أَيُّهَاO you المُغْتَدِيone setting out early عَلَيْكَupon you السَّلامُpeace
أَيُّهَا المُغْتَدِي عَلَيْكَ السَّلامُ
هَكَذَاthus يُبْكِرُset out early الرِّجَالُthe men العِظَامُthe great
هَكَذَا يُبْكِرُ الرِّجَالُ العِظَامُ
O you who set out at dawn, peace be upon you.
O you who lies in peace, upon you be peace
Thus do great men set out early.
Thus rise the great men early morn
غَاضَebbed مِنْfrom رَوْعَهِits terror لِمَصْرَعِكَat your death النِّـthe Nile (first part)
غَاضَ مِنْ رَوْعَهِ لِمَصْرَعِكَ النِّـ
ـيلُNile (completion) وَغَضَّتْand lowered مِنْsome of عُجْبِهَاtheir pride الأَهْرَامُthe pyramids
ـيلُ وَغَضَّتْ مِنْ عُجْبِهَا الأَهْرَامُ
The Nile ebbed in terror at your death,
The Nile was distressed by your death, and the pyramids humbled by your glory
and the pyramids abated their pride.
The gloomy era was prolonged in Egypt, before your auspicious time came
طَالَتِwas prolonged الفَتْرَةُthe period الْعَبُوسُgrim بِمِصْرٍin Egypt
طَالَتِ الفَتْرَةُ الْعَبُوسُ بِمِصْرٍ
قَبْلَbefore أَنْthat جَاءَcame عَهْدُكَyour era الْبَسَّامُsmiling
قَبْلَ أَنْ جَاءَ عَهْدُكَ الْبَسَّامُ
Egypt's grim age stretched on,
It is wondrous that its greatest sign should be, yet the days did not protect you
before your smiling era came.
Rise O sky as many stars as you wish, the darkness will avenge your radiance
عَجَبٌa wonder أَنْthat تَكُونَyou should be آيتَهَاher wonder الْكُبْـthe greatest (first part)
عَجَبٌ أَنْ تَكُونَ آيتَهَا الْكُبْـ
ـرَىgreatest (completion) وَأَلاَّand that not تَصُونَكَprotect you الأَيَّامُthe days
ـرَى وَأَلاَّ تَصُونَكَ الأَيَّامُ
Strange that you should be her greatest wonder,
Egypt's fortune decreed that monuments be immortalized in it, as flags crumple
yet the days should fail to protect you.
The eminent are gone, no scholar, no warrior, no leader was spared
أَطْلِعيbring forth يَاO سَمَاءُsky مَاwhatever شِئْتِyou wish مِنْof نَجْـa star (first part)
أَطْلِعي يَا سَمَاءُ مَا شِئْتِ مِنْ نَجْـ
ـمٍstar (completion) سَيَقْتَصwill take vengeance مِنon سَنَاكَyour radiance الظَّلامُdarkness
ـمٍ سَيَقْتَص مِن سَنَاكَ الظَّلامُ
Bring forth, O sky, whatever stars you wish;
It is as if I see Ahmed's eulogy, no extent remains for sorrow, that was the epilogue
darkness will take vengeance on your radiance.
What solace is there for the mother of sons, even if they are many, when the generous are gone
حَظُّthe fate of مِصْرَEgypt قَضَىdecreed بِأَنْthat تخْلُدَendure forever الأَرْمَاthe graves (first part)
حَظُّ مِصْرَ قَضَى بِأَنْ تخْلُدَ الأَرْمَا
سُgraves (completion) فِيهَاwithin her وَتَهْوِيَand fall الأَعْلامُthe great men
سُ فِيهَا وَتَهْوِيَ الأَعْلامُ
Egypt's fate decreed that graves should last forever
The pride of the country was incarnated in a genius, who assumed a peerless station from it
within her, while her great men fall.
He aspired to a singular goal, and the prosperity of the country was that goal
ذَهَبَdeparted النابِغُونَthe gifted men لمْnot يُعْفَwas spared مِنْهُمُamong them
ذَهَبَ النابِغُونَ لمْ يُعْفَ مِنْهُمُ
عَالِمٌa scholar أَوْor مُجَاهِدٌa fighter أَوor إِمَامُa leader
عَالِمٌ أَوْ مُجَاهِدٌ أَو إِمَامُ
The gifted have departed; none among them was spared—
He was its discerning one, when opinion was sought, though without him the discerning are confused
scholar, fighter, or leader.
He was its bold one, when the matter was difficult, and none undertook it but the intrepid
وَكَأَنِّيand it seems to me بِخَطْبِwith the loss of أَحْمَدَAhmad لَمْnot يُبْleave (first part)
وَكَأَنِّي بِخَطْبِ أَحْمَدَ لَمْ يُبْ
قِleave (completion) مَدىًscope لِلأَسَىfor sorrow أَذَاكَis that? الْخِتَامُthe end
قِ مَدىً لِلأَسَى أَذَاكَ الْخِتَامُ
And it seems Ahmad's loss has left
He was whatever virtues required, in each case what the occasion necessitated
no further scope for sorrow—is that the end?
He was the tireless worker, while the people slumbered tranquilly
مَاno لأُمِّfor the mother of الْبَنِينَthe sons سَلْوَىsolace وَإِنْand even if كَاthey were (first part)
مَا لأُمِّ الْبَنِينَ سَلْوَى وَإِنْ كَا
نُواthey were (completion) كَثِيراًmany إِذَاwhen تَوَلَّىdeparted الْكِرَامُthe noble men
نُوا كَثِيراً إِذَا تَوَلَّى الْكِرَامُ
The mother of sons has no solace, even if
He was the writer whose prose captivates, it has splendor yet coherence
they are many, when the noble ones depart.
He was the scholar who unties the difficulties, no ambiguity remains nor vagueness
جَلَّwas immense رُزْءُthe loss of الْبِلادِthe country فِيin عَبْقَرِيٍّa genius
جَلَّ رُزْءُ الْبِلادِ فِي عَبْقَرِيٍّ
حَلَّoccupied مِنْهَاwithin her مَكَانَةًa rank لاnot تُرَامُcan be attained
حَلَّ مِنْهَا مَكَانَةً لا تُرَامُ
Great was the country's loss of a genius
He was the arbiter from whom wisdom is derived and judgments preferred
who held within her a rank beyond reach.
He was the one of refined taste, whose listening gives joy, and in whose gaze inspiration appears
عَاشَlived يَرْمِيaiming إِلَىtoward مَرَامٍa goal وَحِيدٍsingle
عَاشَ يَرْمِي إِلَى مَرَامٍ وَحِيدٍ
وَصَلاحُand the welfare of البِلادِthe country ذَاكَthat المَرَامُthe goal
وَصَلاحُ البِلادِ ذَاكَ المَرَامُ
He lived aiming at a single goal,
One of two brothers from the Zaghlool family, and may glory suffice the potter as a companion
and the country's welfare was that goal.
Which traits shall I recount, when much can be said
كَانَwas صَمْصَامَهَاher keen sword إِذَاwhen الْتُمِسَwas sought الرَّأْcounsel (first part)
كَانَ صَمْصَامَهَا إِذَا الْتُمِسَ الرَّأْ
يُcounsel (completion) وَأَعْيَاand proved powerless مِنْfrom دُونِهِapart from him الصَّمْصَامُthe keen sword
يُ وَأَعْيَا مِنْ دُونِهِ الصَّمْصَامُ
He was her keen sword when counsel was sought,
Between honoring him, and our hopes in him, and eulogizing him, not a year passed
and without him the keen sword proved powerless.
All those sublime praises accrued, and those great achievements amassed
كَانَwas مِقْدَامَهَاher champion إِذَاwhen أَعْضَلَgrew intractable فَلَمْand not الأَمْـthe matter (first part)
كَانَ مِقْدَامَهَا إِذَا أَعْضَلَ فَلَمْ الأَمْـ
ـرُmatter (completion) فَلَمْand not يَضْطَلِعْundertook بِهِit مِقْدَامُa champion
ـرُ فَلَمْ يَضْطَلِعْ بِهِ مِقْدَامُ
He was her champion when the matter grew difficult, and no—
And we compensated our eyes with the impact he left, so what the doves brought him
and no champion could shoulder it.
He in peace now lies, upon him be peace.
كَانَwas مَاwhatever شَاءَتِdesired الفَضَائِلُthe virtues فِيin حَاa circumstance (first part)
كَانَ مَا شَاءَتِ الفَضَائِلُ فِي حَا
لٍcircumstance (completion) فحالthen another circumstance وَمَاand whatever اقْتَضَاهُrequired it المَقَامُthe occasion
لٍ فحال وَمَا اقْتَضَاهُ المَقَامُ
He was whatever the virtues wished, in one circumstance
then another, and whatever the occasion required.
فَهْوَso he الْعَامِلُthe worker المُسَهَّدُsleepless فِيin التَّحْصِيlearning (first part)
فَهْوَ الْعَامِلُ المُسَهَّدُ فِي التَّحْصِي
لِlearning (completion) وَالقَوْمُand the people هَادِئونَpeaceful نِيامُasleep
لِ وَالقَوْمُ هَادِئونَ نِيامُ
So he is the sleepless worker in pursuit of learning,
while the people are peaceful, asleep.
وَهْوَand he الكَاتِبُthe writer الَّذِيwho يَنْثُرُscatters الدpearls (first part)
وَهْوَ الكَاتِبُ الَّذِي يَنْثُرُ الد
رpearls (completion) لَهُthey have رَوْعَةُsplendor وَفِيهِand within them انْسِجَامُharmony
ر لَهُ رَوْعَةُ وَفِيهِ انْسِجَامُ
And he is the writer who scatters pearls:
they have splendor, and within them is harmony.
وَهْوَand he العَالِمُthe scholar الَّذِيwho يُسْلِسُmakes easy الصَّعْـthe difficult (first part)
وَهْوَ العَالِمُ الَّذِي يُسْلِسُ الصَّعْـ
ـبَdifficult (completion) فَلاَso no شُبْهَةٌdoubt وَلاand no إِبْهَامُobscurity
ـبَ فَلاَ شُبْهَةٌ وَلا إِبْهَامُ
And he is the scholar who makes the difficult easy,
so there is no doubt and no obscurity.
وَهْوَand he الفَيْصَلُthe arbiter الَّذِيwho تُؤْخَذُis taken الْحكْـwisdom (first part)
وَهْوَ الفَيْصَلُ الَّذِي تُؤْخَذُ الْحكْـ
ـمَةُwisdom (completion) عَنْهُfrom him وَتؤْثَرُand are handed down الأَحْكَامُthe judgments
ـمَةُ عَنْهُ وَتؤْثَرُ الأَحْكَامُ
And he is the arbiter from whom wisdom is drawn,
and whose judgments are handed down.
وَهْوَand he المِقْرَلُthe orator (uncertain spelling) الَّذِيwho يُطْرِبُdelights السَّمْـhearing (first part)
وَهْوَ المِقْرَلُ الَّذِي يُطْرِبُ السَّمْـ
ـعَhearing (completion) وَيَبْدُوand appears فِيin لَحْظِهِhis gaze الإِلْهَامُinspiration
ـعَ وَيَبْدُو فِي لَحْظِهِ الإِلْهَامُ
And he is the eloquent speaker who delights the ear,
and inspiration appears in his gaze.
أَحَدُone الفَرْقَدَيْنِthe two Farqad stars مِنْof آلِthe family of زَغْلُوZaghlul (first part)
أَحَدُ الفَرْقَدَيْنِ مِنْ آلِ زَغْلُو
لَZaghlul (completion) وَحَسْبُand sufficient for الفَخَارِpride مَجْدٌglory تُؤَامُtwin
لَ وَحَسْبُ الفَخَارِ مَجْدٌ تُؤَامُ
One of the two Farqad stars of the house of Zaghlul,
and twin glory is enough for pride.
أَيَّwhich أَوْصَافِهِhis qualities أُعَدِّدُshall I enumerate وَالشَّـand the subject (first part)
أَيَّ أَوْصَافِهِ أُعَدِّدُ وَالشَّـ
ـيْءُsubject (completion) كَثِيرٌmuch فِيهِabout it الكَلامُspeech
ـيْءُ كَثِيرٌ فِيهِ الكَلامُ
Which of his qualities shall I recount? The subject
has much to be said about it.
بَيْنَbetween إِكْرَامِهِhonoring him وَآمَالِنَاand our hopes فِيin
بَيْنَ إِكْرَامِهِ وَآمَالِنَا فِي
هِhim وَبَيْنَand between التَّأْبِينِthe funeral tribute لَمْnot يَخْلُhad passed عَامُa year
هِ وَبَيْنَ التَّأْبِينِ لَمْ يَخْلُ عَامُ
Between honoring him and our hopes in him,
and his funeral tribute, not a year had passed.
كُلُّall تِلْكَthose المَحَامِدِpraiseworthy qualities الغُرِّshining بَانَتْdeparted
كُلُّ تِلْكَ المَحَامِدِ الغُرِّ بَانَتْ
وَاسْتَقَرَّتْand came to rest تِلْكَthose المَسَاعِيendeavors الجِسَامُmighty
وَاسْتَقَرَّتْ تِلْكَ المَسَاعِي الجِسَامُ
All those shining virtues have departed,
and those mighty endeavors have come to rest.
وَاسْتَعضْنَاand we took in exchange مِنَin place of الْعُيُونِthe men themselves بآثَاrelics (first part)
وَاسْتَعضْنَا مِنَ الْعُيُونِ بآثَا
رٍrelics (completion) فَلِلَّهِso to God belongs مَاwhat جَنَاهُreaped it الْحِمَامُdeath
رٍ فَلِلَّهِ مَا جَنَاهُ الْحِمَامُ
And we have taken relics in place of the men themselves;
so to God belongs what death has reaped.
Partial English translation: 26 of 48 Arabic lines translated.