صدحت على غصن السرور قماري

وروت سعودك عن ضيا الأقمارِ

My turtledoves sang upon the branch of joy,

And recounted your good fortunes from the radiance of the moons.

وجلا الزمان مطالعاً قد زانها

من نور مجدك طالع الأنوارِ

And time unveiled horizons already adorned

By the dawn of radiance from your glory's light.

وأتى الهنا يهدي القلوب مسرةً

تروي المسامع أطيب الأخبار

And happiness came, offering hearts a joy

That tells the ears the sweetest tidings.

وعلا الحمى برفيع عزّك بهجةً

عمّت بعدلك ربع كل ديارِ

And the realm grew joyous through your exalted honor,

A joy that, through your justice, filled every land's quarters.

وسرت نسيمات الهنا ببشائرٍ

أهدت ثناك بعاطر الأزهارِ

And breezes of happiness wafted with glad tidings,

Offering your praise with fragrant flowers.

فزهت بنور شهابك العليا وقد

أبدت لديك جواهر الأسرارِ

So the heights shone with your meteor's light, and

Revealed before you the jewels of secrets.

واعتزَّ لبنان البهيج وقد غدا

بك مخصباً متدفق الأنهارِ

And radiant Lebanon grew proud, having become

Through you fertile, with rivers gushing forth.

طابت مرابعهُ فأصبح مطلعاً

لكواكب العلياءِ والأسحارِ

Its spring pastures flourished, and it became a rising-place

For the stars of glory and the dawns.

قلَّدتهُ نعماً وقد طوَّقتهُ

كرماً بعقد محاسن الآثارِ

You garlanded it with blessings, and encircled its neck,

Generously, with a necklace of beautiful deeds.

ووهبتهُ شرفاً بحسن إمارةٍ

فكسوتهُ ثوب الثنا المعطارِ

And you bestowed honor on it through excellent princely rule,

So you clothed it in the richly fragrant robe of praise.

وجعلتهُ بالأمن ربعاً ترتعي

فيه السخّالُ مع الهزبر الضاري

And in security you made it an abode where graze

The lambs alongside the ravening lion.

وأفضت فيه جداول الخيرات من

صافي سحائب جودك الفوّارِ

And you poured into it streams of blessings from

The pure rain of the clouds of your overflowing generosity.

للَه درك من كريمٍ أصبحت

كفاه يحسدها السحاب الساري

God bless you! What a generous man, whose

Two hands the clouds drifting by night have come to envy.

زادت بهِ الأيام نوراً وانجلت

دهم الليالي في ضياء نهار

Through him the days grew brighter, and there vanished

The pitch-black nights in the radiance of day.

أحيى العفاة برفد راحتهِ التي

تفني العدى بمهندٍ بتّار

He revived seekers of alms with the bounty of his palm, which

Annihilates foes with a keen Indian-steel sword.

شهمٌ إذا اقتحم العجاج محارباً

يجلي دجى الأخطار بالخطّار

A gallant man who, when he plunges into battle dust to fight,

Dispels the darkness of dangers with his quivering spear.

ليثٌ تخاف الأسد في آجامها

سطواته والأمن أصبح جاري

A lion—the lions in their thickets fear

His onslaughts, and safety has become my neighbor.

سجدت نفوس بني العداة لصارمٍ

قد ضمّه بالخمسة الأبحار

The souls of the enemies' sons bowed before a keen sword

That he clasped with his five seas.

مولى خلائقه السنية خلقها

عز النزيل وحفظ عهد الجار

A lord whose noble qualities have as their essence

Honoring the guest and keeping the neighbor's covenant.

نعم البشير سرت محامد عدله

بين الملا كالكوكب السيّار

How excellent is Bashir, the herald! The praises of his justice spread

Among the people like a wandering star.

يا سيد الأمراء والكبراء بل

يا مفرداً بمهابةٍ ووقارِ

O master of princes and grandees—rather,

O you peerless in majesty and dignity!

هنئت في ثوب السعادة والعلى

أسمى هناءٍ دائم التكرارِ

May you be felicitated, robed in happiness and eminence,

With the highest felicitations, endlessly renewed.

ولك الهناءُ بخلعةٍ ميمونةٍ

تجلى بحسن سعادةٍ ووقارِ

And joy be yours in an auspicious robe of honor,

Unveiled with the beauty of happiness and dignity.

غرّاءُ قد وردت بأبهج رونقٍ

قرّت بمهد العزّ أيّ قرارِ

Radiant, she has arrived in the most delightful splendor,

And settled in honor's cradle—how firmly she rests!

حسناءُ جاءت والسعود تزفها

لمقامك السامي بكل يسارِ

A beauty, she came, the lucky stars escorting her

To your exalted station in full prosperity.

عقدت لدى علياك صادق عهدها

وتمنعت عن الفة الأغيار

She pledged her faithful troth before your eminence,

And held herself aloof from familiarity with others.

فاغنم بها طيب التهاني والمنى

وهناؤُها بك زايد المقدارِ

So reap through her the sweetness of congratulations and wishes;

And her happiness in you is greater still.

واسلم ودُم بالعز ما طلعت ضيا

تهدي إليك عرائس الأفكارِ

And stay safe, and endure in honor as long as light rises,

Offering you the brides of thought.

وأتى عبيدك بالسرور مؤرخاً

نل بهجةً دامت مدى الأدهار

And your humble servant came in joy, recording the date:

Attain a joy that lasts throughout the ages.