تبسمsmiled فيin الإقبالgood fortune ثغرُmouth تهانيcongratulations
تبسم في الإقبال ثغرُ تهاني
لصدرfor the chief صدورٍchiefs لاnot يقاسis compared بثانيwith another
لصدر صدورٍ لا يقاس بثاني
In good fortune, the lips of congratulation smiled
A smile of joy lights up the lips
For the chief of chiefs, whom no other can equal.
Of the foremost in rank, matchless is he,
لصدرfor the chief الصدورthe chiefs وافرabundant الحَزمresolve عدلهhis justice
لصدر الصدور وافر الحَزم عدله
كَماlike الشَمسthe sun فيin ضوءlight وَفيand in لمعانbrilliance
كَما الشَمس في ضوء وَفي لمعان
For the chief of chiefs, rich in resolve, whose justice
The foremost in rank, resolute and just
Is like the sun in light and brilliance.
Like the sun in splendor and brilliance.
هوَhe اِبنson خديويKhedive مصرEgypt توفيقٌTawfiq الَّذيwho
هوَ اِبن خديوي مصر توفيقٌ الَّذي
كَساclothed كَأبيهlike his father القطرَthe land درعَarmor أَمانsafety
كَسا كَأبيه القطرَ درعَ أَمان
He is Tawfiq, son of Egypt's Khedive, who
He is Khedive Tawfiq's son of Egypt, who
Clothed the land, like his father, in armor of safety.
Shielded his country like his father before.
وَقامَand undertook بِأعباءwith the burdens الرياسةleadership فاِهتدىso found guidance
وَقامَ بِأعباء الرياسة فاِهتدى
بِآرائهthrough his views فيin الحكمgovernance كلُّevery معانيone in distress
بِآرائه في الحكم كلُّ معاني
And shouldered the burdens of leadership; thus guidance was found
He shouldered the burdens of leadership and was guided
Through his views on governance by everyone in distress.
By his wisdom in governance, comprehending all.
وفيand in مسندthe seat التوكيلdelegated authority عضَّدstrengthened بِالنُهَىwith wisdom
وفي مسند التوكيل عضَّد بِالنُهَى
رصينَfirm أَساسٍfoundation مِنof مُنيفِlofty مبانيstructures
رصينَ أَساسٍ مِن مُنيفِ مباني
And in the seat of delegated authority, with wisdom he strengthened
In his appointed role he was supported with good advice,
The firm foundation of lofty structures.
A solid foundation of elegant buildings.
فَفازthus he won مِنfrom الأَوطانthe homelands بِالشُكرwith gratitude وَالثَناand praise
فَفاز مِن الأَوطان بِالشُكر وَالثَنا
وَأَومىand pointed إليهtoward him سعدُهhis good fortune ببنانwith fingers
وَأَومى إليه سعدُه ببنان
Thus he won gratitude and praise from the lands,
He won the gratitude of nations
And his good fortune pointed a finger toward him.
And good fortune gestured to him.
وَميَّزهand distinguished him السلطانthe Sultan منهfrom him علىabove الوَرىall people
وَميَّزه السلطان منه على الوَرى
بِأَعلىwith the highest نشانٍdecoration فيin أَعزthe most honored مكانplace
بِأَعلى نشانٍ في أَعز مكان
And the Sultan, for his part, distinguished him above all people
The Sultan distinguished him above all others
With the highest decoration, in the most honored place.
With the highest honors in the noblest place.
فزادso grew سُرورthe joy العالمينall the world بتحفةwith a precious gift
فزاد سُرور العالمين بتحفة
مرصعةstudded منwith لؤلؤpearls وجمانand silver beads
مرصعة من لؤلؤ وجمان
Thus the joy of all the world grew at a precious gift
Gladdening the two worlds with a gift
Studded with pearls and silver beads.
Studded with pearls and gems.
وَقالواand they said وَقدand indeed سادواthey gained eminence بتشريفthrough honoring قدرهhis rank
وَقالوا وَقد سادوا بتشريف قدره
ظفرناwe won مِنfrom الدُنياthe world بنيلthrough attaining أَمانيwishes
ظفرنا مِن الدُنيا بنيل أَماني
And they said, having gained eminence through the honoring of his rank:
They rejoiced, ennobled by his prestige,
We have won from this world the fulfillment of our wishes.
Saying: we have attained our wishes in this life.
وَساغand became fitting لناfor us بثُّproclaiming الدعاءprayer لدولةfor a state
وَساغ لنا بثُّ الدعاء لدولة
بِهاin it مَدحُهhis praise يُتلىis recited بكلin every لِسانtongue
بِها مَدحُه يُتلى بكل لِسان
And we may fittingly voice prayers for a state
It was fitting for us to pray for a state
In which his praise is recited in every tongue.
In which praising him is recited in every tongue.
خَليليّmy two friends إنيindeed I قَدindeed جعلتI have made رَسائِليmy epistles
خَليليّ إني قَد جعلت رَسائِلي
عَلىto بَيتهhis house وَقفاًan endowment بِغَيرwithout تَوانيdelay
عَلى بَيته وَقفاً بِغَير تَواني
My two friends, I have indeed devoted my epistles
Khalili! I have made my poems an endowment
To his house as an endowment, without delay.
For his house, unstintingly.
وَأَطلقتand I unleashed فيin مضمارthe racecourse آياتsigns فضلهhis excellence
وَأَطلقت في مضمار آيات فضله
جياداًnoble steeds قَدindeed اِمتازَتexcelled بِحوزby winning رهانa prize
جياداً قَد اِمتازَت بِحوز رهان
And I unleashed, in the racecourse of the signs of his excellence,
I have released in the field extolling his virtues
Noble steeds that excelled by winning the prize.
Thoroughbreds distinguished in the race.
وَجاريتand I vied with أَبطالthe champions البَلاغةeloquence فيin انتقاchoosing
وَجاريت أَبطال البَلاغة في انتقا
نَفائسِtreasures فكرٍthought منfrom لطيفsubtle معانيmeanings
نَفائسِ فكرٍ من لطيف معاني
And I vied with the champions of eloquence in choosing
I have competed with the heroes of rhetoric
Treasures of thought from subtle meanings.
In composing the finest ideas and subtle meanings.
فَأَحرزتthus I secured فيهِin it السَبقَfirst place لاnot بفصاحةٍthrough eloquence
فَأَحرزت فيهِ السَبقَ لا بفصاحةٍ
وَلاnor بِبَديعthrough rhetorical ornament رائقgraceful وَبَيانand clear expression
وَلا بِبَديع رائق وَبَيان
Thus I won first place in this—not through eloquence,
I have won the lead not by eloquence
Nor through graceful rhetorical ornament and clear expression,
Or by a charming, lucid style.
وَلَكنbut بِتَوفيقthrough success بِهِwith it اللَهGod خصنيsingled me out
وَلَكن بِتَوفيق بِهِ اللَه خصني
وَثبَّتand made steadfast منيof mine فيin الحَماسardor جِنانيmy heart
وَثبَّت مني في الحَماس جِناني
But through success with which God singled me out,
But by God’s enabling me, making me steadfast
And made my heart steadfast in ardor.
In valor and protecting my soul.
ووفَّقنيand granted me success فيin وَصفهdescribing him لِفَرائدto matchless gems
ووفَّقني في وَصفه لِفَرائد
تَفوقsurpass عُقوداًnecklaces فيon نُحورthroats حسانbeauties
تَفوق عُقوداً في نُحور حسان
And guided me, in describing him, to matchless gems
He granted me success in describing wonders
That surpass necklaces on the throats of beauties.
Surpassing necklaces of beautiful pearls.
وَهَيهاتand never يَثنينيdeters me وَإِنيand indeed I خويدمٌa humble servant
وَهَيهات يَثنيني وَإِني خويدمٌ
لِوالدهof his father عَنfrom حسنthe beauty مَدحيَmy praise ثانيanother
لِوالده عَن حسن مَدحيَ ثاني
And never could I be deterred—being a humble servant
Far from me to limit his father’s virtues
Of his father—by another from my fine praise.
Or praise the son less.
وَحَسبيand enough for me مَعdespite التَقصيرshortcomings أَنيthat I مادحٌone who praises
وَحَسبي مَع التَقصير أَني مادحٌ
لِأَبناءfor the sons إسماعيلIsmail طُولthroughout زَمانيmy life
لِأَبناء إسماعيل طُول زَماني
And despite my shortcomings, it is enough for me that I praise
I am content, though falling short, that I praise
The sons of Ismail throughout my life.
The sons of Ismail for all my days.
لِأَبناءfor the sons اسماعيلIsmail خَيرthe best مملَّكٍenthroned ruler
لِأَبناء اسماعيل خَير مملَّكٍ
بِهِthrough him مصرُهhis Egypt أَضحتbecame كَرَوضlike a garden جنانparadise gardens
بِهِ مصرُه أَضحت كَرَوض جنان
The sons of Ismail, the best of enthroned rulers,
The sons of Ismail, the best of kings
Through whom his Egypt became like a garden of paradise.
Through whom Egypt became like a garden.
وَأَيدand strengthened فيهاin it مُلكهhis rule وَهوand it تالدancestral
وَأَيد فيها مُلكه وَهو تالد
بِعَزمwith resolve كَسيفlike a sword باترcleaving وسنانand a spearhead
بِعَزم كَسيف باتر وسنان
And he strengthened his rule there, an ancestral inheritance,
He strengthened its rule, enduring,
With resolve like a cleaving sword and a spearhead.
With resolute will, like an Indian sword.
وَعَهدand entrusted إِلىto المَمدوحthe praised one أَكرمthe most generous ماجدnobleman
وَعَهد إِلى المَمدوح أَكرم ماجد
وَأَنبلand the noblest شبلlion cub آخذholding بِعنانby a rein
وَأَنبل شبل آخذ بِعنان
And entrusted it to the praised one, the most generous of noblemen,
He entrusted leadership to the most noble, magnanimous,
And the noblest lion cub, grasping the reins,
Highest-born scion, taking the reins.
وَأَشرَفand the most honorable مَنone whom أَهدىgave as a gift إِلَيهِto him إمامُهhis leader
وَأَشرَف مَن أَهدى إِلَيهِ إمامُه
مِنof الدُرّpearls ماthat which فيهِin it لمصرfor Egypt تَهانيcongratulations
مِن الدُرّ ما فيهِ لمصر تَهاني
And the most honorable man to whom his leader presented
He gave him the finest pearls that would bring Egypt joy,
Pearls bearing congratulations for Egypt.
And made his name shine with the best titles.
وَأَكرَمand the most generous مَنone whom أَنشأتI composed فيهِabout him مؤرّخاًrecording a date
وَأَكرَم مَن أَنشأت فيهِ مؤرّخاً
زَهاshone نُورlight تَوفيقTawfiq بِطيبwith a fine نشانdecoration
زَها نُور تَوفيق بِطيب نشان
And the most generous man about whom I composed a chronogram:
Tawfiq's light shone with a fine decoration.
Partial English translation: 44 of 46 Arabic lines translated.