نَسِيمُthe breeze لُبْنَانَLebanon حَيَّانِيgreeted me ضُحىat midmorning فَشَفَىso healed
نَسِيمُ لُبْنَانَ حَيَّانِي ضُحى فَشَفَى
مَاwhat فِيin فُؤَادِيmy heart مِنَof العلاَّتِthe ailments وَالحُرَقِand burning grief
مَا فِي فُؤَادِي مِنَ العلاَّتِ وَالحُرَقِ
Lebanon's breeze greeted me at midmorning and healed
The breeze of Lebanon revived me at dawn, and healed
The ailments and burning grief within my heart.
What was in my heart of ailments and burning.
وَالطِّيبُand the fragrance حِينَwhen تَذكَّىflared فِيin خَمَائِلِهits groves
وَالطِّيبُ حِينَ تَذكَّى فِي خَمَائِلِه
دُجىًby night أَدَالَgave victory to هَنِيءَsweet النَّوْمِsleep مِنْover أَرَقِيmy sleeplessness
دُجىً أَدَالَ هَنِيءَ النَّوْمِ مِنْ أَرَقِي
And fragrance, when it flared within its groves,
And the perfume, when it permeated in its vines,
By night, let sweet sleep prevail over my sleeplessness.
Cast at night a calm that dispelled my wakefulness.
أَفْدِيI would ransom مَعَارِجَascending paths فِيin عُلْيَاthe heights of ذَوَائِبِهِits peaks
أَفْدِي مَعَارِجَ فِي عُلْيَا ذَوَائِبِهِ
تَرُوعُterrify مُهْجَةَthe heart of رَاقِيَهَاtheir climber إِلىto الفَرقِterror
تَرُوعُ مُهْجَةَ رَاقِيَهَا إِلى الفَرقِ
I would give my life for the paths up its highest peaks,
I sacrifice the ascending steps in its lofty twisting,
Which strike their climber's heart with terror.
That terrify the soul of its climber to the parting.
تَسْتَوْحِشُfeels desolate العَيْنُthe eye مِنْهَاbefore them ثُمَّthen يُؤْنِسُهَاcomforts it
تَسْتَوْحِشُ العَيْنُ مِنْهَا ثُمَّ يُؤْنِسُهَا
مَاwhat افْتَرَّsmiled فِيon القَاعٍthe valley floor مِنْof زَهْرٍflowers وَمِنْand of وَرَقِleaves
مَا افْتَرَّ فِي القَاعٍ مِنْ زَهْرٍ وَمِنْ وَرَقِ
The eye feels desolate before them, then is comforted by
The eye is lonesome for it, then it comforts it
The flowers and leaves smiling on the valley floor.
With what blossomed in the valley of flowers and leaves.
حِمىًa haven تَحَلَّىadorned itself بِزِينَاتٍwith adornments مُنَوَّعَةٍvaried
حِمىً تَحَلَّى بِزِينَاتٍ مُنَوَّعَةٍ
مَاranging بَيْنَbetween مُتَّصلٍjoined لُطْفاًin grace وَمُفْتَرِقِand separated
مَا بَيْنَ مُتَّصلٍ لُطْفاً وَمُفْتَرِقِ
A haven decked with varied adornments,
A protected place adorned with varied decorations,
Some joined in grace, some set apart.
Connecting charm smoothly and separating.
هَوَىlove النُّفوسَthe souls جَمِيعٌall فِيهِin it مُتَّفقٌin agreement
هَوَى النُّفوسَ جَمِيعٌ فِيهِ مُتَّفقٌ
وَالحُسْنُand beauty فِيهِin it بَدِيعٌwondrous غَيْرُnot مُتَّفقِuniform
وَالحُسْنُ فِيهِ بَدِيعٌ غَيْرُ مُتَّفقِ
All souls agree in their love for it;
All souls incline towards it in agreement,
And its beauty is wondrous, never uniform.
And its beauty therein is wondrous, beyond accord.
فِيat حَفْلَةٍa celebration بِذَوِيwith people of الأَحْسَابِnoble lineage حَافِلَةٍthronged
فِي حَفْلَةٍ بِذَوِي الأَحْسَابِ حَافِلَةٍ
سَرتْgladdened قُلُوباًhearts وَكَانَتْand was قُرَّةَa delight to الحَدَقِthe eyes
سَرتْ قُلُوباً وَكَانَتْ قُرَّةَ الحَدَقِ
At a celebration thronged with people of noble lineage,
In a gathering of people of sophistication thronging,
Which gladdened hearts and delighted the eyes,
Hearts were delighted, and it was rest for the eyes.
شَهِدْتُهاI attended it وَأَمِينُand Amin الرُّوحِof spirit يُسْمِعُناlets us hear
شَهِدْتُها وَأَمِينُ الرُّوحِ يُسْمِعُنا
قَوْلُthe words of الحَكِيمِthe sage بِظَرْفِwith the charm of المُبْدِعِthe creative artist اللَّبِقِthe deft
قَوْلُ الحَكِيمِ بِظَرْفِ المُبْدِعِ اللَّبِقِ
I attended as Amin, faithful of spirit, let us hear
I witnessed it, and the trustee of the soul made us hear
A sage's words, with the charm of a deft artist.
The saying of the wise, with the grace of the eloquent.
فَلَمْso did not أَخَلْI consider نَثْرَهُhis prose إِلاَّexcept حُلىًornaments نُظِمَتْwere strung
فَلَمْ أَخَلْ نَثْرَهُ إِلاَّ حُلىً نُظِمَتْ
فِيon سَمْطِa strand of دُرِّpearls بَدِيعِwondrous in الصَّوْغِcraftsmanship مُنْتَسِقِwell arrayed
فِي سَمْطِ دُرِّ بَدِيعِ الصَّوْغِ مُنْتَسِقِ
I thought his prose nothing but ornaments strung
So I found his prose nothing but strung pearls,
On a strand of pearls, wondrously crafted and well arrayed.
Arranged in necklaces of wonderful, consistent work.
يَاO دَارَhouse of عِلْمٍlearning نُحيِّيهَاwe salute it بِعَالِيَةٍin Aley
يَا دَارَ عِلْمٍ نُحيِّيهَا بِعَالِيَةٍ
خِتَامُthe close of عَامِكِyour year مِسْكٌmusk فَائِحُdiffusing العَبَقِfragrance
خِتَامُ عَامِكِ مِسْكٌ فَائِحُ العَبَقِ
O house of learning we salute in Aley,
O house of knowledge, we greet you with loftiness,
Your year's close is musk, its fragrance wafting.
The seal of your year is lasting fragrant musk.
أَيَتِنَاyou showed us أَنْجُماًstars فِيin الرَّوْضِthe garden طَالِعَةًrising
أَيَتِنَا أَنْجُماً فِي الرَّوْضِ طَالِعَةً
أَبْهَىlovelier بِأَعْيُنِنَاin our eyes مِنْthan أَنْجُمِthe stars of الأُفقِthe horizon
أَبْهَى بِأَعْيُنِنَا مِنْ أَنْجُمِ الأُفقِ
You showed us stars rising in the garden,
You brought us stars in the garden rising,
Lovelier to our eyes than the stars of the horizon:
More beautiful to our eyes than stars of the horizon.
فِتْيَانُyoung men of سَبْقٍprecedence بِآدَابٍin letters وَمَعْرِفَةٍand knowledge
فِتْيَانُ سَبْقٍ بِآدَابٍ وَمَعْرِفَةٍ
إِذَاwhen النُّهىminds اسْتَبَقَتْraced فِيin خَيْرِthe best مُسْتَبَقِarena of competition
إِذَا النُّهى اسْتَبَقَتْ فِي خَيْرِ مُسْتَبَقِ
Young men foremost in letters and knowledge,
Young men of precedence, in manners and knowledge,
When minds race in the noblest arena.
When ambitions raced towards the best of racers.
أُتِمَّwas perfected بِالخُلْقِby character الرَّاقِيnoble تَأَدُّبُهُمْtheir refinement
أُتِمَّ بِالخُلْقِ الرَّاقِي تَأَدُّبُهُمْ
وَلاَand no نَجَاحَsuccess بِلاَwithout عَوْنٍhelp مِنَfrom الخُلُقِcharacter
وَلاَ نَجَاحَ بِلاَ عَوْنٍ مِنَ الخُلُقِ
Their refinement was perfected by noble character,
Completed in refined morals, their refinement,
And no success comes without character's aid.
And no success without support from character.
دَارٌa house عَلَىon أَثْبَتِthe firmest الأَرْكَانِfoundations شَيَّدَهَاhe built it
دَارٌ عَلَى أَثْبَتِ الأَرْكَانِ شَيَّدَهَا
أَخُوa possessor of حِجىًwisdom لَيْسَis not بِالوَانِيslack وَلاَnor النَّزِقِreckless
أَخُو حِجىً لَيْسَ بِالوَانِي وَلاَ النَّزِقِ
A house built on the firmest foundations by
A house built on the firmest pillars,
A man of wisdom, neither slack nor reckless.
A brother of sanctuary, neither weak, nor prodigal.
شِبْلٌShibl (lion cub) يقِلُّfew are مُجَارِيهِthose matching him إِذَاwhen انْطَلَقَتْwas unleashed
شِبْلٌ يقِلُّ مُجَارِيهِ إِذَا انْطَلَقَتْ
لِلْخَيْرِfor good هِمَّتهُhis resolve فِيin كُلِّevery مُنْطَلَقِfield of endeavor
لِلْخَيْرِ هِمَّتهُ فِي كُلِّ مُنْطَلَقِ
Shibl has few to rival him when he unleashes
Cubs who seldom miss opportunities, whenever
His resolve for good in every field of endeavor.
They set out for good, their resolve in every setting out.
بِالعَزْمِwith resolve ماhowever بَعُدَwas distant الفَتْحُthe victory العزِيزُprized مَضَىhe advanced
بِالعَزْمِ ما بَعُدَ الفَتْحُ العزِيزُ مَضَى
وَالرَّأْيِand judgment مَاhowever رَقِيَrose القَصْدُthe goal المَرُومُdesired رَقِيhe climbed
وَالرَّأْيِ مَا رَقِيَ القَصْدُ المَرُومُ رَقِي
With resolve he advanced, however distant the prized victory;
With determination, triumph comes after the precious opening,
And with judgment he climbed, however high the goal he sought.
And with opinion, the intended ascends the high ascent.
ياO شِرْعَةَwellspring of العِلْمِlearning لاmay not زَالَتْcease مَرَابِعُنَاour meadows
يا شِرْعَةَ العِلْمِ لا زَالَتْ مَرَابِعُنَا
تُسْقَىare watered فُيُوضَfloods of نَمِيرٍsweet water مِنْكِfrom you مُنْدَفقِstreaming
تُسْقَى فُيُوضَ نَمِيرٍ مِنْكِ مُنْدَفقِ
O wellspring of learning, may our meadows never cease
O charter of knowledge, our squares are still
To be watered by floods of sweet water streaming from you.
Watered by an abundant flow streaming from you.
وَيَاand O مَنَارَةَbeacon of فَضْلٍexcellence بَاهِرٍdazzling وَهُدىًand guidance
وَيَا مَنَارَةَ فَضْلٍ بَاهِرٍ وَهُدىً
لاَnot ينْتَهِيends فَجرُهَاits dawn الزَّاهِيbrilliant إِلَىin شَفَقِtwilight
لاَ ينْتَهِي فَجرُهَا الزَّاهِي إِلَى شَفَقِ
And O beacon of dazzling excellence and guidance,
And O lighthouse of manifest virtue and guidance,
Whose brilliant dawn never gives way to twilight,
Whose radiant dawn never ends to dusk.
تَبْدُوemerge مِنَfrom الغَسَقِthe darkness الدَّاجِيpitch-black أَشِعَّتهاits rays
تَبْدُو مِنَ الغَسَقِ الدَّاجِي أَشِعَّتها
كَشَّافَةًdispelling غُمَماًclouds of gloom مِنْfrom ذلِكَthat الغَسَقِdarkness
كَشَّافَةً غُمَماً مِنْ ذلِكَ الغَسَقِ
Its rays emerge from pitch-black darkness,
Your rays appear from the gloomy darkness,
Dispelling clouds from that darkness.
Dispelling clouds of that darkness.
دُوميremain علَىthroughout الدَّهْرِtime مُذْكَاةًkindled وَمُهَدِيَةًand bestowing
دُومي علَى الدَّهْرِ مُذْكَاةً وَمُهَدِيَةً
إِلَىto النُّهىminds كُلَّevery نُورٍlight مِنْكِfrom you مُؤْتَلِقِgleaming
إِلَى النُّهى كُلَّ نُورٍ مِنْكِ مُؤْتَلِقِ
Remain forever kindled and bestowing
Lasting through time, ignited and guiding,
On minds every light that gleams from you.
To ambitions every light from you flaring.
Sol 6.1