طَلَعَ البدرُ وَالظّلامُ تولّى

وعلى أنجمِ السماءِ تولّى

The full moon rose and the darkness fled away,

And the stars in the sky slowly faded away.

وَهَوى مِنهُ ساقِطاً كُلُّ نَجمٍ

إِذ تَلاشى تَصاغُراً وَاِضمَحَلّا

Each star fell from the sky in surrender,

Becoming small and fading into nothingness.

وَأَضاءَت بَيروتُنا وَاِستَنارَت

وَتَبدَّت بِنورِهِ تَتَحلّى

Our Beirut was illuminated and became radiant,

Adorning itself with its light elegantly.

مَن رَآها غَيرَ الثريّا فَهَلّا

أَبصَرَ البدرَ حَيثُ فيها حَلّا

Whoever saw it other than thriving, rejoiced,

For they saw the full moon residing in it.

رَقَصت فَرحَةً بِه وَسُرورَاً

وَغَدَت بِالّذي تَمَنَّت تَمَلَّى

It danced happily with joy,

Becoming content with what it had wished for.

وَبَدَت تَتلو سورَةَ الحَمدِ شُكراً

إِذ أَحسَّت بِسورَةِ النورِ تُتْلى

And it seemed to recite the Surah of Gratitude,

When it sensed the reciting of the Surah of Light.

قابَلَتْهُ عَلى السّرورِ فَقالَت

مَرحَباً مَرحَباً وأهلاً وسهلا

It welcomed it with delight and said,

Welcome, welcome, welcome my friend.

مَرحَباً بِالهُمامِ عينِ المَوالي

أَشرَفِ النّاسِ مَحْتِداً ثمّ أَصلا

Welcome O pillar of glory, eye of the loyalists,

Noblest of people, then most judicious.

ذُروةُ العزِّ جَوهَرُ المَجدِ فَخراً

وَأَكمَلُ النّاسِ فِطنةً ثمّ عَقلا

The peak of might, essence of glory, bow down,

And most perfect of people in insight and intellect.

كُلُّ عَلياء فَهْيَ دونَ عُلاهُ

لَو عَلَتْ لا تَطولُ مِنهُنَّ رِجلا

All glory is beneath his glory,

If it rose, it would not reach his feet.

فَهوَ عَبدُ المَولى وَمولى شَريفٌ

مَن رَأى سَيِّداً كَعَبدِ المَولى

He is the servant of the Master and the noble Master,

Who saw a master like the servant of the Master?

فَاِسأَلِ البحرَ هَل يُدانيهِ عِلماً

وَاِسأَلِ السُّحْبَ هل تُحاكيهِ فَضْلا

So ask the sea, does it match his knowledge?

And ask the clouds, do they parallel his virtue?

هاكَ أَيّها السّمَيْدَعُ فَضلاً

بِنتَ خِدْرٍ لَها التخيّلُ أَملى

The daughter of Khadr, imagining led her astray.

So accept her without any command,

فَاِلْقَها بِالقَبولِ مِن غَيرِ أَمرٍ

حَيثُ فيكَ القَبولُ أَحرى وَأَولى

For acceptance from you is more proper and appropriate.

And live the lifetime without constriction,

وَعِشِ الدّهرَ لا تُضامُ بِضَيْمٍ

وَعَروسُ الهَناءِ عِندَكَ تُجلى

For the bride of bliss is unveiled before you.