1. رعى اللهُ مصراً فهي أبهى كنانةٍ

    حُلاها مدى الأيام واسطةُ السِّلكِ

    May God guard Egypt, for she is the most splendid quiver.

    Her adornments, through the ages, are the central jewel of the strand.

  2. نراها بإسماعيل أعذبَ موردً

    به أبحرُ العرفان جاريةُ الفلكِ

    Through Ismail, we see her as the sweetest wellspring;

    Through him, ships sail the seas of knowledge.

  3. بها المشتهى الأشهى فلو قال قائلٌ

    بها جنةُ الفردوسِ ما جاء بالإفكِ

    In her are the choicest delights; if someone said,

    'In her is the Garden of Paradise,' he would be telling no lie.

  4. وما هي إلا غادةٌ تسلبُ النهى

    مما جمعت بين الخلاعة والنسك

    And she is but a graceful maiden who steals reason,

    For she has united wantonness with devotion.

  5. كواكب أفراح العزيز بأفقها

    كصبح يقينٍ قد جلا ظُلمة الشك

    The stars of the sovereign's festivities on her horizon

    Are like certainty's dawn, which has dispelled doubt's darkness.

  6. ورناتُ أنغمِ المعازفِ أطربَت

    كأن قيان الجن تعبثُ بالجنك

    And the strains of the most melodious instruments brought rapture,

    As though the jinn's songstresses were playing upon the harp.

  7. وملعبُ بالٍ بالحسانِ منعمٌ

    عيونُ غرانيه تغازلُ بالفتك

    And a ballroom, richly graced with beauties:

    The eyes of its beauties flirt with deadly charm.

  8. رياضةُ رقصٍ في كمَالٍ منزهٍ

    عن الريْبِ موزونٍ على التمّ والتك

    An exercise in dance, with perfection untainted

    By suspicion, in rhythm with the 'tam' and 'tak' beats.

  9. وكم من فتاةٍ فيه سَكرى بلا طِلا

    يُراقصها السنيور لطفاً مع السبك

    And many a maiden there is drunk without wine,

    The signor dances with her, gently and with polished skill.

  10. وفيه صَفىُّ البالِ بالرقصِ مغرمٌ

    يقول لذات الخالِ لا بد لي منك

    And there, a carefree soul is enamored of dancing,

    Saying to the woman with the beauty spot, 'I cannot do without you.'

  11. تميسُ كغصنٍ البانِ عِطفاً وتنثني

    وتفترُّ عن برقٍ تألق بالضحك

    She sways, her form like a ban-tree bough, and bends,

    And smiles, revealing lightning aglow with laughter.

  12. ولولا الحيا والدينُ والعلمُ والتقى

    لقال حليفُ الزهد قد طابَ لك هتكي

    And were it not for modesty, religion, learning, and piety,

    A sworn ascetic would say, 'My disgrace has pleased you.'

  13. ومجلسُ أنسٍ قد تعطرَ روضُه

    وأرجاؤه فاحتْ بها نفحةُ المسك

    And a convivial gathering, whose garden has grown fragrant,

    And through whose reaches a breath of musk has wafted.

  14. وفي الجو تقليدُ النجوم منيرةً

    صواريخُ أنوارٍ لشهبِ السما تحكي

    And in the air, a shining imitation of the stars:

    Rockets of light, mimicking the sky's meteors.

  15. تَلَوَّنُ كالحرباء بل ربما حكتْ

    يواقيتَ قد مرتْ على حجر الحك

    They change color like a chameleon; indeed, at times they resemble

    Rubies that have passed across the touchstone.

  16. وحلبةُ سبقٍ بالجياد يزينها

    رماحٌ أُعدتْ للطعان بلا شك

    And an arena for racing noble steeds, adorned

    By lances readied for combat, beyond doubt.

  17. بتنظيم أوربا تسامى ابتهاجُه

    وما فاته في الحسن طَنطنةُ التُّرك

    With Europe's style of organization, its rejoicing soared,

    Nor did it lack, in splendor, the Turks' fanfare.

  18. ومذ زَهتْ الأفراحُ قلت مؤرخاً

    بهيجُ العلا تأهيلُ فاميلة الملك

    And when the festivities blossomed, I said, recording the date:

    Glorious and joyous is the wedding of the king's family.