شَمسُ الكَمالِ كَسا بَيروتَنا حُلَلاً

مِنْ نُورِ طَلعَتِهِ لمّا حَلا وَحُلا

The sun of perfection adorned our Beirut

With its radiant rising's light when it rose and set

غَزالُ سِربٍ غَزا الألْبابَ ناظِرُهُ

وثَوْبُ سُقْمٍ لجِسْمي بالهَوى غَزَلا

A gazelle of a herd whose gaze captivated hearts

And a garment of lovesickness knitted for my body

بَدرُ الجَمال جَمالُ البَدرِ حلَّ بها

قَد حلَّ بُرْجَ العُلى والعِزّ مُكتَمِلا

The full moon of beauty, the beauty of the full moon settled in it

Having settled fully in the mansion of glory and honor

الجَوهَرُ الفَرْدُ عقدُ المَجْدِ من نُظِمَتْ

بِهِ الفَضايِلُ حَتّى زَيَّنَ الفُضَلا

The unique pearl, the necklace of glory was strung

With virtues until excellence was adorned

وَمَنْ سَما في سَماءِ العزِّ مُرْتَفِعاً

فَوقَ السِّماكِ عَلى أَوْجِ السُّهى وعَلا

And whoever rose high in the sky of honor

Above the stars to the peak of loftiness and ascended

الأَلمَعي حَسَنُ الأفعالِ ذُو حَسَبٍ

عليُّ قَدْرٍ عَلى أمثالِهِ كَملا

The brilliant, excellent in deed, of noble lineage

Exalted in rank above the like of him completely

أَعْني بِذا أحْمَدَ البَرْبيرَ من جُمِعَتْ

فيهِ مَزايا بها قد نَبْلُغُ الأمَلا

I mean by this Ahmad Al-Barbari whom were collected

In him qualities by which we may attain hope

نَسْلُ الأكارِمِ بحرٌ منْ مَكارِمِهِ

إكرامُ وافِدِهِ إن نحوَهُ وصَلا

The progeny of nobles, a sea of his noble deeds

Honoring his guest if he comes to him

كلُّ المَحاسِنِ نورٌ من محاسِنِهِ

لَمّا عَلى الحُسْنِ من دونِ الوَرى اِشتَملا

All beauty is light from his beauty

For when alone in beauty in the world he was comprehensive

لهُ حَديثٌ غَريبُ النّظْمِ سَلسَلهُ

بكلِّ معنىً لَطيفٍ حَيَّرَ العَقلا

He has a wondrously composed discourse, its series

Perplexing the mind with every subtle meaning

هَذا هوَ الكَوكَبُ الزُّهْريْ الَّذي مُحِيَتْ

عنّا الغُمومُ بهِ لمّا الهُمومَ جَلا

This is the rose-colored planet by which

Clouds were swept from us when anxieties departed

شَبَّهْتُهُ البَدْرَ لكِنْ لَيسَ يُشبِهُهُ

فَذا يَغيبُ وهذا قطُّ ما أفَلا

I compared him to the full moon but he does not resemble it

For that disappears while this never declined

هَذا الَّذي قَد حَوى حِلماً بلا شَبَهٍ

لِأَنَّهُ مِنْ كَمالِ الحِلمِ قدْ جُبِلا

This one who contained a peerless patience

For he was created with the essence of patience

هَذا الَّذي هامَ قلبي عندَ رُؤيَتِهِ

شجاً فَيا وَيْلَ مَنْ فيهِ لَنا عَذَلا

This one at whose sight my heart sighed passionately

So woe to whoever angers us with him!

تبسَّمَ الدّهْرُ مِنْ فيهِ بهِ فَرِحاً

يُشيرُ لي أنَّهُ قُطبُ الزّمانِ بِلا

The universe smiled at him joyfully

Signaling to me that he is the axis of time without doubt

يَمِّمْ حِماهُ لتَجْني منْ بَدائِعِهِ

دُرَّ العُقودِ إِلى أَنْ تَبلُغَ الأجَلا

Seek his protection so you reap from his wonders

Necklaces of pearls until you reach your term

وَاِقْصدْهُ تهدِكَ نيرانُ القِرى سُبلاً

لرَبْعِهِ المُعْتَلى مِنْ غَير أنْ تَسَلا

And seek him, the fires of calamities make smooth roads

To his sublime encampment without you slipping

ولا تَكُنْ غافِلاً عنْ فَيْضِ راحَتِهِ

فَلَيْسَ يُنْكِرُ ذا إِلّا الَّذي جَهِلا

And be not unaware of the abundance of his comfort

For none denies it except one ignorant

لا زالَ طالِعُهُ بالسَّعْدِ مُقتَرِناً

يزيدُهُ رِفعَةً لا ينتهي وعُلا

His rising star remains coupled with happiness

Increasing his loftiness endlessly

ما هزَّ غُصنَ الرُبى ريحٌ وما نشَدَتْ

شمسُ الكَمالِ كَسا بَيْروتَنا حُلَلا

No wind shook the branch of basil, and the sun of perfection adorned our Beirut