Written by the great Poet of the Nile Hafez Ibrahim and chanted by the great Star of the East; Om Kolthoum, the poem “Egypt Speaks about Herself  مصر تتحدث عن نفسها” is a masterpiece of the Arabic modern poetry. It is a long poem that Om Kolthoum chose a part of it as a song. In the poem, Egypt was personified as a person who speaks about her long history and everlasting glory whatever the moments of weakness that she encountered. Here, we listen to and read this part with an English translation.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I470IfnKql4&feature=player_profilepage

مصر تتحدث عن نفسها

Egypt Speaks about Herself

وَقفَ   الخَلـقُ   يَنظُرونَ  جَميعـــاً            كَيفَ  أَبني  قَواعِـدَ  المَجـدِ وَحـدي

All people stood, looking how I build the bases of glory alone

وَبُناةُ  الأَهرامِ  في   سالـِفِ   الدَهـرِ            كَفَـوني  الكـَلامَ   عِنـدَ التـَحَــدّي

And the Pyramids’ builders – long ago – spoke for me at challenge

أَنا تاجُ  العَلاءِ  في  مَفـرِقِ الشـَرقِ             وَدُرّاتُــهُ  فَـرائـــِدُ عِـقـــدي

I am the majesty crown on the head of the East, with its pearls on my necklace

إِنَّ  مَجـدي في الأولَيـاتِ عَـريـقٌ           مَـن  لَـهُ مِثـلَ أولَيـاتـي وَمَجــدي

My glory is deep in history, who has a glory like mine!

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أَنـا إِن قـَدَّرَ الإِلَــهُ مَـمــاتـي            لا تَـرى الشَـرقَ يَرفَعُ الرَأسَ بَعـدي

If God predestined my death, you wouldn’t sea the East raising his head after me

مـا رَمـاني رامٍ وَراحَ سَـليـمــاً            مِـن قـَديـمٍ عِـنـايَـةُ اللَهُ جُنـدي

No one has attacked me and went unpunished, for long, God’s care is my guard

كَـم بَـغَـت دَولَـةٌ عَلـَيَّ وَجـارَت            ثُـمَّ زالـَت وَتِلـكَ عُـقـبى التَعـَدّي

How many countries have oppressed me, and then they are gone

إِنَّنـي حُـرَّةٌ كَسَــرتُ قُـيــودي            رَغـمَ رُقـبى العِـدا وَقَطَّعـتُ قِـدّي

I am free, I broke my chains against the will of my enemies

أَتـُرانـي وَقـَد طَـوَيـتُ حَيـاتـي           فـي مِـراسٍ لَـم أَبـلُغِ اليَومَ رُشـدي

I have spent my life in struggle, do you see me immature today?

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أَمِنَ العَـدلِ أَنّـَهُـم يَـرِدونَ المـاءَ           صَـفــــواً  وَأَن   يُكَــدَّرَ وِردي

Is it just that they reach clear water and mine be unclear?

أَمِنَ  الحَـقِّ أَنَّهُـم يُطلِقـونَ الأُسـدَ           مِنـهُــم  وَأَن تُـقَـيَّــدَ أُسْــدي

Is it right that they release their lions and mine be chained?

نَظـَرَ اللـَهُ لـي فَأَرشَــدَ أَبنـائـي          فَـشَــدّوا  إِلـى  العُـلا أَيَّ شَــدّ

God has looked at me and guided my sons, so they rushed to glory

إِنَّما الحَـقُّ  قُـوَّةٌ مِن قُـوى الدَيّـانِ          أَمْـضَـى مِـن كُـلِّ أَبـيَـضَ هِنـدي

Right is a power of the Almighty, stronger than any sword (weapon)

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قَـد وَعَــدتُ الـعُـلا بِـكُـلِّ أَبِـيٍّ          مِـن رِجـالي فَأَنجِـزوا اليَومَ وَعـدي

With every proud son of mine, I have promised glory, so fulfill today my promise

وَاِرفَعـوا دَولَتي عَلـى العِلمِ وَالأَخلاقِ          فَـالعـِلـمُ  وَحـدَهُ لَـيْـسَ يُـجـدي

And base my country on science and manners, science alone is not enough 

نَحنُ  نَجتـازُ مَوقِفـاً تَعـثُـرُ الآراءُ           فيــهِ وَعَـثــرَةُ الـرَأيِ تُـــردي

We are crossing a situation with lots of stumbling views and such views kill

فَقِـفُـوا فيهِ وَقفَـةَ الحَـزمِ وَاِرموا           جـانِبـَيــهِ بِـعَـزمَـةِ المُسـتَعِــدّ

So stand strict and be willing and ready

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أَنا تاجُ  العَلاءِ  في  مَفـرقِ الشـَرقِ           وَدُرّاتُــهُ  فَــرائـــِدُ عِـقــدي

I am the majesty crown on the head of the East, with its pearls on my necklace

إِنَّ  مَجـدي في الأولَيـاتِ عَـريـقٌ           مَـن  لَـهُ مِثـلَ أولَيـاتـي وَمَجــدي

My glory is deep in history, who has a glory like mine!

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Peace  سلام  / Salam/