يا راحِلين بِقَلبي وَالنُهى أَفَلا
تَرون نَجم سُروري بَعدَكُم أَفَلا
O my companions, though we parted, don't you see
The star of my joy has not set since you left
أَحباب قَلبيَ لا كانَ الوداعُ وَلا
كانَ الفراق وَلا كانَ البِعاد وَلا
My beloved friends, there was no farewell
No separation, no distance between us
كُنتُم وَكُنّا كَأَغصان الرِياض إِذا
غَنَّت بَلابلها مِلنا بِها جَذلا
You were like garden branches, when
Their nightingales sang, we delighted in their trilling
بِنتُم فَبانَ اِصطِباري بَعدَكُم لَهفاً
كَأَنَّ ما قيلَ قَد أَضحى لَنا مَثَلا
You left, and my patience after you was like burning longing
As if what was said had become for us an example
لَولا مُفارقة الأَحباب ما وجدت
لَها المَنايا إِلى أَرواحنا سُبُلا
If not for the parting of loved ones, death
Would have not found its way to our souls
لا فَرَّق اللَه شَملاً مِن أَحبّتنا
عَلى الصَفا وَالوَفا يا طالَما اِشتَمَلا
May God not separate a fellowship of our loved ones
United in loyalty and faithfulness, they gathered
كُنّا نُغازل غِزلان النَقا فَإِذا
بِتنا وَباتَت سَهرنا نَنتَقي الغَزَلا
We used to flirt with the gazelles of Naqaa, so
Our nights passed as we picked the flowers of flirtation
رَعى لَياليَ أَفراح لَنا سَلفت
بِلذّة العَيش كَم نِلنا بِها أَمَلا
Past nights of joy shepherded for us
Moments of pleasurable living, hopes we attained
كَم لَيلة أَشرَقَت فيها كَواكبنا
وَبَينَها القَمَر الباهي الَّذي اِكتَمَلا
Many a night when our stars shone
With the splendid full moon in their midst
أَعني بِهِ السَيّد اللَوزيّ مِن شرفت
بِهِ المَنازل عزّاً أَينما نَزَلا
I speak of Sir Luzi, ennobled lineage
Exalted wherever he stayed in the mansions
المُفرَد الأَوحَدُ الأَسخى يَداً ونَدىً
وَالماجد الأَمجدُ الأَسمى تقىً وَعُلى
The singular, most generous, open-handed and friendly
The most glorious, most devout and most lofty
مهذَّب لَيسَ فيهِ ما يُعاب سِوى
بَذل المَكارم وَالحلم الَّذي فَضلا
Well-mannered, no shortcoming but
For bestowing bounty and clemency he excelled
مِن الأَكارم إِلّا أَنَّهُ رَجلٌ
لَهُ المَحامد جسم وَالكَمال حُلى
Of the generous but that he's a man
Whose praised traits and perfect form are resplendent
ما رقّة الماء ما لُطف النَسيم وَما
نَوافح الطلّ مَهما باكَرت طَللا
Not the softness of water, the breeze's gentleness, the dew's caress
However early it appears can compare to his kind temperament
يَوماً بِأَلطف مِن أَخلاقِهِ شِيَماً
وَلا أَرقّ مِن الطَبع الَّذي اِعتَدَلا
Nor anything more refined than the balanced nature
That made me love what those traits encompassed
أَحبب بِما قَد حَوَت تِلكَ الشَمائل مِن
طيب الشَمائل وَاللطف الَّذي شَملا
Of pleasant traits and kindness that embraced
The shining exploits of his sword arm
مَآثر كفرندِ السَيف باهِرَة
وَهمّة مثل حَدّ السَيف إِن عَملا
A resolve like the sword's edge when brought to bear
However the generous writers searched them out
مَهما تَحرّى الكرام الكاتِبون لَها
لَم يَكتُبوا خَطأ مِنها وَلا خَطلا
They wrote no falsehood or error about them
Do not blame him for generosity, he is intent on it
لا تَعذلوه عَلى بَذل النَدى فَلَهُ
بِالبَذل صارم عزم يسبق العذلا
Outstripping reluctance, that is manliness
And manliness now is but a word misunderstood
وَما المُروءة إِلّا لَفظة جُهِلت
في عَصرِنا هُوَ مَعناها الَّذي اِحتَمَلا
He is its meaning that it has borne
The lofty tunes of nobility stir him to rapture
تَهزّه أَريحيات العُلى طَرَباً
كَشارب الراح هَزَّتهُ الطِلا ثَمِلا
Like drink stirs the drunkard, to guzzle more
What a boon companion, far from any blemish
نعم الخَليل الَّذي عَن كُلّ شائِبة
خَلَت سَجاياه حَتّى لا ترى خَلَلا
His traits so pure no flaw can be seen
Since he arrived in Beirut, Taimis cannot stop
مُذ حَلَّ بيروت لَم تَبرَح تَميس بِهِ
تيهاً وَعجباً وَيَكسوها الهَنا حُللا
Roaming after him, amazed, dressed in gowns of bliss
O full moon, though absent, Taimis cannot stop
يا بَدر لا غبت لَم تَبرَح تَميس بِها
عمَّ الدِيار وَعَمَّ السَهل وَالجَبَلا
Pervading the lands, plains and mountains
No tears flowed the day he left
لا صبَّ مَدمَع صَبٍّ مِنكَ يَوم نَوى
وَلا مَلا بِالجَوى مِنّا قُلوب ملا
Nor our hearts filled, though we are distraught
Would that the hearts that were our trust
لَيتَ القُلوب الَّتي كانَت وديعَتنا
عِندَ المودَّع قَد كانَت لَهُ بَدَلا
With the departed were his replacement
Parting does not empower one far from home
وَما الوَداع عَلى حفظ الوِداد بِنا
بِفاعل بَعدَ بُعد الدار ما فَعَلا
To keep affection as before he acted
Beloved ones, though you left and hearts went too
أَحبابنا إِن رَحَلتُم وَالفُؤاد مَعاً
راعوا فُؤادي الَّذي مِن أَجلِكُم رَحَلا
Guard my heart that left for your sake
Send messages, do not deprive us
صِلوا وَلا تمنعوا عَنّا رَسائِلَكُم
فَنُرسل الدَمع مِن أَجفانِنا رُسُلا
So we send our tears to you as messengers
You are stars whose rise has not vanished
أَنتُم كَواكب لا غابَت مَطالعكم
عَنّا وَلا زالَ حَبل الودّ مُتَّصِلا
From us, nor has the bond of love been severed
May He who never fails those who pray to Him
عَسى عَلى أَحسَن الأَحوال يَجمَعُنا
مَن لا يخيِّب راجيهِ إِذا سَأَلا
Reunite us in the best of conditions
