شَمسُ المَعالي كَعُقودِ الجُمان

شَمسُ المَعالي كَعُقودِ الجُمان

قَد نَظِّمَت في صَدرِ هذا المَكان

قَد نَظِّمَت في صَدرِ هذا المَكان

The sun of high distinction, like strings of pearls,

The sun of glories like necklaces of pearls

Has been arrayed at the forefront of this place.

Has been composed in the chest of this place

وَلِلمَسَرّاتِ بِأَنحائِهِ

وَلِلمَسَرّاتِ بِأَنحائِهِ

حُسنُ قِرانٍ يا لَهُ من قِران

حُسنُ قِرانٍ يا لَهُ من قِران

And the joys throughout its precincts

And for the delights throughout it

Form a beautiful union—what a union!

Is a beautiful pairing, what a beautiful pairing

يَستَقبِلُ العَينَ بما تَشتَهي

يَستَقبِلُ العَينَ بما تَشتَهي

مِن طُرَفِ النَقشِ اللِطافِ الحِسان

مِن طُرَفِ النَقشِ اللِطافِ الحِسان

It greets the eye with what it desires:

It welcomes the eye with what it desires

Delicate, beautiful marvels of ornament.

From the edge of the gentle, exquisite carving

تَدنو قُطوفُ الأُنسِ فيه إِلى

تَدنو قُطوفُ الأُنسِ فيه إِلى

أَضيافِ عَبّاسٍ عَزيزِ الزَمان

أَضيافِ عَبّاسٍ عَزيزِ الزَمان

There the fruits of fellowship draw near

The fruits of intimacy in it approach

To the guests of Abbas, the exalted one of the age.

The guests of the eminent Abbas of the time

لا زالَ ناديهِ مقَرَّ القِرى

لا زالَ ناديهِ مقَرَّ القِرى

وَمجدهُ الباذِخُ حِلفَ الضَمان

وَمجدهُ الباذِخُ حِلفَ الضَمان

May his gathering place remain the seat of hospitality,

Its club remains the home of villages

And his towering glory bound to security.

And its towering glory, the alliance of guarantee

تَرتَعُ مِصرُ العُمرَ من ظِلِّهِ

تَرتَعُ مِصرُ العُمرَ من ظِلِّهِ

في نَضرَةِ الرَوضِ وَطيبِ الجِنان

في نَضرَةِ الرَوضِ وَطيبِ الجِنان

Egypt revels all her days beneath his shade,

Egypt savors a long life in its shade

In the meadows' freshness and the gardens' sweetness.

In the blossoming of the garden and scent of paradise

وَتَكتَسي الأَيّامُ من نورهِ

وَتَكتَسي الأَيّامُ من نورهِ

طلاقَةً يَغبِطُها النَيِّران

طلاقَةً يَغبِطُها النَيِّران

And from his light the days clothe themselves

And the days are clothed in its light

In a radiance the sun and moon envy.

With a radiance envied by fires

ما أَوضَحَ الحقَّ إِذا ما اِنجَلى

ما أَوضَحَ الحقَّ إِذا ما اِنجَلى

في حُلَّةِ الحُسنِ وَحليِ البَيان

في حُلَّةِ الحُسنِ وَحليِ البَيان

How clear truth is when it shines forth

How clearly the truth sparkles when it emerges

In beauty's robe and eloquence's jewels!

In the garb of beauty and jewelry of rhetoric

يَحُجُّ ذو الرَاي بهِ خَصمَهُ

يَحُجُّ ذو الرَاي بهِ خَصمَهُ

مِن قَبلِ أَن تَعمَلَ فيه السِنان

مِن قَبلِ أَن تَعمَلَ فيه السِنان

With it, the man of judgment refutes his opponent

One with an opinion travels to it for judgment over his opponent

Before the spearpoint does its work upon him.

Before the swords can leave their marks

فهو بلا شَكٍّ ولا ريبَةٍ

فهو بلا شَكٍّ ولا ريبَةٍ

إِلهُ ربِّ السَيفِ وَالطَيلَسان

إِلهُ ربِّ السَيفِ وَالطَيلَسان

So it is, without doubt or misgiving,

Without doubt or suspicion it is

The god of the master of sword and mantle.

The God of the Lord of the sword and spear

وَالعَدلُ يُعلى المُلكَ فَوقَ السُها

وَالعَدلُ يُعلى المُلكَ فَوقَ السُها

وَيُلبِسُ الدُنيا ثِيابَ الأَمان

وَيُلبِسُ الدُنيا ثِيابَ الأَمان

And justice raises sovereignty above Suha,

And justice elevates the kingdom above the horizon

And clothes the world in garments of safety.

And dresses the world in robes of security

إِقامَةُ القِسطاسِ من شَرطِه

إِقامَةُ القِسطاسِ من شَرطِه

وَرُكنُهُ رَدعٌ بلا عُنفُوان

وَرُكنُهُ رَدعٌ بلا عُنفُوان

Upholding the scales is part of what it requires,

Establishing the scales of justice is its requirement

And its pillar is deterrence without vehemence.

And its pillar, deterrence without defiance

فَاِستَعمِل الرَحمَةَ في أَهلِها

فَاِستَعمِل الرَحمَةَ في أَهلِها

لا تَضَع العُنفَ مكانَ الحَنان

لا تَضَع العُنفَ مكانَ الحَنان

So exercise mercy toward those deserving it;

So show mercy to those who deserve it

Do not put harshness in place of tenderness.

Do not use violence in place of affection

لا تَسأَل المالِكَ عن مُلكِه

لا تَسأَل المالِكَ عن مُلكِه

فَعَدلُه عن مُلكهِ تَرجُمان

فَعَدلُه عن مُلكهِ تَرجُمان

Do not ask the ruler about his rule;

Do not ask the owner about his property

For his justice is his rule's interpreter.

For his justice is the translator of his ownership

حُبُّ الرَعايا خيرُ ما يُقتَنى

حُبُّ الرَعايا خيرُ ما يُقتَنى

وَخيرُ ما يَصبو إِلَيهِ الجَنان

وَخيرُ ما يَصبو إِلَيهِ الجَنان

The subjects' love is the best thing to acquire,

Love of the subjects is the best thing to acquire

And the best thing the heart can yearn for.

And the best thing for souls to aspire

كم ظَلَّ منهُ المَرءُ في جَحفَلٍ

كم ظَلَّ منهُ المَرءُ في جَحفَلٍ

وَباتَ في حِصنٍ رَفيعِ العِنان

وَباتَ في حِصنٍ رَفيعِ العِنان

How often, through it, a man has spent the day amid a mighty host,

How much shade it has cast on a man in tumult

And spent the night in a fortress towering high!

Who slept in a lofty, unbridled fortress

فَاِحرِص عليه الدَهرَ من عُدَّةٍ

فَاِحرِص عليه الدَهرَ من عُدَّةٍ

يَعنو لَها الكَونُ وَيُصغى الزَمان

يَعنو لَها الكَونُ وَيُصغى الزَمان

So hold fast to it forever as a means of defense,

So protect it through the ages with readiness

To which the universe bows and time gives ear.

For it the universe yearns and time listens