أَرى لَكَ يا خَزرونَ لُبنانَ في الوَرى

أَرى لَكَ يا خَزرونَ لُبنانَ في الوَرى

أَحاديثَ صِدقٍ لا تُشابُ بِإِلباسِ

أَحاديثَ صِدقٍ لا تُشابُ بِإِلباسِ

I find, O Khazrun of Lebanon, that among humankind you have

For you, O Khazrun, I see Lebanon as it truly is,

true accounts untainted by deceit:

With words of honesty, no ambiguity in its attire,

مَقابِحُ شاعَت في البِلادِ بِأَسرِها

مَقابِحُ شاعَت في البِلادِ بِأَسرِها

أَبَنتَ بِها فَضلَ الكِلابِ عَلى الناسِ

أَبَنتَ بِها فَضلَ الكِلابِ عَلى الناسِ

disgraces spread throughout all the lands,

Its ugliness spread throughout the land,

by which you have shown dogs’ superiority over people.

You made it seem dogs were superior to people,

مَرَرتُ بِهِ مُستَعجِلاً لا لِحاجَةٍ

مَرَرتُ بِهِ مُستَعجِلاً لا لِحاجَةٍ

كَما مَرَّ مَخمورٌ بِدُكّانِ هَرّاسِ

كَما مَرَّ مَخمورٌ بِدُكّانِ هَرّاسِ

I passed him in haste, not out of any need,

I passed by it hurriedly though I had no need,

as a drunk passed a harīsa-maker’s shop.

As a drunkard passes by the shop of a vintner,

فَأَحسَنَ بي إِذ لَم يَقُم لي مُؤَخِّراً

فَأَحسَنَ بي إِذ لَم يَقُم لي مُؤَخِّراً

مِنَ النَتنِ ما اِستَنشَقتُهُ عِندَ جُلّاسي

مِنَ النَتنِ ما اِستَنشَقتُهُ عِندَ جُلّاسي

So he did me a kindness by not rising for me, holding back

He was gracious as he did not stop me,

the stench I inhaled among my companions.

From the stench I inhaled when near him,

وَجَعمَسَني مُستَخبِراً فَصَفَعتُهُ

وَجَعمَسَني مُستَخبِراً فَصَفَعتُهُ

فَقُمتُ بِلا أَنفٍ وَقامَ بِلا راسِ

فَقُمتُ بِلا أَنفٍ وَقامَ بِلا راسِ

And he befouled me while inquiring, so I slapped him;

And he asked me, so I slapped him,

so I rose without a nose, and he rose without a head.

I arose without a nose, he without a head.