إِنّي دُعيتُ إِلى اِحتِفالِكَ فَجأَةً

إِنّي دُعيتُ إِلى اِحتِفالِكَ فَجأَةً

فَأَجَبتُ رَغمَ شَواغِلي وَسَقامي

فَأَجَبتُ رَغمَ شَواغِلي وَسَقامي

Indeed, I was suddenly invited to your celebration,

I was suddenly invited to your celebration

So I accepted, despite my preoccupations and illness.

So I accepted despite my preoccupations and illness

وَدَعَوتُ شِعري يا أَمينُ فَخانَني

وَدَعَوتُ شِعري يا أَمينُ فَخانَني

أَدَبي وَلَم يَرعَ القَريضُ ذِمامي

أَدَبي وَلَم يَرعَ القَريضُ ذِمامي

And I summoned my poetry, O Amin, but was betrayed

And I called upon my poetry, O faithful one, but it betrayed me

By my poetic gift; verse did not keep faith with me.

My talent failed and my rhymes were out of my control

فَأَتَيتُ صِفرَ الكَفِّ لَم أَملِك سِوى

فَأَتَيتُ صِفرَ الكَفِّ لَم أَملِك سِوى

أَمَلي بِصَفحِكَ عَن قُصورِ كَلامي

أَمَلي بِصَفحِكَ عَن قُصورِ كَلامي

So I came empty-handed, possessing nothing but

So I came empty-handed, possessing nothing but

My hope that you would pardon the shortcomings of my words.

My hope for your forgiveness for the shortcomings of my words

واخَجلَتي أَيَكونُ هَذا مَوقِفي

واخَجلَتي أَيَكونُ هَذا مَوقِفي

في حَفلَةِ التَوديعِ وَالإِكرامِ

في حَفلَةِ التَوديعِ وَالإِكرامِ

Oh, my shame! Is this to be my role

And I felt ashamed, would this be my stance

At the gathering for farewell and honor?

At the farewell and honoring ceremony?

وَأَنا الخَليقُ بِأَن أُرَتِّلَ لِلوَرى

وَأَنا الخَليقُ بِأَن أُرَتِّلَ لِلوَرى

آياتِ هَذا المُصلِحِ المِقدامِ

آياتِ هَذا المُصلِحِ المِقدامِ

Yet I am the one who ought to chant to humankind

I deserve to chant to the people

The wondrous deeds of this intrepid reformer,

Verses about this intrepid reformer

وَأَقومُ عَن نَفسي وَعَن غَيري بِما

وَأَقومُ عَن نَفسي وَعَن غَيري بِما

يَقضي الوَلاءُ وَواجِبُ الإِعظامِ

يَقضي الوَلاءُ وَواجِبُ الإِعظامِ

And fulfill, for myself and others, what

And to speak for myself and others with what

Loyalty and the duty of reverence require.

Loyalty and duty to honor require

بِنها لَقَد وُفّيتِ قِسطَكِ مِن مُنىً

بِنها لَقَد وُفّيتِ قِسطَكِ مِن مُنىً

وَسَعادَةٍ وَرِعايَةِ وَنِظامِ

وَسَعادَةٍ وَرِعايَةِ وَنِظامِ

Benha, you have indeed received your full share of hopes fulfilled,

You have certainly gotten your share of bliss

And happiness, care, and order.

And happiness, care and order

فَدَعي سِواكِ يَفُز بِقُربِ مُوَفَّقٍ

فَدَعي سِواكِ يَفُز بِقُربِ مُوَفَّقٍ

هُوَ في الحُكومَةِ نُخبَةُ الحُكّامِ

هُوَ في الحُكومَةِ نُخبَةُ الحُكّامِ

So let others gain the company of one favored with success,

So let anyone other than you win the proximity of the successful Muwaffaq

Who, in government, is the finest of governors.

He is the elite of rulers in governance

لَبِسَ التَواضُعَ حُلَّةً وَمَشى إِلى

لَبِسَ التَواضُعَ حُلَّةً وَمَشى إِلى

رُتَبِ الجَلالِ مُسَدَّدِ الأَقدامِ

رُتَبِ الجَلالِ مُسَدَّدِ الأَقدامِ

He donned humility as a robe and walked toward

He wore humility as his garment and walked to

The ranks of grandeur, with sure and steady steps.

The positions of glory with steady steps

وَغَدا بِأَبراجِ العُلا مُتَنَقِّلاً

وَغَدا بِأَبراجِ العُلا مُتَنَقِّلاً

كَالبَدرِ يُسعِدُهُ السُرى بِتَمامِ

كَالبَدرِ يُسعِدُهُ السُرى بِتَمامِ

And he came to move among the constellations of glory,

And he started roaming the towers of glory

Like the full moon, whose nightly course blesses it with fullness.

Like the full moon bringing joy to the heavens