أَبْدَتْdisplayed بَوَاكِيرُfirst blooms الجِنَانِthe gardens
أَبْدَتْ بَوَاكِيرُ الجِنَانِ
زِينَاتِهَاtheir finery قَبْلَbefore الأَوَانِthe proper time
زِينَاتِهَا قَبْلَ الأَوَانِ
The gardens' first blooms have displayed
The gardens have shown their beauty prematurely
their finery before the proper time.
To greet Egypt in the most splendid festival
تُهْدِيoffers تَحِيَّةَthe greeting of مِصْرَEgypt فِيin
تُهْدِي تَحِيَّةَ مِصْرَ فِي
أَبْهَىmost splendid وَأَزْهَىand most radiant مِهْرَجَانِfestival
أَبْهَى وَأَزْهَى مِهْرَجَانِ
They offer Egypt's greeting in
Revealing affection for it
the most splendid and most radiant festival,
Whose multiples have wound the branches
وَتُبِينُand reveals عَنْconcerning وُدٍّaffection لَهُfor him
وَتُبِينُ عَنْ وُدٍّ لَهُ
أَضْعَافُهُits multiples طَيَّwithin the folds of الجَنَانِthe heart
أَضْعَافُهُ طَيَّ الجَنَانِ
and reveal affection for him,
The stars of amicability have emerged in the sky's expanse
with many times as much enfolded in the heart.
Making the signs of the Lord before you the most eloquent translator
شِيَمُnoble traits الْكِنَانَةِal-Kinana (Egypt, the Quiver) فِيin السَّمَاgenerosity (first part)
شِيَمُ الْكِنَانَةِ فِي السَّمَا
حَةِgenerosity (completion) قَدْindeed بَرَزْنَthey emerged مِنِfrom اكْتِنَانِconcealment
حَةِ قَدْ بَرَزْنَ مِنِ اكْتِنَانِ
Al-Kinana's virtues of generosity
Welcome, crown of religion and the world and era's icon
have emerged from concealment,
Welcome, rarity of rhetoric, meanings and eloquence
وَجَعَلْنَand they made آيَاتِsigns of الرَّبِيspring (first part)
وَجَعَلْنَ آيَاتِ الرَّبِي
عِspring (completion) لَدَيْكَbefore you أَفْصَحَmost eloquent تَرْجُمَانِinterpreter
عِ لَدَيْكَ أَفْصَحَ تَرْجُمَانِ
and made the signs of spring
The most loyal supporter if truth calls, and the most sufficient helper
the most eloquent interpreter before you.
And speech through which the dear sheds light on the distant meanings
أَهْلاًwelcome بِتَاجِto the crown of الدِّينِfaith وَالدُّand the world (first part)
أَهْلاً بِتَاجِ الدِّينِ وَالدُّ
نْيَاworld (completion) وَعُنْوَانِand the emblem of الزَّمَانِthe age
نْيَا وَعُنْوَانِ الزَّمَانِ
Welcome, crown of faith and of the
And combining guidance of instinct and refinement of the tongue
world, and emblem of the age!
This trustee, unmatched in sending the East
أَهْلاًwelcome بِنَادِرَةِto the marvel of الْبَلاeloquence (first part)
أَهْلاً بِنَادِرَةِ الْبَلا
غَةِeloquence (completion) وَالمَعَانِيand meanings وَالبَيانِand lucid expression
غَةِ وَالمَعَانِي وَالبَيانِ
Welcome, marvel of eloquence,
Has come from the most precious place to the highest position
of meanings and lucid expression!
From the landing place of revelation nearer than the blazing Hira
أَوْفَىmost faithful مُلَبٍّone who answers إِنْif دَعَاcalls
أَوْفَى مُلَبٍّ إِنْ دَعَا
حَقٌّa rightful cause وَأَكْفَىand most capable مُسْتَعَانِone whose aid is sought
حَقٌّ وَأَكْفَى مُسْتَعَانِ
Most faithful to answer when
He came to the country which knows its high minarets
a rightful cause calls, and the ablest helper;
The country of immortal relics though all in the universe is ephemeral
وَالقَوْلِand speech شَفَّwas transparent بِهِthrough it الْقَرِيthe near (first part)
وَالقَوْلِ شَفَّ بِهِ الْقَرِي
بُnear (completion) عَنِrevealing الْبَعِيدِthe distant مِنَof المَعَانِيmeanings
بُ عَنِ الْبَعِيدِ مِنَ المَعَانِي
and speech in which the near reveals
Of what Pharaoh built with foundations but exhausted every builder
the distant reaches of meaning;
With good fortune, my Master, your precious arrival and safety
وَالجَمْعُand the joining بَيْنَbetween هُدَىthe guidance of الْيَرَاthe reed pen (first part)
وَالجَمْعُ بَيْنَ هُدَى الْيَرَا
عِreed pen (completion) وَبَيْنَand between تَهْذِيبِrefinement of اللِّسَانِthe tongue
عِ وَبَيْنَ تَهْذِيبِ اللِّسَانِ
and the joining of the reed pen's guidance
Where you have settled in this lofty-ranked country
with refinement of the tongue.
With the feast and wonderful guest, happy are all in splendid Egypt
هَذَاthis الأَمِينُal-Amin, the trustworthy one وَغَيْرُand other than بَعْrevival (first part)
هَذَا الأَمِينُ وَغَيْرُ بَعْ
ثِrevival (completion) الشَّرْقِthe East لَيْسَthere are no لَهُfor him أَمَانِيaspirations
ثِ الشَّرْقِ لَيْسَ لَهُ أَمَانِي
This is al-Amin; beyond the revival
The beauty of youth wearing the finest manners, the purest silks
of the East, he has no aspirations.
Welcome the most esteemed one raised in the great house generously
قَدْindeed حَلَّalighted مِنْfrom أَغْلَىmost precious مَكَاplace (first part)
قَدْ حَلَّ مِنْ أَغْلَى مَكَا
نٍplace (completion) فِيin ذُرَىthe summits of أَعْلَىhighest مَكَانِplace
نٍ فِي ذُرَى أَعْلَى مَكَانِ
He has come from the most precious place
The house of glories, prides and piety at every moment
to the summits of the loftiest place,
Welcome the one with longest forbearance, who has no equal
مِنْfrom مَهْبِطٍa place of descent لِلْوَحْيِfor revelation أَدْlower (first part)
مِنْ مَهْبِطٍ لِلْوَحْيِ أَدْ
نَىlower (completion) مِنْthan ثَرَاهُits soil النَّيِّرَانِthe two luminaries (sun and moon)
نَى مِنْ ثَرَاهُ النَّيِّرَانِ
from a place where revelation descends, beneath
Takes leadership without fear in tribulations or hesitation
whose soil lie the sun and moon.
Complete in both traits of arranging affairs and distinction
وَافَىarrived إِلَىto الْبَلَدِthe land الَّذِيwhich
وَافَى إِلَى الْبَلَدِ الَّذِي
يَدْرِيknows عُلاهُits eminence الْخَافِقَانِEast and West
يَدْرِي عُلاهُ الْخَافِقَانِ
He has arrived in the land whose
None can be found like him in the East, neither judge nor scholar
eminence is known to East and West:
Talk of opinions which the Yemeni spear points to
بَلَدِland of الْبَقَايَاthe relics الخَالِدَاeverlasting (first part)
بَلَدِ الْبَقَايَا الخَالِدَا
تِeverlasting (completion) وَكُلُّand all مَاthat which فِيin الْكَوْنِthe universe فَانِيperishable
تِ وَكُلُّ مَا فِي الْكَوْنِ فَانِي
the land of everlasting relics—
And nature on which firm principles that build life stand
while all within the universe is perishable—
مِمَّاof what بَنَىbuilt فِرْعَونُPharaoh مِنْfrom
مِمَّا بَنَى فِرْعَونُ مِنْ
قِدَمٍantiquity فَأَعْجَزَand thus outdid كُلَّevery بَانِيbuilder
قِدَمٍ فَأَعْجَزَ كُلَّ بَانِي
of what Pharaoh built in
ancient times, outdoing every builder.
فِيin الْيُمْنِgood fortune يَاO مَوْلايَmy lord مَقْarrival (first part)
فِي الْيُمْنِ يَا مَوْلايَ مَقْ
دَمُكَyour arrival (completion) الْعَزِيزُcherished وَفِيand in الأَمَانِsafety
دَمُكَ الْعَزِيزُ وَفِي الأَمَانِ
May good fortune, my lord, attend your
cherished arrival, and safety too.
أُحْلُلْdwell بِحَيْثُwherever حَلَلْتَyou have settled مِنْwithin
أُحْلُلْ بِحَيْثُ حَلَلْتَ مِنْ
هَذِيthis الْبِلادِthe land رَفِيعَexalted in شَانِstatus
هَذِي الْبِلادِ رَفِيعَ شَانِ
Dwell wherever you have settled in
this land, exalted in honor.
بِالعِيدِat the festival وَالضَّيْفِand the guest المَجِيillustrious (first part)
بِالعِيدِ وَالضَّيْفِ المَجِي
دِillustrious (completion) جَمِيعُall مَنْthose who فِيin مَصْرَEgypt هَانِيhappy
دِ جَمِيعُ مَنْ فِي مَصْرَ هَانِي
With the festival and the illustrious guest,
everyone in Egypt rejoices.
زَيْنُornament of الشَّبَابِyouth المُلْبِسُthe one who clothes الْthe
زَيْنُ الشَّبَابِ المُلْبِسُ الْ
آدَابِliterature أَنْقَىpurest طَيلَسَانِmantle
آدَابِ أَنْقَى طَيلَسَانِ
Ornament of youth, who clothes
letters in the purest mantle;
أَهْلاًwelcome بِأَنْجَبِto the noblest of مَنْthose whom نَمَىraised الْthe
أَهْلاً بِأَنْجَبِ مَنْ نَمَى الْ
بَيْتُhouse الْعَظِيمُgreat بِلاwithout امْتِنَانِboasting of favors
بَيْتُ الْعَظِيمُ بِلا امْتِنَانِ
welcome, noblest of those raised by
the great house, without boasting of favors—
بَيْتُhouse of المَآثِرِnoble deeds وَالمَفَاand glories (first part)
بَيْتُ المَآثِرِ وَالمَفَا
خِرِglories (completion) وَالتُّقَىand piety فِيat كُلِّevery آنِmoment
خِرِ وَالتُّقَى فِي كُلِّ آنِ
a house of noble deeds and glories,
and piety at every moment.
أَهْلاًwelcome بِذِيto the possessor of الطَّوْلِbounty الَّذِيwho
أَهْلاً بِذِي الطَّوْلِ الَّذِي
فِيin الْحِلْمِforbearance لَيْسَthere is no لَهُfor him مُدَانِيequal
فِي الْحِلْمِ لَيْسَ لَهُ مُدَانِي
Welcome, possessor of bounty, who
has no equal in forbearance.
وَلِيَassumed الزَّعَامَةَleadership غَيْرَnot وَاweak (first part)
وَلِيَ الزَّعَامَةَ غَيْرَ وَا
هٍweak (completion) فِيin الْخُطُوبِadversities وَغَيْرَand not وَانِيflagging
هٍ فِي الْخُطُوبِ وَغَيْرَ وَانِي
He assumed leadership, neither weak
in adversity nor flagging,
مُتَكَامِلَcomplete in الْوَصْفَيْنِthe two qualities تَصْmanagement (first part)
مُتَكَامِلَ الْوَصْفَيْنِ تَصْ
رِيفِmanagement (completion) الأُمُورِaffairs وَالاِفْتِنَانِand versatility
رِيفِ الأُمُورِ وَالاِفْتِنَانِ
complete in both qualities: the management
of affairs and versatility.
هَيْهَاتَfar from possible يُلْفَىis found مِثْلُهُhis like
هَيْهَاتَ يُلْفَى مِثْلُهُ
فِيin الشَّرْقِthe East مِنْamong قَاصٍone far away وَدَانِيand one near
فِي الشَّرْقِ مِنْ قَاصٍ وَدَانِي
His like is nowhere to be found
in the East, among the far and near.
حَدِّثْspeak عَنِabout الآرَاءِjudgments يَنْrecoils (first part)
حَدِّثْ عَنِ الآرَاءِ يَنْ
بُوrecoils (completion) دُونَهَاbefore them النَّصْلُthe blade الْيَمَانِيYemeni
بُو دُونَهَا النَّصْلُ الْيَمَانِي
Speak of his judgments, before which
the Yemeni blade recoils,
وَالخُلْقِand character أَثْبَتَfirmest مَاthat which تَقُوstand (first part)
وَالخُلْقِ أَثْبَتَ مَا تَقُو
مُstand (completion) عَلَيْهِupon it فِيin الأُسِّthe foundation المَبَانِيthe buildings
مُ عَلَيْهِ فِي الأُسِّ المَبَانِي
and of character, the firmest foundation
upon which buildings stand.
Partial English translation: 29 of 56 Arabic lines translated.