عَذيرُكَ مِن مُستَلهِمينَ تَصَدَّروا

عَذيرُكَ مِن مُستَلهِمينَ تَصَدَّروا

مَحَطُّ القَوافي وَالرواءُ المُعَطَّرُ

مَحَطُّ القَوافي وَالرواءُ المُعَطَّرُ

Your defender against seekers of inspiration who have taken the fore

Your excuse, from inspired poets who led

is the resting-place of rhymes and perfumed loveliness.

The rhyme scheme and fragrant metre

وَلُبنانُ فَجرُ اللَهِ أَصدَقُ ما بِهِ

وَلُبنانُ فَجرُ اللَهِ أَصدَقُ ما بِهِ

وَأَثبَتُ ما فيهِ الجَمالُ المُبَكِّرُ

وَأَثبَتُ ما فيهِ الجَمالُ المُبَكِّرُ

And Lebanon is God's dawn; what is truest about it

And Lebanon, dawn of God's creation, is the truest

and most enduring within it is early-rising beauty.

And firmest in its early beauty

وَمِن عَينِهِ نورٌ وَمِن قَلبِهِ هَوىً

وَمِن عَينِهِ نورٌ وَمِن قَلبِهِ هَوىً

فَرَبُّكَ في لُبنانَ يَهوى وَيَنظُرُ

فَرَبُّكَ في لُبنانَ يَهوى وَيَنظُرُ

And from his eye comes light, and from his heart, passion;

From its eyes, light, and from its heart, passion

for in Lebanon your Lord loves and gazes.

So your Lord in Lebanon loves and watches

وَلُبنانُ مِن عَدنٍ جَبينٌ وَمُهجَةٌ

وَلُبنانُ مِن عَدنٍ جَبينٌ وَمُهجَةٌ

جَرى كَوثَرٌ فيهِ وَأَزهَرَ عَبقَرُ

جَرى كَوثَرٌ فيهِ وَأَزهَرَ عَبقَرُ

And Lebanon is a brow and a heart from Eden;

Lebanon is from Eden a forehead and fontanel

Kawthar flowed within it, and Abqar blossomed.

Kauthar flowed in it and perfumed basil bloomed

وَأَعذَبُ مَن غَنّى بِلُبنانَ بُلبُلٌ

وَأَعذَبُ مَن غَنّى بِلُبنانَ بُلبُلٌ

عَلى شَفَتَيهِ قامَ لِلحُبِّ مِنبَرُ

عَلى شَفَتَيهِ قامَ لِلحُبِّ مِنبَرُ

And the sweetest singer of Lebanon is a nightingale,

The sweetest who sang of Lebanon is a nightingale

on whose lips a pulpit rose for love.

On whose lips stood to love a pulpit

يُنَثَّرُ مِن حُلقومِهِ ذَهَبُ الربى

يُنَثَّرُ مِن حُلقومِهِ ذَهَبُ الربى

وَلبنانُ أَغنى الأَرضِ نوراً وَأَهَرُ

وَلبنانُ أَغنى الأَرضِ نوراً وَأَهَرُ

The hills' gold is scattered from his throat,

From his throat scatters the gold of profit

and Lebanon is earth's richest land in light, and [most dazzling?].

And Lebanon is the most luminous and freest land

وَأَكرَمُ مَن غَنّى بِلُبنانَ شاعِرٌ

وَأَكرَمُ مَن غَنّى بِلُبنانَ شاعِرٌ

عَرائِسُهُ دونَ القَواميسِ حُضَّرُ

عَرائِسُهُ دونَ القَواميسِ حُضَّرُ

And the noblest singer of Lebanon is a poet,

The most generous who sang of Lebanon is a poet

whose brides are present without dictionaries.

Whose brides surpass dictionaries, perfected

يَضِنُّ عَلى جَرعى الكَرامَةِ عِزَّةً

يَضِنُّ عَلى جَرعى الكَرامَةِ عِزَّةً

وَيَمرَحُ في مَرعى الجَمالِ يُبذِّرُ

وَيَمرَحُ في مَرعى الجَمالِ يُبذِّرُ

He begrudges pride to those [thirsting] for honor,

Stingy with sips of generosity, honoured

and frolics in beauty's pasture, squandering.

And frolicking in the pasture of beauty, scattering

رَآني حَوارِيُّ القَريضِ فَقالَ لي

رَآني حَوارِيُّ القَريضِ فَقالَ لي

أَتاني هُدىً مِنهُ فَقُمتُ أُبَشِّرُ

أَتاني هُدىً مِنهُ فَقُمتُ أُبَشِّرُ

The apostle of verse saw me and said to me:

The cave companion of poetry saw me and said

Guidance came to me from him, so I rose to proclaim glad tidings.

Guidance from him came to me so I rose to preach

أُعَلِّمُ عَشواءَ الهَوى كَيفَ تَهتَدي

أُعَلِّمُ عَشواءَ الهَوى كَيفَ تَهتَدي

وَمَن مُسَّ في أَعراقِهِ كَيفَ يَشعُرُ

وَمَن مُسَّ في أَعراقِهِ كَيفَ يَشعُرُ

I teach blind passion how to find its way,

I teach the night wanderers of passion how to find guidance

and whoever is touched in his roots how to feel.

And those touched deep in their veins how to feel

وَقالَ لِيَ الأَجدادُ مِن مَسقَطِ العُلى

وَقالَ لِيَ الأَجدادُ مِن مَسقَطِ العُلى

كَبِرنا بِهِ وَالفَضلُ بِالفَضلِ يَكبُرُ

كَبِرنا بِهِ وَالفَضلُ بِالفَضلِ يَكبُرُ

And the forefathers said to me from the birthplace of glory:

And the ancestors from the place of exaltation told me

We grew great through him, and merit grows through merit.

We grew by it, and merit with merit grows

وَأَولادُنا مُستَودَعٌ لِبُذورِنا

وَأَولادُنا مُستَودَعٌ لِبُذورِنا

نُكَرَّمُ أَو نُخزى بِهِم حينَ نَبذُرُ

نُكَرَّمُ أَو نُخزى بِهِم حينَ نَبذُرُ

And our children are a repository for our seeds;

And our children are a repository for our seeds

we are honored or disgraced through them when we sow.

We are honoured or shamed by them when we sow

وَقالَت ليَ الفُصحى غَبَطتُ لِسانَهُ

وَقالَت ليَ الفُصحى غَبَطتُ لِسانَهُ

فَمِن لَغوَةٍ لِلشِّعرِ هُذِّبَ عُنصُرُ

فَمِن لَغوَةٍ لِلشِّعرِ هُذِّبَ عُنصُرُ

And classical Arabic said to me: I envied his tongue;

And eloquence told me, I envied his tongue

for from an idle utterance, an essence was refined for poetry.

So from an eloquence, poetry was refined excellence

وَإِن ضاقَ هذا الشَعرُ وَهوَ مُحَرَّرٌ

وَإِن ضاقَ هذا الشَعرُ وَهوَ مُحَرَّرٌ

فَما ضَرَّهُ إِنَّ الكَريمَ مُحَرَّرُ

فَما ضَرَّهُ إِنَّ الكَريمَ مُحَرَّرُ

And if this verse is cramped, though it is free,

And if this poetry seems narrow but composed

what harm has that done it? The noble is free.

No harm, the generous one is composed

نَما في مَجاري الشَمسِ عَذبُ بَيانِهِ

نَما في مَجاري الشَمسِ عَذبُ بَيانِهِ

فَمَنطِقُهُ الفَورِيُّ كَالشَمسِ نَيِّرُ

فَمَنطِقُهُ الفَورِيُّ كَالشَمسِ نَيِّرُ

His sweet eloquence grew along the courses of the sun,

He slept in the streams of the sun, his sweet rhetoric

so his spontaneous speech is radiant as the sun.

So his spontaneous speech is illuminatingly clear

وَمَرَّ بِهِ لُبنانُ أَخضَرَ كَالهَوى

وَمَرَّ بِهِ لُبنانُ أَخضَرَ كَالهَوى

فَإِلهامُهُ كَالحُبِّ رَيّانُ أَخضَرُ

فَإِلهامُهُ كَالحُبِّ رَيّانُ أَخضَرُ

And Lebanon passed by him, green as passion,

And Lebanon, green like passion, passed by him

so his inspiration, like love, is well-watered and green.

So his inspiration is like love, lush and green

أَمِن ساذِجِ الأَريافِ أَقبَلَ وادِعٌ

أَمِن ساذِجِ الأَريافِ أَقبَلَ وادِعٌ

وَعَن بُلغاءِ العَصرِ قامَ يُكَفِّرُ

وَعَن بُلغاءِ العَصرِ قامَ يُكَفِّرُ

Did a gentle man come from the unspoiled countryside

Did he come modest from the countryside and stand

and rise to atone for the eloquent men of the age?

To atone for the eloquent ones of the age?

وَقالَ ليَ الباروكُ مرَّ بِشَعرِهِ

وَقالَ ليَ الباروكُ مرَّ بِشَعرِهِ

عَبيري فَمِسكٌ ما نَشَقتُ وَعَنبَرُ

عَبيري فَمِسكٌ ما نَشَقتُ وَعَنبَرُ

And Barouk said to me: Through his verse passed

And the Baroque told me, his poetry passed by

my fragrance; what I inhaled was musk and ambergris.

My amber so musk never cleaved, and ambergris

زُلاليَ مَعقودٌ بِسُكَّرِ لَفظِهِ

زُلاليَ مَعقودٌ بِسُكَّرِ لَفظِهِ

وَطيبيَ مَعجونٌ عَلَيهِ مُخَمَّرُ

وَطيبيَ مَعجونٌ عَلَيهِ مُخَمَّرُ

My clear water is thickened with the sugar of his words,

My drink, clustered with the sugar of his words

and my perfume is kneaded upon it and fermented.

And my perfume, fermented over it

أَرانِيَ فيهِ فَالنَسيمُ نَقِيَّةٌ

أَرانِيَ فيهِ فَالنَسيمُ نَقِيَّةٌ

مَعابِرُهُ وَالبُطمُ نَديانُ مُزهِرُ

مَعابِرُهُ وَالبُطمُ نَديانُ مُزهِرُ

I see myself in it; the breeze has pure

I saw myself in it, so the breeze is unsullied

passageways, and the terebinth is dew-laden and blossoming.

Its passages, and thickets flowering, flourishing

وَلِلشّوفِ أَرواحٌ تَرُفُّ كَريمَةً

وَلِلشّوفِ أَرواحٌ تَرُفُّ كَريمَةً

عَلى وَحيِهِ وَالوَحيُ لِلرّوحِ مَعبَرُ

عَلى وَحيِهِ وَالوَحيُ لِلرّوحِ مَعبَرُ

And Chouf has spirits that flutter nobly

And the Shouf has spirits that gently tremble

over his inspiration; inspiration is a passageway for the soul.

At his revelation, and revelation is the path of the soul

وَفي كُلِّ مَرعىً ضَمَّهُ الشوفُ وائِلٌ

وَفي كُلِّ مَرعىً ضَمَّهُ الشوفُ وائِلٌ

وَفي كُلِّ كوخٍ ضَمَّهُ الشوفُ جَعفَرُ

وَفي كُلِّ كوخٍ ضَمَّهُ الشوفُ جَعفَرُ

And in every pasture Chouf embraces is a Wa'il,

In every pasture the Shouf includes stragglers

and in every hut Chouf embraces is a Ja'far.

And in every shack the Shouf includes Ja'far

وَفي كلِّ مَفتولٍ إِباءٌ مُخَندَقٌ

وَفي كلِّ مَفتولٍ إِباءٌ مُخَندَقٌ

وَفي كُلِّ مَكحولٍ عَفافٌ مُسَوَّرُ

وَفي كُلِّ مَكحولٍ عَفافٌ مُسَوَّرُ

And in every brawny man is entrenched defiance,

In every subservient, stubbornness entrenched

and in every kohl-eyed one is walled-in chastity.

And in every drunkard, chastity fortified

وَقالَ أَبو سُعدى حَييتُ بِشِعرِهِ

وَقالَ أَبو سُعدى حَييتُ بِشِعرِهِ

كَأَنِّيَ فيهِ ما أَزالُ أُزَمجرُ

كَأَنِّيَ فيهِ ما أَزالُ أُزَمجرُ

And Abu Su'da said: I have come alive in his poetry,

And Abu Su'ada said, I greeted his poetry

as though within it I still roar.

As if I still roar in it

وَأَعجَبُ مِن لُبنانَ يَطرى جَبينُهُ

وَأَعجَبُ مِن لُبنانَ يَطرى جَبينُهُ

وَما كانَ إِلّا الحَقُّ فينا يُؤمَّرُ

وَما كانَ إِلّا الحَقُّ فينا يُؤمَّرُ

And I marvel at Lebanon, whose brow grows soft,

And I love Lebanon, its forehead roams

and only truth was put in command among us.

And it was only truth in us knotted

وَنَحنُ مَواليدُ الجَمالِ وَجُندُهُ

وَنَحنُ مَواليدُ الجَمالِ وَجُندُهُ

فَما عِندَنا إِلّا الجَمالُ مُسَيطِرُ

فَما عِندَنا إِلّا الجَمالُ مُسَيطِرُ

And we are beauty's children and its soldiers,

We are the offspring of beauty and its soldiers

so among us only beauty holds sway.

So only beauty in us is sovereign

وَإِن عَرِيَت مِن مَرمَرِ الأَمسِ دارَتي

وَإِن عَرِيَت مِن مَرمَرِ الأَمسِ دارَتي

فَفي الخُلُقِ المَوروثِ عاجٌ وَمَرمَرُ

فَفي الخُلُقِ المَوروثِ عاجٌ وَمَرمَرُ

And if my dwelling is stripped of yesterday's marble,

And if the marble of yesterday stripped my home

there are ivory and marble in inherited character.

In inherited morals, unruly marble remains

تَعِبتَ وَلَم تَقنَط وَمِثلُكَ يُرتَجى

تَعِبتَ وَلَم تَقنَط وَمِثلُكَ يُرتَجى

وَشِعرُكَ في الدُنيا الحمامُ المُطَيَّرُ

وَشِعرُكَ في الدُنيا الحمامُ المُطَيَّرُ

You grew weary but did not despair; one like you is looked to with hope.

You tired but did not despair, and ones like you give hope

And in this world your poetry is doves set flying,

Your poetry in the world is the pure pigeon

فَمِن جَبَلٍ وَعرٍ إِلى صَخرِ شاطيءٍ

فَمِن جَبَلٍ وَعرٍ إِلى صَخرِ شاطيءٍ

وَمَن حَمَلَ الآمالَ لا يَتَكَسَّرُ

وَمَن حَمَلَ الآمالَ لا يَتَكَسَّرُ

so, from a rugged mountain to a shore's rocks—

So from mountain to rocky shore

and whoever carries hopes does not shatter.

Those who carry hopes do not shatter