بالأمسyesterday كناwe were ومصرٌand Egypt فيin شبيبتهاher youth
بالأمس كنا ومصرٌ في شبيبتها
ماwhat بالهاher condition الآنnow أحنىhas bowed ظهرهاher back الهِرمَold age
ما بالها الآن أحنى ظهرها الهِرمَ
Yesterday we lived, and Egypt was in her youth.
Yesterday we and Egypt were in her youth
What ails her now? Old age has bowed her back.
Why is she now bent over with old age?
هلis? تلكthat مصرُEgypt التيwhom منfrom قبلُbefore نعرفهاwe know her
هل تلك مصرُ التي من قبلُ نعرفها
وأهلهاand her people منthose who عنَتbowed قِدماًlong ago لهاto her الأممَthe nations
وأهلها من عنَت قِدماً لها الأممَ
Is that the Egypt we knew before,
Is this the Egypt we knew before?
and are her people those before whom nations bowed long ago?
Whose people nations' feet grew tired walking to?
كلاno فماfor not هيshe ماwhat ندريهwe know it منfrom قدمolden times
كلا فما هي ما ندريه من قدم
وماand not هموthey لوif تدبرتyou pondered الأمورmatters هموthey
وما همو لو تدبرت الأمور همو
No! For she is not what we knew of old,
No, she is not what we knew of old
nor, if you ponder matters, are they who they once were.
Nor are they, if you consider matters, they