ضاقَت بِكَ الأَرض وَضَج الفَضاء

ضاقَت بِكَ الأَرض وَضَج الفَضاء

وَزاحَمت دُنياكَ دُنيا القَدَر

وَزاحَمت دُنياكَ دُنيا القَدَر

The earth grew too narrow for you, and space clamored,

The earth grew narrow for you, and the sky roared,

And your world jostled the world of fate.

And your fate jostled with destiny,

يا نَيل يا آية ما لِلقَضاء

يا نَيل يا آية ما لِلقَضاء

مِن جبرة تَدفع شَتّى الصُوَر

مِن جبرة تَدفع شَتّى الصُوَر

O Nile, O sign of what fate possesses

O Nile, O sign of fate,

Of compelling might that drives forth forms of every kind.

With no cure to withstand diverse forms,

تَفور ما تَبرح مِن ذي مَضاء

تَفور ما تَبرح مِن ذي مَضاء

غَضبان في موقى وَفي مُنحَدر

غَضبان في موقى وَفي مُنحَدر

You seethe, ever possessed of fierce resolve,

You seethe, never ceasing, from a glowing place,

Enraged on an ascent [?] and on a downward slope.

Angry in channel and slope,

تَسلك في سَفر النُجوم الوضاء

تَسلك في سَفر النُجوم الوضاء

وَمَوكب الشَمس وَرَكب القَمَر

وَمَوكب الشَمس وَرَكب القَمَر

You travel in the stars' radiant journey,

You travel the luminous path of stars,

And the sun's procession and the moon's caravan.

And the procession of the sun and the march of the moon,

رِفقاً بِمَن آواك الهامه

رِفقاً بِمَن آواك الهامه

وَصاغَ في صَدرك وَحي الجَمال

وَصاغَ في صَدرك وَحي الجَمال

Be gentle with him whose inspiration sheltered you

Be gentle with the one who inspired you the care,

And fashioned beauty's revelation in your breast.

And crafted in your heart the inspiration of beauty,

طَغى بِشَطآن الهَوى جامه

طَغى بِشَطآن الهَوى جامه

دَهراً وَغناك وَغنى الرِمال

دَهراً وَغناك وَغنى الرِمال

His goblet overflowed along the shores of love

His chalice of passion overflowed,

For ages; he sang to you and sang to the sands

A lifetime, and your singing and the singing of the sands,

آماله يا نَيل أَحلامه

آماله يا نَيل أَحلامه

شَبابه الغَض الوَريف الظَلال

شَبابه الغَض الوَريف الظَلال

His hopes, O Nile, his dreams,

His hopes, O Nile, his dreams,

His tender youth, with its luxuriant shade.

His fresh, verdant youth and shadows,

أَهكَذا تنضب أَيامه

أَهكَذا تنضب أَيامه

وَأَنتَ ما تَبرح ضافي الجَلال

وَأَنتَ ما تَبرح ضافي الجَلال

Is this how his days run dry,

Is this how his days run out,

While you remain abundant in majesty?

While you never cease, pouring magnificence?

هبك اِبتَلعت الزَورَق الوادعا

هبك اِبتَلعت الزَورَق الوادعا

في مَوجة مِنك فمن يَبلعك

في مَوجة مِنك فمن يَبلعك

Suppose you swallowed the peaceful skiff

In a wave of yours, you swallowed the farewell boat,

In a wave of yours—then who will swallow you?

So who will swallow you?

أَوهبك أَطعمت بِهِ جائِعاً

أَوهبك أَطعمت بِهِ جائِعاً

في جَوفك الضَخم فَهَل يُشبعك

في جَوفك الضَخم فَهَل يُشبعك

Or suppose you fed him to a hungry one

In your vast belly, you fed the hungry,

In your vast belly—would he then sate you?

Does that sate you?

رِفقاً بِهِ وَاِستَبقه يانِعاً

رِفقاً بِهِ وَاِستَبقه يانِعاً

إِن ضمنت أَضلعهُ أَضلُعُك

إِن ضمنت أَضلعهُ أَضلُعُك

Be gentle with him, and preserve him in his bloom,

Be gentle with him, keep him intact,

If your ribs have enfolded his ribs.

If his ribs are lodged in your ribs,

أَقم لَهُ بَينَ الربى مَأتَماً

أَقم لَهُ بَينَ الربى مَأتَماً

وَاستعبر البُنيان حر الأَسف

وَاستعبر البُنيان حر الأَسف

Hold a mourning gathering for him among the hills,

Build him a funeral house among the grasses,

And make the buildings weep with burning sorrow.

And let the structure weep from the heat,

وَصَغ لَهُ الأَصداف قَبراً فَما

وَصَغ لَهُ الأَصداف قَبراً فَما

يَستَبطن الدرة غَير الصَدف

يَستَبطن الدرة غَير الصَدف

And fashion shells into a grave for him; for

Shape him shells as a grave, for who

Only a shell holds the pearl within.

Would conceal the pearl but the oyster shell?

وَاِسكُب عَلى قَبر النُبوغ الدما

وَاِسكُب عَلى قَبر النُبوغ الدما

وَاِنثُر عَلى قَبر الشَباب الطَرف

وَاِنثُر عَلى قَبر الشَباب الطَرف

And pour blood upon the grave of genius,

Pour out on the grave of genius blood,

And scatter choice gifts upon the grave of youth,

Scatter on the grave of youth, censure,

وَاِختَر بَواكير الربا أَنجُما

وَاِختَر بَواكير الربا أَنجُما

وَأَجمَع لِمَجد الشعر مَجد التَرَف

وَأَجمَع لِمَجد الشعر مَجد التَرَف

And choose the hills' first blossoms as stars,

And gather for the glory of poetry, the glory of lyricism,

And gather luxury's glory for the glory of poetry.

The first fruits of the Lord, stars.