سَخَّرَ العِلمَ لِيَبني آيَةً

سَخَّرَ العِلمَ لِيَبني آيَةً

فَوقَ شَطِّ النيلِ تَبدو كَالعَلَم

فَوقَ شَطِّ النيلِ تَبدو كَالعَلَم

He harnessed science to build a marvel

He harnessed knowledge to build a monument

Above the Nile’s bank, appearing like a mountain.

That appears like a flag over the Nile's shore

هِيَ ذِكرٌ خالِدٌ لَكِنَّهُ

هِيَ ذِكرٌ خالِدٌ لَكِنَّهُ

عابِسُ الوَجهِ إِذا الذِكرُ اِبتَسَم

عابِسُ الوَجهِ إِذا الذِكرُ اِبتَسَم

It is an everlasting memorial, yet it

It is an eternal memory, however

Is grim-faced when remembrance smiles.

Its face is sullen when memory smiles

كُلُّ ما فيها عَلى إِعجازِها

كُلُّ ما فيها عَلى إِعجازِها

أَنَّها قَبرٌ لِجَبّارٍ حُطَم

أَنَّها قَبرٌ لِجَبّارٍ حُطَم

All it amounts to, for all its wonders,

Everything in it, in its miracles

Is a tomb for a ruthless tyrant.

Is that it is the grave of a tyrant broken

لَيتَهُ سَخَّرَ ما في عَهدِهِ

لَيتَهُ سَخَّرَ ما في عَهدِهِ

مِن قُوىً في غَيرِ تَقديسِ الرِمَم

مِن قُوىً في غَيرِ تَقديسِ الرِمَم

If only he had harnessed what his reign held

If only he had harnessed what was in his era

Of powers, for ends other than sanctifying mouldering bones:

Of powers, not in sanctifying ruins

مِن فُنونٍ أَعجَزَت أَطواقَنا

مِن فُنونٍ أَعجَزَت أَطواقَنا

وَعُلومٍ عِندَها الفِكرُ وَجَم

وَعُلومٍ عِندَها الفِكرُ وَجَم

Of arts that surpassed our capacities,

Of arts that dazzled our minds

And sciences before which the mind fell silent,

And sciences before which thought stops still

وَبَنانٍ مُبدِعاتٍ صَوَّرَت

وَبَنانٍ مُبدِعاتٍ صَوَّرَت

أَوجُهَ العُذرِ لِعُبّادِ الصَنَم

أَوجُهَ العُذرِ لِعُبّادِ الصَنَم

And creative fingers that gave shape to

And creative arts that depicted

Grounds for excusing the idol’s worshippers.

The faces of excuses for idol worshippers

أَبدَعَت ما أَبدَعَت ثُمَّ اِنطَوَت

أَبدَعَت ما أَبدَعَت ثُمَّ اِنطَوَت

وَعَلى أَسرارِها الدَهرُ خَتَم

وَعَلى أَسرارِها الدَهرُ خَتَم

They created what they created, then vanished,

It created such wonders then folded away

And time set a seal upon their secrets.

And over its secrets time set a seal