مِصْرEgypt تُنَادِيكُمْcalls you فَمَنْso who يُحْجِمُholds back
مِصْر تُنَادِيكُمْ فَمَنْ يُحْجِمُ
تَطَوَّعُواvolunteer! وَالأَسْبَقُand the foremost الأَكْرَمُthe noblest
تَطَوَّعُوا وَالأَسْبَقُ الأَكْرَمُ
Egypt calls you—who will hold back?
Egypt calls upon you, so who will hold back?
Volunteer! The foremost is the noblest.
Volunteer, and the earliest is the most noble,
إِنَّindeed القُرَىthe villages مِنْamong هَمِّهَاher concerns فَاعْلَمُواso know!
إِنَّ القُرَى مِنْ هَمِّهَا فَاعْلَمُوا
لِنَهْضَةٍfor a revival تَرْقُبُهَاshe awaits it مِنكُمُfrom you
لِنَهْضَةٍ تَرْقُبُهَا مِنكُمُ
Know that the villages are among her concerns,
Know that the villages suffer from their concerns,
For the revival she awaits from you.
Awaiting a renaissance they hope from you.
بِالأَمْسِyesterday لَمْdid not يُعْنَtake an interest بِإِصْلاحِهَاin their reform
بِالأَمْسِ لَمْ يُعْنَ بِإِصْلاحِهَا
مَنْone who شُغْلُهُhis business حَيْثُwherever لَهُfor him مَغْنَمُprofit
مَنْ شُغْلُهُ حَيْثُ لَهُ مَغْنَمُ
Yesterday, their reform was no concern
Yesterday, he who busied himself where he profits
To one whose business lay wherever he could profit.
Did not care to reform it.
وَاليوْمَand today تَبْدُوappears مِنْfrom دَيَاجٍdarkness بِهَاwithin them
وَاليوْمَ تَبْدُو مِنْ دَيَاجٍ بِهَا
عَابِسَةٍfrowning بَارِقَةٌa gleam تَبْسُمُsmiles
عَابِسَةٍ بَارِقَةٌ تَبْسُمُ
Today there appears, out of their darkness—
And today it dawns from behind the clouds
Frowning darkness—a gleam that smiles.
Frowning, glaring, smiling.
فَلْيَأْتِso let there come عَهْدٌan era عَادِلٌjust نَيِّرradiant
فَلْيَأْتِ عَهْدٌ عَادِلٌ نَيِّر
وَليَمْضِand let pass عَهْدٌan era ظَالِمٌunjust مُظْلِمُdark
وَليَمْضِ عَهْدٌ ظَالِمٌ مُظْلِمُ
Let a just and radiant era come,
So let a just era come, shining,
And let an unjust, dark era pass.
And let an unjust, oppressive era pass away.
مَاwhat عِزَّةglory الأُمَّةِof the nation إِنْif كَاثرَتْit outnumbers others
مَا عِزَّة الأُمَّةِ إِنْ كَاثرَتْ
وَفِيand among السَّوادِthe masses الجَهْلُignorance مُسْتَحْكِمُentrenched
وَفِي السَّوادِ الجَهْلُ مُسْتَحْكِمُ
What glory has a nation, though it outnumber others,
What is the glory of the nation if the majority
While ignorance is entrenched among the masses?
Remain in deep ignorance?
مَاwhat جَاهُهَاits standing إِنْif رَقِيَتْhave risen قِلَّةٌa few
مَا جَاهُهَا إِنْ رَقِيَتْ قِلَّةٌ
وَلَمْand have not يُدَانِdrawn near القِلَّةَthe few المُعْظَمُthe majority
وَلَمْ يُدَانِ القِلَّةَ المُعْظَمُ
What standing has it if a few have risen,
What is its prominence if only a few excel
And the majority has not approached the few?
And the few are not valued?
طُفْgo round! بِالقُرَىthrough the villages تلْقَyou will find أُلُوفاًthousands بِهَاtherein
طُفْ بِالقُرَى تلْقَ أُلُوفاً بِهَا
مِنْهُمُamong them رَقِيقُof slender الحَالِmeans وَالمُعْدِمُand the destitute
مِنْهُمُ رَقِيقُ الحَالِ وَالمُعْدِمُ
Go round the villages: you will find thousands there,
Go around the villages, you find thousands
Among them those of slender means and the destitute,
Among them destitute and deprived.
وَشَظَفُand the hardship of العَيْشِlife الَّذِيwho وِرْدُهُhis draught
وَشَظَفُ العَيْشِ الَّذِي وِرْدُهُ
أَحْلَىsweeter لَهُfor him لَوْif أَنَّهُthat it عَلْقَمُbitter colocynth
أَحْلَى لَهُ لَوْ أَنَّهُ عَلْقَمُ
And one whose life is harsh, whose draught
Barely surviving on the sustenance
Would be sweeter to him were it bitter colocynth.
That would be sweeter to them if it were bitter aloes.
وَأَخْشَنُand the roughest of الأَثْوَابِgarments مَاwhat يَكْتَسِيhe wears
وَأَخْشَنُ الأَثْوَابِ مَا يَكْتَسِي
وَأَرْدَأَand the poorest of الأَلْوَانِkinds of food مَاwhat يَطْعَمُhe eats
وَأَرْدَأَ الأَلْوَانِ مَا يَطْعَمُ
And the roughest garments are what he wears,
Wearing the coarsest clothes they can cover with,
And the poorest kinds of food are what he eats.
Eating the foulest food they can find.
وَأَخْبَثand the foulest of الأَمْرَاضِdiseases تَنْتَابُهُassail him
وَأَخْبَث الأَمْرَاضِ تَنْتَابُهُ
مِنْfrom حَيْثُwhere لاnot يَدْرِيhe knows وَلاnor يَفْهَمُhe understands
مِنْ حَيْثُ لا يَدْرِي وَلا يَفْهَمُ
And the foulest diseases assail him
Afflicted by the worst diseases
From sources he neither knows nor understands.
From sources they know not nor understand.
وَمِنْهُمُand among them السَّالِمُthe healthy one لَكِنَّهُbut he
وَمِنْهُمُ السَّالِمُ لَكِنَّهُ
مِنْfrom مُغْرِيَاتِthe temptations of السُّوءِevil لاnot يَسْلَمُhe is safe
مِنْ مُغْرِيَاتِ السُّوءِ لا يَسْلَمُ
And among them is the healthy man, yet he
Among them are the healthy, but they
Is not safe from the temptations of evil.
Are not safe from wicked enticements.
يُفِيدُhe gains مِنْfrom أَحْقَادِهِhis grudges أَنَّهُthat he
يُفِيدُ مِنْ أَحْقَادِهِ أَنَّهُ
مُتَّخَمٌoverfed يُوثَقُis put in bonds أَوْor مُجْرِمُa criminal
مُتَّخَمٌ يُوثَقُ أَوْ مُجْرِمُ
What he gains from his grudges is that he
They benefit from their grudges that
Is overfed and put in bonds, or a criminal.
They are either tied up or imprisoned,
أَولَئِكَthose الأَنْعَاسُdrowsy ones لَوْif أُنْصِفُواthey were treated justly
أَولَئِكَ الأَنْعَاسُ لَوْ أُنْصِفُوا
أَجِدَرُmost deserving خَلْقِof the creatures of اللهِGod إِنْif يُرْحَمُواthey are shown mercy
أَجِدَرُ خَلْقِ اللهِ إِنْ يُرْحَمُوا
Those drowsing souls, if treated justly,
Those hapless souls, if I were fair,
Are, if mercy is shown, God's creatures most deserving of it.
Are more deserving of mercy than any people.
وَمَاand not لَهُمْthey have ذَنْبٌa fault سِوَىexcept أَنَّهُمْthat they
وَمَا لَهُمْ ذَنْبٌ سِوَى أَنَّهُمْ
مَاnot نُشِّبُواwere given wealth يَوْماًever وَمَاnor حُلمُواwere taught good sense
مَا نُشِّبُوا يَوْماً وَمَا حُلمُوا
They have no fault except that
They have no sin other than that
They were never given wealth, nor taught good sense.
They never matured nor had dreams.
هُمْthey ثَرْوَةٌa treasure مَفْقُودَةٌlost لِلحِمَىto the homeland
هُمْ ثَرْوَةٌ مَفْقُودَةٌ لِلحِمَى
فَعَلِّمُوهُمْso teach them! عِلمُواّteach! عَلِّمُواteach!
فَعَلِّمُوهُمْ عِلمُواّ عَلِّمُوا
They are a treasure lost to the homeland;
They are lost wealth for the nation,
So teach them, teach, teach!
So teach them, educate them, teach!
تَصَوَّرُواimagine! كَيْفَhow يَكُونُونَthey would be لَوْif
تَصَوَّرُوا كَيْفَ يَكُونُونَ لَوْ
رُدواthey were turned back عَنِfrom الغَيِّerror وَلَوْand if أُحْكِمُواthey were made proficient
رُدوا عَنِ الغَيِّ وَلَوْ أُحْكِمُوا
Imagine what they would be if
Imagine how they would be if
Turned back from error and made proficient;
They were saved from misguidance.
وَمَاand what يَكُونُونَthey would be إِذَاwhen هُذِّبُواthey are refined
وَمَا يَكُونُونَ إِذَا هُذِّبُوا
تَهْذِيبَa refinement of رِفْقٍgentleness وَإِذَاand when قوِّمُواthey are set aright
تَهْذِيبَ رِفْقٍ وَإِذَا قوِّمُوا
And what they would become when refined
How they would be if disciplined
With gentle refinement, and set aright;
With kindness, and if guided.
وَمَاand what أَسْبَابُthe causes of أَدْوَائِهِمْtheir ailments
وَمَا أَسْبَابُ أَدْوَائِهِمْ
وَكُلُّهُمْand each of them لَوْif نُفِيَتْthey were banished ضَيْغَمُa lion
وَكُلُّهُمْ لَوْ نُفِيَتْ ضَيْغَمُ
And what of the causes of their ailments?
And what are the causes of their illnesses,
Each would be a lion if those were banished,
Which would all disappear if ignored?
وَأُبْطِلَand was abolished السِّحْرُsorcery وَتَضْلِيلُهُand its deception
وَأُبْطِلَ السِّحْرُ وَتَضْلِيلُهُ
وَعُطِّلَand was disabled الإِيهَامُillusion وَالمُوهِمُand the deceiver
وَعُطِّلَ الإِيهَامُ وَالمُوهِمُ
And sorcery and its deception abolished,
And magic and its deception were nullified,
And illusion and the deceiver rendered powerless,
As were illusion and the illusionist.
وَوَضَحَand became clear الفَرْقُthe distinction لَهُمْto them بَيْنَbetween مَاwhat
وَوَضَحَ الفَرْقُ لَهُمْ بَيْنَ مَا
يَحِلُّis lawful مِنْof أَمْرٍa matter وَمَاand what يَحْرُمُis forbidden
يَحِلُّ مِنْ أَمْرٍ وَمَا يَحْرُمُ
And the distinction made clear to them between what
And the difference between what is
Is lawful in a matter and what is forbidden.
Lawful and what is forbidden became clear.
خَلْقٌcreatures ضِعَافٌweak وَبِهِمْand within them قُوَّةٌstrength
خَلْقٌ ضِعَافٌ وَبِهِمْ قُوَّةٌ
غَلاَّبَةٌall-conquering إِنْif خُدِمَتْit is nurtured تَخْدُمُit serves
غَلاَّبَةٌ إِنْ خُدِمَتْ تَخْدُمُ
Weak creatures, yet within them is a strength
A weak creation, but in them is
That conquers all: if nurtured, it will serve.
An overwhelming power if served.
بِهِمْwithin them ذَكَاءٌsharp intelligence لَوْif جَلاpolished away صَيْقَلٌa polisher
بِهِمْ ذَكَاءٌ لَوْ جَلا صَيْقَلٌ
أَصْدَاءهُits rust لَمْwould not يَحْكِهِmatch it مِخْدَمُa keen sword
أَصْدَاءهُ لَمْ يَحْكِهِ مِخْدَمُ
In them is sharp intelligence: if a polisher removed
In them is intelligence which if unleashed
Its rust, no keen sword could match it.
And polished, none could match its echo.
بِهِمْwithin them أَنَاةٌpatience مِنْamong أَعَاجِيبِهَاits marvels
بِهِمْ أَنَاةٌ مِنْ أَعَاجِيبِهَا
مَواثِلُthe standing forms of الآثَارِthe monuments وَالجُثَّمُand the crouching masses
مَواثِلُ الآثَارِ وَالجُثَّمُ
In them is patience, among whose marvels are
In them is the uncanny patience
The standing monuments and the crouching masses.
With which they built the pyramids of Egypt
بَنَوْاthey built بِهَاwith it أَهْرَامَthe pyramids of مِصْرَEgypt الَّتِيwhich
بَنَوْا بِهَا أَهْرَامَ مِصْرَ الَّتِي
قَدْmay يَهْرَمُgrow old الدَّهْرُtime وَلاand not تَهْرَمُthey grow old
قَدْ يَهْرَمُ الدَّهْرُ وَلا تَهْرَمُ
With it they built Egypt's pyramids, which
Which may see ages crumble yet still stand tall.
Do not age, though time itself may grow old.
They are your nation’s treasure,
أُولَئِكُمْthose people ذُخْرٌa treasure لأَوْطَانِكثمْfor your homelands
أُولَئِكُمْ ذُخْرٌ لأَوْطَانِكثمْ
فَعَلِّمُوهُمْso teach them! عَلِّمُواteach! عَلِّمُواteach!
فَعَلِّمُوهُمْ عَلِّمُوا عَلِّمُوا
Those people are a treasure for your homelands;
So teach them, educate them, teach!
So teach them, teach, teach!
Egypt’s loyal youth of early times,
فِتْيَانَO young men of مِصْرَEgypt الأَوْفِيَاءَthe faithful الأُولَىwho
فِتْيَانَ مِصْرَ الأَوْفِيَاءَ الأُولَى
هُمْthey فِيin مَجَالاتِthe fields of الفِدَىsacrifice مَاwhat هُمُthey are
هُمْ فِي مَجَالاتِ الفِدَى مَا هُمُ
O faithful young men of Egypt, who
They are beyond match in arenas of sacrifice.
Are what you are in the fields of sacrifice—
The words of Ali are a guiding light,
قَوْلُthe words of عَلِيٍّAli قَبَسٌa flame لِلهُدَىfor guidance
قَوْلُ عَلِيٍّ قَبَسٌ لِلهُدَى
مِنْfrom مَصْدَرِthe source of الحِكْمَةِwisdom مُسْتَلْهَمُinspired
مِنْ مَصْدَرِ الحِكْمَةِ مُسْتَلْهَمُ
Ali's words are a flame of guidance,
Drawn from the wellspring of wisdom.
Inspired by the source of wisdom.
Ismail’s view in what he made clear to you
وَرَأْيُand the vision of إِسْمَاعِيلَIsmail فِيمَاin what جَلاhe made plain
وَرَأْيُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ فِيمَا جَلا
لَكُمْto you هُوit is المُجْتَمَعُthe community المُحْكَمُwell-ordered
لَكُمْ هُو المُجْتَمَعُ المُحْكَمُ
And Ismail's vision, in what he has made plain
Is the perfect all-encompassing society.
To you, is the well-ordered community.
And in Nuseir’s encouragements to you
وَفِيand in إِهَابَاتِthe appeals of نُصَيْرٍNusayr بِكُمْto you
وَفِي إِهَابَاتِ نُصَيْرٍ بِكُمْ
مَاwhat يَبْعَثُawakens العزْمَresolve وَمَاand what يُضْرِمُkindles
مَا يَبْعَثُ العزْمَ وَمَا يُضْرِمُ
And in Nusayr's appeals to you
Is what inspires determination and kindles zeal.
Is what awakens resolve and kindles it.
Dedicate yourselves to reforming the villages, a dedication
هُبُّواrise! لإِصْلاحِto reform القُرَىthe villages هِبَّةًa rising
هُبُّوا لإِصْلاحِ القُرَى هِبَّةً
تُؤْثَرُwill be recorded فِيin تَارِيخِهَاtheir history عَنْكُمُof you
تُؤْثَرُ فِي تَارِيخِهَا عَنْكُمُ
Rise in a movement to reform the villages,
That will be remembered in their history from you,
One their history will remember you for,
That will strengthen the pillars of the nation
تَزِيدُadds to أَرْكَانَthe pillars of الحِمَىthe homeland قُوَّةًstrength
تَزِيدُ أَرْكَانَ الحِمَى قُوَّةً
بِقُوَّةِthrough the strength of الرُّكْنِthe pillar الَّذِيwhich يُدْعَمُis upheld
بِقُوَّةِ الرُّكْنِ الَّذِي يُدْعَمُ
Strengthening the pillars of the homeland
With the strength of the pillar it supports.
Through the strength of the pillar being upheld.
Egypt rightly called upon her generations,
مِصْرُEgypt بِحَقٍّrightly نَدَبَتْhas summoned نَشْئَهَاher young people
مِصْرُ بِحَقٍّ نَدَبَتْ نَشْئَهَا
لَهَاfor her وَذَاكَand that الشَّرَفُthe honor الأَعْظَمُgreatest
لَهَا وَذَاكَ الشَّرَفُ الأَعْظَمُ
Egypt has rightly summoned her young people
Hers is that greatest honor.
To her service; that is the greatest honor.
What effort is too great to expend in her love
مَاwhat is الجُهْدُeffort إِنْif يُبْذَلْit is expended وَفِيand in حُبِّهَاlove of her
مَا الجُهْدُ إِنْ يُبْذَلْ وَفِي حُبِّهَا
غَيْرُnot عَزِيزٍprecious إِنْif يُرَاقَis shed الدَّمُblood
غَيْرُ عَزِيزٍ إِنْ يُرَاقَ الدَّمُ
What is effort, if spent, when, for love of her,
Where no blood spilled is too dear?
Even blood is not too dear to shed?
The village folk are her children like yourselves,
أَهْلُthe people of القُرَىthe villages أَبْنَاؤُهَاher children مِثْلُكُمْlike you
أَهْلُ القُرَى أَبْنَاؤُهَا مِثْلُكُمْ
فَعَلمُوهُمْso teach them! عَلِّمُواteach! عَلِّمُواteach!
فَعَلمُوهُمْ عَلِّمُوا عَلِّمُوا
The villagers are her children just as you are;
So teach them, educate them, teach!
So teach them, teach, teach!
Partial English translation: 69 of 70 Arabic lines translated.