ناحّ الحمامُ على غصونٍ البانِ

ناحّ الحمامُ على غصونٍ البانِ

فأباحَ شيمةَ مُغرمٍ ولهانِ

فأباحَ شيمةَ مُغرمٍ ولهانِ

The dove lamented on the branches of the ban tree,

The dove is cooing on the myrtle branches,

revealing the nature of a lovesick, distraught lover.

Revealing the passion of a lovelorn, infatuated one.

ما خلته مذُ صاح إلا أنه

ما خلته مذُ صاح إلا أنه

أضحَى فقيدَ أليفه ومعاني

أضحَى فقيدَ أليفه ومعاني

Since it cried out, I thought only that it

Since it sang out at dawn, it seems

had lost its mate and was suffering.

It has lost its beloved and its pleasures.

وكأنه يُلقى إليّ إشارةً

وكأنه يُلقى إليّ إشارةً

كيف اصطباري مُذ نأي خِلاني

كيف اصطباري مُذ نأي خِلاني

It seemed to convey a sign to me:

It's as though it conveys a sign to me—

how can I endure since my dear friends departed?

How long can I be patient since my companions left?

مع أنني والله مذ فارقتهم

مع أنني والله مذ فارقتهم

ما طابَ عيشي وصفُو زَماني

ما طابَ عيشي وصفُو زَماني

Yet, by God, since I parted from them,

Yet by God, since they left me,

my life and the serenity of my days have not been sweet.

My life has not tasted sweet, nor has time been kind.

لكنني صبٌّ أصونُ تلهفي

لكنني صبٌّ أصونُ تلهفي

حتى كأني لستُ باللهفانِ

حتى كأني لستُ باللهفانِ

But, lovesick, I keep my longing guarded,

But I am stoic, hiding my yearning,

so that I seem not to yearn at all.

As if I am not so full of longing.

وبباطنٍ الأحشاءِ نارٌ لو بَدَتْ

وبباطنٍ الأحشاءِ نارٌ لو بَدَتْ

جمراتُها ما طاقها الثَّقلانِ

جمراتُها ما طاقها الثَّقلانِ

Within my entrails burns a fire; were there to appear

Yet in my heart’s core there’s a fire—

its embers, neither humankind nor jinn could bear them.

If its embers appeared, none could bear its heat.

أبكى دماً من مهجتي لفراقهم

أبكى دماً من مهجتي لفراقهم

وأودُّ أنْ لا تشعرَ العينان

وأودُّ أنْ لا تشعرَ العينان

I weep blood from my heart's core at parting from them,

I weep blood from my entrails from missing them,

and wish that my eyes would not notice.

Yet I wish that my eyes would not show it.

لي مذهبٌ في عشقهم ورايتُه

لي مذهبٌ في عشقهم ورايتُه

ومذاهب العشاق في إعلان

ومذاهب العشاق في إعلان

I have a creed in loving them, and its banner;

I have my own way of loving them, and my own creed,

and lovers' creeds are openly proclaimed.

And lovers’ creeds differ when declared.

ماذا عليّ إذا كتمت صبابتي

ماذا عليّ إذا كتمت صبابتي

حتى لو أن الموتَ في الكتمان

حتى لو أن الموتَ في الكتمان

What harm to me if I conceal my yearning,

What's it to me if I conceal my passion

even if death lies in concealment?

Even if death lies in concealment?

ما أحسنَ القتلى بأغصان النقى

ما أحسنَ القتلى بأغصان النقى

ما أطيبَ الأحزان بالغزلان

ما أطيبَ الأحزان بالغزلان

How lovely those slain by the branches of the dunes!

How beautiful are those slain by the spearheads of fidelity!

How sweet the sorrows caused by gazelles!

How sweet is sorrow with the tender gazelles!

قالوا أتهوى والهوى يكسو الفتى

قالوا أتهوى والهوى يكسو الفتى

أبداً ثيابَ مذلةٍ وهوان

أبداً ثيابَ مذلةٍ وهوان

They said, 'Do you love, when love clothes a young man

They said, “You're infatuated!” and infatuation clothes the youth

forever in garments of humiliation and disgrace?'

Forever in the garb of humiliation and disgrace.

فأجبتهم لو صحَّ هذا إنني

فأجبتهم لو صحَّ هذا إنني

أختارُ ذلي فيه طولَ زماني

أختارُ ذلي فيه طولَ زماني

I answered them, 'If this is true, then I

I answered them, “If this be true, I choose

choose abasement in love for all my days.'

This humiliation to endure for all my years.”

والذلُّ للعشاقِ غيرُ مَعرة

والذلُّ للعشاقِ غيرُ مَعرة

بل عينُ كل مَعزّةٍ للعاني

بل عينُ كل مَعزّةٍ للعاني

Abasement for lovers is no disgrace,

Humiliation for lovers is no dishonor;

but the very essence of all honor for the captive.

Rather, it is the core of all honor for the passionate.

أصبو إلى من حاز قداً أهيفا

أصبو إلى من حاز قداً أهيفا

يزرى ترنحهُ بغصن البان

يزرى ترنحهُ بغصن البان

I yearn for one possessed of a slender figure,

I yearn toward one who has attained high spirit,

whose swaying puts the ban tree's branch to shame.

Who sways unsteadily on the myrtle branch.

وأحن نحون شقيق تمٍ خدِّه

وأحن نحون شقيق تمٍ خدِّه

قد نمَّ فيه شقايقُ النعمان

قد نمَّ فيه شقايقُ النعمان

And I long toward the anemone of his cheek [wording unclear],

I incline toward a charming cheek on which

where al-Nu'man's anemones have revealed themselves.

Anemones have slept, making it red.

ويروقني أبداً نزاهةُ مقلتي

ويروقني أبداً نزاهةُ مقلتي

في حُسنِ طلعةِ فاتكٍ فتّان

في حُسنِ طلعةِ فاتكٍ فتّان

And I always delight in my eye's recreation

The innocence of my eyelids forever pleases me

in the lovely face of a deadly enchanter.

In the beauty of the face of a bewitching charmer.

أمسى وأصبحُ بين شَعْرٍ حالكٍ

أمسى وأصبحُ بين شَعْرٍ حالكٍ

ومُنيرِ وجهٍ هكذا الملوان

ومُنيرِ وجهٍ هكذا الملوان

I pass evening and morning between jet-black hair

Morn and eve I dwell among disheveled hair

and a radiant face: such are night and day.

And a shining face—that is how the beautiful are.

ولطالما قضَّيتُ معه حِقبة

ولطالما قضَّيتُ معه حِقبة

ونسيمُ مصرَ معطّرُ الأردان

ونسيمُ مصرَ معطّرُ الأردان

How often I spent a long stretch with him,

Often have I spent an era with him

while Egypt's breeze bore perfumed sleeves.

While Egypt's breeze makes the plains fragrant.

زمنٌ عليّ به لمصر فديتُهات

زمنٌ عليّ به لمصر فديتُهات

حقٌّ وثيقٌ عاطلُ النكران

حقٌّ وثيقٌ عاطلُ النكران

A time for which I owe Egypt—may I be her ransom—

I have a claim on Egypt for which I'd sacrifice myself,

a firm debt, beyond denial.

An undeniable claim that merits no denial.

لو شابهتْ عيناي فائضَ نيلها

لو شابهتْ عيناي فائضَ نيلها

لم توفِ بعض شفائه أحزاني

لم توفِ بعض شفائه أحزاني

Were my eyes to match the flood of her Nile,

If my eyes matched its Nile in abundance,

my sorrows would not attain even part of its healing.

Some of its healing would not suffice for my sorrows.

أو لو حكى قلبي بحارَ علومها

أو لو حكى قلبي بحارَ علومها

طرباً لما أخلو من الخفقان

طرباً لما أخلو من الخفقان

Or if my heart echoed the seas of her learning

Or if my heart narrated its seas of knowledge—

in rapture, I would never be free of its fluttering.

Enraptured, it would not be without palpitations.

ولكم بأزهرها شموسٌ أشرقتْ

ولكم بأزهرها شموسٌ أشرقتْ

وأنارتْ الأكوانَ بالعرفان

وأنارتْ الأكوانَ بالعرفان

How many suns have risen in her al-Azhar,

Its Azhar has shining suns that have risen

and illuminated the worlds with knowledge!

And illuminated the cosmos with faith.

فشذا عبير علومهم عمَّ الورى

فشذا عبير علومهم عمَّ الورى

وسرتْ مآثرهم لكل مكان

وسرتْ مآثرهم لكل مكان

Thus the scent of their learning's perfume filled all creation,

The fragrance of their knowledge has spread among all people,

and their glorious deeds reached every place.

And their glories have reached every place.

وحوتهمو مصرُ فصارت روضةً

وحوتهمو مصرُ فصارت روضةً

وهمو جناها المبتغى للجاني

وهمو جناها المبتغى للجاني

Egypt embraced them and became a garden,

Egypt embraced them, becoming thereby a garden,

and they were her fruit, sought by the gatherer.

And they are its paradise-dwellers sought by the passionate.

قد شبهوها بالعروس وقد بدا

قد شبهوها بالعروس وقد بدا

منها العروسي بهجةَ الأكوان

منها العروسي بهجةَ الأكوان

They likened her to a bride, and there appeared

They compared it to a bride, and its wedding

from her al-Arusi, the delight of the worlds.

Brought joy to the universe manifestly.

قالوا تعطَّر روضُها فأجبتهم

قالوا تعطَّر روضُها فأجبتهم

عطارُها حسنٌ شذاه معاني

عطارُها حسنٌ شذاه معاني

They said, 'Her garden is perfumed'; I answered,

When they said its garden breathes sweet scent,

'Her Attar is Hasan; meanings are his fragrance.'

I replied: Its perfume is the beauty of its meanings.

حَبرٌ له شهدت أكابرُ عصره

حَبرٌ له شهدت أكابرُ عصره

بكمال فضلٍ لاحَ بالبرهان

بكمال فضلٍ لاحَ بالبرهان

A scholar whose age's leading men testified

An inkwell possessing whose mastery

to consummate excellence made clear by proof.

The greatest of the age attested to openly.

لو قلتَ لو يُوجد بِمصرَ نظيرُه

لو قلتَ لو يُوجد بِمصرَ نظيرُه

لأجبتُ بالتصديق والإذعان

لأجبتُ بالتصديق والإذعان

If you said, 'Suppose his equal were found in Egypt,'

If you said, “Can the like of him be found in Egypt?”

I would reply with agreement and assent.

I would answer, acknowledging this and professing it.

هذا لعمري اليومَ فيها سادةٌ

هذا لعمري اليومَ فيها سادةٌ

قد زُينوا بالحسنِ والإحسان

قد زُينوا بالحسنِ والإحسان

This I swear by my life: today she has masters

By my life, it has today eminent men

adorned with beauty and beneficence.

Adorned with beauty and benevolence.

يا أيها الخافي عليك فخارُها

يا أيها الخافي عليك فخارُها

فإليكَ إن الشاهدَ الحسنان

فإليكَ إن الشاهدَ الحسنان

O you from whom her glory is hidden,

O hidden one, its pride is yours!

here is the witness: the two Hasans.

To you belong its finest testaments.

ولئن حلفتُ بأن مصرَ لجنَّةٌ

ولئن حلفتُ بأن مصرَ لجنَّةٌ

وقطوفها للفائزين دواني

وقطوفها للفائزين دواني

Were I to swear that Egypt is truly a paradise,

If I swore Egypt is a paradise

with its fruits hanging close for those who succeed,

Whose fruits are for the winners to pluck—

والنيلُ كوثرها الشهيُّ شرابه

والنيلُ كوثرها الشهيُّ شرابه

لأبرُّ كل البر في أيمانِي

لأبرُّ كل البر في أيمانِي

and the Nile its Kawthar, whose drink is delicious,

The Nile is its pure river whose drink

I would be wholly truthful in my oaths.

Quenches every oath I utter—

دار يحق لها التفاخرُ سيما

دار يحق لها التفاخرُ سيما

بغريزها جَدوى بني عثمان

بغريزها جَدوى بني عثمان

A land entitled to boast, especially

It fully deserves to take pride,

of her bounteous one, the boon of the sons of Osman.

Especially in its origin as an Uthmanic state.

حاز المحامدَ إذ دُعي بمحمدٍ

حاز المحامدَ إذ دُعي بمحمدٍ

ورقي العُلا فعلى على الأقران

ورقي العُلا فعلى على الأقران

He won all praise when he was named Muhammad,

It gained praiseworthy traits when named after Muhammad,

and climbed the heights, rising above his peers.

And ascended to the peak, over all peers.

من كل مثل أميرنا فقرينه

من كل مثل أميرنا فقرينه

اسكندرٌ أو كسرى أنوشروان

اسكندرٌ أو كسرى أنوشروان

Who among all is like our prince? His equal is

Of any ideal, our Prince is its counterpart—

Alexander or Kisra Anushirwan.

An Alexander or Chosroes Anushirvan.

في وجهه النصرُ المبين على العدا

في وجهه النصرُ المبين على العدا

لاحتْ بشائرهُ لكل معاني

لاحتْ بشائرهُ لكل معاني

On his face, clear victory over his enemies

On his face victory over enemies is revealed.

showed its glad tidings to every sufferer.

Its signs shine for all meanings.

في كفه سيفانِ سيفُ عناية

في كفه سيفانِ سيفُ عناية

والشهمُ إبراهيم سيفٌ ثاني

والشهمُ إبراهيم سيفٌ ثاني

In his hand are two swords: a sword of providence,

In his grip are two swords: the sword of divine support,

and the valiant Ibrahim, a second sword.

And the valiant, Abraham’s sword is the second.

سلْ عنهُ يُنبيك الحجاز مشافهاً

سلْ عنهُ يُنبيك الحجاز مشافهاً

بدمار أهلِ الزيْغ والبهتان

بدمار أهلِ الزيْغ والبهتان

Ask about him; the Hijaz will tell you face to face

Ask him, and the Hejaz will tell you firsthand

of the destruction of the people of deviation and falsehood.

Of the ruin of the people of sin and calumny.

من قبل كانت سُبْله مذعورةً

من قبل كانت سُبْله مذعورةً

والآن صارت في كمال أمان

والآن صارت في كمال أمان

Formerly its roads were fraught with fear;

Before, its paths were frightened,

now they enjoy complete safety.

And now they are fully safe.

لا غروَ إن نجْداً أدامتْ شكرَه

لا غروَ إن نجْداً أدامتْ شكرَه

فلقد كساها حُلةَ الإيمان

فلقد كساها حُلةَ الإيمان

No wonder Najd has kept thanking him,

No wonder Najd keeps thanking him,

for he has clothed it in the robe of faith.

For he has clothed it in the garb of faith.

وسعتْ إلى زنجٍ طلائعُ جيشه

وسعتْ إلى زنجٍ طلائعُ جيشه

فأطاعها العَاتي من السودان

فأطاعها العَاتي من السودان

His army's vanguard marched toward Zanj,

The vanguards of his army have reached Zanzibar,

and the defiant of Sudan submitted to it.

And the disobedient one from Sudan has obeyed.

وتقلبُ الأروام عدلٌ شاهدٌ

وتقلبُ الأروام عدلٌ شاهدٌ

كم منه قد نالُوا شديدَ طعان

كم منه قد نالُوا شديدَ طعان

And the reversals of the Rum bear impartial witness

The vicissitudes of fate are proof

to how many fierce spear-thrusts they received from him,

Of the many who have suffered its sharp blades,

حتى لقد باءوا بوافرٍ خزيهم

حتى لقد باءوا بوافرٍ خزيهم

وتقاسموا حظاً من الخسران

وتقاسموا حظاً من الخسران

until they bore away the full measure of their shame,

To the extent that they have tasted ample disgrace

and shared a portion of defeat.

And shared in loss and deprivation.

لم تُخْطِ قامةُ رُمحِه أغراضَها

لم تُخْطِ قامةُ رُمحِه أغراضَها

وإصابةُ الأغراضِ نيلُ أماني

وإصابةُ الأغراضِ نيلُ أماني

The reach of his spear never missed its targets,

The height of his spear does not miss its targets,

and striking the targets is attaining wishes.

And to hit one's target is to attain one's wishes.

أحيا بدولته علوماً قد غدتْ

أحيا بدولته علوماً قد غدتْ

لوضوحِها تُجلى على الأذهان

لوضوحِها تُجلى على الأذهان

Under his rule he revived sciences that came

Through his state sciences that have become

to be revealed to minds through their clarity.

Luminous to the minds due to his clarity have been revived.

بطلٌ مكارمه الجليلةُ قلَّدت

بطلٌ مكارمه الجليلةُ قلَّدت

هامَ الزمانِ مكللِ التيجان

هامَ الزمانِ مكللِ التيجان

A hero whose lofty virtues have garlanded

A hero whose magnificent traits

the brows of Time, bedecked with crowns.

Have adorned the neck of Time with bejeweled crowns.

يهنيك يا مصرُ لقد خرت البها

يهنيك يا مصرُ لقد خرت البها

بمحمدٍ باشا على الشان

بمحمدٍ باشا على الشان

May joy be yours, Egypt! You have won splendor

Congratulations, O Egypt! Indeed, Bahā

through Muhammad Pasha, lofty in rank.

Has fallen for Muhammad Pasha.

فأخطى بغاخر حكمِه وتمتعي

فأخطى بغاخر حكمِه وتمتعي

وبذلك افتخري على البلدان

وبذلك افتخري على البلدان

So stride under his splendid rule and take delight,

So pride yourself on his abundant wisdom and favor,

and in this boast above the other lands.

And thereby take pride over all other lands.

مُدّي أكفّ الشكر وابتهِلي بأن

مُدّي أكفّ الشكر وابتهِلي بأن

يُبقيه مولاه طويلَ زمانِ

يُبقيه مولاه طويلَ زمانِ

Stretch out the palms of gratitude and pray that

Extend your thanks profusely and pray

his Lord preserve him for a long time.

That his Master let him live long.