَ القَدَما

Then your sword struck the very one who had given it drink,

Whoever made you his cupbearer has had

As wine overcomes the brave, intrepid man.

What the continuing wine makes the valiant drink

قالَ العَذولُ خَرَجنا في مَحَبَّتِكُم

قالَ العَذولُ خَرَجنا في مَحَبَّتِكُم

مِنَ الوَقارِ فَيا صِدقَ الَّذي زَعَما

مِنَ الوَقارِ فَيا صِدقَ الَّذي زَعَما

The reproacher said that, in our love for you, we had departed

Al-Adhool said, “We went out in love of you

From decorum—how true was what he claimed!

From dignity,” so true is he who claims

فَما عَلى المَرءِ في الأَخلاقِ مِن حَرَجٍ

فَما عَلى المَرءِ في الأَخلاقِ مِن حَرَجٍ

إِذا رَعى صِلَةً في اللَهِ أَو رَحِما

إِذا رَعى صِلَةً في اللَهِ أَو رَحِما

Yet a man incurs no moral blame

So there is no embarrassment for one

When he honors a bond for God's sake, or a tie of kinship.

In morals if he maintains a bond in God or womb

وَلَو وَهَبتُم لَنا عُليا سِيادَتِكُم

وَلَو وَهَبتُم لَنا عُليا سِيادَتِكُم

ما زادَنا الفَضلُ في إِخلاصِنا قُدُما

ما زادَنا الفَضلُ في إِخلاصِنا قُدُما

Even if you granted us your supreme sovereignty,

If you granted us your highest rule

That favor would not take our devotion one step further.

Excellence would not increase our loyalty one step

نَحنو عَلَيكُم وَلا نَنسى لَنا وَطَناً

نَحنو عَلَيكُم وَلا نَنسى لَنا وَطَناً

وَلا سَريراً وَلا تاجاً وَلا عَلَما

وَلا سَريراً وَلا تاجاً وَلا عَلَما

We are tender toward you, yet do not forget our own homeland,

We are above you and do not forget a homeland

Nor a throne, nor a crown, nor a flag.

Or throne, or crown or flag for ourselves

هَذي كَرائِمُ أَشياءِ الشُعوبِ فَإِن

هَذي كَرائِمُ أَشياءِ الشُعوبِ فَإِن

ماتَت فَكُلُّ وُجودٍ يُشبِهُ العَدَما

ماتَت فَكُلُّ وُجودٍ يُشبِهُ العَدَما

These are the peoples' most cherished things; if

These are the precious things of people, so if

They die, all existence resembles nothingness.

They die, all existence resembles nonexistence