رقص الحمى طرباً واشرق بهجةً

رقص الحمى طرباً واشرق بهجةً

وزها المقام وثغر بيروت ابتسمْ

وزها المقام وثغر بيروت ابتسمْ

The precinct danced for joy and shone with delight;

The fever danced with joy and radiance shone

And the place grew splendid, and Beirut’s harbor smiled.

The abode was adorned, and the smile of Beirut blossomed

والبلدة الفيحاء باهت عزةً

والبلدة الفيحاء باهت عزةً

واستغنم الديوان افخر مغتنمْ

واستغنم الديوان افخر مغتنمْ

And the spacious town gloried in its honor;

The good country paled with might

And the council won the most glorious prize.

And the council reaped the proudest gains

والمنصب السامي الرفيع قد استضى

والمنصب السامي الرفيع قد استضى

بسنا أبي المصباح سحبان الكرمْ

بسنا أبي المصباح سحبان الكرمْ

And the lofty, exalted office was illumined

The lofty, noble position shone

By the radiance of Abu al-Misbah, generosity’s Sahban.

With the years of Abi Al-Misbah Suhban Al-Karam

بقومه قدم السرور وقد أتى

بقومه قدم السرور وقد أتى

سعد السعوِد قرين ذّياك القدمْ

سعد السعوِد قرين ذّياك القدمْ

With his people joy arrived, and there came

With his people he brought happiness and came

Sa'd al-Su'ud, fortune of fortunes, companion to that arrival.

Saad Al-Suood, friend of those venerable steps

والانس حلَّ وفاح معطار الصفا

والانس حلَّ وفاح معطار الصفا

والبشر هل بطلعة البدر الاتمْ

والبشر هل بطلعة البدر الاتمْ

And fellowship settled in, and purity’s perfume spread;

Company settled, and the fragrance of clarity spread

And gladness dawned with the rising of the most perfect full moon.

Are mortals anything but the full moon's risen glow?

والقطر زين والمعالي أشرقت

والقطر زين والمعالي أشرقت

في ملتقى خير الملا فخر الامم

في ملتقى خير الملا فخر الامم

And the land was adorned, and lofty virtues shone

The rain beautified, and the glories shone

At the meeting with the best of men, the pride of nations.

In the meeting place of the best of nations, pride of peoples

ليث إذا اشتد الوغى تبدو له

ليث إذا اشتد الوغى تبدو له

في الحرب أهوالٌ تشيب بها للمم

في الحرب أهوالٌ تشيب بها للمم

A lion—when the fray grows fierce, there appear before him

A lion, when the fray intensifies,

In war terrors that turn locks of hair gray.

Horrors appear in war that would gray cowards

شهمٌ يقال به انتشت المعامع

شهمٌ يقال به انتشت المعامع

ما لها الا العي أبو الهمم

ما لها الا العي أبو الهمم

A gallant man through whom, they say, the mêlées exult:

Valiant, with whom flags were planted

None can face them but [Ali], father of high resolve.

With no peer but the protector of resolves

ذاك الذي تخشى الفوارس باسه

ذاك الذي تخشى الفوارس باسه

وتهابهُ الأسد الضواري في الاجم

وتهابهُ الأسد الضواري في الاجم

He is the one whose might the horsemen fear,

He who knights dread his name

And whom fierce lions dread within the thickets.

And whom fierce lions fear in the wastelands

بحر الندى وافي الجدامنكي العدى

بحر الندى وافي الجدامنكي العدى

نعم الهمام المفتدى رب الحكم

نعم الهمام المفتدى رب الحكم

A sea of generosity, unstinting in bounty, a scourge of foes;

Sea of dew, fulfilling, unwavering in his pledges

How fine the hero, for whom lives are pledged, master of wisdom!

What a protector, the one ransomed, Lord of Wisdom

فخر الكرام عليّنا المولى الذي

فخر الكرام عليّنا المولى الذي

رفعت معاليه على متن العلم

رفعت معاليه على متن العلم

The pride of the noble, our Ali, the lord whose

Pride of all generous ones, our Master who

Lofty merits were raised upon the banner’s surface.

Raised his glories atop the flag

أولاه رب العز اشرف رتبة

أولاه رب العز اشرف رتبة

جاءت مبشرةً بإقبال النعم

جاءت مبشرةً بإقبال النعم

The Lord of glory bestowed on him the noblest rank,

God, the All-Powerful granted him the noblest rank

Which came heralding the advent of blessings.

Which came bearing glad tidings of blessings

ولربما هي خير عنوانٍ إلى

ولربما هي خير عنوانٍ إلى

خير الوزارة حسبما خطّ القلم

خير الوزارة حسبما خطّ القلم

And perhaps it is the best sign pointing toward

And perhaps it is the best sign to

The finest vizierate, as the pen has written.

The best ministry, as the pen ordained

يا رب تمم حسن ما أبديته

يا رب تمم حسن ما أبديته

كرماً وجمّله بأحسن مختتمْ

كرماً وجمّله بأحسن مختتمْ

O Lord, perfect the beauty of what You have revealed,

O God, perfect the good that You began

In Your generosity, and adorn it with the finest ending.

Out of generosity, and conclude it with the finest end

واقر ناظرنا بمصباح الهدى

واقر ناظرنا بمصباح الهدى

وانصر أباه الجهبذ الزاكي الشيم

وانصر أباه الجهبذ الزاكي الشيم

And gladden our eyes with Misbah, the lamp of guidance;

And delight our watcher with the lantern of guidance

And grant victory to his father, the sage of pure character.

And aid his magnificent, pure-natured father

واحفظهما يا ربّ ما طال المدى

واحفظهما يا ربّ ما طال المدى

أبدا بعزّ دام ما سرت النسم

أبدا بعزّ دام ما سرت النسم

And preserve them both, O Lord, as long as time endures,

And protect them forever, O Lord, as long as breath endures

Forever in glory that lasts as long as breezes blow.

With might that lasts as long as the breeze blows