يَاO مَنْyou who حَمِدْتُI praised بِهِthrough him اخْتِيَاbeginning of 'my choice'
يَا مَنْ حَمِدْتُ بِهِ اخْتِيَا
رِيcompletion of 'my choice' فيin اَخْتِبَارِيmy testing للِصِّحَابِof companions
رِي في اَخْتِبَارِي للِصِّحَابِ
O you through whom I praised my choice
O you whom I praised when choosing companions,
when I put companions to the test,
Help me in testing my friends.
زَهِيَtook pride الشَّبَابُyouth بِأَنْin that يُعَرِّbeginning of 'speak'
زَهِيَ الشَّبَابُ بِأَنْ يُعَرِّ
بَcompletion of 'speak' عَنْهُمُon their behalf زَيْنُthe ornament الشَّبَابِof youth
بَ عَنْهُمُ زَيْنُ الشَّبَابِ
Youth took pride that he should speak
Youth is adorned when Muhammad
for them—the ornament of youth—
Represents his generation, the highest example.
وَبِأَنْand in that يَنُوبَshould represent مُحَمَّدٌMuhammad
وَبِأَنْ يَنُوبَ مُحَمَّدٌ
عَنْon behalf of جِيلِهِhis generation أَسْمَىthe noblest مَنَابِrepresentative role
عَنْ جِيلِهِ أَسْمَى مَنَابِ
and that Muhammad should represent
The noble son of the noble one,
his generation in the noblest role.
Or the clouds, son of clouds.
نَجْلُson الْكَرِيمِof the generous man ابنِson of الْكَرِيـbeginning of 'the generous man'
نَجْلُ الْكَرِيمِ ابنِ الْكَرِيـ
ـمِcompletion of 'the generous man' أَوِor السَّحَابُthe cloud ابْنُson of السَّحَابِthe cloud
ـمِ أَوِ السَّحَابُ ابْنُ السَّحَابِ
Son of the generous, son of the generous,
Praiseworthy son of Muhammad,
or a cloud, son of a cloud:
Man of difficult situations and trials.
مَحْمُودٌMahmoud ابْنُson of مُحَمَّدٍMuhammad
مَحْمُودٌ ابْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ
رَجُلِman المُلِمَّاتِcalamities الصِّعَابِgrievous
رَجُلِ المُلِمَّاتِ الصِّعَابِ
Mahmoud, son of Muhammad,
The purest of the pure
the man for grievous crises,
In status and in estrangement.
مَنْwho كَانَwas أَصْفَىthe truest أَصْفِيَاbeginning of 'my closest friends'
مَنْ كَانَ أَصْفَى أَصْفِيَا
ئِيcompletion of 'my closest friends' فِيin المُقَامِresidence وَالاغْتَرَابِand life abroad
ئِي فِي المُقَامِ وَالاغْتَرَابِ
who was the truest of my closest friends
Your good news, O Egypt, and what good news
at home and abroad.
With the clement and highborn lad.
بَشْرَاكِyour glad tidings مَصْرُEgypt وَأَيُّand what بَشْـbeginning of 'glad tidings'
بَشْرَاكِ مَصْرُ وَأَيُّ بَشْـ
ـرَىcompletion of 'glad tidings' بِالْفَتَىof the young man السِّمْحِgenerous الْجَنَابِcharacter
ـرَى بِالْفَتَى السِّمْحِ الْجَنَابِ
Glad tidings to you, Egypt—and what glad tidings!—
The free writer and the lawyer, not the flatterer,
of the young man of generous character,
You will see the realization of hopes from your wishes.
بِالْكَاتِبِof the writer الحرfree الْجَرِيbeginning of 'bold'
بِالْكَاتِبِ الحر الْجَرِي
ءِcompletion of 'bold' وَبِالمُحَامِيand of the advocate لاَnot المُحَابِيone who shows favoritism
ءِ وَبِالمُحَامِي لاَ المُحَابِي
of the free and fearless writer,
Reason, glory, honor, and the mind of the discerning
and of the advocate, not one who plays favorites.
Have not gathered except when the distant draws near the seekers.
سَتَرَيْنَyou will see تَحْقِيقَfulfillment الجَلاَbeginning of 'great things'
سَتَرَيْنَ تَحْقِيقَ الجَلاَ
ئِلِcompletion of 'great things' مَنْamong رَغَائِبِكِyour aspirations الرِّغَابِgrand
ئِلِ مَنْ رَغَائِبِكِ الرِّغَابِ
You will see the fulfillment of great things
among your grand aspirations.
أَلْعَقْلُintellect وَالْجَاهُand influence الْعَرِيـbeginning of 'broad'
أَلْعَقْلُ وَالْجَاهُ الْعَرِيـ
ـضُcompletion of 'broad' وَعِزَّةُand dignity الشَّرَفِof honor اللُّبَابِpure
ـضُ وَعِزَّةُ الشَّرَفِ اللُّبَابِ
Intellect, far-reaching influence,
and the dignity of unalloyed honor
لَمْhave not تَجْتَمِعْcome together إِلاَّexcept وَقَدْand already
لَمْ تَجْتَمِعْ إِلاَّ وَقَدْ
قَرُبَdrew near الْبَعِيدُthe distant مِنَof الطِّلاَبِpursuit
قَرُبَ الْبَعِيدُ مِنَ الطِّلاَبِ
have never united without
far-off goals drawing near.
Partial English translation: 16 of 22 Arabic lines translated.