عَادَ حقّاً أَنَّ الْمَحَلَّةَ كُبْرَى

عَادَ حقّاً أَنَّ الْمَحَلَّةَ كُبْرَى

بَعْدَ تَعْطِيِلهَا مِنَ النَّعْتِ دَهْرَا

بَعْدَ تَعْطِيِلهَا مِنَ النَّعْتِ دَهْرَا

It is true again that al-Mahalla is great,

It is true that Al-Mahalla Al-Kubra

after long being deprived of that epithet.

Has returned after its long absence from glory

فاحْمِدُوا اللّهَ بُكْرَةً وأَصِيلا

فاحْمِدُوا اللّهَ بُكْرَةً وأَصِيلا

يَا بَنِيهَا ثمَّ احْمِدُوا بَنْكَ مِصْرا

يَا بَنِيهَا ثمَّ احْمِدُوا بَنْكَ مِصْرا

So praise God morning and evening,

So praise Allah in the mornings and evenings

O her sons, then praise Bank Misr.

O people of it, then praise the Nile of Egypt

هَذه غُرَّةُ الْمَآثِرِ فِيمَا

هَذه غُرَّةُ الْمَآثِرِ فِيمَا

لَكَ يَا حَرْبُ منْ مَآثِرَ أُخْرى

لَكَ يَا حَرْبُ منْ مَآثِرَ أُخْرى

This is the crowning glory among

This is the first of glories for what

your other achievements, O Harb.

You have of other glories, O Harb

قَدْ عَرفْنَاك كاتِباً وخَطِيباً

قَدْ عَرفْنَاك كاتِباً وخَطِيباً

وَحَسِيباً وَفَوقَ ذِلكَ دِثرا

وَحَسِيباً وَفَوقَ ذِلكَ دِثرا

We have known you as a writer and an orator,

We knew you as a writer and orator

a man of noble standing and, beyond that, wealthy.

And accountant, and above that a shield

مَا عَرَفْناك وَالْقَوَافِي بِناءٌ

مَا عَرَفْناك وَالْقَوَافِي بِناءٌ

قبْلَ هَذي الأَبْياتِ تُنْشِئُ شِعْرا

قبْلَ هَذي الأَبْياتِ تُنْشِئُ شِعْرا

We had not known you—rhymes being a structure—

We did not know you, though skilled with rhyme

to compose poetry before these verses.

Before these verses, composing poetry

رَاعَ أَلْبَابَنا بِكُلِّ بَيَانٍ

رَاعَ أَلْبَابَنا بِكُلِّ بَيَانٍ

وبَديعٍ ما كَانَ بِالأَمْسِ فِكْرَا

وبَديعٍ ما كَانَ بِالأَمْسِ فِكْرَا

It amazed our minds with every eloquence

You amazed our minds with every eloquence

and artistry—what was a thought yesterday.

And beauty, that was not thought of yesterday

خلَقْتَ بَلْدَةً نطالِعُ شَطْرَاً

خلَقْتَ بَلْدَةً نطالِعُ شَطْرَاً

مِنْ أَعَارِيضِهَا ونَتْركُ شَطرَا

مِنْ أَعَارِيضِهَا ونَتْركُ شَطرَا

You created a town; we read one half

You created a city, we look upon

of its poetic measures and leave the other half.

Half of its facades and neglect the other half

شَيَّدْتَ مِنْ صِغَارِ صَوْبٍ إِذَا مَا

شَيَّدْتَ مِنْ صِغَارِ صَوْبٍ إِذَا مَا

إِسْتَمْسكَتْ عَادَ أَجمُعُ الصرْحِ صَخْرا

إِسْتَمْسكَتْ عَادَ أَجمُعُ الصرْحِ صَخْرا

You built it from tiny drops of rain which, when

You built from small blocks, so if

they bound together, made the whole edifice rock.

Held together, the whole citadel returns solid

بُطِّنتْ بِالْحَديدِ وَاخْتَلَفَتْ

بُطِّنتْ بِالْحَديدِ وَاخْتَلَفَتْ

أَصْوَاتُ آلاتِهَا أَزِيزاً وَزَأْرَا

أَصْوَاتُ آلاتِهَا أَزِيزاً وَزَأْرَا

It was lined with iron, and varied

Lined with iron, and the sounds

were its machines' voices, buzzing and roaring.

Of its tools mixed with buzzing and roaring

وَأُدِيرَتْ بِمَا يُبَددُهُ الْمَاءُ

وَأُدِيرَتْ بِمَا يُبَددُهُ الْمَاءُ

وَأَنْفَاسُهُ الطَّليقَةُ حَرَّى

وَأَنْفَاسُهُ الطَّليقَةُ حَرَّى

And it was powered by what the water releases,

And spun with what scatters the water

its unfettered breaths burning hot.

And its free breaths, boiling hot

وَأُنِيرَتْ بِمَا تُوَلَّدْ مِنْ كُلِّ

وَأُنِيرَتْ بِمَا تُوَلَّدْ مِنْ كُلِّ

شِهَابٍ فِي جَوْفِهَا كانَ سِرَّا

شِهَابٍ فِي جَوْفِهَا كانَ سِرَّا

And it was lit by what arose from every

And lit with what is born from every

fiery spark that had been hidden in its depths.

Flame in its interior that was secret

خَلَقْتَ بَلْدَة لِنَسِيجٍ وَغزْلٍ

خَلَقْتَ بَلْدَة لِنَسِيجٍ وَغزْلٍ

وَضُرُوبٌ مِنَ الصِّناعَاتِ تَتْرَى

وَضُرُوبٌ مِنَ الصِّناعَاتِ تَتْرَى

You created a town for weaving and spinning,

You created a city for weaving and spinning

and diverse industries followed in succession.

And types of crafts one after another

حَيْثُ كَانَ الْبُسْتانُ يَنْبُتُ زَهْراً

حَيْثُ كَانَ الْبُسْتانُ يَنْبُتُ زَهْراً

مَصْنَعٌ لِلأَلْوَانِ يَنْبُتُ زَهْرَا

مَصْنَعٌ لِلأَلْوَانِ يَنْبُتُ زَهْرَا

Where the garden once brought forth flowers,

Where the garden grew flowers

a factory of colors brings forth flowers.

A factory for dyes grows flowers

أَرَأَيْتَ الْحَرِيرَ وَالْقُطْنَ

أَرَأَيْتَ الْحَرِيرَ وَالْقُطْنَ

وَالْكُتانَ وَالصُّوفَ فِيه نَظْماً وَنَثْرا

وَالْكُتانَ وَالصُّوفَ فِيه نَظْماً وَنَثْرا

Have you seen the silk and cotton,

Have you seen the silk and cotton

and the linen and wool within it, in verse and prose,

And flax and wool in it, prose and verse

وَثِياباً مِنْ كُلِّ لَوْنٍ وَنَقْشٍ

وَثِياباً مِنْ كُلِّ لَوْنٍ وَنَقْشٍ

مِلْءَ عَيْنِ البَديعِ طَيّاً وَنَشرا

مِلْءَ عَيْنِ البَديعِ طَيّاً وَنَشرا

and clothes of every color and pattern,

And clothes of every color and pattern

a feast for beauty's eye, folded and unfolded?

Filling the eye of splendor, extended and folded

مكَثَتْ مِصْرُ حِقْبَةً وهْيَ تَجْنِي

مكَثَتْ مِصْرُ حِقْبَةً وهْيَ تَجْنِي

مِن جَنَاهَا حَمّاً وَتَحرُزُ نَزْرَا

مِن جَنَاهَا حَمّاً وَتَحرُزُ نَزْرَا

Egypt spent an age reaping

Egypt stayed for an era, reaping

abundantly from her harvest, yet keeping little.

From its yields worry and hoarding blessings

وَعَنَتْها شَتَّى الشُّؤونِ وَلمْ

وَعَنَتْها شَتَّى الشُّؤونِ وَلمْ

تحْفَلْ لِمَا كَانَ بِالعِنَايَة أَحْرَى

تحْفَلْ لِمَا كَانَ بِالعِنَايَة أَحْرَى

Various affairs preoccupied her, and she did not

And distracted by diverse affairs and did not

heed what was more deserving of attention.

Pay heed to what was more deserving of care

أَعْوَزَتْهَا سِيَاسَةُ الْمَالِ حَتَّى

أَعْوَزَتْهَا سِيَاسَةُ الْمَالِ حَتَّى

عُدَّ إِثْرَاؤُهَا الْمُشَتَّت فَقْرَا

عُدَّ إِثْرَاؤُهَا الْمُشَتَّت فَقْرَا

She lacked financial management, until

Its wealth management was lacking until

her scattered wealth was reckoned poverty.

Its scattered enrichment was counted poverty

كَيْف تَثْرِي الأَقْوَامُ مِنْ غَيْرِ قَصْد

كَيْف تَثْرِي الأَقْوَامُ مِنْ غَيْرِ قَصْد

وَلَوِ الْخَصْبُ بدلَ التُّرْبَ تِبْرا

وَلَوِ الْخَصْبُ بدلَ التُّرْبَ تِبْرا

How can peoples grow rich without thrift,

How can nations grow rich without intent

even if fertility turned the soil to gold dust?

Even if fertility replaced barrenness as land

فَبِفضْلِ الزَّعِيمِ طَلْعَتَ حَرْبٍ

فَبِفضْلِ الزَّعِيمِ طَلْعَتَ حَرْبٍ

صُلِحَ الأَمْرُ بَعْدَ أَنْ كَان أَمْرَا

صُلِحَ الأَمْرُ بَعْدَ أَنْ كَان أَمْرَا

Yet thanks to the leader, Talaat Harb,

So by the grace of the leader Talaat Harb

affairs were put right after being a grave concern.

The matter was corrected after it was an issue

أَسَّس الْمَصْرِفَ الْكَبِيرَ فَكَانَ الأَصْلُ

أَسَّس الْمَصْرِفَ الْكَبِيرَ فَكَانَ الأَصْلُ

وَامْتَدَّتِ التَّفارِيغُ كُثْرَا

وَامْتَدَّتِ التَّفارِيغُ كُثْرَا

He founded the great bank, which became the root,

He established the great bank, so it was the origin

and its offshoots spread in abundance.

And the branches extended, many

وبَدَتْ قُوَّةُ التعَاوُنِ فِي

وبَدَتْ قُوَّةُ التعَاوُنِ فِي

تحْقِيقِ مَا لا يُظَنُّ كَسْباً وَوَفْرَا

تحْقِيقِ مَا لا يُظَنُّ كَسْباً وَوَفْرَا

And the strength of cooperation appeared in

And the strength of cooperation appeared

achieving unimagined profit and abundance.

In achieving what is not expected as gain and abundance

شَرِكَاتٌ مَصْرِيَّة أَلِفَتْهَا

شَرِكَاتٌ مَصْرِيَّة أَلِفَتْهَا

نهْضَةٌ تَمْلأُ الجوَانِحَ بُشْرَا

نهْضَةٌ تَمْلأُ الجوَانِحَ بُشْرَا

Egyptian companies, brought together by

Egyptian companies he assembled

a renaissance that fills hearts with glad tidings.

An awakening that fills the souls with glad tidings

أَحْكَمَ الرَّأْيَ وَالتَّصرُّفَ فِي الْمَالِ

أَحْكَمَ الرَّأْيَ وَالتَّصرُّفَ فِي الْمَالِ

قدَّرَتْ أَخْلاقُهُ الرِّبْحَ دُرَّا

قدَّرَتْ أَخْلاقُهُ الرِّبْحَ دُرَّا

He perfected judgment and the management of money;

He perfected reason and management of wealth

his virtues reckoned profit as pearls.

His morals appraised profit as ripe fruit

نَهْضَةٌ لَمْ تَخُصَّ مِصْرَ بِنُعْمَاهَا

نَهْضَةٌ لَمْ تَخُصَّ مِصْرَ بِنُعْمَاهَا

وعَمَّت نوَاحِي الشَّرْقِ طُرَّا

وعَمَّت نوَاحِي الشَّرْقِ طُرَّا

A renaissance that did not reserve its blessings for Egypt,

An awakening that did not exclusive to Egypt in its blessings

and spread throughout all the regions of the East.

And it encompassed the regions of the East in general

فَأَرَتَنَا السَّفينَ تنْقَادُ جَوّاً

فَأَرَتَنَا السَّفينَ تنْقَادُ جَوّاً

وَأَرَتْناَ السَّفينَ تَرتَادُ بَحْرَا

وَأَرَتْناَ السَّفينَ تَرتَادُ بَحْرَا

So it showed us vessels guided through the air,

So it showed us ships sailing the air

and showed us vessels plying the sea,

And it showed us ships treading the sea

وَأَرَتْنَا كُبْرَى الصِّناعَاتِ قَامَتْ

وَأَرَتْنَا كُبْرَى الصِّناعَاتِ قَامَتْ

بَعْدَ أَنْ كانَتِ الصِّناعَاتُ صُغْرَ

بَعْدَ أَنْ كانَتِ الصِّناعَاتُ صُغْرَ

and showed us major industries rising,

And it showed us the greatest industries established

after the industries had been small.

After they were small industries

وَأَرتْنَا النُّبوغَ فِي كلِّ مُجْلى

وَأَرتْنَا النُّبوغَ فِي كلِّ مُجْلى

لِنَشاطِ الْعُقولِ يَطْلَلُ زهْرَا

لِنَشاطِ الْعُقولِ يَطْلَلُ زهْرَا

And it showed us genius in every arena

And it showed us brilliance in every established field

of mental endeavor, appearing as flowers.

For the activity of minds, flowers blooming

وَأَرَتْنَا فِي حَومِة الْقصْدِ وَالتَّدْبِيرِ

وَأَرَتْنَا فِي حَومِة الْقصْدِ وَالتَّدْبِيرِ

زحْفَ الْجُيُوشِ كرّاً وَفَرَّا

زحْفَ الْجُيُوشِ كرّاً وَفَرَّا

And it showed us, on the battlefield of thrift and planning,

And it showed us in the swarming of resolve and management

armies advancing, charging and withdrawing.

The march of armies, attacking and fleeing

وأَرتْنَا غَنَائِمَ الرِّبْحِ وَالأَرْزَاقِ

وأَرتْنَا غَنَائِمَ الرِّبْحِ وَالأَرْزَاقِ

مِنها على ذَوِي الْحَقِّ تُجْرَى

مِنها على ذَوِي الْحَقِّ تُجْرَى

And it showed us spoils of profit and livelihoods

And it showed us the spoils of profit and sustenance

flowing from it to those entitled to them.

From it to those deserving given

وأَرتْنَا جَدْباً تَحوَّلَ خَصْباً

وأَرتْنَا جَدْباً تَحوَّلَ خَصْباً

وَأَرتْنَا عُسْراً تَحَوَّلَ يُسْرَا

وَأَرتْنَا عُسْراً تَحَوَّلَ يُسْرَا

And it showed us barrenness turned to fertility,

And it showed us barrenness transformed into fertility

and showed us hardship turned to ease,

And hardship transformed into ease

وأَرتْنَا حالاً تَفِيدُ بِهَا

وأَرتْنَا حالاً تَفِيدُ بِهَا

الأَوطَانُ نَفْعاً وَفَوْقَ ذِلكَ فَخْرَا

الأَوطَانُ نَفْعاً وَفَوْقَ ذِلكَ فَخْرَا

and showed us a state through which

And it showed us a condition from which

countries gain benefit and, beyond that, pride.

The nations benefit, and above that take pride

يَا بَنِي مِصْرَ إِنَّ طَلْعتَ حَرْبٍ

يَا بَنِي مِصْرَ إِنَّ طَلْعتَ حَرْبٍ

لا يُجَارَى عَزْماً وَحَزماً وَبِرَّا

لا يُجَارَى عَزْماً وَحَزماً وَبِرَّا

O sons of Egypt, truly Talaat Harb

O people of Egypt, Talaat Harb

is unmatched in resolve, firmness, and benevolence.

Is unmatched in resolve, wisdom and righteousness

دُونَ هَذِهِ المَآثِرِ الْغُرِّ كَمْ

دُونَ هَذِهِ المَآثِرِ الْغُرِّ كَمْ

ذَلَّلَ صَعْباً لَكُم ومَهِّدَ وَعْرا

ذَلَّلَ صَعْباً لَكُم ومَهِّدَ وَعْرا

Apart from these shining achievements, how many

Apart from these first glories, how much

difficulties he tamed for you, how much rough ground he smoothed!

Did he make easy for you and pave roughness

هلْ يُسامَى فِي الْمَجِد مُجْدُ عِصَامِيٍّ

هلْ يُسامَى فِي الْمَجِد مُجْدُ عِصَامِيٍّ

بَنَى أُمَّتهُ وأَحْدَثَ عَصْرا

بَنَى أُمَّتهُ وأَحْدَثَ عَصْرا

Can a self-made man's glory be rivaled in greatness—

Can the glory of reformers be equaled

one who built his nation and ushered in an era?

Who built his nation and brought about an age?