نَسِيمُ لُبْنَانَ حَيَّانِي ضُحى فَشَفَى
مَا فِي فُؤَادِي مِنَ العلاَّتِ وَالحُرَقِ
The breeze of Lebanon revived me at dawn, and healed
What was in my heart of ailments and burning.
وَالطِّيبُ حِينَ تَذكَّى فِي خَمَائِلِه
دُجىً أَدَالَ هَنِيءَ النَّوْمِ مِنْ أَرَقِي
And the perfume, when it permeated in its vines,
Cast at night a calm that dispelled my wakefulness.
أَفْدِي مَعَارِجَ فِي عُلْيَا ذَوَائِبِهِ
تَرُوعُ مُهْجَةَ رَاقِيَهَا إِلى الفَرقِ
I sacrifice the ascending steps in its lofty twisting,
That terrify the soul of its climber to the parting.
تَسْتَوْحِشُ العَيْنُ مِنْهَا ثُمَّ يُؤْنِسُهَا
مَا افْتَرَّ فِي القَاعٍ مِنْ زَهْرٍ وَمِنْ وَرَقِ
The eye is lonesome for it, then it comforts it
With what blossomed in the valley of flowers and leaves.
حِمىً تَحَلَّى بِزِينَاتٍ مُنَوَّعَةٍ
مَا بَيْنَ مُتَّصلٍ لُطْفاً وَمُفْتَرِقِ
A protected place adorned with varied decorations,
Connecting charm smoothly and separating.
هَوَى النُّفوسَ جَمِيعٌ فِيهِ مُتَّفقٌ
وَالحُسْنُ فِيهِ بَدِيعٌ غَيْرُ مُتَّفقِ
All souls incline towards it in agreement,
And its beauty therein is wondrous, beyond accord.
فِي حَفْلَةٍ بِذَوِي الأَحْسَابِ حَافِلَةٍ
سَرتْ قُلُوباً وَكَانَتْ قُرَّةَ الحَدَقِ
In a gathering of people of sophistication thronging,
Hearts were delighted, and it was rest for the eyes.
شَهِدْتُها وَأَمِينُ الرُّوحِ يُسْمِعُنا
قَوْلُ الحَكِيمِ بِظَرْفِ المُبْدِعِ اللَّبِقِ
I witnessed it, and the trustee of the soul made us hear
The saying of the wise, with the grace of the eloquent.
فَلَمْ أَخَلْ نَثْرَهُ إِلاَّ حُلىً نُظِمَتْ
فِي سَمْطِ دُرِّ بَدِيعِ الصَّوْغِ مُنْتَسِقِ
So I found his prose nothing but strung pearls,
Arranged in necklaces of wonderful, consistent work.
يَا دَارَ عِلْمٍ نُحيِّيهَا بِعَالِيَةٍ
خِتَامُ عَامِكِ مِسْكٌ فَائِحُ العَبَقِ
O house of knowledge, we greet you with loftiness,
The seal of your year is lasting fragrant musk.
أَيَتِنَا أَنْجُماً فِي الرَّوْضِ طَالِعَةً
أَبْهَى بِأَعْيُنِنَا مِنْ أَنْجُمِ الأُفقِ
You brought us stars in the garden rising,
More beautiful to our eyes than stars of the horizon.
فِتْيَانُ سَبْقٍ بِآدَابٍ وَمَعْرِفَةٍ
إِذَا النُّهى اسْتَبَقَتْ فِي خَيْرِ مُسْتَبَقِ
Young men of precedence, in manners and knowledge,
When ambitions raced towards the best of racers.
أُتِمَّ بِالخُلْقِ الرَّاقِي تَأَدُّبُهُمْ
وَلاَ نَجَاحَ بِلاَ عَوْنٍ مِنَ الخُلُقِ
Completed in refined morals, their refinement,
And no success without support from character.
دَارٌ عَلَى أَثْبَتِ الأَرْكَانِ شَيَّدَهَا
أَخُو حِجىً لَيْسَ بِالوَانِي وَلاَ النَّزِقِ
A house built on the firmest pillars,
A brother of sanctuary, neither weak, nor prodigal.
شِبْلٌ يقِلُّ مُجَارِيهِ إِذَا انْطَلَقَتْ
لِلْخَيْرِ هِمَّتهُ فِي كُلِّ مُنْطَلَقِ
Cubs who seldom miss opportunities, whenever
They set out for good, their resolve in every setting out.
بِالعَزْمِ ما بَعُدَ الفَتْحُ العزِيزُ مَضَى
وَالرَّأْيِ مَا رَقِيَ القَصْدُ المَرُومُ رَقِي
With determination, triumph comes after the precious opening,
And with opinion, the intended ascends the high ascent.
يا شِرْعَةَ العِلْمِ لا زَالَتْ مَرَابِعُنَا
تُسْقَى فُيُوضَ نَمِيرٍ مِنْكِ مُنْدَفقِ
O charter of knowledge, our squares are still
Watered by an abundant flow streaming from you.
وَيَا مَنَارَةَ فَضْلٍ بَاهِرٍ وَهُدىً
لاَ ينْتَهِي فَجرُهَا الزَّاهِي إِلَى شَفَقِ
And O lighthouse of manifest virtue and guidance,
Whose radiant dawn never ends to dusk.
تَبْدُو مِنَ الغَسَقِ الدَّاجِي أَشِعَّتها
كَشَّافَةً غُمَماً مِنْ ذلِكَ الغَسَقِ
Your rays appear from the gloomy darkness,
Dispelling clouds of that darkness.
دُومي علَى الدَّهْرِ مُذْكَاةً وَمُهَدِيَةً
إِلَى النُّهى كُلَّ نُورٍ مِنْكِ مُؤْتَلِقِ
Lasting through time, ignited and guiding,
To ambitions every light from you flaring.
