عقَد الإِلفانِ عقدَ الفرقدين

عقَد الإِلفانِ عقدَ الفرقدين

يومَ تم العقدُ بين المهجتين

يومَ تم العقدُ بين المهجتين

The two beloveds bound a bond—the bond of the Farqad stars,

The two lovers forged the bond of the two Farqad stars,

on the day the bond was sealed between two souls.

On the day the bond was sealed between the two hearts.

وحريٌّ بهما برجُ العلى

وحريٌّ بهما برجُ العلى

بعد أن حلا سماءَ المقلتين

بعد أن حلا سماءَ المقلتين

A constellation of high glory surely befits them,

And the celestial mansion of glory befits them,

now that they have graced the sky of the two eyes.

After they settled in the sky of the two eyes.

غادةٌ هيفاءُ قد أَبدعَها

غادةٌ هيفاءُ قد أَبدعَها

مَن براها آيةً للأَدبين

مَن براها آيةً للأَدبين

A slender, graceful maiden, wondrously fashioned

A slender-waisted maiden, wondrously fashioned

by the One who formed her—a marvel of twin refinement.

By the One who created her, as a marvel of both refinements.

جَمَعت خلقاً سَلِساً

جَمَعت خلقاً سَلِساً

وكمالُ الحُسن جمعُ الحليتين

وكمالُ الحُسن جمعُ الحليتين

She has gathered within her a gentle disposition,

She embodied a gentle disposition,

and beauty’s perfection: the two adornments joined.

And beauty's perfection is the union of both adornments.

أَشربتها أمُّها حُبَّ العلى

أَشربتها أمُّها حُبَّ العلى

وأَبوها قد سقاها الحِكمتَين

وأَبوها قد سقاها الحِكمتَين

Her mother steeped her in love of lofty things,

Her mother gave her the love of excellence to drink,

and her father gave her the two wisdoms to drink:

And her father gave her the two wisdoms to drink:

حِكمةَ التَّقوى وهل من حكمةٍ

حِكمةَ التَّقوى وهل من حكمةٍ

مثلها تُسعِدها في العالمين

مثلها تُسعِدها في العالمين

the wisdom of piety—and what wisdom could there be

The wisdom of piety—and is there any wisdom

like it, to bring her happiness in both worlds?

Like it, to bring her happiness in both worlds?

حكمةَ العلم الذي يرفُعها

حكمةَ العلم الذي يرفُعها

بين أَرباب النُّهى في الخافقين

بين أَرباب النُّهى في الخافقين

And the wisdom of knowledge, which raises her

The wisdom of learning, which raises her

among the masters of discernment across the two horizons.

Among the masters of reason in East and West.

يا ابنَ بيتِ الفضل طِب نفساً بما

يا ابنَ بيتِ الفضل طِب نفساً بما

حزتَهُ من شِيمٍ لا من لجين

حزتَهُ من شِيمٍ لا من لجين

O son of a house of virtue, rejoice in what

O son of the house of virtue, be glad of heart for what

you have gained of noble traits—not of silver.

You have won in noble traits, not in silver.

قد رشفتَ الجودَ من منبعهِ

قد رشفتَ الجودَ من منبعهِ

والعُلى استصفيتها من معدنَين

والعُلى استصفيتها من معدنَين

You have sipped generosity from its spring,

You have sipped generosity from its source,

and drawn high aspiration pure from two mines.

And you drew the purest excellence from two mines.

وورثتَ العزَّ عن خير أبٍ

وورثتَ العزَّ عن خير أبٍ

وإِباءَ النفسِ عن مأسدتين

وإِباءَ النفسِ عن مأسدتين

You inherited honor from the best of fathers,

And you inherited honor from the finest father,

and pride of spirit from two lions’ lairs.

And pride of spirit from two lions' lairs.

ليس يُعلي المرءَ في الدنيا سوى

ليس يُعلي المرءَ في الدنيا سوى

حسَبٍ قد ناله بالأَصغرين

حسَبٍ قد ناله بالأَصغرين

Nothing else exalts a man in this world but

Nothing raises a person in this world except

the worthy name he earns through heart and tongue.

Honor he has earned through the two lesser organs—heart and tongue.

كلُّ مجدٍ لم يقُم يوماً على

كلُّ مجدٍ لم يقُم يوماً على

أُسِ فضلٍ كان واهي الجانبين

أُسِ فضلٍ كان واهي الجانبين

Every glory that has not at some time been raised upon

Every glory that was never built upon

a foundation of virtue stands frail on both sides.

A foundation of virtue was frail on both sides.

كان لي والدك البرُّ أباً

كان لي والدك البرُّ أباً

كاد يُنسيني حَنانَ الأبوين

كاد يُنسيني حَنانَ الأبوين

Your upright father was a father to me,

Your benevolent father was a father to me;

almost making me forget the tenderness of my own parents.

He almost made me forget my parents' tenderness.

ولأَنت اليوم لي أَوفى أخٍ

ولأَنت اليوم لي أَوفى أخٍ

وكفانا أننا كالأخوين

وكفانا أننا كالأخوين

And today you are my truest brother;

And you today are indeed my most faithful brother,

it is enough that we are like two brothers.

And it is enough for us that we are like two brothers.

فاحيَ يا ميشالُ في روض الهنا

فاحيَ يا ميشالُ في روض الهنا

أبداً مع أَمَلي كالزهرتين

أبداً مع أَمَلي كالزهرتين

So live, Michel, in the garden of bliss,

So live, Michel, in the garden of bliss,

forever with my hope, like two blossoms.

Forever with Amélie, like two flowers.

إِنما لبنانُ يُزهى بكما

إِنما لبنانُ يُزهى بكما

مثلما تُزهى السما بالنبرين

مثلما تُزهى السما بالنبرين

Lebanon indeed takes pride in you both,

Indeed, Lebanon glories in you both,

as heaven glories in its two luminaries.

Just as the sky glories in the two luminaries.

قد رأَى في صدره زنبقتين

قد رأَى في صدره زنبقتين

ورأى في نحره لؤلؤتين

ورأى في نحره لؤلؤتين

It has seen upon its breast two lilies,

It has seen two lilies upon its breast,

and upon its throat two pearls.

And seen two pearls at its throat.

إِن تَباهى أو تهادى طرباً

إِن تَباهى أو تهادى طرباً

بكما ما بين اهل المشرقَين

بكما ما بين اهل المشرقَين

When it boasts or sways in rapture,

If it boasts or sways with delight

it is through you both, among the people of the two Easts.

In you both among the people of the two Easts,

فالمعالي أَرخَتها يدهُ

فالمعالي أَرخَتها يدهُ

وحلاه صاغ من جوهرتَين

وحلاه صاغ من جوهرتَين

Lofty glories—his hand has chronicled them,

It is because its hand has chronicled those noble deeds,

and fashioned their adornment from two jewels.

And it has fashioned its ornaments from two gems.