إيابك يا مولاي والله شاهدُ

إيابك يا مولاي والله شاهدُ

إِيابٌ به غاياتنا والمقاصدُ

إِيابٌ به غاياتنا والمقاصدُ

Your return, my lord—and God is witness—

Your return, my Master, and Allah is witness

is a return in which lie our aims and purposes.

A return that fulfills our hopes and purposes

قضى الله دهراً أن تَغيب وإنما

قضى الله دهراً أن تَغيب وإنما

قضاءٌ علينا فعلُ ما اللهُ قاصدُ

قضاءٌ علينا فعلُ ما اللهُ قاصدُ

God decreed your absence for a time; and it is only

Allah decreed you be absent for a while

doing what God intends that is ordained for us.

Yet whatever Allah wills, He executes and decides

فباتَ قضاءُ المتنِ نشوانَ من أسىً

فباتَ قضاءُ المتنِ نشوانَ من أسىً

تحار به الأحداثُ وهو يجاهِدُ

تحار به الأحداثُ وهو يجاهِدُ

So the district of Metn became intoxicated with sorrow,

So the decree of the land became delightful in your absence

Calamities bewildered by it as it struggles.

As events were confused, yet it persevered

فلو لم تكن واللهِ علَّمتَهُ لَدُنْ

فلو لم تكن واللهِ علَّمتَهُ لَدُنْ

تسودْتَ فيه الصبرَ وهو يجالد

تسودْتَ فيه الصبرَ وهو يجالد

For had you not, by God, taught it, from the time

Had you not taught it, by Allah, forbearance from the start

you became its master, patience while it fought,

It would have mastered patience while struggling on

لما عاش حتى عدتَ ثانيةً له

لما عاش حتى عدتَ ثانيةً له

وقد عُقِدت حولَيْك فيه المعاقد

وقد عُقِدت حولَيْك فيه المعاقد

it would not have lived until you returned to it again,

It wouldn’t have lived until you returned again

And bonds had been tied around you there.

With pacts made around you within it

فأحببتَ آمالاً وأنعشت أنفساً

فأحببتَ آمالاً وأنعشت أنفساً

وعزَّزت أصحاباً فذلّ المُعانِدُ

وعزَّزت أصحاباً فذلّ المُعانِدُ

Then you cherished hopes and revived souls,

You revived hopes and enlivened souls

And you strengthened companions, so the adversary was humbled.

And strengthened companions, so rebels were subdued

وضمَّدت جرحَ العدلِ بعد اندمالِهِ

وضمَّدت جرحَ العدلِ بعد اندمالِهِ

ومِثلُكَ مَن فيه تُشَدّ السواعد

ومِثلُكَ مَن فيه تُشَدّ السواعد

And you bandaged the wound of justice after it had healed,

And tended the wound of justice after it festered

And through one like you, arms are strengthened.

None but you can roll up sleeves up to such tasks

حننتَ إليه مثلَ ورقاءِ أَيكةٍ

حننتَ إليه مثلَ ورقاءِ أَيكةٍ

كأَنَّك يا مولايَ للمتنِ والدُ

كأَنَّك يا مولايَ للمتنِ والدُ

You yearned for it like a gray dove of a grove,

You were gentle with it like a loving parent

As though you, my lord, were a father to Metn.

As if, my Master, you were its own father

فيا حبَّذا يوماً به عدت ظافراً

فيا حبَّذا يوماً به عدت ظافراً

وقد رَقَصتْ في ملتقاك الجَلامِدُ

وقد رَقَصتْ في ملتقاك الجَلامِدُ

So how lovely the day on which you returned triumphant,

So blessed was the day you returned victorious

And the boulders danced at your welcome.

With ice broken before you in ardent zeal

ويا حبذا يوماً به عزَّ صاحبٌ

ويا حبذا يوماً به عزَّ صاحبٌ

وذَلّ عدوّ مثلما خابَ حاسدُ

وذَلّ عدوّ مثلما خابَ حاسدُ

And how lovely the day when a friend gained honor,

And blessed was the day a lord was honored

And an enemy was humbled, just as an envier was thwarted.

While an enemy, like an envier, was disgraced

ويا حبذا يوماً به نِيلتِ المُنى

ويا حبذا يوماً به نِيلتِ المُنى

فذا اليومَ فيه قد رأى البدرَ راصدُ

فذا اليومَ فيه قد رأى البدرَ راصدُ

And how lovely the day when wishes were attained,

And blessed was the day your wishes were fulfilled

For on this day a watcher has indeed seen the full moon.

For on that day, the full moon was in view

سلمتَ به رُكناً وخير معاذه

سلمتَ به رُكناً وخير معاذه

فما أَحَدٌ والله فضلَكَ جاحد

فما أَحَدٌ والله فضلَكَ جاحد

May you remain safe there, a pillar and its finest refuge,

You secured a pillar and best place of refuge

For no one, by God, denies your merit.

By Allah, none contests your superiority

صبِرنا على دُهْمِ الشدائد برهةً

صبِرنا على دُهْمِ الشدائد برهةً

وتُقتلُ بالصبر الجميل الشدائدُ

وتُقتلُ بالصبر الجميل الشدائدُ

We endured dark hardships for a while,

We endured the darkness of ordeals for a time

And hardships are slain by noble patience.

With patience, calamities can be destroyed

وبِتنا دياجينا ولم نعرفِ الكرى

وبِتنا دياجينا ولم نعرفِ الكرى

وهل يعرفُ النومَ امرؤٌ وهو ساهدُ

وهل يعرفُ النومَ امرؤٌ وهو ساهدُ

And we spent our dark nights without knowing slumber,

We spent our nights sleepless and unaware of fatigue

And does a man know sleep while he is wakeful?

Does one who is awake know sleep? And He is witness

كأنًّ ليالِينا إلى اليوم لم يكُنْ

كأنًّ ليالِينا إلى اليوم لم يكُنْ

دُجاها له صبحٌ وربُّك شاهدُ

دُجاها له صبحٌ وربُّك شاهدُ

As though our nights, until today, had never

As if our nights had no darkness until this day

had a dawn for their darkness—and your Lord is witness.

With no dawn, yet your Lord is witness

حَلَلْتَ فحلَّت في القلوب مسرّةٌ

حَلَلْتَ فحلَّت في القلوب مسرّةٌ

بُعَيدَ جهادٍ فاز فيه المجاهدُ

بُعَيدَ جهادٍ فاز فيه المجاهدُ

You arrived, and joy settled in hearts,

You have come, so joy has filled hearts

Soon after a struggle in which the one who strove triumphed.

After struggling in jihad, the holy warrior succeeded

كأرضٍ سقتها بعد جدب سحائبٌ

كأرضٍ سقتها بعد جدب سحائبٌ

فأمرَعَ منها روضُها والفدافدُ

فأمرَعَ منها روضُها والفدافدُ

Like land that clouds watered after drought,

Like land parched, then watered by clouds

So its meadow and broad plains grew lush.

Her meadows have sprouted and streams overflowed

كغصنٍ لقد عرّاه من ثوبه الشتا

كغصنٍ لقد عرّاه من ثوبه الشتا

فكاد يلاقي الموتَ وهو مجالد

فكاد يلاقي الموتَ وهو مجالد

Like a branch that winter had indeed stripped of its clothing,

Like a branch stripped bare of leaves by winter

So it nearly met death while struggling,

Nearly dead while battling on

فألبسه فصل الربيع من البَهَا

فألبسه فصل الربيع من البَهَا

ثِياباً وقد زانَتْهُ منك قلائدُ

ثِياباً وقد زانَتْهُ منك قلائدُ

Then the season of spring clothed it in splendid

Then dressed by spring with fine attire

garments, while necklaces from you adorned it.

Adorned through you with wreaths and garlands

كمربَع آرامٍ خلا من ظبائه

كمربَع آرامٍ خلا من ظبائه

فعادت غليه ساكنوه الشواردُ

فعادت غليه ساكنوه الشواردُ

Like a spring pasture of white gazelles, emptied of its gazelles,

Like a quiet wilderness devoid of beasts

Then its wandering inhabitants returned to it.

With nomads returning to inhabit it

كنبتَةِ وردٍ شوّكت زمنَ الصبا

كنبتَةِ وردٍ شوّكت زمنَ الصبا

وفي زَهرها أضحت تزانُ الولائِدُ

وفي زَهرها أضحت تزانُ الولائِدُ

Like a rose plant that grew thorns in its youth,

Like a rosebush thorny in days of youth

And maidens came to be adorned with its blossoms.

With flowers the infants and newborns suckle

عرفناك يا مولايَ ربًّ عزيمة

عرفناك يا مولايَ ربًّ عزيمة

وتُدرَك بالعزم الشديد المقاصدُ

وتُدرَك بالعزم الشديد المقاصدُ

We have known you, my lord, as a man of resolve,

We’ve known you, my Master, to have resolute principles

And aims are attained through strong resolve,

With resolve, strong purposes can be attained

وحزمٍ لدى الجُلّى ورأيٍ مسدّدٍ

وحزمٍ لدى الجُلّى ورأيٍ مسدّدٍ

وصارم عدلٍ فيه ذو الظلمِ بائدُ

وصارم عدلٍ فيه ذو الظلمِ بائدُ

And firmness in grave crises, and sound judgment,

And wisdom in facing the brave, sound opinion

And a keen sword of justice by which the oppressor perishes.

And firm justice through which the unjust perish

عوائدُ نفسٍ تعلم الذلَّ سُبةً

عوائدُ نفسٍ تعلم الذلَّ سُبةً

ويا حبّذا في المرء تلك العوائدُ

ويا حبّذا في المرء تلك العوائدُ

The habits of a soul that deems humiliation a disgrace;

Raise over the land’s horizon a moon of fairness

And how admirable those habits are in a man!

By which one straying from truth can be guided

تولَّ قضاءَ المتن وارْغَمْ أَنوفَ من

تولَّ قضاءَ المتن وارْغَمْ أَنوفَ من

همُ لك يا مولايَ فيهِ حواسدُ

همُ لك يا مولايَ فيهِ حواسدُ

Take charge of Metn's district, and rub in the dust the noses of those

And battle with the swords of security and prosperity

who are envious of you there, my lord.

With your justice leading, misery's hosts

وجرَدْ حسامَ العدلِ واضرِبْ بحدّه

وجرَدْ حسامَ العدلِ واضرِبْ بحدّه

من الجورِ جَيشاً لا يزالُ يعاندُ

من الجورِ جَيشاً لا يزالُ يعاندُ

And unsheathe the keen sword of justice, and strike with its edge

And fulfill our hopes in you, our Master

an army of oppression that never ceases to resist.

The zealous, for whom great glories are intended

وأَطلِعْ بأفق المتن بدرَ عدالةٍ

وأَطلِعْ بأفق المتن بدرَ عدالةٍ

فيُهدى به مرءٌ عن الحق حائدُ

فيُهدى به مرءٌ عن الحق حائدُ

And raise on Metn's horizon a full moon of justice,

Do not refrain from evil ones in the world

So that one who strays from the truth may be guided by it.

Can a lion at rest be praised while sitting?

وحاربْ بِبِضِ الأمن واليُمنِ والصفا

وحاربْ بِبِضِ الأمن واليُمنِ والصفا

زعانفةَ البؤسَى وعدلك قائدُ

زعانفةَ البؤسَى وعدلك قائدُ

And fight with the bright swords of security, good fortune, and serenity,

Your glory touches the stars, lofty in elevation

the rabble of misery, with your justice in command.

So even the highest bow down before it

وحقّق أَمانِينا عهدناك سيّداً

وحقّق أَمانِينا عهدناك سيّداً

غيوراً له تعنو السراةُ الأماجدُ

غيوراً له تعنو السراةُ الأماجدُ

And fulfill our wishes; we have known you as a lord

I congratulate the land - your return

zealous, before whom the illustrious grandees bow.

Restoring to it sincerity and safety

ولا تتقاعَدْ عن ذوي الشَّرّ في الورى

ولا تتقاعَدْ عن ذوي الشَّرّ في الورى

أَيُثنَى على ليثِ الشرى وهو قاعدُ

أَيُثنَى على ليثِ الشرى وهو قاعدُ

And do not hang back from confronting the wicked among humankind;

I congratulate many peoples, countless in number

Is the lion of Shara praised while sitting idle?

Afflicted by time, so hostile and unkind

وحسبُكَ مجدٌ ناطحُ النجم رِفعةً

وحسبُكَ مجدٌ ناطحُ النجم رِفعةً

فدانَتْ لدى عَلياه منه الفراقدُ

فدانَتْ لدى عَلياه منه الفراقدُ

And glory that butts against the stars in height is enough for you,

I congratulate myself, as I see with your return

So the Farqad stars bowed before its lofty summit.

The means of life have returned back to me

أُهنّئُ فيك المتنَ يا من إيابُه

أُهنّئُ فيك المتنَ يا من إيابُه

إلى المتن فيه الصفْوُ والأمنُ عائدُ

إلى المتن فيه الصفْوُ والأمنُ عائدُ

I congratulate Metn on having you, O you whose return

O joy of life, rejoice and ever continue

to Metn brings serenity and security back with it.

While you ascend to the pinnacle of glories

أُهنّئُ أقواماً كثيراً عديدُها

أُهنّئُ أقواماً كثيراً عديدُها

لقد كان أًضناها الزمانُ المعانِدُ

لقد كان أًضناها الزمانُ المعانِدُ

I congratulate communities whose numbers are great,

And guide to the path of guidance whoever strays

Hostile time had indeed worn them out.

From the path, my Master, you are rightly guided

أُهنّئُ نفسي إذ أَراني بعَودِكم

أُهنّئُ نفسي إذ أَراني بعَودِكم

إلى المتن قد ثابَتْ به لي المواردُ

إلى المتن قد ثابَتْ به لي المواردُ

I congratulate myself, for I see that through your return

And let your subjects enjoy security and harmony

to Metn, the watering places have returned to me through it.

While your Lord assists you in all you seek

ويا بهجةَ الدُّنيا تَهنَّأ ولا تَزَلْ

ويا بهجةَ الدُّنيا تَهنَّأ ولا تَزَلْ

وأَنت على هامِ المفاخرِ صاعدُ

وأَنت على هامِ المفاخرِ صاعدُ

And O joy of the world, be happy, and never cease

ascending the summits of glorious deeds.

وأرشِدْ إلى نهج الهُدى من يضلُّ عن

وأرشِدْ إلى نهج الهُدى من يضلُّ عن

طريقِ الهُدى مولايَ إِنَّك راشدُ

طريقِ الهُدى مولايَ إِنَّك راشدُ

And guide to the way of right guidance whoever strays from

the path of right guidance, my lord; indeed, you are rightly guided.

ومتِّع رعايا المتنِ بالأمن والصفا

ومتِّع رعايا المتنِ بالأمن والصفا

وربُّك فيما تبتغي لَكَ عاضدُ

وربُّك فيما تبتغي لَكَ عاضدُ

And let Metn's subjects enjoy security and serenity,

And your Lord is your supporter in what you seek.