نحنُ أبناء مصر لولا ظفرُنا

نحنُ أبناء مصر لولا ظفرُنا

بمعالي مجْدِه ما ظهرنا

بمعالي مجْدِه ما ظهرنا

We are Egypt's sons; had we not attained

We are Egypt's sons, were it not for our victory

the heights of his glory, we would not have risen to prominence.

In attaining the heights of its glory, we would not have appeared

إن سرّ العزيز سرٌّ عجيبٌ

إن سرّ العزيز سرٌّ عجيبٌ

قد هدانا سُبلِ الرشادِ فسرْنا

قد هدانا سُبلِ الرشادِ فسرْنا

Indeed, the secret of al-Aziz is a wondrous secret.

Indeed, the secret of the Almighty is a wondrous secret

He guided us along the paths of rectitude, and so we journeyed.

It has guided us to the paths of righteousness, so we succeeded

سهرَ الليالي لاكتساب المعالي

سهرَ الليالي لاكتساب المعالي

فاقتفينا طريقَه وسهرنا

فاقتفينا طريقَه وسهرنا

He kept vigil through the nights to attain eminence;

Staying up nights to gain supreme virtues

so we followed his path and kept vigil.

We followed his path and stayed up

صادقُ الوعد سابقُ السعد مولى

صادقُ الوعد سابقُ السعد مولى

صحَّ إسعادُنا به فافتخرنا

صحَّ إسعادُنا به فافتخرنا

A lord true to his promise, foremost in good fortune—

The truthful promise, the foremost of bliss, our Master

through him our happiness was assured, and so we took pride.

His felicitating us with it came true, so we took pride

وإذا قيل من به أهلُ مصرٍ

وإذا قيل من به أهلُ مصرٍ

سابقوا للعلا إليه أشرنا

سابقوا للعلا إليه أشرنا

And when it was asked, "Through whom did Egypt's people

And when it was said who in Egypt was its people

race toward the heights?" we pointed to him.

They hastened to the heights, we pointed to him

وجرْينا في حومةِ السبق ركضاً

وجرْينا في حومةِ السبق ركضاً

وسبقنا إلى مدىً وانتصرنا

وسبقنا إلى مدىً وانتصرنا

And we ran at a gallop in the racing arena,

And we raced in the throngs of competition, running

and we reached the finish first and triumphed.

And we raced to the farthest point and emerged victorious

كم بسطنا بساطَ عزٍ ومجد

كم بسطنا بساطَ عزٍ ومجد

كان قبلاً قد انطوى فنشرنا

كان قبلاً قد انطوى فنشرنا

How often we spread a carpet of honor and glory!

How much we unfurled the carpet of might and glory

It had once been folded away, so we unfolded it.

Which was once folded up, so we spread it out

عمرك الله إنْ أردتَ اختبارا

عمرك الله إنْ أردتَ اختبارا

في ميادين سبْقِنا فاخْتَبرْنا

في ميادين سبْقِنا فاخْتَبرْنا

I adjure you by God: if you desire a trial

May God grant you long life, if you wish to test

in the arenas of our racing, then put us to the test.

Our fields of precedence, then test us

قد جانا الخديو تشويقَ مجد

قد جانا الخديو تشويقَ مجد

بجميل الثنا عليه ابتدرنا

بجميل الثنا عليه ابتدرنا

The Khedive came to us to kindle a longing for glory;

The Khedive has inspired us to glory's honor

we hastened to offer him fine praise.

With his beautiful praise of him we took initiative

خصَّنا ودُّه بأبهى امتيازٍ

خصَّنا ودُّه بأبهى امتيازٍ

فنظمنا لآلئاً ونثرنا

فنظمنا لآلئاً ونثرنا

His affection singled us out for the most splendid distinction;

He distinguished us with his love's most splendid favor

so we strung pearls and scattered them.

So we strung pearls of poetry and prose for him

وطلبنا لدولةِ العز حفظاً

وطلبنا لدولةِ العز حفظاً

وبقاءً وبالدعاء جهرنا

وبقاءً وبالدعاء جهرنا

And we sought protection for the realm of honor,

And we asked for the state of might to be preserved

and continuance; and we voiced our prayers aloud.

And for its permanence, and declared so out loud

كلنا شاكرٌ فيا سعدُ أرّخْ

كلنا شاكرٌ فيا سعدُ أرّخْ

بجميلٍ كافأتنا فشكرنا

بجميلٍ كافأتنا فشكرنا

We are all grateful; so, O Sa'd, record the date:

We are all thankful, so O bliss record

"You rewarded us with kindness, and so we gave thanks."

With kindness you rewarded us, so we thanked