أَقْرِيءِ الْقَوْمَ سَلاَمِي وَاعْتِذارِي

حَجَبَتْني عِلَّةٌ فِي عُقْرِ دَارِي

Convey my greetings and apology to the people,

An illness has kept me confined in the depths of my house.

عَاوَدَتْنِي جَارَةُ السَّوْءِ الَّتِي

فارَقَتْنِي مُنْذُ أَيَّامٍ قِصَارِ

My bad neighbor has returned and afflicted me again,

After parting from me for just a few short days.

أَسَرَتْنِي مَرَّةً ثَانِيَة

بَعْدَ ظَنِّي أَنَّها فَكَّت إِسَارِي

She has captured me a second time,

After I thought she had freed me from her fetters.

إِنْ تَنَلْ عَابِدَ شمْسٍ نَارُهَا

لاَ يَدِنْ بَعْدَ تَوَلِّيَهَا بِنَارِ

If the worshipper of a blazing sun is touched by its fire,

He will not go near its flames again after turning away.

مَا بِجِسْمِي مِنْ بَقَايَا هِمَّتِي

غَيْرُ ضَعْفٍ وَالتِوَاءٍ وَانْكِسَارْ

Nothing remains in my body except weakness, contortion and defeat;

In men of stature this is called dignity and composure.

بِيَ وَقْرٌ يُشْبِهُ الشَّيءَ الَّذِي

فِي أَولِي الجَّاهِ يُسَمَّى بِالْوَقَارِ

Yesterday I had a hardy constitution,

But today my body denies and rejects it.

كَانَ لِي بِالأَْمْسِ جَأْشٌ رَابِطٌ

فَغَدَا يُنْكِرُهُ الْيَوْمَ دُوَارِي

It is fate that has estranged me from you,

So I remain seated, but by compulsion.

إِنَّما دَهرِيَ عَنْكُمْ عَاقَني

فَأَنَا الْقَاعِدُ لَكِنْ بِاضْطِرارِ

Had my endeavor or its goal been otherwise,

I would not have delayed my address by choice.

لَوْ بِغَيْرِ السَّعيِ أَوْ مَوْضِعِهِ

كَانَ خَطْبِي لَمْ أَؤَخِّرْ بِاخْتِيَارِي

O my brother Sarkis, say on my behalf

To the throngs of people, so they may understand,

يَا أَخِي سَركِيسُ قُلْ عَنِّي عَلَى

مَلإِ النَّاسِ لِمُصْغٍ بِاعْتِبَارِ

That creation most deserves praise when

It cares for fledglings just learning to fly.

أَجْدَرُ الخَلْقِ بِحَمْدٍ مَنْ رَعَى

تَاعِسَاتِ الْجَدِّ فِي النَّشْءِ الصِّغَارِ

The people of God's kindness remain as they were -

The people of lofty stations and great deeds.

آلُ لُطْفِ اللهِ مَا زَالُوا عَلَى

عَهْدِهِمْ أَهْلَ المَقَامَاتِ الكِبَارِ

They vie with one another in munificence -

Men in generosity and women in adornment of homes.

يَتَبَارَوْنَ رِجَالاً بِالنَّدَى

وَنِسَاءً ذَلِكُمْ نِعْمَ التَّبارِي

May God bless their wealth

And protect them from every loss and detriment;

بَارَكَ اللهُ لَهُمْ فِي مَالِهِمْ

وَوَقَاهمْ كُلَّ غَبْنٍ وَخَسَارِ

May He reward with goodness those among the honorable people

Who have supported them in excellent character.

وَجَزَى بِالخَيْرِ مَنْ آزَرَهُمْ

فِي المُرُوءَاتِ مِنَ الْقَوْمِ الْخِيَارِ

This abode of stability was built by

Blessings from the gentlest of hands.

شِيدَ هَذَا المَشْغلُ الثَّبْتُ عَلَى

نِعَمٍ مِنْ أَلْطَفِ الأَْيْدِي جَوَارِ

The people here are blessed with fine youths

Whose goodness has inspired them to ready service,

حَبَّذا الْقَوْمُ هُنَا مِنْ فِتْيَةٍ

قَدْ دَعَا البِرُّ فَوَفُّوْا بِابْتِدَارِ

And fair maidens who excel in

Beautifying the world and prospering homes.

وَعَقِيلاتٍ بِمَا يُحْسِنَّهُ

زِينَةُ الدُّنْيَا وَعُمْرَانُ الدِّيَارِ

Thus excellence, and you have gained its reward,

And with it freedom from any fault.

هَكَذا الْفَضْلُ وَفِيتُمْ أَجْرَهُ

وَكُفِيتُمْ مَعَهُ كُلَّ عِثَارِ

For the married couple sought only

The height of virtue with resolve.

إِنَّما الزَّوْجَانِ حَيْثُ ابْتَغَيَا

غَايَةَ الْخَيْرِ بِعَزْمٍ مُتبَارِ

Like "dew" in its singular term, yet possessing

Two meanings that share the beauty of proximity.

كَالنَّدَى فِي وَحْدَةِ اللَّفظِ لَهُ

مَعْنَيَانِ اقْتَسَمَا حُسْنَ الْجِوَارِ

So it is his munificence, by which the lofty are built,

And it is the rain, by which the tender plants are watered.

فَهُوَ الْجُودُ بِهِ تُبْنَى الْعُلَى

وَهُوَ الْقَطْرُ بِهِ رِيُّ الأُوَارِ