لله منك بشائر — Salah Magdy

لِلّه مِنكَ بَشائرُ

لعلاك هن أَشائرُ

God be praised for the glad tidings you bring;

they are signs of your exalted rank.

يا جَوهراً فرداً به

جُمِعت بِمصر جَواهر

O peerless jewel, through whom

jewels have been gathered in Egypt!

الملك يحسده عَلي

ك أَكاسرٌ وَقَياصر

Your sovereignty is envied

by Chosroes and Caesars.

ما يَعجز الأقيال عَن

ه عَلَيهِ عزمك قادر

What the princes cannot accomplish,

your resolve is able to achieve.

بعزازةٍ أَنوارُها

في المشرقين بَواهر

With a might whose lights

are dazzling in the two Easts.

الحلم طود راسخ

وَالجُود بحر زاخر

Forbearance is a firmly rooted mountain,

and generosity an overflowing sea.

فَلأنت بَدر وَالبَنو

ن كَما النُجوم زَواهر

For you are a full moon, and your sons

are like radiant stars.

ذريةٌ دريةٌ

بِسَنا حِجاك سوافر

A pearl-bright progeny,

unveiled in the radiance of your wisdom.

السَعد برج جَميعهم

وَالملك مِنهُم عامر

Good fortune is the zodiac sign of them all,

and the kingdom thrives through them.

إِن الحِمى بحبالهم

لمُعَضَّدٌ متظافر

Indeed, the realm, by their cords,

is surely strengthened and united.

عَن مَدح إِبراهيم أَل

سنةُ الوَرى تَتقاصر

In praising Ibrahim,

the tongues of humankind fall short.

عَن مَهرَجان ختانه

زهواً تَلوح مَفاخر

From the festival of his circumcision,

glories shine forth in splendor.

إِن قيل غُصن زاهر

أَو قيل عود ناضر

If he is called a flowering branch,

or called a verdant bough,

تَنمو الغُصون إِذا جَنى

مِنها المريد الشاطر

branches grow when fruit is gathered

from them by the skillful seeker.

وَالزَهر يَربو في الرُبا

وَبقطفه يَتَزاهر

And flowers flourish upon the hills,

and bloom more brightly when plucked.

قلم اليراع إِذ اِنبرَى

هَرعت إِلَيهِ مَحابر

When the reed pen was sharpened,

inkwells hastened toward it.

وَالطَرف إِن زالَ القَذى

عَنهُ اِستَضاء الناظر

And when the speck has left the eye,

its pupil shines with light.

بالقطِّ شمعةُ مجلسٍ

تزهى وَيَزهو السامر

When trimmed, the gathering's candle

glows, and the evening companion rejoices.

وَبَعضِّ كلبتَيِ الأَسا

أَنسَ الغَزالُ النافر

And at the bite of sorrow's pincers,

the skittish gazelle grew tame.

جَعل الختانَ طَهارةً

طَه النَبيّ الطاهر

Circumcision was made a purification

by Taha, the pure Prophet.

أَكرِم بِها مِن سنة

وَبِها الجَميع يُبادر

What a noble tradition it is!

And all hasten to observe it.

وَختان أَبناء الملو

ك يَلوح فيهِ مَفاخر

And at the circumcision of kings' sons,

glories shine forth:

المطربات جَميعها

وَمَجامع وَمَحاضر

all the delightful entertainments,

and gatherings and assemblies.

لَكن خديوي مصرنا

بِالشرع ناه آمر

But the Khedive of our Egypt

forbids and commands according to sacred law.

بِالسنة الغَراء قَد

زانَ الخِتان شَعائر

Following the radiant tradition, he has

adorned the circumcision with rites:

آيات برّ ما لها

بَين البَرية حاصر

Signs of charity that no one

among humankind can count:

عتقٌ وَحسنُ تصدقٍ

وَنَدىً وَجُودٌ وافر

Emancipation and gracious almsgiving,

and bounty and abundant generosity;

إطلاق مَسجونٍ جَنى

وَلكل كَسر جابر

Releasing a prisoner who had offended,

and, for every break, a mender;

إِيصال عَيش ذُوي العَفا

لاحَت بِذاك أَمائر

Bringing sustenance to those in need—

signs of that have shone forth.

قتل الأَثيم بصفحه

فَأَناب وَهوَ يُحاذر

He slew the sinner with his pardon,

so he repented, still fearful.

مَن يَشتري بِالجاه ذخ

راً فَهوَ نعم التاجر

Whoever buys treasure with his standing

is an excellent merchant.

للفرع كُلٌّ حامدٌ

للأَصل كُلٌّ شاكر

Everyone praises the branch;

everyone thanks the root.

يا كَوكَباً في مَصره

كُلٌّ إليه ناظر

O star in his Egypt,

at whom everyone gazes!

حاشا يوفِّي حَقَّ مد

حِكَ ناظمٌ أَو ناثر

Your praise could never receive its full due

from a poet or prose writer.

لَكنني أَرخته

باه ختانك باهر

Yet I have marked its date thus:

Take pride: your circumcision is dazzling.