لي فيكَ حينَ بَدا سَناكَ وَأَشرَقا

لي فيكَ حينَ بَدا سَناكَ وَأَشرَقا

أَمَلٌ سَأَلتُ اللَهَ أَن يَتَحَقَّقا

أَمَلٌ سَأَلتُ اللَهَ أَن يَتَحَقَّقا

In you, when your radiance appeared and shone, I had

For me, when your youth dawned and shone bright

A hope I asked God to fulfill.

I had a hope I asked God to make right

أَشرِق عَلَينا بِالسُعودِ وَلا تَكُن

أَشرِق عَلَينا بِالسُعودِ وَلا تَكُن

كَأَخيكَ مَشئومَ المَنازِلِ أَخرَقا

كَأَخيكَ مَشئومَ المَنازِلِ أَخرَقا

Shine upon us with good fortune, and do not be

Dawn on us with good fortune, do not be

Like your brother, ill-omened in his stations and foolish.

Like your ill-starred brother, bleak of plight

قَد كانَ جَرّاحَ النُفوسِ فِداوِها

قَد كانَ جَرّاحَ النُفوسِ فِداوِها

مِمّا بِها وَكُنِ الطَبيبَ مُوَفَّقا

مِمّا بِها وَكُنِ الطَبيبَ مُوَفَّقا

He wounded souls; so heal them

He who healed souls became their plague

Of their afflictions, and be a successful physician.

Free them of their ills, be fortunate

هَلَّلتُ حينَ لَمَحتُ نورَ جَبينِهِ

هَلَّلتُ حينَ لَمَحتُ نورَ جَبينِهِ

وَرَجَوتُ فيهِ الخَيرَ حينَ تَأَلَّقا

وَرَجَوتُ فيهِ الخَيرَ حينَ تَأَلَّقا

I shouted for joy when I glimpsed the light of his brow,

I rejoiced when I glimpsed the light of his brow

And hoped for goodness in him when he shone.

And hoped for good when it shone bright

وَهَزَزتُهُ بِقَصيدَةٍ لَو أَنَّها

وَهَزَزتُهُ بِقَصيدَةٍ لَو أَنَّها

تُلِيَت عَلى الصَخرِ الأَصَمِّ لَأَغدَقا

تُلِيَت عَلى الصَخرِ الأَصَمِّ لَأَغدَقا

And I stirred him with a poem which, had it

I stirred him with a poem, had it been

Been recited to deaf rock, would have made it pour forth bounty.

Recited to deaf rock, it would weep right

فَنَأى بِجانِبِهِ وَخَصَّ بِنَحسِهِ

فَنَأى بِجانِبِهِ وَخَصَّ بِنَحسِهِ

مِصراً وَأَسرَفَ في النُحوسِ وَأَغرَقا

مِصراً وَأَسرَفَ في النُحوسِ وَأَغرَقا

But he turned away and singled out, with his ill luck,

But he turned away, intent on his ill-luck

Egypt, bringing ill fortune to excess and beyond all bounds.

And persisted in misfortune and sunk tight

لَو كُنتُ أَعلَمُ ما يُخَبِّئُهُ لَنا

لَو كُنتُ أَعلَمُ ما يُخَبِّئُهُ لَنا

لَسَأَلتُ رَبّي ضارِعاً أَن يُمحَقا

لَسَأَلتُ رَبّي ضارِعاً أَن يُمحَقا

Had I known what he was hiding for us,

Had I known what he hid for us

I would have begged my Lord to wipe him out.

I'd have prayed fervently for him wiped outright

أَولى الأَعاجِمَ مِنَّةً مَذكورَةً

أَولى الأَعاجِمَ مِنَّةً مَذكورَةً

وَأَعادَ لِلأَتراكِ ذاكَ الرَونَقا

وَأَعادَ لِلأَتراكِ ذاكَ الرَونَقا

He granted the non-Arabs a memorable favor,

He did the non-Arabs a noted favor

And restored that splendor to the Turks.

And restored the Turks their former might

وَتَغَيَّرَت فيهِ الخُطوبُ بِفارِسٍ

وَتَغَيَّرَت فيهِ الخُطوبُ بِفارِسٍ

حَتّى رَأَيتُ الشاهَ يَخشى البَيدَقا

حَتّى رَأَيتُ الشاهَ يَخشى البَيدَقا

And in his time affairs in Persia changed,

Affairs changed for him because of Persia

Until I saw the Shah afraid of a pawn.

Till I saw the Shah fear his troops in flight

وَأَدالَ مِن عَبدِ الحَميدِ لِشَعبِهِ

وَأَدالَ مِن عَبدِ الحَميدِ لِشَعبِهِ

فَهَوى وَحاوَلَ أَن يَعودَ فَأَخفَقا

فَهَوى وَحاوَلَ أَن يَعودَ فَأَخفَقا

And he turned the tide against Abd al-Hamid in favor of his people;

And he handed over from Abdul Hamid to his people

He fell, and tried to return, but failed.

So desires returned and he failed outright

أَمسى يُبالي حارِساً مِن جُندِهِ

أَمسى يُبالي حارِساً مِن جُندِهِ

وَلَقَد يَكونُ وَما يُبالي الفَيلَقا

وَلَقَد يَكونُ وَما يُبالي الفَيلَقا

He came to fear a guard from his own troops,

He cares not, keeping watch o'er his troops

Though once he cared nothing for a whole legion.

As elephants care not for ants in sight

وَرَمى عَلى أَرضِ الكِنانَةِ جِرمَهُ

وَرَمى عَلى أَرضِ الكِنانَةِ جِرمَهُ

بِالنازِلاتِ السودِ حَتّى أَرهَقا

بِالنازِلاتِ السودِ حَتّى أَرهَقا

And he cast his bulk upon the land of al-Kinana,

And he cast his crime upon Kinana's land

With black calamities, until he wore it down.

With calamities till it was weighted tight

حَصَدَت مَناجِلُهُ غِراسَ رَجائِنا

حَصَدَت مَناجِلُهُ غِراسَ رَجائِنا

وَلَو أَنَّها أَبقَت عَلَيهِ لَأَورَقا

وَلَو أَنَّها أَبقَت عَلَيهِ لَأَورَقا

His sickles reaped the seedlings of our hope;

His sickles reaped our hopes' harvest

Had they spared that planting, it would have put forth leaves.

If spared, it would have flourished upright

فَتَقَيَّدَت فيهِ الصِحافَةُ عَنوَةً

فَتَقَيَّدَت فيهِ الصِحافَةُ عَنوَةً

وَمَشى الهَوى بَينَ الرَعِيَّةِ مُطلَقا

وَمَشى الهَوى بَينَ الرَعِيَّةِ مُطلَقا

In his time the press was shackled by force,

The press was bound forcibly by him

And caprice roamed freely among the subjects.

And desire roamed freely unleashed outright

وَأَتى يُساوِمُ في القَناةِ خَديعَةً

وَأَتى يُساوِمُ في القَناةِ خَديعَةً

وَلَوَ اِنَّها تَمَّت لَتَمَّ بِها الشَقا

وَلَوَ اِنَّها تَمَّت لَتَمَّ بِها الشَقا

And he came bargaining over the Canal in deceit;

And he came to bargain the Canal, deceitful

Had it gone through, misery would have been complete.

If done, it would have split us outright

إِنَّ البَلِيَّةَ أَن تُباعَ وَتُشتَرى

إِنَّ البَلِيَّةَ أَن تُباعَ وَتُشتَرى

مِصرٌ وَما فيها وَأَلّا تَنطِقا

مِصرٌ وَما فيها وَأَلّا تَنطِقا

The calamity is that she should be bought and sold—

The calamity - that Egypt be sold and bought

Egypt and all within her—and not utter a word.

And all in it, yet cannot speak upright

كانَت تُواسينا عَلى آلامِنا

كانَت تُواسينا عَلى آلامِنا

صُحُفٌ إِذا نَزَلَ البَلاءُ وَأَطبَقا

صُحُفٌ إِذا نَزَلَ البَلاءُ وَأَطبَقا

They used to console us in our pain—

The papers once consoled us for our pains

The newspapers—when calamity descended and closed in.

When adversities came heavily outright

فَإِذا دَعَوتُ الدَمعَ فَاِستَعصى بَكَت

فَإِذا دَعَوتُ الدَمعَ فَاِستَعصى بَكَت

عَنّا أَسىً حَتّى تَغَصَّ وَتَشرَقا

عَنّا أَسىً حَتّى تَغَصَّ وَتَشرَقا

And when I summoned tears and they refused, the papers wept

If I called and the tears refused to flow

For us in sorrow, until they choked on their tears.

They wept for us, sad till they burst outright

كانَت لَنا يَومَ الشَدائِدِ أَسهُماً

كانَت لَنا يَومَ الشَدائِدِ أَسهُماً

نَرمي بِها وَسَوابِقاً يَومَ اللِقا

نَرمي بِها وَسَوابِقاً يَومَ اللِقا

In times of hardship they were arrows for us,

In days of woes, they were arrows for us

Which we shot, and swift steeds on the day of battle.

To shoot, and racers on day of fight

كانَت صِماماً لِلنُفوسِ إِذا غَلَت

كانَت صِماماً لِلنُفوسِ إِذا غَلَت

فيها الهُمومُ وَأَوشَكَت أَن تَزهَقا

فيها الهُمومُ وَأَوشَكَت أَن تَزهَقا

They were a safety valve for souls when

They were a valve for souls when laden

Cares boiled within them and they nearly perished.

With cares, and nearly choked outright

كَم نَفَّسَت عَن صَدرِ حُرٍّ واجِدٍ

كَم نَفَّسَت عَن صَدرِ حُرٍّ واجِدٍ

لَولا الصِمامُ مِنَ الأَسى لَتَمَزَّقا

لَولا الصِمامُ مِنَ الأَسى لَتَمَزَّقا

How often they eased the breast of a grieving free man;

How they eased many a freeman's breast

But for that valve, it would have burst with sorrow.

If not for the valve, they would tear outright

ما لي أَنوحُ عَلى الصِحافَةِ جازِعاً

ما لي أَنوحُ عَلى الصِحافَةِ جازِعاً

ماذا أَلَمَّ بِها وَماذا أَحدَقا

ماذا أَلَمَّ بِها وَماذا أَحدَقا

Why do I lament the press in such distress?

Why do I mourn the press, despairing so

What has befallen it, and what has hemmed it in?

What has befallen it, besieging outright?

قَصّوا حَواشِيَها وَظَنّوا أَنَّهُم

قَصّوا حَواشِيَها وَظَنّوا أَنَّهُم

أَمِنوا صَواعِقَها فَكانَت أَصعَقا

أَمِنوا صَواعِقَها فَكانَت أَصعَقا

They clipped its edges and imagined that they

They cut its margins, thinking they

Were safe from its thunderbolts, but it thundered more fiercely.

Escaped its thunderbolts, but were struck outright

وَأَتَوا بِحاذِقِهِم يَكيدُ لَها بِما

وَأَتَوا بِحاذِقِهِم يَكيدُ لَها بِما

يَثني عَزائِمَها فَكانَت أَحذَقا

يَثني عَزائِمَها فَكانَت أَحذَقا

And they brought their expert to plot against it with what

And they brought their cunning one to plot against it

Would bend its resolve, but it proved more skillful.

To weaken its resolve, but it was too bright

أَهلاً بِنابِتَةِ البِلادِ وَمَرحَباً

أَهلاً بِنابِتَةِ البِلادِ وَمَرحَباً

جَدَّدتُمُ العَهدَ الَّذي قَد أَخلَقا

جَدَّدتُمُ العَهدَ الَّذي قَد أَخلَقا

Welcome to the young shoots of the land, welcome!

Hello country's growth, welcome - you

You have renewed the covenant that had worn thin.

Renewed the pact which had come undone outright

لا تَيأَسوا أَن تَستَرِدّوا مَجدَكُم

لا تَيأَسوا أَن تَستَرِدّوا مَجدَكُم

فَلَرُبَّ مَغلوبٍ هَوى ثُمَّ اِرتَقى

فَلَرُبَّ مَغلوبٍ هَوى ثُمَّ اِرتَقى

Do not despair of reclaiming your glory,

Despair not to regain your glory

For many a vanquished man has fallen, then risen.

For many a fallen soul rose in flight

مَدَّت لَهُ الآمالُ مِن أَفلاكِها

مَدَّت لَهُ الآمالُ مِن أَفلاكِها

خَيطَ الرَجاءِ إِلى العُلا فَتَسَلَّقا

خَيطَ الرَجاءِ إِلى العُلا فَتَسَلَّقا

Hopes stretched out to him from their celestial spheres

Hopes from their heavens cast for him

A thread of hope toward the heights, and he climbed it.

The thread of hope to heights he climbed outright

فَتَجَشَّموا لِلمَجدِ كُلَّ عَظيمَةٍ

فَتَجَشَّموا لِلمَجدِ كُلَّ عَظيمَةٍ

إِنّي رَأَيتُ المَجدَ صَعبَ المُرتَقى

إِنّي رَأَيتُ المَجدَ صَعبَ المُرتَقى

So shoulder every great hardship for glory;

So take on every mighty hardship for glory

I have found glory a difficult height to climb.

I've seen glory is hard to gain upright

مَن رامَ وَصلَ الشَمسِ حاكَ خُيوطَها

مَن رامَ وَصلَ الشَمسِ حاكَ خُيوطَها

سَبَباً إِلى آمالِهِ وَتَعَلَّقا

سَبَباً إِلى آمالِهِ وَتَعَلَّقا

Whoever seeks to reach the sun weaves its threads

Who wished to reach the sun, wove its threads

Into a rope toward his hopes, and clings to it.

A cause to his hopes, and climbed outright

عارٌ عَلى اِبنِ النيلِ سَبّاقِ الوَرى

عارٌ عَلى اِبنِ النيلِ سَبّاقِ الوَرى

مَهما تَقَلَّبَ دَهرُهُ أَن يُسبَقا

مَهما تَقَلَّبَ دَهرُهُ أَن يُسبَقا

It is a disgrace for the son of the Nile, who outstrips mankind,

Shame on Nile's son, the world's pace-maker

However his times may change, to be outstripped.

However much his fate revolved outright

أَوَ كُلَّما قالوا تَجَمَّعَ شَملُهُم

أَوَ كُلَّما قالوا تَجَمَّعَ شَملُهُم

لَعِبَ الشِقاقُ بِجَمعِنا فَتَفَرَّقا

لَعِبَ الشِقاقُ بِجَمعِنا فَتَفَرَّقا

Is it that whenever they say their ranks have united,

Or whenever they said, their unity fell apart

Discord toys with our ranks and scatters them?

Discord played with our unity, so they split outright

فَتَدَفَّقوا حُجَجاً وَحوطوا نيلَكُم

فَتَدَفَّقوا حُجَجاً وَحوطوا نيلَكُم

فَلَكَم أَفاضَ عَلَيكُمُ وَتَدَفَّقا

فَلَكَم أَفاضَ عَلَيكُمُ وَتَدَفَّقا

So pour forth arguments, and safeguard your Nile;

So flow copiously, and contain your Nile

For how often it has poured bounty upon you and streamed forth!

For how often did it overflow and burst outright?

حَمَلوا عَلَينا بِالزَمانِ وَصَرفِهِ

حَمَلوا عَلَينا بِالزَمانِ وَصَرفِهِ

فَتَأَنَّقوا في سَلبِنا وَتَأَنَّقا

فَتَأَنَّقوا في سَلبِنا وَتَأَنَّقا

They attacked us with time and its vicissitudes,

They blamed the times and its turns against us

So they excelled at despoiling us, and so did time.

Primping as they robbed us outright

هَزّوا مَغارِبَها فَهابَت بَأسَهُم

هَزّوا مَغارِبَها فَهابَت بَأسَهُم

يا وَيلَكُم إِن لَم تَهُزّوا المَشرِقا

يا وَيلَكُم إِن لَم تَهُزّوا المَشرِقا

They shook the western lands, which feared their might;

They shook its West, so their might shook

Woe to you if you fail to shake the East!

Woe to you if you don't shake the East outright

فَتَعَلَّموا فَالعِلمُ مِفتاحُ العُلا

فَتَعَلَّموا فَالعِلمُ مِفتاحُ العُلا

لَم يُبقِ باباً لِلسَعادَةِ مُغلَقا

لَم يُبقِ باباً لِلسَعادَةِ مُغلَقا

So learn: knowledge is the key to the heights;

So learn, for knowledge is key to sublime

It has left no door to happiness closed.

Leaving no gate to fortune shut outright

ثُمَّ اِستَمَدّوا مِنهُ كُلَّ قِواكُمُ

ثُمَّ اِستَمَدّوا مِنهُ كُلَّ قِواكُمُ

إِنَّ القَوِيَّ بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ يُتَّقى

إِنَّ القَوِيَّ بِكُلِّ أَرضٍ يُتَّقى

Then draw all your strength from it;

Then derive from it your every power

The strong are feared in every land.

For the strong are feared in every land outright

وَاِبنوا حَوالَي حَوضِكُم مِن يَقظَةٍ

وَاِبنوا حَوالَي حَوضِكُم مِن يَقظَةٍ

سوراً وَخُطّوا مِن حِذارٍ خَندَقا

سوراً وَخُطّوا مِن حِذارٍ خَندَقا

And build around your basin, out of vigilance,

And build a wall of vigil 'round your basin

A wall, and lay out a trench of caution.

And mark with caution a trench outright

وَزِنوا الكَلامَ وَسَدِّدوهُ فَإِنَّهُم

وَزِنوا الكَلامَ وَسَدِّدوهُ فَإِنَّهُم

خَبَؤوا لَكُم في كُلِّ حَرفٍ مَزلَقا

خَبَؤوا لَكُم في كُلِّ حَرفٍ مَزلَقا

And weigh your words and aim them true, for they

Weigh words and make them straight, for they

Have hidden a slippery spot for you in every letter.

Hid in every letter for you a slippery slide outright

وَاِمشوا عَلى حَذَرٍ فَإِنَّ طَريقَكُم

وَاِمشوا عَلى حَذَرٍ فَإِنَّ طَريقَكُم

وَعرٌ أَطافَ بِهِ الهَلاكُ وَحَلَّقا

وَعرٌ أَطافَ بِهِ الهَلاكُ وَحَلَّقا

And walk with caution, for your path

And walk cautiously, for your path

Is rugged; doom has ringed it and circled overhead.

Is rugged, rimmed by death hovering outright

نَصَبوا لَكُم فيهِ الفِخاخَ وَأَرصَدوا

نَصَبوا لَكُم فيهِ الفِخاخَ وَأَرصَدوا

لِلسالِكينَ بِكُلِّ فَجٍّ مَوبِقا

لِلسالِكينَ بِكُلِّ فَجٍّ مَوبِقا

They have set traps for you along it and prepared

They set traps for you in it and lay in wait

For travelers, in every pass, a deadly peril.

In every steep place an ambush outright

المَوتُ في غِشيانِهِ وَطُروقِهِ

المَوتُ في غِشيانِهِ وَطُروقِهِ

وَالمَوتُ كُلُّ المَوتِ أَلّا يُطرَقا

وَالمَوتُ كُلُّ المَوتِ أَلّا يُطرَقا

Death lies in entering it and treading it,

Death in its swooping and talons

But death, utter death, lies in leaving it untrodden.

And death - all death - if you do not take flight

فَتَحَيَّنوا فُرَصَ الحَياةِ كَثيرَةً

فَتَحَيَّنوا فُرَصَ الحَياةِ كَثيرَةً

وَتَعَجَّلوها بِالعَزائِمِ وَالرُقى

وَتَعَجَّلوها بِالعَزائِمِ وَالرُقى

So watch for life's many opportunities,

So seize life's opportunities, many

And hasten them with firm resolves and charms.

And hasten them with resolves and ascents outright

أَو فَاِخلُقوها قادِرينَ فَإِنَّما

أَو فَاِخلُقوها قادِرينَ فَإِنَّما

فُرَصُ الحَياةِ خَليقَةٌ أَن تُخلَقا

فُرَصُ الحَياةِ خَليقَةٌ أَن تُخلَقا

Or else create them, capable as you are; for

Or create them, able, for life's chances

Life's opportunities are worthy of being created.

Are a creation, meant to be created outright

وَتَفَيَّئوا ظِلَّ الأَريكَةِ وَاِقصِدوا

وَتَفَيَّئوا ظِلَّ الأَريكَةِ وَاِقصِدوا

مَلِكاً بِأُمَّتِهِ أَبَرَّ وَأَرفَقا

مَلِكاً بِأُمَّتِهِ أَبَرَّ وَأَرفَقا

And shelter in the throne's shade, and approach

And take the shade of the throne, and aim

A king most devoted and gentle toward his nation.

For a king of his nation, so kind and gentle outright

لا زالَ تاجُ المُلكِ فَوقَ جَبينِهِ

لا زالَ تاجُ المُلكِ فَوقَ جَبينِهِ

تَحتَ الهِلالِ يَزينُ ذاكَ المَفرِقا

تَحتَ الهِلالِ يَزينُ ذاكَ المَفرِقا

May the crown of kingship ever remain above his brow,

The crown of kingship still sits on his brow

Beneath the crescent, adorning the parting of his hair.

Under the crescent, adorning that head outright