1. The bride, a poem of hair unleashed
Between jewels and dresses
١. عَرُوسُ شِعْرٍ تَنْجَلِي
بَيْنَ الحِلَى وَالحُلَلِ
2. Her forehead crowned with blossoms
How lovely her beauty stirs
٢. مَا أَبْهَجَ الزَّهْرَ عَلَى
جَبِينِهَا المُكَلَّلِ
3. In her trailing, embroidered gown
As if houris had woven
٣. يَا حُسْنَهَا تَخْطِرُ فِي
هَفْهَافِهَا المُذَيَّلِ
4. Her gown of yarn
You'd think her an angel
٤. كَأَنَّمَا الحُورُ نَسَجْن
غَزْلَهُ مِنْ غَزَلِ
5. Sent down from Heaven
In a pure, white veil, dwelling
٥. شَبهْتَها بِمَلَكٍ
مِن الجِنَانِ مُرْسَلِ
6. Don't you see in her eyes
A gleam that's never ceased
٦. فِي غَيْهَبٍ أَبْيَضَ لَمَّا
عٍ بِهَا مُنَزَّلِ
7. Of the blue sky on a bright
And sunny day?
٧. أَمَا تَرَى فِي نَاظِرَيْهَا
لَمْحَةً لَمْ تَزِل
8. A maiden in the spring of youth
The branches speak of
٨. مِنْ زُرْقَةِ السَّمَاءِ فِي اليَوْمٍ
البَشُوشِ المُقْبِلِ
9. Her graceful figure
Hearts sigh, leaning
٩. عَذْرَاءُ مِلْءُ العَيْنِ فِي
شَبَابِهَا الُمْقَتبلِ
10. Toward her should she glance around
A wellspring of nobility
١٠. تَحَدَّثُ الغُصُونُ عَنْ
قَوَامِهَا المُعْتَدِلِ
11. I'm proudest to claim
The daughter of a father embodied
١١. تَهْفُو القُلُوبُ مَائِلاَ
ت نَحْوَهَا إِنْ تَملِ
12. In manliness, standing tall
Of virtuous manner, far
١٢. مِنْ نَبْعَةٍ أَكْرِمُ بِهَا
مُنْتَسَباً وَأَنْبِلِ
13. From blame or baseness
His kindness and honor are of
١٣. بِنْتُ أَبٍ هُوَ الإِبَاءُ
مَاثِلاً فِي رَجُلِ
14. The highest standing
Extremely forgiving, refusing
١٤. مُنَزَّهُ الشِّيمَةِ عَنْ
عَيْبٍ وَعَنْ تَبَذُّلِ
15. Any hint of rebuke
Never inclined to
١٥. لَهُ مِنَ الإِكْرَامِ وَالإِ
عْزَازِ أَسْنَى مَنْزِلِ
16. Suspect or doubt
He's Abdallah's son, of high
١٦. مَنَّاحِ أَقْصَى العُذْرِ
مَنَّاعٍ لأَدْنَى العَذَلِ
17. Station, lofty and eminent
The pillar of his generation
١٧. وَمَالَهُ بِخُطَّةٍ
شَائِنَةٍ مِنْ قِبَلِ
18. In height and stature
And the best of mothers, known
١٨. هُوَ ابْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ ذِي الْ
قَدْرِ الرَّفِيعِ المُعْتَلي
19. For perfect manners
From the finest stock
١٩. أَسْمَى عِمَادِ جِيلِهِ
بِالطَّوْلِ وَالتَّطَوُّل
20. With ties to the noblest lineage
This and whatever other praise
٢٠. وَخَيْرِ أُمٍّ عُرِفَتْ
بِالخُلُقِ المُكَمَّلِ
21. You wish to add, say!
She's a gazelle in her manners
٢١. مِنْ خَيْرِ عُنْصُرٍ
بِأَسْبَابِ العُلَى مُتَّصِلِ
22. Of the finest style
Her talk is water for thirsty souls
٢٢. هَذَا وَمَا تَشَاءُ مِنْ
مَحْمدَةٍ بَعْدُ قُلِ
23. Her conscience purer than pure
Radiant, shining,
٢٣. فِي غَادَةٍ آدَابُهَا
مِنَ الطِّرَازِ الأوَّلِ
24. Resplendent to behold
Like a brilliant star
٢٤. حَدِيثُهَا فِي الأَنْفُسِ ال
عَطْشَى كَمَاءٍ الجَدْوَلِ
25. Visible to all eyes
At the height of its arc, its light
٢٥. ضَمِيرُهَا أَنْقَى ضَمِيرٍ
خَالِص مِنْ دَخَلِ
26. Flooding the horizons
The bride's mother is occupied
٢٦. زَاهِيَةٌ زَاهِرَةٌ
بَاهِرةٌ لِلْمُجْتَلِي
27. And how occupied
With every good matter
٢٧. كَالْكَوْكَبِ الدُّريِّ
لِلأَبْصَارِ يَبدُو مِنْ عَلِ
28. For present and future
You've been granted happiness, bride, so don it and revel!
٢٨. أَوْجُ العَنَانِ بُرْجُهُ
وَنُورُهُ فِي المُقَلِ
29. May the eminent and gentle Yuhanna live
In perfect contentment
٢٩. أُمُّ العَرُوسِ وَلَهَا
شغْلٌ وَأَيُّ شُغُلِ
30. Scion of Fathallah
Paragon of paragons
٣٠. بِكُلِّ أَمْرٍ صَالِحٍ
لِلْحَالِ وَالمُسْتَقْبَلِ
31. The eminent and lofty lord
Of splendid lineage
٣١. أُوتِيتِ سَعْداً يَا عَرُو
سُ فَالْبَسِيهِ وَارْفُلِي
32. His son is his pride
In merit and nobility
٣٢. وَلْيَحْيَا سَامِي نَاعِماً
بِحَظِّهِ المُكْتَمِلِ
33. A dear soul, free
In deed and word
٣٣. سَلِيلُ فَتْحِ اللهِ
وَجْهِ الوُجَهَاءِ الأمْثَلِ
34. God has granted him
Fulfillment of his deepest hopes
٣٤. السَّيِّدِ العَالِي الجَنَا
بِ السَّنَدِ المُبَجَّلِ
35. May his wedding last, and last
In joy and pleasure
٣٥. إِنَّ ابْنَهُ لَسِرُّهُ
فِي الفَضْلِ وَالتَّفَضُّلِ
36. Let no hasty greeting here
Replace the one I'd penned
٣٦. فَتًى عَزِيزَ النَّفْسِ حُر
الفِعْلِ عَفُّ المِقْوَلِ
37. In finely wrought verse
For Emilee and her groom
٣٧. قَدْ يَسَّرَ اللهُ لَهُ
فَوْزاً بِأَقَصَى الأمَلِ
38. A gift I'd prepared from me
What a fine lad he is
٣٨. دَامَ وَدَامَتْ عِرْسُهُ
فِي فَرَحٍ وَجَذَلِ
39. In himself and ancestry
Counted among the men of action
٣٩. وَلاَ تَفُتْنِي هَهُنَا
تَهْنِئَةٌ فِي عَجَلِ
40. If men of action are counted
And what an excellent Hypha is Emilee
٤٠. تَنُوبُ عَنْ تَهْنِئَةٍ
سَالِفَةٍ لَمْ تُقَلِ
41. In her disposition and inclination!
She has the smiles of morn
٤١. أَعْدَدْتُهَا مَنْظُومَةً
مِنْ جَوْهَرٍ مُفَصَّلِ
42. And the passions of a nightingale
So I pray with a heart
٤٢. لإِمِلِي وَزَوْجِهَا
هَدِيَّةً مِنْ قِبَلِي
43. Pure and imploring
For John's happiness
٤٣. نِعْمَ الفَتى بِنَفْسِهِ
وَالعُنْصُرِ المُسَلْسَلِ
44. And Emilee's delight
And the perfection of their union
٤٤. يُعَدُّ فِي الأَفْرَادِ
إِنْ عُدَّ رِجَالُ العَمَلِ
45. A union representing
What their family was like
٤٥. وَنِعْمَتِ الهَيْفَاءُ مَا
فِي مَيْلِهَا مِنْ مَيَلِ
46. When gathered together
I remember with pleasure
٤٦. لَهَا ابْتِسَامَاتُ الصَّبَاحِ
وَشُجُونُ البُلْبُلِ
47. He who brings me and you joy
What can praise do
٤٧. فَأَنَا أَدْعُو بِفُؤَادِ
المُخْلِصِ المُبْتَهِلِ
48. For the cherished, favored friend?
Alexander Shahmir
٤٨. بِسَعْدِ يُوحَنَّا الحَبِيبِ
وَهَنَاءِ إِمِلي
49. The righteous, just, and moderate
Sincere and wholesome in his manner
٤٩. وَلاِكْمتِمَالِ الشَّمْلِ
شَمْلِ الأُسْرَةِ المُمَثَّلِ
50. Free of defects
And his wife of glittering adornments
٥٠. فِي صُورَة أَشْبَهَ
مَا كَانَتْ بِهِمْ فِي مَحْفِلِ
51. Of captivating beauty
Grace and charm in loveliness
٥١. أَذْكُرُ مِنْ فِي ذِكْرِهِ
مَسَرَّةٌ لَكُمْ وَلِي
52. In modesty, lovelier still
And a wit like the rays
٥٢. مَاذَا يَفِي الثَّنَاءُ
مِنْ حَقِّ الصَّدِيقِ المُفْضِلِ
53. Of a shining pearl
O Khouri family, your
٥٣. اسْكَنْدر الشَّهْمِ
الأبِيِّ العَادِلِ المُعْتَدِلِ
54. Bishop is the truest friend to me
Your friend in times past
٥٤. الصَّادِقِ السَّالِمِ فِي
أَخْلاَقِهِ مِنْ عِلَلِ
55. Your friend in times to come
Loyal forever
٥٥. وَزَوْجِهِ ذَاتَ الحُلِيِّ
الكَاسِفَاتِ لِلْحُلِي
56. As long as life remains unchanged
Live, roots and branches
٥٦. لُطْفٌ وَظَرْفٌ فِي جَمَالٍ
فِي عَفَافٍ أَجْمَلِ
57. In the most splendid tranquility
Of established lineage
٥٧. وَفِطْنَةٌ شِبْهُ سَنىً
فِي دُرَّةٍ مُشْتَعِلِ
58. And ancestral ties
٥٨. يَا آلَ خُوري إِنَّ
مُطْرَاناً لَكُمْ أَوْفَى وَلِي
٥٩. خَلِيلُكُمْ فِيمَا مَضَى
خَلِيلُكُمْ فِيمَا يَلِي
٦٠. بَاقٍ عَلَى العَهْدِ
مَدَى الدَّهْرِ بِلاَ تَحَوُّلِ
٦١. عِيْشُوا أُصُولاً وَفُرُوعاً
فِي الصَّفَاءِ الأجْزَلِ
٦٢. بِحَسَبٍ مُؤَثَّلٍ
وَنَسَبٍ مُؤَصَّلِ