Egypt
Egypt is a land steeped in history, authenticity, and valor, known for its unique blend of ancient relics and breathtaking landscapes. The Pyramids, the Sphinx, and numerous monuments constructed by the Pharaohs are just a few of its renowned spectacles. The Nile River, a true marvel of nature, enhances the country’s charm. Throughout history, Egypt has served as a muse for poets and writers, inspiring them to create some of the most beautiful verses. In this article, we will explore exquisite poems that celebrate the love of Egypt.
If You Ask About Egypt, Mother of Villages
Poet Ahmad Shawqi was born in Cairo in 1868. After studying law, he was sent to France by the Khedive to continue his education, returning in 1893 with his final degree. Shawqi produced several acclaimed plays, including “Qambiz,” “The Death of Cleopatra,” “Ali Bey Al-Kabir,” and “Majnun Layla.” In his poem “If You Ask About Egypt,” he writes:
If you ask about Egypt, Mother of Villages
And the essence of history and antiquities;
For the dawn in Menfi is clear and undisputed;
Who would dare to dispute the dawn?
Its grandeur from Menfi and its outskirts
Remains interred in the sands, nothing could surpass;
Epochs have passed, and yet their eyelids have not met,
Day and night have come upon him;
Time’s hand has not lessened his steadfastness, nor have
The changes of soil and seasons diminished him;
As if time owned the power to execute fury,
Or was without trimming its nails;
Three committed eras have arisen against him—
Stalwart giants through the ages, bold;
Built upon the Nile, the sworn protector,
Adorned in the robe of pride, though she is vulnerable;
From every essence— towering like storms,
Aiming high in the skies like a hurricane.
In her surroundings, merchants thrive,
Displaying the grandeur of builders and excavators;
Yet the land is at risk when extracted
From the skill of the nailed martyr.
Those tombs testify to existence,
Hiding from the past treasures and relics.
In them lay kings, resting peacefully for ages,
Finding their spirits sheltered and assured;
All like the People of the Cave, upon their beds,
And time never stole their rest;
The sovereigns of Egypt, rulers over the world,
Residing in homes of the moon;
Time has unveiled their mysteries and removed
The veils after safeguarding them in secrets.
How unfortunate! Their brilliance only faded,
Touched by hands in the dust.
They soared, while the ages never exalted them;
What is the matter with them that they have become disregardful of gazes?
If only they were granted time until the resurrection in their homes,
They would rise, with the Creator, to become a cloud of dust!
Indeed, This Day is for Those Who Redeem Egypt
The poem “Indeed, This Day is for Those Who Redeem Egypt” is by the Egyptian poet Ibrahim Nagy, born in Egypt. He graduated from medical school in 1923 and worked in both literature and medicine, publishing the magazine “Hakim Al-Bayt.” His poetry collections include “City of Dreams,” “Cairo Nights,” “Beyond the Clouds,” and “The Wounded Bird,” published posthumously. Ibrahim Nagy passed away in Egypt. In his poem, he writes:
Indeed, this day is for those who redeem Egypt;
For Egypt is the sanctuary and the greatest paradise;
We swore to turn our faces towards our love,
To expend in it our patience, efforts, and years;
We breathe life into it with vigor,
And defeat poverty and oppression;
We shatter chains and eliminate obstacles,
Creating therein free thought and action.
Indeed, the waters of the Nile have flowed their sweetness,
Engulfed by the fierce, leaving no span untouched.
The world has now faded, and doves have descended,
Chirping, welcoming fortune and glad tidings;
And there hovered around the stark sky as hawks,
If they captured prey, they don’t spare beauty and blossoms.
So why do you stand idly by, when you could offer
Palms, like rains that shower her with goodness?
Salutations, youth of the Nile, in every stance!
Throughout time, glory is gained or glory brought forth.
Come, let us build factories, every factory,
Bringing abundant benefits to our craftsmen.
Come, let us establish shelters, every shelter,
Embracing the debris of misery and the pallid faces.
Let us erase ignorance and the ailments that
Surround us like a torrent that overwhelms us entirely.
Come, for great matters have come to pass,
And none among us can afford to drown in apathy.
Let us face challenges with welcome, for we are
Youths well-acquainted with hardship and demanding paths.
Youths who, when eyes close in slumber, arise
At dawn to greet the breaking day like birds.
We have descended into the arena of glory, all of us,
And whoever ventures toward victory will seize it.
Poem of Egypt
The “Poem of Egypt” is by the Arab poet Mohamed Najib Al-Morad, born in Syria in 1957. He obtained his degree in medicine and surgery from Alexandria University in 1981 and later pursued a specialization in otolaryngology in France, graduating in 1989. In his poem about Egypt, he expresses:
Gift of God since ancient times,
It is Egypt. Let your words soar, my tongue.
Transcend the limitations of verse and meter,
For love can be stronger than the laws of rhythm.
Here flows the Nile, a dear companion,
Weeping from the embrace of its valleys;
As if the waters are a lover’s tears,
Gently cascading on eyelids;
And as if the trees play with a dear one,
Consumed by passion, as maidens do;
Indeed, the roses and the cheeks of the maiden,
Have been caressed by the Nile delicately;
Like a bride adorned with jewelry,
Her dates resemble pearls on a string.
The gentle breeze whispers softly,
Like a seduction in the grace of beauties;
And white birds sing a poetic melody,
As the lute opens its chest to the violin;
While the sun above illuminates,
Retuning the fields and the meadows;
Perhaps water sways between gardens,
Intoxicated, resembling the daughter of wine.
Beauty enumerated in loveliness blooms,
And the Nile stands as the eighth in paradise.
Oh, sail that glides over the Nile’s surface,
Where the night and passion rest;
And a watcher above from the clouds observes,
Turning a blind eye; the lips chuckle.
Conversation flows without words,
Condensing a thousand sermons in glances
I am, oh Egypt, a lover until
No tears remain for my grief.
Wounds of love have hurt me deeply,
And my patience bears heavily on my heart;
I experience turbulence between sweetness and bitterness,
While my longing eyes face every spear;
I entered the struggle of love, yet
My sword and horse have both gone astray!
Egypt dressed me in youth’s attire,
Styled and adorned my garments;
She clothed me in coats of fragrances,
Infused with scents throughout my train;
And offered me the finest drink,
Its purity extolled in eloquent words.
For I, Al-Shafi’i, have appeared in Egypt,
And thus, jurisprudence unveils new meanings.
Before her, there was no poetry;
All that existed were mere couplets.
After her, a burst of brilliance manifested:
“Shawqi” and “Hafez” rose to grace.
Oh you envious ones, what is love
But a captivated soul, and yet there are envious hearts;
It does not dishonor the roses when we say,
That the rose’s cheek is lush and red;
Egypt has turned the pages of all seasons,
She is, across all eras, the revered keeper.
With her mark, she resides in every heart,
And in mine, she leaves a double seal;
Egypt, oh Egypt, history fades,
In pursuit while you flow on;
“Aziz” and “Yusuf” and “Zuleikha,”
They entered “our Egypt” in perfect safety.
And the divine manifested at Mount Sinai suffices you,
In honor, oh Egypt, across the universe.
Hymns of your praise echo;
In the verses of the Gospel and the Quran;
From Egypt’s soil, grandmothers to Arabs,
And noble lineage when grandmothers meet;
The bond of blood and creed is Egypt;
Her secret is eternal, it is “the Merciful.”
So inquire of the jurisprudence, the Hadith, and grammar,
How they were to them like a nurturing breast.
Ask “The Arabic Language” who nurtured her; she will answer you,
It is the noble Al-Azhar that has protected me.
And recall for me the peak of knowledge and arts,
There were none above him in Egypt.
Ask the sand, who quenched its thirst—he will answer you:
The Army of Egypt nourished me with its blood.
Behold “Ain Jalut,” its eye recounts,
After “Qutuz,” its tales darkened with regret.
And it will narrate Hattin: The army of Salah:
It remains in the heart and wings of “Kinan.”
No victory comes without Egypt, I swear,
Have you seen cavalry without horsemen?
The East cannot rise without Egypt,
How can a house be exalted without its pillars?
The sun wove a gown for the “Kinan,”
Such a wedding… oh marvel of the gown!
Then she sprinkled it with some stars,
Igniting the universe with her divine light;
As the suns weave threads of joy
For a beloved… glory resides in the threads.
Oh bride of time, cast beneath her mantle,
And in the throne, she wears the radiant crown.
Then she bows in reverence,
Kissing her hand with utter tenderness;
For if the kiss of time were lips,
Then “the smile” in the waters of Aswan;
“Her smile” amazed the seas, so they proposed,
And she rested in the sands.
The sea leans on her head, yearning for
The wishes of the seas, the sweetest dreams;
And it rests its palm on shells,
Spilling pearls everywhere.
The sea dreamed one night, and when
Morning broke, it was pure sight;
On “Alexandria,” the sea anchored,
And behold, the “poetry” made its home!
Egypt… oh Egypt, when I mentioned you,
My verses erupted with joy and songs;
For fields of violets embody my poetry,
And my rhymes are sighs of basil;
My letters are buds of almonds, yet,
The dot of the letter is a pomegranate seed;
Despite all this, Egypt stands highest and most precious;
Forgive me for what I could have done;
My brush has attempted, and my speech has tried, yet,
Egypt still astounds my brush and tongue.