1. ما لي أَرى الأَكمامَ لا تُفَتِّحُ

    وَالرَوضَ لا يَذكو وَلا يُنَفِّحُ

    Why do I see the flower buds not opening,

    and the garden neither fragrant nor wafting perfume,

  2. وَالطَيرَ لا تَلهو بِتَدويمِها

    في مُلكِها الواسِعِ أَو تَصدَحُ

    and the birds not frolicking in their circling flight

    in their vast realm, or bursting into song;

  3. وَالنيلَ لا تَرقُصُ أَمواهُهُ

    فَرحى وَلا يَجري بِها الأَبطَحُ

    and the Nile, its waters not dancing

    in joy, nor its pebbled channel flowing with them;

  4. وَالشَمسَ لا تُشرِقُ وَضّاءَةً

    تَجلو هُمومَ الصَدرِ أَو تَنزِحُ

    and the sun not rising radiant,

    clearing away the breast's cares or drawing them off;

  5. وَالبَدرَ لا يَبدو عَلى ثَغرِهِ

    مِن بَسَماتِ اليُمنِ ما يَشرَحُ

    and the full moon, whose lips show nothing

    of good fortune's heart-gladdening smiles;

  6. وَالنَجمَ لا يَزهَرُ في أُفقِهِ

    كَأَنَّهُ في غَمرَةٍ يَسبَحُ

    and the star not shining on its horizon,

    as though swimming in deep water?

  7. أَلَم يَجِئها نَبَأٌ جاءَنا

    بِأَنَّ مِصراً حُرَّةٌ تَمرَحُ

    Has the news that came to us not reached them,

    that Egypt is free, rejoicing?

  8. أَصبَحتُ لا أَدري عَلى خِبرَةٍ

    أَجَدَّتِ الأَيّامُ أَم تَمزَحُ

    For all my experience, I now do not know

    whether the days have grown serious or are jesting.

  9. أَمَوقِفٌ لِلجِدِّ نَجتازُهُ

    أَم ذاكَ لِلّاهي بِنا مَسرَحُ

    Is this a serious juncture we are passing through,

    or a stage for one who toys with us?

  10. أَلمَحُ لِاِستِقلالِنا لَمعَةً

    في حالِكِ الشَكِّ فَأَستَروِحُ

    I glimpse a glimmer of our independence

    in the pitch-blackness of doubt, so I breathe easier;

  11. وَتَطمِسُ الظُلمَةُ آثارَها

    فَأَنثَني أُنكِرُ ما أَلمَحُ

    and darkness blots out its traces,

    so I turn back, denying what I glimpse.

  12. قَد حارَتِ الأَفهامُ في أَمرِهِم

    إِن لَمَّحوا بِالقَصدِ أَو صَرَّحوا

    Minds are bewildered over their affairs,

    whether they hint at their intent or speak plainly.

  13. فَقائِلٌ لا تَعجَلوا إِنَّكُم

    مَكانَكُم بِالأَمسِ لَم تَبرَحوا

    So one says, “Do not hurry: you

    have not left where you stood yesterday.”

  14. وَقائِلٌ أَوسِع بِها خُطوَةً

    وَراءَها الغايَةُ وَالمَطمَحُ

    And another says, “What a great step it is!

    Beyond it lie the goal and the aspiration.”

  15. وَقائِلٌ أَسرَفَ في قَولِهِ

    هَذا هُوَ اِستِقلالُكُم فَاِفرَحوا

    And another, excessive in his claim, says,

    “This is your independence—rejoice!”

  16. إِن تَسأَلوا العَقلَ يَقُل عاهِدوا

    وَاِستَوثِقوا في عَهدِكُم تَربَحوا

    If you ask reason, it says, “Make a covenant,

    and ensure your covenant is secure; you will gain.

  17. وَأَسِّسوا داراً لِنُوّابِكُم

    لِلرَأيِ فيها وَالحِجا أَفسِحوا

    And establish a house for your representatives;

    make room within it for opinion and sound judgment.

  18. وَلتَذكُرِ الأُمَّةِ ميثاقَها

    أَلّا تَرى عِزَّتَها تُجرَحُ

    And let the nation remember its covenant:

    not to see its dignity wounded;

  19. وَتَنتَخِب صَفوَةَ أَبنائِها

    فَمِنهُمُ المُخلِصُ وَالمُصلِحُ

    and let it elect the best of its sons,

    for among them are the devoted and the reformers.

  20. وَلِيَتَّقِ اللَهَ أُولو أَمرِها

    أَن يُسكِتوا الأَصواتَ أَو يُرفِحوا

    And let those who govern it fear God,

    lest they silence voices or lavish gifts.”

  21. أَو تَسأَلوا القَلبَ يَقُل حاذِروا

    وَصابِروا أَعداءَكُم تُفلِحوا

    Or if you ask the heart, it says, “Beware,

    and persevere against your enemies; you will succeed.

  22. إِنّي أَرى قَيداً فَلا تُسلِموا

    أَيدِيَكُم فَالقَيدُ لا يُسجِجُ

    Indeed, I see a fetter, so do not surrender

    your hands, for the fetter does not relent.

  23. إِن هَيَّؤوهُ مِن حَريرٍ لَكُم

    فَهوَ عَلى لينٍ بِهِ أَفدَحُ

    If they fashion it for you from silk,

    it is more grievous, despite its softness.”

  24. حَتّامَ وَالصَبرُ لَهُ غايَةٌ

    لِغَيرِنا مِن بِئرِنا نَمتَحُ

    How long, though patience has a limit,

    shall we draw water from our well for others?

  25. حَتّامَ وَالأَموالُ مَشفوهَةٌ

    نَمنَحُ إِلّا مِصرَ ما نَمنَحُ

    How long, with our funds beset by demands,

    shall we give what we give to everyone but Egypt?

  26. حَتّامَ يُمضي أَمرَنا غَيرُنا

    وَذاكَ بِالأَحرارِ لا يَملُحُ

    How long shall others determine our affairs,

    when that does not befit free people?

  27. أَساءَ بَعضُ الناسِ في بَعضِهِم

    ظَنّاً وَقَد أَمسَوا وَقَد أَصبَحوا

    Some people have done others wrong

    in their suspicions, evening and morning;

  28. فَاِنتَهَزَت أَعداؤُنا نُهزَةً

    فينا وَما كانَت لَهُم تَسنَحُ

    so our enemies seized an opportunity

    against us, which had not come their way.

  29. فَالرَأيُ كُلُّ الرَأيِ أَن تُجمِعوا

    فَإِنَّما إِجماعُكُم أَرجَحُ

    The best counsel of all, then, is that you unite,

    for it is your unanimity that carries greater weight.

  30. وَكُلُّ مَن يَطمَعُ في صَدعِكُم

    فَإِنَّهُ في صَخرَةٍ يَنطَحُ

    And whoever hopes to split you apart

    is butting his head against a rock.

  31. أَخشى إِذا اِستَكثَرتُمُ بَينَكُم

    مِن قادَةِ الآراءِ أَن تُفضَحوا

    I fear, if you have too many among you

    leaders of opinion, that you will be disgraced.

  32. فَلتَقصِدوا ما اِسطَعتُمُ فيهُمُ

    فَإِنَّما في القِلَّةِ المَنجَحُ

    So keep their number modest, as far as you can,

    for success lies only in small numbers.