يَاO أُمَّUmm (mother of) كُلْثُومٍKulthum بِفَنِّـthrough art
يَا أُمَّ كُلْثُومٍ بِفَنِّـ
ـكِyour أَنْتِyou نَابِغَةُthe genius الزَّمَانِthe age
ـكِ أَنْتِ نَابِغَةُ الزَّمَانِ
O Umm Kulthum, through your art,
O Kalthoum with your artistry, you are the genius of this age
you are the genius of the age.
You have attained heights, unattainable by mere wishes
بَلَغْتِyou have attained مِنْfrom عَلْيَائِهِits lofty heights
بَلَغْتِ مِنْ عَلْيَائِهِ
مَاwhat لَيْسَis not يُبْلَغُattained بِالأَمَانِيthrough wishes
مَا لَيْسَ يُبْلَغُ بِالأَمَانِي
You have attained, among its heights,
You stand alone, with no equal or rival
what cannot be attained through wishes.
The melodies of your singing mingle with the warbling of paradise
وَقَدْand indeed انْفَرَدَتْshe has stood alone فَلاso no مسَاrival (first part)
وَقَدْ انْفَرَدَتْ فَلا مسَا
بِقrival (completion) فِيin المَقَامِthe rank وَلاnor مُدَانِone who comes close
بِق فِي المَقَامِ وَلا مُدَانِ
And she has stood alone, with no
Hearts tremble in rapture and wonder at their pulses
rival in rank, nor anyone who comes close.
Relish those refined chants and their subtle meanings
نَغَمَاتُnotes شَدْوِكَyour singing فِيin المَسَاthe ears (first part)
نَغَمَاتُ شَدْوِكَ فِي المَسَا
مِعِears (completion) مِنْfrom أَغَارِيدِsongs الجَنَانِthe heart
مِعِ مِنْ أَغَارِيدِ الجَنَانِ
The notes of your singing, in the ears,
Why does singing not get its due like rhetoric and oratory
are among the songs of the heart.
When the sun borrows its brilliance from your radiance?
يَهْتَزَّquivers مِنْfrom طَرَبٍrapture وَمِنْand from
يَهْتَزَّ مِنْ طَرَبٍ وَمِنْ
عَجَبٍwonder بِهُنَّbecause of them الخَافِقَانِthe East and West
عَجَبٍ بِهُنَّ الخَافِقَانِ
Quivering with rapture and with
Long live the king! And to the arts through him, felicitations!
wonder at them are the East and West.
فَارُوقُFarouk أَوْلاكِbestowed on you الوِسَاthe medal (first part)
فَارُوقُ أَوْلاكِ الوِسَا
مَmedal (completion) وَفِيand in تَفَضُّلِهِhis graciousness مَعَانِmeanings
مَ وَفِي تَفَضُّلِهِ مَعَانِ
Farouk has bestowed the medal upon you,
and his graciousness carries significance.
فَيمَwhy التَّغَنِّيsinging لاnot يُرَاis regarded (first part)
فَيمَ التَّغَنِّي لا يُرَا
عِىregarded (completion) كَالخِطَابَةِlike oratory وَالبَيَانِand eloquence
عِى كَالخِطَابَةِ وَالبَيَانِ
Why is singing not held
in esteem like oratory and eloquence?
وَالشَّمْسُand the sun يَقْبَسُdraws light مِنْfrom سَنَاradiance
وَالشَّمْسُ يَقْبَسُ مِنْ سَنَا
هَاits كُلُّevery مَرْقُوقِlowly المَكَانِstation
هَا كُلُّ مَرْقُوقِ المَكَانِ
And from the sun's radiance, light is drawn
by everyone of lowly station.
عَاشَlong live المَلِيكُthe king وَلِلْعُلُوand to the sciences (first part)
عَاشَ المَلِيكُ وَلِلْعُلُو
مِsciences (completion) وَلِلْفُنُونِand to the arts بِهِbecause of him التَّهَانِيcongratulations
مِ وَلِلْفُنُونِ بِهِ التَّهَانِي
Long live the king! And to the sciences
and the arts, congratulations on having him!
Partial English translation: 9 of 18 Arabic lines translated.