يَاO مِصْرُEgypt كَمْhow much فِيin سِيرَةِthe story of الجِيلِthe generation الَّذِيthat
يَا مِصْرُ كَمْ فِي سِيرَةِ الجِيلِ الَّذِي
يَمْضِيpasses on هُدىًguidance لِلوَاحِقِfor the succeeding الأَجْيالِgenerations
يَمْضِي هُدىً لِلوَاحِقِ الأَجْيالِ
O Egypt, how richly the life of that generation is filled—
O Egypt, how much lies in the story of the generation that
a generation that goes on as guidance for generations yet to come.
passes on, to guide the generations yet to come!
سِيرِيgo forth وَبَشِّيand smile لِلْخُطُوبِat calamities فَإِنَّماfor indeed
سِيرِي وَبَشِّي لِلْخُطُوبِ فَإِنَّما
تِلْكَthose الخُطُوبُcalamities نَجَائبُthe noble camels of الآمَالِhopes
تِلْكَ الخُطُوبُ نَجَائبُ الآمَالِ
Go forward, and bring glad tidings to calamities; for truly
Go forth and smile upon calamities, for
those calamities are the noble steeds of hope.
those calamities are but the noble camels of hope.
مَاذَاwhat أَعَدِّدُshall I recount مِنْof مَنَاقِبِthe virtues of أَحْمدَAhmad
مَاذَا أَعَدِّدُ مِنْ مَنَاقِبِ أَحْمدَ
فِيin الخَطْبِthe calamity مَاwhat فِيهِis in it مِنَof الإِذْهَالِbewilderment
فِي الخَطْبِ مَا فِيهِ مِنَ الإِذْهَالِ
What virtues of Ahmad have you mustered
Which of Ahmad's virtues shall I recount,
amid this calamity, with all the bewildering shock it holds?
amid all the bewilderment this calamity brings?
تِلْكَthose المَنَاقبُvirtues دُونَbeneath كُلِّevery حَقِيقَةٍreality
تِلْكَ المَنَاقبُ دُونَ كُلِّ حَقِيقَةٍ
مِنْهَاof them إِذَاwhen وُصِفَتْdescribed أَعَزُّthe loftiest خَيَالِimagining
مِنْهَا إِذَا وُصِفَتْ أَعَزُّ خَيَالِ
Those virtues fall short of every true account
Those virtues—beneath the truth of each
of them; when described, they lie beyond imagination.
of them, when described, lies the loftiest imagining.
لاَnot تَسْتَطِيعُcan يَرَاعَةٌa reed pen تَفْصِيلَهَاdetail them
لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُ يَرَاعَةٌ تَفْصِيلَهَا
وَلَعَلَّهَاand perhaps it تُغْيِيfalters عَلَىat الإِجْمَالِsummarizing
وَلَعَلَّهَا تُغْيِي عَلَى الإِجْمَالِ
No reed pen can set them out in full;
No reed pen can recount them in detail,
perhaps, told in sum, they will suffice.
and perhaps it falters even at summarizing them.
وَأَجَلُّهَاand the noblest of them تِلْكَthat المُفَادَاةُself-sacrifice الَّتِيwhich
وَأَجَلُّهَا تِلْكَ المُفَادَاةُ الَّتِي
هِيَit آيَةthe emblem of الإِحْسَانِbenevolence وَالإِجْمَالِand graciousness
هِيَ آيَة الإِحْسَانِ وَالإِجْمَالِ
And foremost I record that self-sacrifice which
And the noblest is that self-sacrifice which
is the sign of benevolence and gracious generosity.
is the emblem of benevolence and graciousness.
مَاnot مَوْتُthe death of أَحْمَدَAhmad حَتْفَdeath أَنْفٍnose (idiom: natural death) إِنَّهُindeed it
مَا مَوْتُ أَحْمَدَ حَتْفَ أَنْفٍ إِنَّهُ
لَلْقَتْلُtruly a slaying فِيin عُقْبَىthe aftermath of أَشَدِّthe fiercest نِزَالِcombat
لَلْقَتْلُ فِي عُقْبَى أَشَدِّ نِزَالِ
Ahmad’s death was no natural death; indeed it was
Ahmad's death was no natural death; it was
the fiercest combat with death in its final outcome.
truly a slaying at the close of the fiercest combat.
لَبَّىhe answered نِدَاءthe call of ضَمِيرِهِhis conscience لَمَّاwhen دَعَاcalled
لَبَّى نِدَاء ضَمِيرِهِ لَمَّا دَعَا
دَاعِيthe summons of الحِفَاظِhonor فَجَالَthen he took the field أَيَّwhat a مَجَالِfield of action
دَاعِي الحِفَاظِ فَجَالَ أَيَّ مَجَالِ
He answered his conscience’s call when
He answered his conscience's call when
honor’s summons sounded—and what a field he ranged!
the summons of honor rang out—and how he took the field!
تَعْتَاقهُhinders him الحُمَّىfever وَلاَand does not يَلْوِيpay heed بِهَاto it
تَعْتَاقهُ الحُمَّى وَلاَ يَلْوِي بِهَا
هَلْhas ...? عَاقَتِhindered الضِّرْغَامَthe lion دُونَfrom صِيَالِcharging
هَلْ عَاقَتِ الضِّرْغَامَ دُونَ صِيَالِ
Fever sought to hinder him, but he would not be turned by it;
Fever hinders him, yet he pays it no heed;
has fever ever barred the lion from its charge?
has it ever kept the lion from charging?
يَاO خَيْرَbest of مَنْthose who حَامَىdefended فَكَانَand so became لِكُلِّfor everyone مَنْwho
يَا خَيْرَ مَنْ حَامَى فَكَانَ لِكُلِّ مَنْ
حَامَىdefended بِقُدْوَتِهِthrough his example أَجَلَّthe noblest مِثَالِmodel
حَامَى بِقُدْوَتِهِ أَجَلَّ مِثَالِ
O best of those who defended the cause, becoming for every
O finest defender, who became, for all who
defender who followed your example the noblest model.
defended, the noblest model through his example!
جُزْتَyou surpassed الفِدَىself-sacrifice لَمَّاwhen نَهَاكَforbade you الطِّبmedicine أَوْor
جُزْتَ الفِدَى لَمَّا نَهَاكَ الطِّب أَوْ
تَرْدَىyou perish فَلَمْyet you did not تَمْنَحْهُgive it أَدْنَىthe slightest بَالِheed
تَرْدَى فَلَمْ تَمْنَحْهُ أَدْنَى بَالِ
You surpassed self-sacrifice when medicine forbade you—or
You went beyond sacrifice when medicine warned: ‘Desist, or
when ruin loomed—yet you paid it not the slightest heed.
perish!’ Yet you paid it not the slightest heed.
وَأَجَبْتَand you answered إِنِّيindeed I لَمْdid not أَضِنَّbegrudge عَلَىto الحِمَىthe homeland
وَأَجَبْتَ إِنِّي لَمْ أَضِنَّ عَلَى الحِمَى
بِدَمِwith the blood of الشَّباِبyouth فَمَاfor ... is not الدِّمَاءُblood بِغَالِيat all dear
بِدَمِ الشَّباِب فَمَا الدِّمَاءُ بِغَالِي
And you replied: “I have not begrudged the homeland
And you replied: ‘I have not grudged the homeland
my young blood—for surely no blood is too dear.”
the blood of youth; blood is not too dear.’
لاَnot يَكْرُثُtroubles الرِّئْبَالَthe lion أَنْto يُمْنَىbe stricken وَقَدْand already
لاَ يَكْرُثُ الرِّئْبَالَ أَنْ يُمْنَى وَقَدْ
مُنِعَhas been defended العَرِينُthe lair بِصَرْعَةِwith the fatal fall of الرِّئْبَالِthe lion
مُنِعَ العَرِينُ بِصَرْعَةِ الرِّئْبَالِ
The lion cares nothing for dying once
It troubles not the lion to suffer—once
it has made the lair secure by the lion’s fall.
his lair is defended—a lion's fatal fall.
كَلاَّno indeed وَلاَnor النَّجمَthe star الَّذِيwhich فِيهِin it الهُدَىguidance
كَلاَّ وَلاَ النَّجمَ الَّذِي فِيهِ الهُدَى
لِلنَّاسِfor humankind أَنْto يَرْفَضَّburst apart بالإِشْعَالِthrough burning
لِلنَّاسِ أَنْ يَرْفَضَّ بالإِشْعَالِ
Nor does the star whose light guides
No, nor does the star in which lies guidance
mankind mind pouring itself out in blazing flame.
for humankind mind bursting apart in flame.
مَاnothing رَاعَalarmed قَلْبَكَyour heart فِيamong الغَرَانِيقِthe cranes العُلَىthe lofty
مَا رَاعَ قَلْبَكَ فِي الغَرَانِيقِ العُلَى
إِلاَّexcept كِرَامٌnoble men عُرِّضُواwere exposed لِنَكَالِto punishment
إِلاَّ كِرَامٌ عُرِّضُوا لِنَكَالِ
Nothing alarmed your heart among those lofty young eagles
Among the lofty cranes, nothing alarmed your heart
except noble men exposed to exemplary punishment.
but noble men subjected to punishment.
وَقَفُواthey stood بِمَقْمَرَةِin the gambling den of الحُتُوفِdeaths لِشُبْهَةٍon suspicion
وَقَفُوا بِمَقْمَرَةِ الحُتُوفِ لِشُبْهَةٍ
وَالعُمْرُand life رَهْنُstaked upon إِجَابَةٍan answer وَسُؤَالِand a question
وَالعُمْرُ رَهْنُ إِجَابَةٍ وَسُؤَالِ
They stood in a graveyard of deaths upon mere suspicion,
They stood in death's gambling den on suspicion,
while life itself stood hostage to answer and interrogation.
with life staked on an answer and a question.
فَعَمَدْتَso you set out تَنْفِيto dispel بِاليَقِينِwith certainty مِنَfrom النُّهَىminds
فَعَمَدْتَ تَنْفِي بِاليَقِينِ مِنَ النُّهَى
مَاwhat دَسَّsecretly planted مِنْof رَيْبdoubt لِسَانُthe tongue of القَالِيthe hater
مَا دَسَّ مِنْ رَيْب لِسَانُ القَالِي
So you set yourself to clearing minds, with certainty,
So, with certainty, you set about driving from minds
of every doubt secretly sown by rumor’s tongue.
the doubts the hater's tongue had planted.
وَرَأَىand saw العُدُولُthe upright الحَقَّthe truth أَبْلَجَradiant مَاno بِهِin it
وَرَأَى العُدُولُ الحَقَّ أَبْلَجَ مَا بِهِ
فَنَدٌfalsehood وَتَمَّتand became complete حِيرَةُthe bewilderment of العُذَّالِthe faultfinders
فَنَدٌ وَتَمَّت حِيرَةُ العُذَّالِ
The enemy saw the truth, radiant, with no
And the upright saw truth shining, with no
falsehood in it, and the fault-finders’ bewilderment was complete.
falsehood in it; the faultfinders were utterly confounded.
نَادَيْتَyou cried يَاO لَلْعَدلِfor justice لِلبَلَدِfor the land الَّذِيwhose
نَادَيْتَ يَا لَلْعَدلِ لِلبَلَدِ الَّذِي
أَمْسىhas come to be أَعَزُّthe dearest of بَنِيهِits sons فِيin الأَغْلاَلِchains
أَمْسى أَعَزُّ بَنِيهِ فِي الأَغْلاَلِ
You cried, “O Justice!” for a country whose
You cried: ‘Justice for the land whose
dearest sons had come to be in chains.
dearest sons now lie in chains!’
فَأَجَابَso answered دَعْوَتِكَyour appeal القَضَاءُthe judiciary مُنَزَّهاًunsullied
فَأَجَابَ دَعْوَتِكَ القَضَاءُ مُنَزَّهاً
فيin الحُكْمِjudgment عَنْfrom خَطَلٍerror وَعنْand from إِخْلاَلِneglect
في الحُكْمِ عَنْ خَطَلٍ وَعنْ إِخْلاَلِ
Then the stainless judiciary answered your appeal
So the judiciary answered your appeal, untainted
with a judgment free of error and dereliction.
in judgment by error or neglect.
لَمdid not يَخْشَfear إِلاَّexcept رَبَّهits Lord فِيin حُكْمِهِits judgment
لَم يَخْشَ إِلاَّ رَبَّه فِي حُكْمِهِ
وَنَبَاand recoiled بِقِيلfrom the talk لِلْوُشَاةِof slanderers وَقَالِand chatter
وَنَبَا بِقِيل لِلْوُشَاةِ وَقَالِ
It feared none but its Lord in its judgment,
It feared only its Lord in its judgment,
spurned the informers’ fetter, and said:
and spurned the slanderers' gossip and hearsay.
رَدَّit returned الأُولَىthose who سُجِنُواwere imprisoned بِلاَwithout ذَنْبٍguilt إِلَىto
رَدَّ الأُولَى سُجِنُوا بِلاَ ذَنْبٍ إِلَى
مَنْthose whom وَدَّعُواthey had bidden farewell to مِنْof أُسْرَةٍfamily وَعِيالِand dependants
مَنْ وَدَّعُوا مِنْ أُسْرَةٍ وَعِيالِ
“Return those imprisoned without guilt to
It restored those imprisoned without guilt to
the families and children they left behind.
the families and dependants they had bidden farewell to.
قَدْindeed نِيلَharm was done مِنْto أَقْدَامِهِمْtheir feet بِعِقَالِهِمْby their fetters
قَدْ نِيلَ مِنْ أَقْدَامِهِمْ بِعِقَالِهِمْ
أَمَّاas for النُّفوسُsouls فَلَمْyet were not تُنَلْharmed بِعقَالِby any fetter
أَمَّا النُّفوسُ فَلَمْ تُنَلْ بِعقَالِ
Their feet indeed have been caught by their shackles,
Their feet were indeed hurt by their fetters,
but no shackle ever reached their souls.”
but their souls no fetter could touch.
بِجَمِيلِthrough the excellence of مَاwhat أَبْلَيْتَyou accomplished فِيin إِنْقَاذِهِمْrescuing them
بِجَمِيلِ مَا أَبْلَيْتَ فِي إِنْقَاذِهِمْ
قَرَّتْwere gladdened نَوَاظِرُthe eyes of قَوْمِهِمْtheir people وَالآلِand kin
قَرَّتْ نَوَاظِرُ قَوْمِهِمْ وَالآلِ
Through the noble service you rendered in rescuing them,
By the noble service you rendered in saving them,
the eyes of their people and kin were gladdened.
the eyes of their people and kin were gladdened.
أَحْيَيْتَهُمْyou gave them life وَقَضَيْتَand you died ذَاكَthat هُوَis الفِدىself-sacrifice
أَحْيَيْتَهُمْ وَقَضَيْتَ ذَاكَ هُوَ الفِدى
وَهْوَand it is النَّوَالُthe gift وَرَاءَbeyond كُلِّevery نَوَالِgift
وَهْوَ النَّوَالُ وَرَاءَ كُلِّ نَوَالِ
You restored them to life, and you died: that is self-sacrifice—
You gave them life and died: that is self-sacrifice,
a gift surpassing every gift.
and it is the gift beyond all gifts.
فَضْلٌa noble deed خَتَمْتَyou ended بِهِwith it حَيَاتَكَyour life مُثْبِتاًestablishing
فَضْلٌ خَتَمْتَ بِهِ حَيَاتَكَ مُثْبِتاً
فِيin إِثْرِهَاits wake شَفَقاًan afterglow بَدِيعَof wondrous جَمَالِbeauty
فِي إِثْرِهَا شَفَقاً بَدِيعَ جَمَالِ
Thus the seal with which you closed your life remained fixed,
A noble deed with which you sealed your life, leaving
leaving in its wake an afterglow of wondrous beauty.
in its wake an afterglow of wondrous beauty.
إِنْif لَمْdo not تُوَفِّrender fully النَّاسُpeople شُكْرَكَyour due thanks فَلْيَكُنْthen may there be
إِنْ لَمْ تُوَفِّ النَّاسُ شُكْرَكَ فَلْيَكُنْ
لَكَfor you خَيْرُهُthe best of it مِنْfrom رَبِّكyour Lord المُتَعَالِيthe Most High
لَكَ خَيْرُهُ مِنْ رَبِّك المُتَعَالِي
If the people do not fully repay the thanks they owe you, may
If people fail to give you your full due of thanks, then may
its choicest reward be yours from your Lord Most High.
the finest thanks be yours from your Lord Most High.
