إِلَى الْغَادَةِ الزَّهْرَاءِ مِنْ آلِ فَاضِلٍ

إِلَى الْكَوْكَبِ الوَضَّاحِ مِنْ آلِ مَسْعَد

To the radiant and blossoming Mishaal from the esteemed house of Fayyad

To the brilliant star from the abode of Massaad

تَحِيَّاتِ دَاعٍ لِلْعَرُوسَيْنِ مُخْلِصاً

بَأَنْ يَبْلُغَا أَوْجِيْ صَفَاءٍ وَسُؤْدَدِ

The greetings of a supplicant for the blessed couple sincerely

Wishing for them the utmost purity and tranquility

وَأَنْ يُعْمَرا عُمْراً طَوِيلاً وَيَلْبَثَا

بِنُعْماءِ تُفْضِي كُلَّ يَوْمٍ إِلى غَدِ

And for them to live long, fulfilled lives and abide

In bounty that grows greater each passing day

وَأَنْ يَمْكُثَا فِي أُلْفَةٍ وَمَحَبَّةٍ

يَظَلُّ غَيُوراً مِنْهُمَا كُلُّ فَرْقَدِ

And for them to live in harmony, affection

With devoted protection from all who disrupt

أَمِينَيْنِ فِي جَاهِ الأَمِينِ وَظِلِّهِ

نِكَايَاتِ أَعْدَاءٍ وَأَعْيُنِ حُسَّدِ

Secure in the refuge of the Trustworthy, under His shade

From the evil of enemies and eyes of envy

أَمِينٌ بَنَى لِلْمَجْدِ بَيْتاً مُشَيَّداً

عَلَى الْجَدِّ أَعْظَم بِالْبِنَاءِ المُشَيَّدِ

The Trustworthy has built a glorious edifice of might

On excellence, the greatest building firmly founded

حَذَا حَذْوَهُ مِيشِيلُ بَلْ زَادَ هِمَّةً

وَمَنْ لأَبِيهِ بِالشَّبَابِ المُجَدِّدِ

Michel has followed in his footsteps, nay with greater vigor

As befits one whose father renews youth again

فَتىً قَبَلٌ سَمحُ الْمُحَيَّا كَأَنَّهُ

كَمِيتُ الحِمِيُا طَاهِرُ القَلْبِ وَاليَدِ

A noble young man, generous, of pleasing address as though

He were Al-Mutanabbi, pure of heart and deed

عَلَى النَّفْعِ مِقْدَامٌ عَنِ الضَرِّ مُحْجَمٌ

إِذَا مَا اسْتَبَانَ الرَّأْيَ لَمْ يَتَرَدَّدِ

Bold in benefaction, sparing of harm

Decisive when a matter is clear, without hesitation

وَلَوْ شِئْتُ تعْدَاداً لأَوْصَافِ آلِهِ

لأَطْرَبْتُكُمْ بِالْحَقَّ لاَ بِالتَوَدُّدِ

And if I wished to enumerate the virtues of his family

I would entrance you with the truth, not mere flattery

هُمُ الأَهْلُ وَالأَحْبَابُ وَالجِيرَةُ الأُولى

لِذِكْرَاهُمُ فِي الْقَلْبِ أَشْهَى تَرَدُّدِ

They are the kin, loved ones, and foremost of neighbors

Whose memory in the heart is most delightful to revisit

رَأَيْنَا كَمَالَ الأُمِّ وَالبَيْتَ عِنْدَهُمْ

وَحِكْمَةَ فِتْيَانٍ وَعِفَّةَ خَرَّدِ

We have seen the perfection of mother and home through them

And the wisdom of youth and chastity of the elderly

وَأَيّاً تُعَاشِرْ شَاهِداً كَنْهَ أَمْرِهِ

تَجِدْ مَحْضَهُ لَيْسَ الْمَغِيبُ كَمَشْهَد

And whoever you know from them in person or reputation

You will find they are the same, concealed as seen

كَفَى الْوُدَّ عِنْدِي أَنَّهُمْ نَبْتُ زَحْلَةٍ

وَزَحْلَةُ لِي دَارٌ وَجَارَةُ مَوْلِدِ

It is enough, the affection I have for them, that they are scions of Zahle

And Zahle is to me a home and birthplace

قَضَيْتُ بِهَا عَهْداً فَمَا زِلْتُ رَاجِعاً

إِلَيْهِ بِقَلْبٍ شَيِّقٍ مُتَعَهِّدِ

I made a pact with it, and have not ceased returning

To it, with a yearning and devoted heart

إِلَّي حَبِيبٌ قُوْمُها وَهَوَاؤُهَا

وَمَا ثَمَّ مِنْ حَيٍّ وَمَاءٍ وجَلْمَد

It has for me a beloved people, air, and clime

With no other living being or water or barren land

تُنَاظِرُ طُوْدَيْهَا بِمِرْآةِ نَهْرِهَا

وَبَهْجَةَ مَا فِي لَيْلِهَا مِنْ تَوَقُّدِ

Its heights survey its river by reflection

And the exhilaration of its nights with their fires

بِوَحْيِ هَوَاهَا رَاعَ شِعْرِي إِجَادَةً

فَأَنْشَدَهُ فِي قَوْمِهِ كُل مُنْشِدِ

Its passion inspired in my poetry a fluency

That all who recite verse there intone

فَإِنِّي لِمَا أَدْرِي وذَاكَ مَكَانَهُ

أَأَخْلَدْتُهُ فِي النَّاسِ أَمْ هُوَ مُخْلِدِي

So I do not know, such is its stature

If I immortalized it among people, or it immortalized me

أُهَنِّيءُ مِيشِيلَ الْعَزِيزَ وَآلَهُ

أُهَنِّيءُ أَزْكَى غَادَةٍ طِيبِ مُحْتَدِ

I congratulate the esteemed Michel and his family

I congratulate the most virtuous and fragrant Mishaal

مِنَ الْعُنْصُرِ الأَنْقَى مِنَ الْمَعْدَنِ الَّذِي

فَرَائِدَهُ مَخْلُوقَةٌ لِلْتَفَرُّدِ

Of the purest lineage, of the metal which

Is singular in the excellence of its ingots

عَرُوسٌ بِهَا الْحُسْنَانِ خُلْقاً وَخِلْقَةً

يَقُولاَنِ سُبْحَانَ الْمَلِيكِ المُوَحَّدِ

A bride with beauty of form and character

That declare: Glory to the One, the Unique

أَلاَ فَاغْنَمَا صَفْوَ الْحَيَاةِ وَسَعْدَهَا

وَجِيئا بِنَسْلٍ صَالِحٍ مُتَعَدَّدِ

Come! Enjoy the essence of life and its joy

And produce goodly offspring, manifold