1. أَلا إِنَّ مَغنى المجد ثُلَّت دعائمُه

    وربعُ سَناءِ الفضل أَعفَت معالمُه

    Behold, the pillars of glory's dwelling have been shattered,

    and the landmarks of excellence's radiant abode have faded.

  2. وقُوِّضَ رُكنُ الدِينِ وانهالَ أُسُّهُ

    وأَقوَت مبانيهِ وهُدَّت عزائمُه

    The pillar of faith was dismantled, and its foundation collapsed;

    its buildings became deserted, and its resolves were demolished.

  3. وعُطِّلَ جِيدُ الخيرِ وانثالَ عِقدُهُ

    ووُشِّحنَ اثوابِ الحِدادِ كرائمُه

    Goodness's neck was left unadorned, and its necklace scattered;

    its noble ladies were draped in garments of mourning.

  4. هَوَى عَلَمُ العِلمِ الوطيدُ من الوَرَى

    غَداةَ قَضَى من عالَم الكَون عالِمُه

    The firmly planted banner of learning fell from among humankind

    on the morning its scholar passed from the world of being.

  5. وأَمحلَ زرعَ الجُودِ من بعد خِصبِهِ

    وقد عَقِمَت من ذا الزَمانِ نواجمُهُ

    Generosity's crop grew barren after its fertility,

    and this age's new shoots have indeed become sterile.

  6. وغالَ بهِ التكويرُ إشراقَ نُورِهِ

    فعَمَّت دَياجيهِ وأَعمَت مظالمُه

    Darkening robbed it of its light's radiance,

    so its deep darkness spread, and its injustices brought blindness.

  7. على ان شمسَ الشرقِ في الارض غُيَبَت

    ضُحىً واستَحالت للبُسُورِ بواسمُه

    For the sun of the East was buried in the earth

    at midmorning, and its smiles turned to frowns.

  8. وأَشرَفَ صَرفُ الدهرِ معتبطاً بنا

    بذا الحُكمِ واستُلَّت علينا صوارمُه

    Time's vicissitude loomed over us, striking wantonly

    with this decree, and its swords were unsheathed against us.

  9. وشَنَّ علينا غارةً ثائرُ الرَدَى

    ونادت أَيا لِلثارِ فينا لَهاذمُه

    Death's avenger launched a raid upon us,

    and its sharp blades cried among us, 'O, for vengeance!'

  10. بموتِ سَرِيٍّ قَدَّسَ اللَهُ سِرَّهُ

    وسُرَّ بهِ واستعهدتهُ مراحمُه

    Through the death of a noble man—may God sanctify his soul,

    be pleased with him, and may His mercies keep him in their care—

  11. إِمامُ الهُداةِ الحِبرُ جِرمانُسُ الذي

    هو البَدءُ للفضل المُنيفِ وخاتمُه

    the leader of spiritual guides, the learned prelate Germanus, who

    is the beginning of lofty excellence and its seal.

  12. فما عُذر تُربٍ لا يَذوبُ تحرُّقاً

    عليهِ وصَدر ليسَ تذكو خَيازمُه

    What excuse has earth that does not melt in burning grief

    for him, or a breast whose breastbones do not blaze?

  13. وقلبِ محبٍّ لا تفيظُ دِماؤُهُ

    وغَربِ شُؤُونٍ لا تفيضُ سواجمُه

    Or a lover's heart whose blood does not gush,

    or a torrent from tear ducts whose streaming tears do not overflow?

  14. وجفنِ لَحاظِ لا يُسهَّدُ في الدُجَى

    وروض جِنان لا تنوحُ حمائمه

    Or a gazing eyelid not kept sleepless through the darkness,

    or a garden of gardens whose doves do not lament?

  15. فلا كانَ سِنٌّ مالهُ الظُفرُ قارعٌ

    عليهِ ولا خَدٌّ وما الكفُّ لاظمُه

    May no tooth exist that a fingernail does not strike

    in grief for him, nor a cheek that a palm does not slap.

  16. الا فاندُبوا يا ناسُ نَدباً بفرضهِ

    غدا النَدبُ فرضاً ليسَ ينفكُّ لازمُه

    Behold, lament, people, with a lament so enjoined

    that mourning has become a duty whose claim never ceases.

  17. فتىً لم يُرَع يوماً من الموت قلبُهُ

    وذي حالُ من فازت بعفوٍ مآثمُه

    A man whose heart was never once frightened by death—

    and such is the state of one whose sins have won pardon.

  18. لقد كانَ مُرتاحاً اليهِ كانهُ

    دِلاصٌ منيعٌ من شَبا الموتِ عاصمُه

    Indeed, he welcomed it, as though it were

    impregnable armor shielding him from death's cutting edge.

  19. حلا عِندَهُ الموتُ الذي مَرَّ طَعمُهُ

    تُرَى كيفَ يحلو ما تُمِرُّ مطاعمُه

    Death, whose taste is bitter, tasted sweet to him;

    one wonders how what tastes bitter can become sweet.

  20. وما ذاك إلَّا إِنَّ بِرَّ ضميرهِ

    ليَشهدُ ان اللَه ليسَ يُحاكمُه

    That is only because his conscience's righteousness

    surely testifies that God does not bring him to judgment.

  21. وهذا اعتِقادي انهُ الآنَ ماثلٌ

    لَدَى اللَه راءٍ وجهَهُ ومُلازمُه

    And this is my belief: he now stands

    before God, beholding His face and abiding with Him.

  22. يجولُ مع الأَبكارِ في سِدرة العَلا

    وفي مجمع الأَطهارِ تزهو مواسمُه

    He roams with the virgins at the lofty lote-tree,

    and in the assembly of the pure his festivals flourish.

  23. عليَّا على الأَفلاكِ في أَرفَع الذِرَى

    يُؤائِمُ املاكَ السَما وتُوائمُه

    High above the celestial spheres, on the loftiest summits,

    he lives in harmony with heaven's angels, and they with him.

  24. هو اللَوذَعُ المِفضالُ من خير مهدهِ

    ومن حينما نِيطَت عليهِ تمائمهُ

    He is keen-witted and bountiful, from his blessed cradle,

    and from the time his amulets were hung upon him.

  25. فما بُلِّغَت أَسماعُهُ قولَ مُفسِدس

    ولا نَشِقَت ريحَ الفَسادِ خياشمُه

    No corrupter's speech was ever brought to his ears,

    nor did his nostrils inhale the scent of corruption.

  26. أَبى اللَهُ أَلا أَن يَجِلَّ ثَناؤُهُ

    وان كثرت حُسَّادهُ ولوائمُه

    God willed nothing but that his praise be exalted,

    though his enviers and reproachers multiplied.

  27. حُسامٌ لهُ الحُسنَى نِجادٌ وجَفنُهُ ال

    تُقَى وظباهُ البِرُّ والخيرُ قائمُه

    A sword, whose baldric is virtue and whose sheath is

    piety, whose edges are righteousness and whose hilt is goodness.

  28. طَوَى الدهرُ رغماً نشرَ فضل أُولي النُهَى

    فاحياهُم في شخصهِ وَهوَ راغمُه

    Time reluctantly folded away the unfurled excellence of the wise,

    but he revived them in his own person, defying it.

  29. فاياسُهُ فهماً وآرِسطُهُ حِجىً

    وسَحبانهُ نُطقاً وجُوداً فحاتمُه

    He was its Iyas in understanding, its Aristotle in intellect,

    its Sahban in speech, and in generosity its Hatim.

  30. انا آثلٌ في مدحهِ ورِثائِهِ

    فخنساءُ صخرٍ بالذي فيه ناظمُه

    I build a lasting tribute in his praise and elegy,

    a Khansa for Sakhr in the verses I compose about him.

  31. إمامي وذُخري بل غَنائي ومَغنَمي

    غَنِمتُ بهِ غُنماً تَجِلُّ غنائمُه

    My spiritual leader and my treasure—indeed, my sufficiency and my gain—

    through him I gained a gain whose rewards are great.

  32. فان كنتُ من يُلغِي أَلَاهُ فانني

    لَظالمُ نفسي شَرَّ ظُلمٍ وظالمُه

    If I were one who disregards his favors, then I

    would grievously wrong myself, and wrong him.

  33. وإِن يَكفُرِ الإِحسانَ مَن ليسَ شاكراً

    فأَشبَهُ بالكُفرانِ مَن هُوَ كاتمُه

    If whoever gives no thanks denies kindness,

    more akin to ingratitude is whoever conceals it.

  34. حلبتُ بهِ وُسعَ الإِناءِ معارفاً

    يُلازِمُني جُنحَ الدُجَى وأُلازمُه

    Through him I milked a vessel's full capacity of knowledge;

    he kept me company in the dark of night, and I kept him company.

  35. جنيتُ ثِمارَ الحمدِ من دَوحِ فضلهِ

    وزَهرَ ثَناءٍ عنهُ شُقَّت كمائمُه

    I gathered the fruits of praise from the great trees of his excellence,

    and blossoms of praise whose bud-sheaths opened about him.

  36. أَتاني كِتابٌ من بعدِ موتهِ

    فسحَّ من الطَرفِ المسهَّدِ ساجمُه

    A letter came to me after his death,

    and streaming tears poured from my sleepless eye.

  37. وما نَعَني دمعي بان لا اشيمهُ

    وانيَ من إملاهُ بالعقل شائمُه

    And my tears hindered me from perusing it,

    yet from his dictation I discerned it with my mind.

  38. تواردنَ اخبارُ المَسَرَّة والأَسَى

    فازجت مطيَّاتِ السُرورِ مآتِمُه

    News of joy and sorrow came successively,

    and his funeral rites drove off the mounts of joy.

  39. اظلَّ على قلبي ظَلام سخائِمٍ

    مَدَى العُمر لا تنجابُ عنهُ سخائمه

    A darkness of bitterness cast its shade over my heart,

    whose bitterness will never lift from it throughout my life.

  40. اناخت مطايا هِمَّتي من رسيمها

    وخَطبُ المنايا أَعسفَت بي رواسمُه

    The mounts of my aspiration knelt from their swift march,

    and the swift steeds of death's calamity bore me harshly.

  41. فكيفَ أَرَى عيشاً تكدَّرَ صفوُهُ

    وأَنَّى سرورُ القلبِ والحُزنُ صارمُه

    How, then, can I look upon a life whose purity has been clouded?

    And how can the heart rejoice when sorrow is its cleaving sword?

  42. فان كانَ صرفُ الدهر من بعد فَقدِهِ

    يطارحُني سِلماً فلَستُ أُسالُمه

    If Time's vicissitude, after his loss,

    offers me peace, I will not make peace with it.

  43. هو الدهرُ ان يُؤمِنكَ لا تأمَنَن بهِ

    وان يغزُ فاعلَم ان هذه علائُمه

    It is Time: if it assures you of safety, never trust it;

    and if it attacks, know that these are its signs.

  44. أَلا أَيُّما شملٍ وما الحتفُ فاصمُه

    ومَتنٍ وما عِبءُ الحوادثِ قاصمُه

    Behold, what union is there that death does not sever,

    or back that the burden of calamities does not break?

  45. فلا عُمرَ الا صارمُ الموتِ حاسمُه

    ولا وصلَ الاحادثُ الدهرِ صارمُه

    There is no lifetime that death's sword does not cut short,

    nor any bond that Time's happenings do not sever.

  46. فواهاً للحدٍ ضَمَّ مَقدِسَ جِسمهِ

    وآهاً لهُ اذ في القيامةِ غارمُه

    Ah, for a grave that enclosed the sanctuary of his body!

    And alas for it, for at the Resurrection it is his debtor.

  47. لنَثرِ المزايا الغُرِّ قد كان ناظماً

    كما نَظَّمَت عِقدَ اللآلي سخايمُه

    He was an arranger of scattered, illustrious virtues,

    as his dispositions strung a necklace of pearls.

  48. أَتى بالهُدَى وَتراً وشَفعاً فأَخصَبَت

    بأَنتاجها أَفذاذُهُ وتوائمُه

    He brought guidance singly and in pairs, and fruitful became

    his singles and his twins in what they produced.

  49. وصادمَ جيشَ الهرطقاتِ بهِمَّةٍ

    مُقدَّسةٍ اغزى بها من يصادِمُه

    He confronted the army of heresies with a zeal

    made holy, with which he roused his adversaries to battle.

  50. وابسم عن ثغرِ الهِدايةِ مُسفِراً

    فأَجلَت دياجيرَ الضَلالِ مباسمُه

    He smiled, revealing the radiant mouth of guidance,

    and his smiles dispelled the deep darkness of error.

  51. حَوَى الفضلَ في فصلِ الخطاب فلم يكن

    لهُ من يُناويهِ بهِ او يقاومُه

    He possessed excellence in decisive speech, and had no

    one to oppose or rival him in it.

  52. أزالَ اعتِلالاً عَلَّ افعالَ شعبِهِ

    بصارم امرٍ جرَّدَتهُ جوازمُه

    He removed an infirmity that had afflicted his people's deeds

    with the sword of command, unsheathed by his decisive decrees.

  53. فلم يُلفَ فعلٌ منهمُ فيهِ عِلَّةٌ

    تُدانيهِ وهو بالنَهيِ جازمُه

    Thus no act of theirs was found with a defect

    approaching it, for by prohibition he decisively restrained it.

  54. فصَحَّ بذا التصريفِ فيهم صحيحُهُ

    وسُلِمَ في نفس الصحيحينَ سالمُه

    Thus, through this inflection, his sound form among them became sound,

    and his unblemished form remained whole within the sound forms themselves.

  55. فسَقياً بني مارونَ ان ثَناءَكُم

    بهذا غدا طِيباً تطيب نسائمُه

    So blessings of rain, sons of Maron! Your praise

    of him has become perfume whose breezes are sweet.

  56. ورَعياً فمَرعاكم براعيكم اغتدَى

    خصيباً فلن تُمنَى بجَدبٍ سوائمُه

    And blessings of care: through your shepherd your pasture became

    fertile, so its grazing herds shall never suffer drought.

  57. فطوباكمُ إِمَّا حَفِظتم عهُودَهُ

    ودامَ بكم إِيصاؤُهُ ومراسمُه

    So blessed are you if you preserve his covenants,

    and his counsels and ordinances endure among you.

  58. وتَيّاً لكم ان كنتمُ شرَّ مِلَّةٍ

    تَرَى العيشَ باللَذَّات تصفو مغانمه

    And woe to you if you become the worst religious community,

    one that thinks life's gains become pure through pleasures.

  59. كعِترةِ مُوسى إذ نأَى عنهمُ اقتَفَوا

    عِبادةَ عجِلٍ أَدرَكتهم جرائمُه

    Like Moses' kindred, who, when he withdrew from them, pursued

    the worship of a calf whose sins overtook them.

  60. أَلا يا رُبَى لبنانَ رَبَّى بكِ المُنى

    وعمَّتكِ من لطفِ الاله نعائمُه

    Ah, hills of Lebanon, may He nurture hopes in you,

    and may His blessings enfold you through God's kindness.

  61. ورُعياكِ رَهبانيَّةً رَشَّحَت لنا

    اباً ما لهُ بالفضلِ نِدٌّ يساهمُه

    And may you be tended, monastic order that chose for us

    a father who had no rival sharing his excellence.

  62. وأَكرِم بلُبنانَّيةٍ كَرُمَت بهِ

    رئيساً كريماً غمَّرتنا مكارمُه

    And how noble the Lebanese order, ennobled by him

    as a generous superior whose virtues overwhelmed us!

  63. ويا حَلَبُ الشَهباءُ بَخٍّ لانهُ

    ثَوَى فيكِ صِدِّيقُ الالهِ وخادمُه

    O gray Aleppo, bravo, for

    God's righteous one and servant rests in you.

  64. اقام بكِ التوفيقُ كرسيَّهُ فلن

    تميدَ وان طال الزَمانُ قوائمُه

    Success established its throne in you, whose

    legs will never sway, however long time lasts.

  65. فسُقياكِ إِضّاً منكِ فاحت نواسمُه

    وطوباكِ ارضاً فيكِ طاءت مناسمُه

    So may you, too, be watered: from you his fragrant breezes wafted;

    and blessed are you as a land in which his feet trod.

  66. سَقَى تُربَهُ نَؤُ الثُرَيَّا وجادَهُ

    هَمُوعُ الغوادي حافلاتٍ غمائمُه

    May the Pleiades' seasonal rain water his earth, and may it be drenched by

    streaming morning showers, their clouds brimming.

  67. تَغبِّطُهُ الأَجيالُ في كل فَترةٍ

    وتُكرِمُهُ في كل دهرٍ اكارمُه

    May generations deem him blessed in every age,

    and the noble people of every age honor him.

  68. وتُؤثِرُهُ اهلُ المنابرِ والحِجَى

    وتُمدَحُ في الأَبواب طُرّاً عظائمُه

    May the people of pulpits and intellect favor him,

    and all his great deeds be praised in every chapter.

  69. ويَندُبهُ القِرطاسُ والصُحفُ واللَهَى

    وتَنعاهُ سُجَّاع القريضِ وناظمُه

    May paper, books, and throats lament him,

    and poetry's rhymers and its composer proclaim his loss.

  70. ولازالَ نشرُ الطيبِ في طيِّ ذِكرهِ

    كمِسكٍ فتيقٍ ضُمِّنَتهُ لطائمُه

    May the fragrance of perfume forever lie folded in his memory,

    like opened musk carried within its perfume-laden caravans,

  71. ليشهدَ فيهِ حاسدٌ وَهوَ كارهٌ

    الا إِنَّما الصِدِّيقُ هذه خواتمُه

    so that an envious man, despite his aversion, may testify of him:

    Behold, these are indeed the final marks of the righteous one.