سيرا أَيا بَدرَي سَماءِ العُلا

سيرا أَيا بَدرَي سَماءِ العُلا

وَاِستَقبِلا التِمَّ وَلا تَأفُلا

وَاِستَقبِلا التِمَّ وَلا تَأفُلا

Go forth, O two full moons of the sky of eminence,

Journey, O my two full moons in the sky of eminence,

And welcome fullness, and never set.

And go to meet excellence, do not set.

سيرا إِلى مَهدِ العُلومِ الَّتي

سيرا إِلى مَهدِ العُلومِ الَّتي

كانَت لَنا ثُمَّ اِزدَهاها البِلى

كانَت لَنا ثُمَّ اِزدَهاها البِلى

Go forth to the cradle of the sciences that

Journey to the cradle of knowledge,

Were ours, then decay overcame them.

Which was ours, then time made it decline.

سيرا إِلى الأَرضِ الَّتي أَنبَتَت

سيرا إِلى الأَرضِ الَّتي أَنبَتَت

عِزّاً وَأَضحَت لِلمَلا مَوئِلا

عِزّاً وَأَضحَت لِلمَلا مَوئِلا

Go forth to the land that brought forth

Journey to the land that produced

Glory, and became a refuge for the people.

Glory and became home to the eminent.

يَمشي عَلَيها الدَهرُ مُستَخذِياً

يَمشي عَلَيها الدَهرُ مُستَخذِياً

وَتَجزَعُ الأَحداثُ أَن تَنزِلا

وَتَجزَعُ الأَحداثُ أَن تَنزِلا

Time walks upon it in submission,

Time walks on it subjugated,

And calamities dread descending there.

And events quake to descend on it.

شِعارُ أَهليها وَأَبنائِها

شِعارُ أَهليها وَأَبنائِها

أَن يَعلَمَ المَرءُ وَأَن يَعمَلا

أَن يَعلَمَ المَرءُ وَأَن يَعمَلا

The watchword of its people and its sons

The motto of its people and sons

Is that a person should know and should act.

Is that one knows and acts.

فَزَيِّنا المَجدَ بِنورِ النُهى

فَزَيِّنا المَجدَ بِنورِ النُهى

وَجَمِّلا الجاهَ بِأَن تَكمُلا

وَجَمِّلا الجاهَ بِأَن تَكمُلا

So adorn glory with the light of reason,

So adorn glory with the light of righteousness,

And grace your standing by attaining perfection.

And beautify fame by perfecting it.

وَاِستَبِقا العَلياءَ وَاِستَمسِكا

وَاِستَبِقا العَلياءَ وَاِستَمسِكا

بِعُروَةِ الصَبرِ وَلا تَعجَلا

بِعُروَةِ الصَبرِ وَلا تَعجَلا

And vie for the heights, and hold fast

And compete for the most high, and hold on

To the handhold of patience, and do not rush.

To the bond of patience, do not rush.

وَخَبِّرا الغَربَ وَأَبناءَهُ

وَخَبِّرا الغَربَ وَأَبناءَهُ

بِأَنَّنا نَحنُ الرِجالُ الأُلى

بِأَنَّنا نَحنُ الرِجالُ الأُلى

And tell the West and its sons

And inform the West and its sons,

That we are the men for whom—

That we are the undaunted men.

لَئِن غَدا الدَهرُ بِنا مُدبِراً

لَئِن غَدا الدَهرُ بِنا مُدبِراً

لا بُدَّ لِلمُدبِرِ أَن يُقبِلا

لا بُدَّ لِلمُدبِرِ أَن يُقبِلا

Even if Time should turn its back on us—

If time turns its back on us tomorrow,

The one who turns away must surely return.

The turner back must turn again.

لا زِلتُما فَرعَينِ في دَوحَةٍ

لا زِلتُما فَرعَينِ في دَوحَةٍ

تُظِلُّ مَن رَجّى وَمَن أَمَّلا

تُظِلُّ مَن رَجّى وَمَن أَمَّلا

May you both ever remain two branches of a great tree

You two remain branches in an orchard

That shades whoever hopes and whoever longs.

That shades those who hoped and wished.

نَمَتكُما مِصرٌ وَرَبّاكُما

نَمَتكُما مِصرٌ وَرَبّاكُما

أَبٌ كَريمٌ جَدَّ حَتّى عَلا

أَبٌ كَريمٌ جَدَّ حَتّى عَلا

Egypt nurtured you both, and you were raised

Egypt raised you, and a generous father

By a noble father who strove until he rose high.

Reared you until you excelled.

مَضى وَقَد أَولاكُما نِعمَةً

مَضى وَقَد أَولاكُما نِعمَةً

لا تَبسُطا فيها وَلا تَغلُلا

لا تَبسُطا فيها وَلا تَغلُلا

He passed away, having bestowed a blessing on you both:

He passed away after granting you a favor,

Do not be lavish with it, nor keep your hands bound.

So do not misuse it or be stingy.

فَرَحمَةُ اللَهِ عَلى والِدٍ

فَرَحمَةُ اللَهِ عَلى والِدٍ

كَساكُما الإِعزازَ بَينَ المَلا

كَساكُما الإِعزازَ بَينَ المَلا

So may God's mercy be upon a father

God's mercy be upon a father

Who clothed you both in honor among the people.

Who provided you esteem amongst the eminent.