Sol 6.1

  1. قَدِمتَ عِليَّ المَجدِ في حُسنِ مَوكِبٍ

    بِهِ تُضرَبُ الأَمثالُ بَينَ المَواكِبِ

    You arrived, exalted in glory, in a splendid procession,

    Held up as an example among processions.

  2. فَكُنتَ كَبدرٍ سارَ بَينَ كَواكِبٍ

    وَلا شَيءَ مِثل البَدرِ بَينَ الكَواكِبِ

    So you were like a full moon moving among stars,

    And nothing among the stars is like the full moon.

  3. وَلَيث عَرينٍ بَينَ أسد ضَياغِمٍ

    أَضاقَ بِمَن عاداهُ رَحب المَذاهِبِ

    And a lion of the lair among mighty lions,

    Who made broad paths narrow for those who opposed him.

  4. رَكِبت عَلى طِرفٍ أَغَرَّ مُحَجَّلٍ

    عَجيبٍ تَراهُ مِن غَريبِ العَجائِبِ

    You rode a noble steed, white-blazed and white-socked,

    A marvel you reckon among the rarest wonders,

  5. بِحُسنِ تَقاطيعٍ بِلَون مؤرقٍ

    بِحُسنِ نَياشينٍ بِخيرِ مصاحبِ

    With beautiful proportions and a hue that steals sleep,

    With handsome decorations and the finest companion.

  6. يَعدو يَفوقُ الرّيحَ لَو أَنّه عَدا

    مِنَ الشّرقِ حالاً قَد يرى في المَغارِبِ

    It gallops, outstripping the wind; were it to race

    From the east, in an instant it would be seen in the western reaches.

  7. تَطولُ الثّريّا فَوقَهُ لَو طَلبتها

    وَفيهِ الثّريّا لَم تَفُت كَفَّ طالِبِ

    You could reach the Pleiades atop it, if you sought them,

    And with it, the Pleiades would not elude a seeker's hand.

  8. يَقولُ مِثالي قَلَّ في الخَيلِ أَنْ يرى

    كَما قَلّ في فُرسانِها مثلَ راكِبي

    It says, “My like is seldom seen among horses,

    Just as among their horsemen one like my rider is rare.”

  9. لَهُ السّعدُ خدّام لَهُ اليمنُ صاحِبٌ

    لَهُ العِزُّ قَوّادٌ لأَسنى المَراتِبِ

    Good fortune is his servant; blessing is his companion;

    Honor guides him to the loftiest ranks.

  10. قَدِمتَ على بَيروتِنا خَيرَ مَقدَمٍ

    فَسارَت بِها الأَفراحُ مِن كلِّ جانِبِ

    You came to our Beirut—a most welcome arrival—

    And joys spread through her from every side.

  11. وَقامَت مِنَ الأَفراحِ تَرقُصُ بِالهَنا

    تَقولُ هَنائي اليومَ قَد جاءَ غائِبي

    And she rose in joy, dancing in delight,

    Saying, “Joy is mine today: my absent one has come!”

  12. وَإِذ غِبتَ قَد أَوحَشتها أَيَّ وَحشةٍ

    يَكادُ بِها يَبدو حُلول الغَياهِبِ

    And when you were absent, you left her utterly desolate;

    The descent of deep darkness was almost visible within her.

  13. وَلَو لَم يَكُ المصباحُ فيها لأَظلَمَت

    ظَلام الدّياجي مِن جَميعِ الجَوانِبِ

    And had the lamp not been within her, she would have darkened

    With the darkness of pitch-black nights on every side.

  14. وَلَكنَّه إِذ نابَ عَنكُم أَضاءَها

    وَقَد كانَ عَن شَمسِ العُلى خَير نائبِ

    But when he stood in for you, he lit her up,

    And he was the finest deputy for the sun of glory.

  15. فَأَبقاهُ ربّي اللَّه بِالعزِّ وَالعُلى

    وَرَقّاهُ مَولانا لأَعلى المَناصِبِ

    So may my Lord God preserve him in honor and eminence,

    And may our lord raise him to the highest offices.

  16. وَمَنّ عَلينا اللَّه في طولِ عُمركُم

    وَنَوَّلكم بِالخيرِ كلَّ المَطالِبِ

    And may God favor us by prolonging your life,

    And grant you, in goodness, all that you seek,

  17. بِمَجدٍ وَجاهٍ لَيسَ في الدّهرِ يَنتَهي

    وَأَرغدِ عَيشٍ مِنهُ صَفوُ المَشارِبِ

    With glory and prestige unending through all time,

    And a life of greatest ease, yielding the purest draughts,

  18. مَدى الدَّهرِ ما قَد لاحَ بَرقٌ وَما سرَتْ

    نَسيمٌ وَما قَد سَحَّ وَبلُ السّحائِبِ

    Through all time, as long as lightning flashes and there drifts

    A breeze, and as long as the clouds' heavy rain pours down.