مصرEgypt أُمُّmother of الدنياthe world كماas لقَّبوهاthey called her
مصر أُمُّ الدنيا كما لقَّبوها
ليسthere is not فin (initial fragment) يالخصب(completes 'in') fertility مثلهاlike her منany مكانِplace
ليس ف يالخصب مثلها من مكانِ
Egypt is the Mother of the World, as they called her;
Egypt, the mother of the world as they dubbed her
No place equals her in fertility.
In fertility, no place compares to her
أَيُّwhat وادٍvalley تحتbeneath السماءِthe sky كواديlike the valley of
أَيُّ وادٍ تحت السماءِ كوادي
هاher (suffix completing 'her valley') النضيرlush الوفرِabundant in الجنيfruit الريانشwell-watered
ها النضير الوفرِ الجني الريانش
What valley beneath the sky is like her valley—
What valley under the sky like her valley
Lush, abundant in fruit, and well-watered?
With abundant, plentiful, bountiful harvest
تُربُهits soil التبرgold dust بلnay منthan التبرgold dust أغلىmore precious
تُربُه التبر بل من التبر أغلى
وحصاهand its pebbles أنقىpurer منthan المرجانِcoral
وحصاه أنقى من المرجانِ
Its soil is gold dust—nay, more precious than gold dust;
Her soil richer than gems and pearls
And its pebbles are purer than coral.
Her pebbles purer than coral
كانit was مستودعa storehouse of الغنىwealth وهوand it باقٍenduring
كان مستودع الغنى وهو باقٍ
مثلماjust as كانit was منsince قديمancient الزمانشtimes
مثلما كان من قديم الزمانش
It was a storehouse of wealth, and still endures,
She was and remains the treasure trove of bounty
As it has since ancient times.
As she has been since the early days
ومجانيهand its fruits وهيwhile they تجتازُexceed حدَّthe limit of الthe (prefix)
ومجانيه وهي تجتازُ حدَّ ال
حصرcounting معدودةقreckoned الذَّthe most delicious of المجانيfruits
حصر معدودةق الذَّ المجاني
And its fruits, though they exceed the bounds of
Her free gifts exceed all count
Counting, are reckoned the most delicious fruits.
Immeasurably generous is she
ونراهُand we see it فيin الصيفsummer والقطنand the cotton فيهin it
ونراهُ في الصيف والقطن فيه
أَبيضُwhite الزهرِthe blossoms فوقabove اخضرَgreen حانِintensely green
أَبيضُ الزهرِ فوق اخضرَ حانِ
And we see it in summer, the cotton there
In summer we see her cotton
White in blossom above deep green,
White blossoms above green stems
كبساطٍlike a carpet منof الزُّمرُّدِemerald مجموgathered (initial fragment)
كبساطٍ من الزُّمرُّدِ مجمو
عاًcompletion of 'gathered' عليهupon it منثورُscattered حبِbeads of جمانشpearls
عاً عليه منثورُ حبِ جمانش
Like a carpet of emerald—gathered
Like an emerald carpet strewn with red rosebuds
Upon it are scattered beads of pearl.
Such are the secrets of her riches
هوit سرّthe secret of الإِثراءِgrowing rich لكنbut
هو سرّ الإِثراءِ لكن
ليسthere is no فيهin it داعreason الىfor الكتمانconcealment
ليس فيه داع الى الكتمان
It is the secret of growing rich, yet
No cause for concealment there
There is no reason to keep it secret.
Partial English translation: 15 of 16 Arabic lines translated.