هَلِ الدَهرُ إِلّا ذا النَهارِ وَضِدُّهُ

هَلِ الدَهرُ إِلّا ذا النَهارِ وَضِدُّهُ

يُعاوِدُ كُلّاً مِنهُما الدَهرُ نَدُّهُ

يُعاوِدُ كُلّاً مِنهُما الدَهرُ نَدُّهُ

Is time anything but this daylight and its opposite?

Is time anything but this day and its counterpart?

Through time, each of the two is revisited by its counterpart.

Each returns to time its caprice.

يَدورُ فَمِن أَيِّ الجِهاتِ اِبتَدَرَتهُ

يَدورُ فَمِن أَيِّ الجِهاتِ اِبتَدَرَتهُ

وَتابَعَتهُ تَبدا بِهِ وَتَحِدُّهُ

وَتابَعَتهُ تَبدا بِهِ وَتَحِدُّهُ

It turns; from whichever direction you hasten toward it

It revolves, so from which sides did you ambush it

and follow it, you begin with it and mark its bounds.

And follow it, start with it, and limit it?

وَلا خَيرَ في يَومٍ يَمُرُّ عَلى الفَتى

وَلا خَيرَ في يَومٍ يَمُرُّ عَلى الفَتى

إِذا لَم يَنَل فيهِ ثَناً يَستَجِدُّهُ

إِذا لَم يَنَل فيهِ ثَناً يَستَجِدُّهُ

There is no good in a day that passes a young man

There is no good in a day passing the youth

unless he earns fresh praise within it.

If he does not obtain in it praise renewing him.

فَلَيسَت حَياةُ المَرءِ إِلّا شَهادَةً

فَلَيسَت حَياةُ المَرءِ إِلّا شَهادَةً

عَلى فَضلِ مَولاهُ فَيَظهَرُ مَجدُهُ

عَلى فَضلِ مَولاهُ فَيَظهَرُ مَجدُهُ

A person's life is nothing but a testimony

So the life of a person is nothing but a testimony

to his Lord's grace, making His glory manifest.

To the favor of his Master, so His glory appears.

إِذا كانَ لا يَختارُ تَمجيدُ رَبِّهِ

إِذا كانَ لا يَختارُ تَمجيدُ رَبِّهِ

فَإِنَّ الإِلَهَ اِختارَ ما فيهِ نَكدُهُ

فَإِنَّ الإِلَهَ اِختارَ ما فيهِ نَكدُهُ

If he does not choose to glorify his Lord,

If he does not choose the glorification of his Lord,

then God has chosen what brings him misery.

Then God has chosen that which has anguish for him.

وَإِلّا فَفي دارِ الفَناءِ ثَناؤُهُ

وَإِلّا فَفي دارِ الفَناءِ ثَناؤُهُ

مَقامٌ وَفي دارِ السَعادَةِ خُلدُهُ

مَقامٌ وَفي دارِ السَعادَةِ خُلدُهُ

Otherwise, in the abode of passing, his praise

Else, his praise is a dwelling in the abode of annihilation

has a lasting place; in the abode of bliss lies his eternity.

And in the abode of bliss is his eternity.

وَحَيِّ غَداً في ما سِوى الورحِ مَيتاً

وَحَيِّ غَداً في ما سِوى الورحِ مَيتاً

لَقَد حَلَّ عِندي حَيثُما حَلَّ وَأدُهُ

لَقَد حَلَّ عِندي حَيثُما حَلَّ وَأدُهُ

And a living man who has become dead in all but spirit

And my live self tomorrow, beyond grief, is dead.

is, to my mind, buried alive wherever he dwells.

Indeed, it has descended wherever descent took it away.

وَمَن كانَ لا يُؤتي الجَماعَةُ نَفعَهُ

وَمَن كانَ لا يُؤتي الجَماعَةُ نَفعَهُ

فَإِغفالُهُ فيها سَواءُ وَعَدُّهُ

فَإِغفالُهُ فيها سَواءُ وَعَدُّهُ

And whoever brings the community no benefit,

Whoever was of no benefit to the community,

it is all the same whether he is ignored or counted among it.

His neglect among them is equal to his counting.

لَعَمرَكَ لَيسَ العُمرُ في المَرءِ عَيشُهُ

لَعَمرَكَ لَيسَ العُمرُ في المَرءِ عَيشُهُ

وَلَكِن حَقُّ العُمرِ في المَرءِ حَمدُهُ

وَلَكِن حَقُّ العُمرِ في المَرءِ حَمدُهُ

By your life, a man's lifetime is not merely his living;

By your life, a person’s age is not his living,

rather, the true worth of his life is the praise he earns.

But the right of age is a person’s praise.

فَأَحجى بِهِ إِجهادٌ ما باتَ فاقِداً

فَأَحجى بِهِ إِجهادٌ ما باتَ فاقِداً

لا حَرازَ شَيءٌ لَيسَ يُحسِنُ فَقدُهُ

لا حَرازَ شَيءٌ لَيسَ يُحسِنُ فَقدُهُ

So he ought to exert himself while he remains deprived,

So hardship with which one spent the night lacking

to attain something whose absence does him no credit.

Nothing can retain what it cannot miss.

فَيُغنيهِ عَن رَغَدِ المَعيشَةِ شُكرُهُ

فَيُغنيهِ عَن رَغَدِ المَعيشَةِ شُكرُهُ

وَلَيسَ بِمُغنيهِ عَنِ الحَمدِ رَغدُهُ

وَلَيسَ بِمُغنيهِ عَنِ الحَمدِ رَغدُهُ

The thanks he earns can replace a life of ease,

His gratitude makes him self-sufficient against plentiful living

but his ease cannot replace praise.

And plentiful living does not make him self-sufficient against praise.

كَذا السَيفُ مَعدومٌ وَقَد غابَ نَصلُهُ

كَذا السَيفُ مَعدومٌ وَقَد غابَ نَصلُهُ

وَلَيسَ بِمَعدومٍ وَغابَ فَرَندُهُ

وَلَيسَ بِمَعدومٍ وَغابَ فَرَندُهُ

Thus a sword is as nothing when its blade is gone,

Thus the sword is nonexistent though its blade is gone

but not as nothing when its patterned sheen is gone.

And it is not nonexistent though its sheath is gone.

وَما الحَمدُ إِلّا الجِدُّ فَهوَ وَراءَهُ

وَما الحَمدُ إِلّا الجِدُّ فَهوَ وَراءَهُ

وَما الجِدُّ إِلّا الجَدُّ فَهوَ مَعدُهُ

وَما الجِدُّ إِلّا الجَدُّ فَهوَ مَعدُهُ

And praise is nothing but diligence, which stands behind it;

Praise is nothing but earnestness, so it is behind it

and diligence is itself good fortune, for it is its source.

And earnestness is nothing but striving, so it accompanies it.

وَهَل قيمَةُ الإِنسانِ إِلّا فِعالُهُ

وَهَل قيمَةُ الإِنسانِ إِلّا فِعالُهُ

وَهَل قُدرُهُ إِلّا عَناهُ وَجُهدُهُ

وَهَل قُدرُهُ إِلّا عَناهُ وَجُهدُهُ

And is a person's worth anything but his deeds?

Is the value of a person other than his deeds?

And is his standing anything but his toil and effort?

And is his worth other than his endeavor and striving?

وَلَولا اِشتِغالُ المَرءِ ما ذاعَ ذِكرُهُ

وَلَولا اِشتِغالُ المَرءِ ما ذاعَ ذِكرُهُ

وَلَولا اِشتِعالُ العودِ ما ضاعَ نَدُّهُ

وَلَولا اِشتِعالُ العودِ ما ضاعَ نَدُّهُ

Were it not for a man's labor, his name would not spread;

If not for the person's preoccupation, his mention would not have spread.

were it not for the wood's burning, its fragrance would not waft.

And if not for the burning of wood, its crackling would not be lost.

فَأَجمَلَ مِن خَضبٍ بِكَفِّكَ شُغلُها

فَأَجمَلَ مِن خَضبٍ بِكَفِّكَ شُغلُها

وَأَحسَنُ مِن كُحلٍ بِطَرفِكَ سُهدُهُ

وَأَحسَنُ مِن كُحلٍ بِطَرفِكَ سُهدُهُ

So your hand's work is lovelier than the henna upon it,

So dyeing with your palm is more beautiful than rouge,

and your eye's sleeplessness is finer than kohl upon it.

And lining with your eyelid is better than kohl.

وَأَصلَحُ مِن ذُلٍّ بِنَفسِكَ مَوتُها

وَأَصلَحُ مِن ذُلٍّ بِنَفسِكَ مَوتُها

إِذا كُنتَ مِمَّن مَورِدُ العِزِّ وَردُهُ

إِذا كُنتَ مِمَّن مَورِدُ العِزِّ وَردُهُ

And death is better for your soul than humiliation,

And death of your soul is more righteous than disgrace

if you are one who drinks at the spring of honor.

If you are one whose abode honor frequents.

كَذا فَلتَكن تِلكَ الحَياةُ الَّتي أَرى

كَذا فَلتَكن تِلكَ الحَياةُ الَّتي أَرى

وَإِلّا فَكَم سَهلٌ عَلى الحَرِّ لَحدِهِ

وَإِلّا فَكَم سَهلٌ عَلى الحَرِّ لَحدِهِ

Let the life I envisage be thus;

So let that be the life I see

otherwise, how easy the grave is for a free man!

Otherwise, how gently suicide meets its sharpness!

أَوَدُّ بِها خَلقاً كَثيراً وَإِنَّما

أَوَدُّ بِها خَلقاً كَثيراً وَإِنَّما

أَوَدُّ مِنَ الأَيّامِ ما لا تَوَدُّهُ

أَوَدُّ مِنَ الأَيّامِ ما لا تَوَدُّهُ

In such a life I cherish many people; yet all

I love many people with it, yet

I wish from the days is what they do not wish.

I only love of the days what it does not love.

لَقَد آثَرَ المَولى بِنُعماهُ آنِفاً

لَقَد آثَرَ المَولى بِنُعماهُ آنِفاً

فَلا غَروَ أَن يُسعِدَ مُحَمَّد عَبدُه

فَلا غَروَ أَن يُسعِدَ مُحَمَّد عَبدُه

The Lord has lately bestowed His favor,

The Master has recently preferred with His blessings,

so no wonder He brings happiness to Muhammad Abduh.

So it is no wonder that Muhammad His servant be felicitous.

هُوَ البَدرُ لَكِنَّ المَعالي سَماؤُهُ

هُوَ البَدرُ لَكِنَّ المَعالي سَماؤُهُ

هُوَ النَجمُ لَكِنَّ الفَضيلَةَ سَعدُهُ

هُوَ النَجمُ لَكِنَّ الفَضيلَةَ سَعدُهُ

He is the full moon, but lofty attainments are his sky;

He is the full moon, but the sublime traits are His sky,

he is the star, but virtue is his good fortune.

He is the star, but virtue is His luck.

هُوَ اللَيثُ لَكِنَّ المَحامِدَ غابُهُ

هُوَ اللَيثُ لَكِنَّ المَحامِدَ غابُهُ

هُوَ السَيفُ لَكِنَّ المَكارِمَ غَمدُهُ

هُوَ السَيفُ لَكِنَّ المَكارِمَ غَمدُهُ

He is the lion, but praiseworthy qualities are his forest;

He is the lion, but praise is His forest,

he is the sword, but noble virtues are his sheath.

He is the sword, but noble deeds are its sheath.

هُوَ البَحرُ عَن كُلِّ النَقائِصِ جَزرُهُ

هُوَ البَحرُ عَن كُلِّ النَقائِصِ جَزرُهُ

وَلَكِن إِلى كُلِّ الكَمائِلِ مَدُّهُ

وَلَكِن إِلى كُلِّ الكَمائِلِ مَدُّهُ

He is the sea, whose ebb withdraws from every fault,

He is the sea safe from all blemishes - its ebb,

but whose flow reaches toward every perfection.

But its flow is toward all perfections.

مُحيطٌ بِأَشتاتِ العُلومِ جَميعُها

مُحيطٌ بِأَشتاتِ العُلومِ جَميعُها

فَفي أَيِّ عِلمٍ جِئتَ يَقدَحُ زَندُهُ

فَفي أَيِّ عِلمٍ جِئتَ يَقدَحُ زَندُهُ

He encompasses all the scattered branches of learning;

Encompassing the parts of knowledge altogether,

in whatever science you approach, his fire-stick sparks.

So with whichever knowledge you come, its flint strikes light.

مُجَدِّدٌ روحٌ صارَ في وَسطِ نَزعِهِ

مُجَدِّدٌ روحٌ صارَ في وَسطِ نَزعِهِ

وَمُوَضِّحٌ أَمرٌ أَقلَعَ اليَومَ رُشدُهُ

وَمُوَضِّحٌ أَمرٌ أَقلَعَ اليَومَ رُشدُهُ

He revives a spirit already in the midst of its death throes,

A renewing soul who has set out amidst its squabble

and clarifies a matter whose right guidance has now departed.

And a clarifying command whose guidance has risen today.

حَكيمٌ فَلا تُلهيهِ إِلّا جَواهِرُ

حَكيمٌ فَلا تُلهيهِ إِلّا جَواهِرُ

غَداً عَبرَةً فيما سِواهُنَّ زُهدُهُ

غَداً عَبرَةً فيما سِواهُنَّ زُهدُهُ

A sage, he is engaged only by jewels;

A wise one whom only jewels distract

his renunciation of all else has become a lesson.

That will be, beyond them, asceticism tomorrow.

لَقَد ظَلَّ سُلطانِ الكَلامِ بِأَسرِهِ

لَقَد ظَلَّ سُلطانِ الكَلامِ بِأَسرِهِ

فَاِعلامُهُ الأَقلامُ وَالكُتبُ جُندُهُ

فَاِعلامُهُ الأَقلامُ وَالكُتبُ جُندُهُ

He has remained the sovereign of speech in its entirety;

The sultanate of speech altogether has shaded him,

so his banners are pens, and books are his troops.

So its symbols are pens and books, his troops.

لَهُ قَلَمٌ يُزري بِكُلِّ مُهَنَّدِ

لَهُ قَلَمٌ يُزري بِكُلِّ مُهَنَّدِ

يَصولُ عَلى العادي بِهِ فَيَقِدُّهُ

يَصولُ عَلى العادي بِهِ فَيَقِدُّهُ

He has a pen that shames every Indian-forged sword;

He has a pen that routs every obstinate one -

with it he charges the aggressor and cleaves him.

It rages against the customary, so it leads him.

لَهُ في رِهانِ المَكرُماتِ مَآثِرٌ

لَهُ في رِهانِ المَكرُماتِ مَآثِرٌ

كَبَت دونَها قَبُّ السِباقِ وَجُردُهُ

كَبَت دونَها قَبُّ السِباقِ وَجُردُهُ

In the contest of noble deeds, he has achievements

In the race of glorious deeds, he has remarkable feats

before which lean racehorses and sleek steeds have stumbled.

Below which the nimble player kneeled.

إِلى كُلِّ ما يَسنى الثَناءَ صَباؤُهُ

إِلى كُلِّ ما يَسنى الثَناءَ صَباؤُهُ

وَعَن كُلِّ ما يُؤذي الكَرامَةَ صَدُّهُ

وَعَن كُلِّ ما يُؤذي الكَرامَةَ صَدُّهُ

His longing turns toward all that heightens praise,

His rising toward every praiseworthy thing,

and from all that harms dignity he turns away.

And his turning from all that hurts dignity.

أَيامَن وُرودي في البَيانِ مَعينُهُ

أَيامَن وُرودي في البَيانِ مَعينُهُ

فَأَصبَحَت في مَدحي لَهُ أَستَمِدُّهُ

فَأَصبَحَت في مَدحي لَهُ أَستَمِدُّهُ

His spring is my most auspicious resort in eloquence,

My days of blossoming in rhetoric seek his aid,

so I have come to draw from it in praising him.

So in my praising him, I draw from him.

تَباهى البَرايا مِصرَ أَنَّكَ نَجلُها

تَباهى البَرايا مِصرَ أَنَّكَ نَجلُها

وَيَفخَرُ هَذا العَصرُ أَنَّكَ فَردُهُ

وَيَفخَرُ هَذا العَصرُ أَنَّكَ فَردُهُ

Egypt boasts before all creation that you are her son,

Egypt boasts that you are its son,

and this age takes pride in your being its peerless man.

And this age prides that you are its own.

لَدَيكَ رَقيقُ الشِعرِ يَحلو نَشيدُهُ

لَدَيكَ رَقيقُ الشِعرِ يَحلو نَشيدُهُ

وَفيكَ دَقيقُ الفِكرِ يُحسِنُ نَشدُهُ

وَفيكَ دَقيقُ الفِكرِ يُحسِنُ نَشدُهُ

In your presence, delicate verse is sweet in song,

Refined poetry sounds melodious with you

and subtle thought of you is finely recited.

And precise thinking does good composition with you.

وَيَفنى ممَدادَالمَرءِ فيكَ لَدى الثَنا

وَيَفنى ممَدادَالمَرءِ فيكَ لَدى الثَنا

وَإِن يَكُنِ البَحرُ المُحيطُ يَمُدُّهُ

وَإِن يَكُنِ البَحرُ المُحيطُ يَمُدُّهُ

A person's ink is exhausted in praising you,

The ink of a person extinguishes with your praise

even if the encompassing ocean replenishes it.

Even if the encircling sea supplies it.

وَمِثلُكَ مَن تَبَدّى المَواسِمَ فَضلُهُ

وَمِثلُكَ مَن تَبَدّى المَواسِمَ فَضلُهُ

وَفيها مَعَ العَلياءِ يُجَدِّدُ عَهدَهُ

وَفيها مَعَ العَلياءِ يُجَدِّدُ عَهدَهُ

And one such as you has virtue that shines at festive seasons,

And your like has manifested excellence

and in them renews his covenant with eminence.

With the seasons, renewing covenant with the sublime.

فَهَنَّأَكَ الأَضحى وَلا زالَ عائِداً

فَهَنَّأَكَ الأَضحى وَلا زالَ عائِداً

عَلَيكَ سَعيداً دائِماً لَكَ شُكدُهُ

عَلَيكَ سَعيداً دائِماً لَكَ شُكدُهُ

So may al-Adha greet you with joy, and may it ever return

So daybreak congratulated you and continues

happily upon you, its bounty always yours.

Returning upon you, always happy, cooling for you.

عَلَيكَ مِنَ المَولى يَصُبُّ سَلامُهُ

عَلَيكَ مِنَ المَولى يَصُبُّ سَلامُهُ

وَفي قَلبِكَ الوَقّادُ يَنزِلُ بَردُهُ

وَفي قَلبِكَ الوَقّادُ يَنزِلُ بَردُهُ

May His peace pour upon you from the Lord,

Upon you, the Master rains His greetings

and may its coolness descend into your glowing heart.

And in your blazing heart descends their coolness.