لبنانLebanon هلquestion marker للراسياتfor the steadfast mountains كأرزهlike its cedars
لبنان هل للراسيات كأرزه
تاجa crown ينضرهاkeeps them fresh علىthroughout الابادthe endless ages
تاج ينضرها على الاباد
Lebanon! Have the steadfast mountains anything like its cedars—
Lebanon, are the cedars like a crown
a crown that keeps them fresh through the ages?
That adorns it throughout the ages?
ياoh ليتif only ذاكthat الأرزcedar كانwere شعارناour emblem
يا ليت ذاك الأرز كان شعارنا
بثباتهwith its steadfastness وتواشجand the interlacing of الأعضادthe limbs
بثباته وتواشج الأعضاد
Oh, if only those cedars were our emblem,
If only that cedar were our emblem
with their steadfastness and interlacing limbs.
With its steadfastness and interwoven branches
بسقتrose high بواسقهits tallest trees علىaccording to قدرmeasure فماand so not
بسقت بواسقه على قدر فما
جهلتacted recklessly وماand not كانتwere منamong المرادthe rebellious
جهلت وما كانت من المراد
Their tallest trees rose in due measure, and so
It irrigated its heights without measure, so it
were neither reckless nor among the rebellious.
Did not languish, falter or waver to repel attacks
لوif امعنتpressed farther صعداupward لماwould not have ضلعتgrown strong ولاnor
لو امعنت صعدا لما ضلعت ولا
رسختtaken firm root ولاnor جلدتgrown hardy لردto repel نآدadversity
رسخت ولا جلدت لرد نآد
Had they pressed farther upward, they would not have grown strong, nor
If the lightning flashes scorch it, it just smiles
taken firm root, nor grown hardy enough to repel adversity.
With vitality despite the fierce flames
إنif تدههاassail them حمرred الصواعقthe thunderbolts تبتسمsmiles
إن تدهها حمر الصواعق تبتسم
فيهاwithin them النضارةfreshness عنrevealing لظىa blaze وقادfiercely burning
فيها النضارة عن لظى وقاد
If crimson thunderbolts assail them, there smiles
And you see the branches all bejeweled
within them a freshness revealing a fiercely blazing flame.
From it the spark of splendor arises
وترىand you see الغصونthe boughs كلevery مخضلmoist and green
وترى الغصون كل مخضل
منهاof them تباعثsprang forth منهfrom it وريa kindled spark زنادfiresticks
منها تباعث منه وري زناد
And you see the boughs—every verdant one
I stood amazed at God's work in
of them has given rise to a firestick's spark.
Lebanon amid the lofty peaks and valleys
أوقفتhave you stood? تعجبmarveling منat صنيعthe handiwork of اللهGod فيin
أوقفت تعجب من صنيع الله في
لبنانLebanon بينamong شوامخlofty peaks ووهادand valleys
لبنان بين شوامخ ووهاد
Have you stood marveling at God's handiwork in
Have you seen the scattered terraces and villages
Lebanon, among lofty peaks and valleys?
Of diverse beauty and pastures?
أرأيتhave you seen? أشتاتscattered groups المدارجthe terraces والقرىand the villages
أرأيت أشتات المدارج والقرى
متنوعاتvaried الحليthe ornaments والأبرادand the cloaks
متنوعات الحلي والأبراد
Have you seen the scattered terraces and villages,
And ears of grain sprouting stealthily
varied in their ornaments and cloaks;
From the kernels, shy in the husks
وكوالحand the grim-faced الأصلادthe rocks نمhinted نباتهاtheir plants
وكوالح الأصلاد نم نباتها
خلساfurtively عنat التحنانtenderness فيwithin الأصلادthe rocks
خلسا عن التحنان في الأصلاد
and the grim-faced rocks, whose plants hinted
And cattle grazing at leisure
furtively at tenderness within the rocks;
While shepherds derive benefit from them
والسائماتand the grazing herds أقرهاkept them settled فيin نعمةcomfort
والسائمات أقرها في نعمة
أخذexacting الرعاةthe shepherds لهاfor them منfrom الاسادthe lions
أخذ الرعاة لها من الاساد
and the grazing herds, kept in comfort
You see the sheep and goats lively
by the shepherds' exacting their due from the lions?
With splendid issuing and income
ترىthey see الخزامىlavender والثمامand thumam grass نشيطةlively
ترى الخزامى والثمام نشيطة
محمودةpraised الإصدارthe leading away from water والإيرادand the bringing to water
محمودة الإصدار والإيراد
Lively, they look upon lavender and thumam grass,
praised in their being led from and brought to water.
Partial English translation: 20 of 22 Arabic lines translated.
Sol 6.1