مَطالع سَعد قَد تَجَلَّت كَواكِبُه

وَعزٌّ بَدَت تَجلو التَهاني مَواكِبُه

The auspicious stars of Sa'd have risen

And glory appears, its congratulations becoming companions

وَمَجدٌ بِهِ التَوفيق لا زالَ مسعداً

لَنا منجداً فيما لَدَيهِ نُراقِبُه

And the glory of success continues to make him fortunate

Remaining helpful for us in all that we observe of him

وَيمنٌ بِهِ غَيث الهَنا هَطلت عَلى

رِياض رُبى الآمال مِنّا سَحائبُه

And the rain of joy with him pours down

Upon the gardens nurturing our hopes from his clouds

وَأمنٌ لَنا الإقبال أَنجز وَعدَه

بِهِ فَإِلى كَم ذا الأَماني تراقبُه

And the promise of safety fulfilled for us

To what hopes do we aspire that watch him

وَعَهدٌ لَنا حَيّا الحَيا مِنهُ مَعهَداً

سَقانا مِن الأَفراح ما هُوَ شارِبُه

And a covenant for us kept alive

Quenching us from joys that he drinks

وَعَيشٌ صَفا فيهِ لَنا زَمَن الصَفا

وَرقّت مَعانيهِ وَراقَت مَشاربُه

And a life of purity in which for us there was an age of purity

And its meanings softened and its drinks became delicious

وَبشرٌ بِهِ نجب البَشائر أَقبَلَت

فَيا حَبَّذا ما حُمِّلته نَجائبُه

And good tidings with which the choice tidings came

So excellent is what its carriers brought

وَأنسٌ بِهِ أُنسيتُ ما أَنا نائل

مِن الدَهر حَتّى اِستسمح الدَهر عاتبُه

And intimacy through which I was consoled for what I attained

From fate until fate sought pardon from its blamer

وَفَضل مِن الرَحمَن فازَ بِهِ المَلا

وَقَد سَعدت آرابهُ وَمَآربُه

And grace from The Merciful which the sum of glories attained

And his ways and goals prospered

فَشُكراً لَكَ اللَهُمّ يا مَن بِشُكره

تَدوم لَنا نعماؤُهُ وَمَواهِبُه

So thanks to You, O God, for in thanking Him

His blessings and gifts to us endure

عَلى ما بِهِ أَنعَمت مِن رُتب العلا

عَلى مَن بِهِ يَسمو العلا وَمَراتبُه

For the ranks of elevation which He conferred

Upon the one through whom glory ascends the ranks of glory

هُوَ الدُرُّ مُذ نادوهُ باِسم مُحمّد

تَحلّى بِهِ جيد العلا وَتَرائبُه

He is the pearl which, when called by the name Muhammad

Adorned itself with the beauty of necklaces

هُوَ اِبن أَمين المَجد مَن بِمَقامِهِ

سَمَت فَوقَ فرق الفرقدين مَناصبُه

He is the son of the trustee of glory, whose position

Ascended above the positions of the shining stars

فَيا بَهجة الأَيّام ثب دَرج العُلى

تَجد كُلَّ فَخرٍ دونَ ما أَنتَ واثِبُه

So O joy of days, climb the stair of elevation

You will find all pride beneath what you climb

وَسابق بخيلِ الجَدِّ في كُلِّ غايَة

فَما شرفت بِالسبق إِلّا سَلاهبُه

And race ahead in the trail of glory in every goal

None pridefully raced ahead but his horses

وَجَرِّد حسام العَزم لا فلَّ غَربهُ

وَلا وَهنت طول الزَمان مَضارِبُه

And unsheathe the sword of resolve, may its west not weaken

Nor the length of time enfeeble its blades

وَصد مِن أبيّات النهى كُلَّ آبدٍ

وَقَيّدهُ بِالحلم الَّذي أَنتَ صاحِبُه

And deter all shameless rebel

And restrain him with the forbearance you possess

فَإِنّي أَرى البازيَّ يَعدوهُ صَيده

إِذا لَم تمكَّنْ مِن حشاه مَخالبُه

For I see the falcon taking him as prey

If his claws do not grasp his abdomen

إِذا المَرء لَم يَستخدم الحَزم قَصَّرت

مَساعيهِ عَن إِدراك ما هُوَ طالِبُه

When a man does not employ wisdom, his efforts fall short

Of attaining what he seeks

أَرى الحلم عُنوان السَعادة لِلفَتى

إِذا اِستعمل الحلم الفَتى عزَّ جانبُه

I see forbearance as the mark of felicity for a youth

If a youth employs forbearance, his side is strengthened

أَرى خاطِبَ العَلياءِ حاطِبَ لَيلِها

إِذا فقد المِصباح فَاللَيل حاطِبُه

I see the suitor of the aloof, gathering firewood by night

When the lamp is gone, the night gathers him

وَمَن بِالتُقى يَعتَزّ في طَلَب العلا

تذلُّ لَهُ هاماته وَمَناكبُه

And he who prides in piety, seeking elevation

Its zeal and determination submit to him

فَدَيتك لا عَجَباً عَلَيكَ بِما بِهِ

أَتيت وَإِن لاحَت لَدَيك عَجائبُه

My life for you, no wonder upon you for what

With which you came, even if its wonders appeared to you

فَمِن بَحرك الطامي اِكتَسَبت جَواهِراً

وَها أَنا أهدي خَير ما أَنا كاسبُه

For from your boundless sea, you collected pearls

And here I present the best that I attained

كَفى بِكَ فَضلاً أَنّ عِلمك وافِرٌ

وَأَنّ تَمادي النَفس حلمك غالبُه

Your abundant knowledge suffices as a favor

And that your forbearance prevails over the soul's transgression

نُبالَة فكر لَيسَ تخطي نِبالُهُ

فَلا غَرَض إِلّا وَسَهمك صائِبُه

The nobility of thought whose arrows do not miss

So no purpose but your arrow hits it

وَحسن بَيان طالَما طالَ ذَيله

وَأَنتَ عَلى سحبان وائل ساحبُه

And good rhetoric whose train is so long

While you ride the Suhayl of Wāʾil's rising star

أَرى كَرَم الأَخلاق شَرعاً وَإِنَّما

سَجايا أَبيك الغُرّ هُنَّ مَذاهبُه

I see the nobility of character a natural disposition

For your father the accomplished, they are his ways

إِذا الشبل لَم يَحمِ حِمى اللَيث أَوشَكَت

لَدى الغاب أَن تَسطو عَلَيهِ ثَعالبُه

If the cub does not protect the sanctuary of the lion

The forest beasts will soon overpower him

تَقلّد سَيف الحَزم والدك الَّذي

سَما حَزمه فَالدَهر لَيسَ يحاربُه

Take up the sword of resolve, like your father whose

Resolve the ages do not battle

تَدرّع بَأساً وَاِمتَطى صَهوة الحجا

فَلاحَت لَهُ مِن كُلِّ أَمرٍ عَواقبُه

Don the armor of courage, and mount the steed of glory

So its consequences for every matter appeared to him

فَتىً هَذَّبتهُ يَقظة الحلم وَالنُهى

وَعرَّفه طَبعَ الزَمان تَجاربُه

A young man whom the wakefulness of wisdom and prohibition nurtured

And the vicissitudes of time made him experienced

حَوى هِمَماً نجم السُها دونَ همِّها

إِذا ما السُها لِلناس عزَّت مَطالبُه

He contained ambitions whose star the Suhayl falls short of

When the Suhayl is glorified by people's hopes

وَرَأياً يَرى ما لا تَرى أَعيُن الوَرى

وَيَكشف عَن سرِّ الغَوامض ثاقبُه

And an opinion that sees what the eyes of creation do not see

And reveals the essence of puzzles, penetrating

كَريم إِذا اِستوهَبت ما هُوَ مالك

سِوى المَجد فاِعلَم أَنَّهُ لَكَ واهبُه

Noble, if you seek what he possesses

Except glory, then know that he is its granter

إِذا نَزل الراجي بِساحة فَضلِهِ

تَلقَّتهُ تَأهيلاته وَمَراحبُه

When a hopeful arrives at the abode of his grace

His hospitality and shelters welcome him

وَيَلقى عُفاةَ الوافِدين كَأَنَّما

عَلى طول عَهد مِنهُ وافَت حَبائِبُه

And he meets newcomers as though

His loved ones of old have come to him

لَهُ الشَرَف الأَعلى الَّذي هُوَ سالب

وَمنّي لَهُ الشُكر الَّذي أَنا ناهبُه

To him belongs the highest glory that strips

And the thanks that I seize belong to him

إِذا أَنا لَم أُطلق لِساني بِشُكرِهِ

عَلى نعم دبّت إِلَيَّ عَقاربُه

If I do not unleash my tongue in thanks

For blessings that crawled to me slowly

فَتى مَدحه يَكسو الفَتى عزّ صدقهِ

وَمَدح سِواهُ يورث الذُلّ كاذِبُه

A young man whose truthfulness in praise adorns

While other's praise inherits falsehood's disgrace

لَهُ السُؤددُ السامي عَلى كُلِّ فاخر

وَلا فَخر إِنَّ الفَخر لَيسَ يَناسبُه

To him belongs the highest commendation over all superior

And no pride befits him, for pride does not suit him

مُلوك بَني قَحطان كانَت جُدودهُ

وَسادات قَوم مِن تَنوخ أَقاربُه

The kings of Qahtan's descendants were his ancestors

And the masters of the people of Tanukh his relatives

هُمُ الأَصل إِلّا أَنَّه فرع سدرةٍ

نَمته إِلى أَن شرّفتها مَناقبُه

They are the origin, except that he is a branch of the lotus tree

Whose merits ennobled it

أَمير بِهِ أَعلام لُبنان شرّفت

فَباهَت بِهِ أَعلام كِسرى مَناصبُه

A prince through whom the flags of Lebanon were ennobled

So the flags of Chosroes' positions paled in comparison

لَهُ اللَه مِن مَولىً عَلى الحَقّ قائِمٌ

وَمُعتصم بِاللَهِ قَد عَزَّ جانبُه

To him God is a protector of truth, his side strengthened

And reliant on God, his stance became strong

يُراعي رَعاياه بِعدلٍ فَتَرتَعي

مَع الأسد آرام الفَلا وَرباربُه

He attends to his subjects with justice, so they graze

With the lion in tranquility, its cubs and pups

فَيا ساكِني لُبنان بِالعزِّ أَبشروا

فَطالع عَهد الذُلّ وَلَّت غَواربُه

So O people of Lebanon, rejoice in honor

The era of disgrace has passed and its disadvantages left

مَحا اللَه عَنكُم ظُلمة الظُلم بَعدَ ما

تَمادَت بَخيل البَغي فَيكم نَوائبُه

God erased from you the darkness of injustice after

The pitfalls of tyranny upon you prolonged

وَأَطلع مِن بُرج السَعادة أَنجُماً

بِها يَنجَلي لَيل العَنا وَغَياهِبُه

And the stars of good fortune rose from the tower of happiness

Dispelling with it the night of suffering and its darkness

هُمُ آل رَسلانَ الفَخامُ وَمَن بِهم

سَما كاهل المَجد الأَثيل وَغاربُه

They are the House of Raselan - eminent are they

And with them the shoulder of lasting glory reached its peak

وَإن أَمين الفَضل مِصباح هَديهم

لَدى ظُلمة الخطب الَّذي لا يُخاطبُه

And the trustee of favor is the lantern of its guidance

Amidst the darkness of dire calamities that does not converse with it

تَرفَّعَ قَدراً فَضله عَن مناظِرٍ

فَمن ذا يُدانيهِ بِهِ أَو يُقاربُه

His merit ascended beyond sight

So who can equal or draw close to him?

كَتائبه في الحلِّ أَسفار كتبه

وَما الكُتب في الأَسفار إِلّا كَتائبُه

Its legions in resolution are books of wisdom

And books of wisdom, what are they but his legions?

تَأسّى بِهِ الشِبل الكَريم مُحمَّد

فَنالَ بِحَمد اللَهِ ما هُوَ طالِبُه

The noble cub Muhammad followed his example

And attained, praise God, what he sought

مَراتب عزٍّ ما وَفَت حَقّ قَدره

بِها الدَولة الغَرّاء إِذ جَلَّ واجبُه

Ranks of honor did not fulfill his rightful merit

When his obligation became serious

حبت غَيرَهُ مِمّا حَبَت ذاتهُ بِهِ

وَبِالضدّ يَمتازُ العلا وَمَراتبُه

He loved others for what he loved in himself

And through its opposite, elevation and ranks are distinguished

إِذا ما سَقى الوَسميُّ زَهر حَديقة

بِفضلته تَسقي القتادَ سَحائبُه

If the ranks do not contain the people fit for it

Then no good in what strangers filled it

لِكُلّ مَقام في الأَنام مَقالة

فَلا تَستَوي بِازاته وَجَنادبُه

Wake, how long will you remain in the heedlessness of creation

And the night of joy openly challenges its riders

وَلَيسَ الَّذي زانَ العُلى بِمَناقب

كَمَن زينة العَلياءِ تَمحو مَثالبُه

Awaken and you will see the world happy with Muhammad's glory

Its wonders appearing to all people

إِذا لَم تَكُن تَحوي المَراتب أَهلها

فَلا خَير فيما قَد حَوَتهُ أَجانبُه

As though the Duja and the dawn are two armies mobilized

The tools of each and their forces

أَصاح إِلى كَم أَنتَ في غَفلة الكَرى

وَلَيل الهَنا بِالعزِّ تحدي رَكائبُه

As though the prince of night, when he saw the commotion

About the horror of what transpired, his veins shook

تنبّه ترَ الدُنيا بِمَجد مُحَمّد

سُروراً بَدَت لِلعالَمين عَجائبُه

As though the crescent of the horizon is a bare sword

Or the night a black-robed servant, its eyebrow frowning

كَأَنّ الدُجا وَالفَجر جَيشان أُعمِلَت

عَوامل كُلٍّ مِنهُما وَقواضبُه

As though the stars are a necklace of pearls scattered

So its leader shone and the pearls' owner gloated

كَأَنّ نَجاشي اللَيل إِذ شاهد الوَغى

عَلى هَول ما قَد شامَ شابَت ذَوائبُه

As though they are flowers blooming in the gardens

Or the barren land, for the wanderers, fireflies appeared

كَأَنّ هِلال الأُفق عضب مُجرّد

أَو اللَيل عَبدٌ أَسود شابَ حاجبُه

As though their Plough is loved that showed for us

And the cupbearer roams about pouring in the goblet

كَأَنّ الدَراري عقد درٍّ تَبدّدت

فَرائده وَاِستنثر الدُرَّ صاحبُه

As though we see a temple amidst the darkness of night

Beckoning to us with its lanterns, its monk

كَأَنّ النُجوم الزُهر زهر حَدائقٍ

أَو القفر لاحَت لِلسُراة حباحبُه

As though the sun when the dinar appeared from its palm

For it is its eyebrow when it shows from its palm

كَأَنّ ثُريّاها الحبابُ بدا لنا

وَقَد راحَ يَجلو الراح في الكاس ساكِبُه

As though Suhail is a lover who was reminded

Of the melodies of the sanctuary of his loved ones and playgrounds

كَأَنّا نَرى مِن غاسق اللَيل معبدا

يُشير إِلَينا بِالمَصابيح راهبُه

As though we see the river of the Milky Way a watering place

For which the lovely heavenly bodies quenched their thirst

كَأَنّ السُها إِذ لاحَ دينار باخل

إِذا ما بَدا مِن كَفِّهِ فَهوَ حاجبُه

I see the whale moving away from the sea of the Milky Way

How astonishing, life accompanies it!

كَأَنّ سهيلاً عاشق ذكرت لَهُ

مَغاني حِمى أَحبابه وَمَلاعبُه

I see the Scorpion, feared in the west, tilting

Crawling with the gait of an old man, his troubles multiplied

كَأَنّا نَرى نَهر المَجرّة منهلا

لَهُ مِن غَواني الحَيّ أَمّت كَواعبُه

As though the light of dawn is veiled love

As though the darkness of night a spy watching it

أَرى الحوت عَن بَحر المَجرّة نازِحاً

فَواعَجَباً كَيف الحَياة تُصاحبُه

As though the horn of the gazelle, when it appeared

I reckoned it to be the waves of mirage undulating

أَرى العَقرَب المَحذور للغَرب مائِلاً

يَدبُّ دَبيبَ الشَيخ زادَت مَتاعبُه

My friend, the cup of life is pure yet

Without joy, its drinker cannot savor it

كَأَنّ ضِياء الفَجر حبٌّ محجّبٌ

كَأَنّ ظَلام اللَيل واشٍ يُراقبُه

Come, raise the flags of every delight

For the one whose gifts spread through the horizons

كَأنّي أَرى قرن الغَزالة مُذ بَدا

فَأَحسبُهُ تبراً تَموَّج ذائِبُه

And with the highest rank, I repeat congratulations

Its welcoming is the return of his gifts

خَليليّ كَأس العَيش صافٍ وَإِنَّما

بِغَير هَناءٍ لَيسَ يَلتَذّ شارِبُه

May good fortune with his happiness continue to grow

And the shield of joy and robes envelop him

أَلا فاِنشُرا أَعلام كُلّ مَسرّةٍ

لِمَن نُشرت في الخافِقين مَواهبُه

And may favor continue coming

To his lofty court, its winds blow

وَبِالرُتبة العليا لِكَوكَب مَجدِهِ

أعيد التَهاني إِنَّهنّ رَغائِبُه

And may he continue to herald tidings of his eminence

The abode of joy furnished for him, its carpets spread

فَلا برحَ الإسعاد يَنمو بِسعده

وَيَشملُهُ دِرع الهَنا وَجَلاببُه

As long as the scent of his praise which diffused remains

A perfume for the breeze of the meadow given as gift

وَلا فتئ الإِقبال بالعزّ مُقبِلاً

إِلى بابِهِ العالي تُحَثُّ جَنائِبُه

As long as the poet of glory shook the standard

Proclaiming congratulations, the writer of his glory

وَلا زالَ بِالبُشرى بشير عَلائِهِ

مهادُ الفَلا تُطوى لَهُ وَسباسِبُه

And the joys cheered in the arena of joy

It sang, and the birds of hearts answered it

مَدى الدَهر ما قَد فاحَ مِن طَيب مَدحهِ

شَذاً لِنَسيم الرَوض تُهدى أَطايبُه

They chant, say O for Muhammad

The auspicious stars of Sa'd have illuminated their processions

مَدى الدَهر ما هَزَّ اليَراعة ناشِراً

لِواء التَهاني شاعرُ المَجد كاتِبُه

وَما صادح الأَفراح في دَوحة الهَنا

تَغنّى وَأَطيارُ القُلوب تجاوبُه

وَتُنشده أرّخ أَلا لمحمّد

مَطالع سَعد قَد أَنارَت مَواكبُه