عشت للآدابِ تحمي سرحها

عشت للآدابِ تحمي سرحها

ببيانٍ خطّ أو خطوٍ فسيح

ببيانٍ خطّ أو خطوٍ فسيح

You have lived for literature, guarding its grazing flocks,

I lived for literature, protecting its expanse

With penned eloquence or far-reaching strides.

With eloquent prose or ample verse

ليت شعري أنت يا باعثها

ليت شعري أنت يا باعثها

بعد ما ماتت خليلٌ أو مسيح

بعد ما ماتت خليلٌ أو مسيح

I wonder: are you—O you who revive it

Oh how I wish, O reviver of it

After it died—Khalil or the Messiah?

After Khalil died or Messiah perished