بَنىbuilt عَزيزruler مَصرهhis Egypt السَعيدُthe fortunate
بَنى عَزيز مَصره السَعيدُ
للعلمfor learning حصناًa fortress سورهits wall مشيدُraised high
للعلم حصناً سوره مشيدُ
The fortunate ruler of his Egypt built
The blessed ruler of Egypt built
a fortress for learning, its wall raised high.
A fortress of knowledge, its walls erected tall
وَأَيدand strengthened الأَوطانthe homelands بِالتمدّنthrough civilization
وَأَيد الأَوطان بِالتمدّن
فيin عَصرهhis reign رَأيjudgment لَهُof his سَديدsound
في عَصره رَأي لَهُ سَديد
And the homelands were strengthened through civilization
And aided the nations through civilization
in his reign by his sound judgment.
In his time, his vision was sound and true
وَدَرّبand trained الجُيوشthe armies فيin تَعليمهاtheir instruction
وَدَرّب الجُيوش في تَعليمها
عَلىfor الوَغىbattle فَهابَهاso feared them الأُسودthe lions
عَلى الوَغى فَهابَها الأُسود
And he drilled the armies, schooling them
He trained the armies through education
for battle, so lions feared them.
To fear the tumult of battle, confronting the fierce
كَمhow often جرّدunsheathed العَزمresolve بِلاwithout تَوانslackening
كَم جرّد العَزم بِلا تَوان
إِلىtoward اقتِناصِseizing ماwhat بهِthrough it تَسودreigns supreme
إِلى اقتِناصِ ما بهِ تَسود
How often he unsheathed resolve without slackening,
How often he resolutely girded his loins
to seize the means of supremacy!
To seize what through it glory's obtained
كَمhow many مِنof لُغاتlanguages جدّstrove diligently فيin تَحصيلهاacquiring them
كَم مِن لُغات جدّ في تَحصيلها
فَنالَand so gained منهاfrom them فَوقbeyond ماwhat يُريدhe desires
فَنالَ منها فَوق ما يُريد
How many languages he strove to acquire,
How many languages he diligently pursued
gaining from them more than he desired!
Until from them he took more than he needed
كَمhow many مِنof فُنونarts بَعدafter طَيّfolding away نَشرِهاtheir dissemination
كَم مِن فُنون بَعد طَيّ نَشرِها
بِهاto them اِعتَنىattended فيin عَهدهhis reign العَبيدthe servants
بِها اِعتَنى في عَهده العَبيد
How many arts, once their spread had been folded away,
How many arts after their obscurity's dispersion
the servants cultivated in his reign!
In his reign of servants he attended to
فَياso, oh لَهُfor him مِنof مالكsovereign مُستوجبdeserving
فَيا لَهُ مِن مالك مُستوجب
لِلشُكرof thanks مناfrom us سيرُهhis conduct الحَميدpraiseworthy
لِلشُكر منا سيرُه الحَميد
So what a sovereign he is, deserving
So what a ruler deserving of gratitude is he
our thanks for his praiseworthy conduct!
His excellent conduct we ought to thank
أَلَيسَis it not مِنamong جُملةِthe entirety of ماwhat حضَّurged عَلىto
أَلَيسَ مِن جُملةِ ما حضَّ عَلى
تَعريبهits translation into Arabic جَنابُهhis Excellency السَعيدthe fortunate
تَعريبه جَنابُه السَعيد
Is there not, among the works urged for
Is it not among what he urged
Arabic translation by his fortunate Excellency,
To translate, his blessed eminence
تَذكيرa memorandum مُرسلone sent out لِكَشفfor reconnaissance بَحثهits study
تَذكير مُرسل لِكَشف بَحثه
لِلجَيشfor the army فيon أَسفارهits expeditions مُفيدuseful
لِلجَيش في أَسفاره مُفيد
a memorandum for one sent to reconnoiter, whose study
A reminder missive unveiling research
benefits the army on its expeditions?
For the army on its journeys useful
أَقولI say لماwhen تمّwas completed طَبعاًin print أَرخواrecord the date
أَقول لما تمّ طَبعاً أَرخوا
تَحياlive بِكَشفthrough reconnaissance المُرسلthe one sent out الجُنودthe troops
تَحيا بِكَشف المُرسل الجُنود
I say, when its printing was complete: record the date—
I say, now that it's printed, date it
“The troops live by the scout’s reconnaissance.”
The troops live on! Discovery's letter is released!