ها كَوكَب الفَضل في مَهد العُلوم علا

ها كَوكَب الفَضل في مَهد العُلوم علا

وَغَيهب الجَهل عَن آفاته رَحلا

وَغَيهب الجَهل عَن آفاته رَحلا

Behold, the star of excellence rose in the cradle of the sciences,

Behold the star of excellence in the cradle of knowledge shone

And ignorance's deep darkness departed from its blights.

And ignorance of its harms went away

وَشَمسه أَشرَقَت في الكَون بَهجَتُها

وَشَمسه أَشرَقَت في الكَون بَهجَتُها

وَضَوؤها عَمَّ مِنهُ السَهل وَالجَبلا

وَضَوؤها عَمَّ مِنهُ السَهل وَالجَبلا

And the splendor of its sun shone in the universe,

Its sun rose radiating joy across the universe

And its light flooded the world's plains and mountains.

And its light reached both plain and hill

وَرَوضة العلم قامَت في مَنابرها

وَرَوضة العلم قامَت في مَنابرها

بَلابلٌ وَعظها للسامِعين حلا

بَلابلٌ وَعظها للسامِعين حلا

And in the garden of knowledge, upon its pulpits stood

The garden of knowledge flourished in its pulpits

Nightingales whose preaching was sweet to listeners.

Nightingales and preachers for the listeners gathered

وَتِلكَ راياته في مصر قَد نشرت

وَتِلكَ راياته في مصر قَد نشرت

مِن فوق هامات أَبناء لَها نُبَلا

مِن فوق هامات أَبناء لَها نُبَلا

And those banners of its have been unfurled in Egypt,

And its banners in Egypt were unfurled

Above the heads of her noble sons.

Above the resolute sons of noble descent

وَشَيدت حُصنه للداوريْ هممٌ

وَشَيدت حُصنه للداوريْ هممٌ

مَقرونة بِسَخاءٍ غَيثُه هَطلا

مَقرونة بِسَخاءٍ غَيثُه هَطلا

And resolute efforts raised its fortress for al-Dawari,

And for the afflicted, ambitions built its fortress

Coupled with generosity whose rain poured down.

Coupled with generosity whose rain poured

وَكَيفَ لا وَهُوَ لَمّا أَمَّ ساحته

وَكَيفَ لا وَهُوَ لَمّا أَمَّ ساحته

أَولاه مِن فَيضه فَوقَ الَّذي سَألا

أَولاه مِن فَيضه فَوقَ الَّذي سَألا

And how could it be otherwise? When he sought his court,

How could it not when he led its realm

He bestowed on him from his bounty more than he had asked.

Bestowed upon it from his bounty beyond what was sought

وَجدّد الكُتب بِالطَبع البَديع وَكَم

وَجدّد الكُتب بِالطَبع البَديع وَكَم

أَحيا نُفوس فُنون جسمُها نَحلا

أَحيا نُفوس فُنون جسمُها نَحلا

And he renewed books through exquisite printing—and how many

Renewed books with excellent print, and how many

Souls of arts he revived, whose bodies had wasted away!

Gave life to the essence of arts that had withered

مِنها كِتاب اِبن خَلدون الَّذي شَغفت

مِنها كِتاب اِبن خَلدون الَّذي شَغفت

بِهِ المُلوك وَأَضحى في الوَرى مثلا

بِهِ المُلوك وَأَضحى في الوَرى مثلا

Among them is the book of Ibn Khaldun, which captivated

Among them the book of Ibn Khaldun which fascinated

Kings and became an exemplar among humankind.

Kings and became an example in the world

وَكانَ كَالدُرّ في الأَصداف مُختَفِياً

وَكانَ كَالدُرّ في الأَصداف مُختَفِياً

فَلاحَ كَالبَدر بِالأَنوار مُشتَمِلا

فَلاحَ كَالبَدر بِالأَنوار مُشتَمِلا

And it lay hidden like pearls within shells,

It was as a pearl hidden in shells

Then shone like the full moon, wrapped in radiance.

Shining like the full moon with lights embraced

وَصار في كُل واد بَعد نَشأته ال

وَصار في كُل واد بَعد نَشأته ال

أخرى لِهَذا العَزيز الشَهم مُبتهلا

أخرى لِهَذا العَزيز الشَهم مُبتهلا

And in every valley it became, after its birth—the

And after its rise, in every valley continuously

Second—an earnest supplicant for this mighty, noble-hearted man.

Another supplicated for this honorable, generous one

فَلا تَرى بُقعة في الأَرض مِنهُخَلَت

فَلا تَرى بُقعة في الأَرض مِنهُخَلَت

مِن بَعد تَمثيله طَبعاً كَما نُقِلا

مِن بَعد تَمثيله طَبعاً كَما نُقِلا

So you see no spot on earth left without it,

You will not see a spot on earth that has been devoid

After its reproduction in print, just as it was transmitted.

Of it after its printing, as it was conveyed

وَلَم يزَل كُلَّما آياته تَليت

وَلَم يزَل كُلَّما آياته تَليت

يُثنَى عَلى مَصرَ ما نَفعٌ بِهِ حَصلا

يُثنَى عَلى مَصرَ ما نَفعٌ بِهِ حَصلا

And still, whenever its verses are recited,

And whenever its verses are recited, praise of Egypt persists

Egypt is praised as long as benefit is gained through it.

For the benefit attained through it fully

وَجودة الرَأي في تَحريره اِحتفلت

وَجودة الرَأي في تَحريره اِحتفلت

بشكرها دَولة الأَقلام إِذ كَملا

بشكرها دَولة الأَقلام إِذ كَملا

And the excellence of judgment in its editing was celebrated

The excellence of thought in its editing was celebrated

With gratitude by the realm of pens, when it was complete.

With gratitude, the state of pens when complete

فَيا لَهُ مِن كِتاب لَيسَ يَفضلُهُ

فَيا لَهُ مِن كِتاب لَيسَ يَفضلُهُ

في بابه غَيرُه عِلماً وَلا عَمَلا

في بابه غَيرُه عِلماً وَلا عَمَلا

So what a book it is! It is not surpassed

What a book with no match in its field

In its field by any other, in knowledge or in practice.

In knowledge or deed to surpass it can be found

لَما اِنتَهى قالَت البُشرى مُؤرخةً

لَما اِنتَهى قالَت البُشرى مُؤرخةً

سَهم اِبن خَلدون بِالطَبع المُنيف عَلا

سَهم اِبن خَلدون بِالطَبع المُنيف عَلا

When it was finished, Glad Tidings spoke, recording the date:

When concluded, good tidings the chronicler stated

Ibn Khaldun's arrow rose through lofty printing.

The arrow of Ibn Khaldun with fine print flew high