أَباعِثَةَ المَطايا مِن حَديدٍ

أَباعِثَةَ المَطايا مِن حَديدٍ

كَأَسرابِ القَطا لِلعالَمينا

كَأَسرابِ القَطا لِلعالَمينا

O you who send forth mounts of iron,

I unleash swift steeds forged of iron

O you who dispatch riding-mounts of iron,

like flocks of sandgrouse, to all the world!

Like flocks of eagles over the lands

Like flocks of sandgrouse sent out to the worlds.

رَكائِبٌ في فِجاجِ الأَرضِ تَسري

رَكائِبٌ في فِجاجِ الأَرضِ تَسري

تُقِلُّ الذاهِبينَ الآيِبينا

تُقِلُّ الذاهِبينَ الآيِبينا

Mounts that journey through the earth's broad passes,

Ships that cruise the earth's valleys

Caravans traveling through the earth's deep passes,

carrying those departing and returning.

Bearing those who come and those who go

Carrying those who depart and those who return.

تَقُصُّ عَلى المَدائِنِ وَالقَرايا

تَقُصُّ عَلى المَدائِنِ وَالقَرايا

حِكايَةَ قَومِكِ المُستَنبِطينا

حِكايَةَ قَومِكِ المُستَنبِطينا

They tell the cities and the villages

Telling tales of your ingenious people

Recounting to the cities and the villages

the story of your inventive people,

To cities and villages far and wide

The tale of your people, the innovators.

وَكَيفَ العَقلُ يُخلَقُ مِن زَرِيِّ

وَكَيفَ العَقلُ يُخلَقُ مِن زَرِيِّ

مَهينٍ لا زَرِيَّ وَلا مُهينا

مَهينٍ لا زَرِيَّ وَلا مُهينا

and how the mind fashions, from something base

Of how the mind was created

And how the intellect creates from paltry matter,

and lowly, something neither base nor lowly,

From base clay, neither base nor sublime

Something once despised, now neither small nor mean.

وَيَنفُخُ في الجَمادِ قِوىً وَحِسّاً

وَيَنفُخُ في الجَمادِ قِوىً وَحِسّاً

فَيَركُضُ تارَةً وَيَطيرُ حينا

فَيَركُضُ تارَةً وَيَطيرُ حينا

and breathes power and sensation into lifeless matter,

Instilling in lifeless matter powers and senses

Breathing into inanimate rock power and sensation,

so it runs at one time and flies at another,

Now galloping, now taking flight

So that it races at times, and at times takes flight.

وَيَهتِفُ بَِلقَصائِدِ وَالأَغاني

وَيَهتِفُ بَِلقَصائِدِ وَالأَغاني

وَقَد ذَهَبَ الرَدى بِالمُنشِدينا

وَقَد ذَهَبَ الرَدى بِالمُنشِدينا

and rings out with poems and songs,

Shouting odes and melodies

It chants aloud with poems and with songs,

though death has carried the singers away.

While singers have passed away

Even after death has taken the singers away.

لَقَد حَسَدَتكِ أُمُّ الفَنِّ روما

لَقَد حَسَدَتكِ أُمُّ الفَنِّ روما

كَما حَسَدَتكِ ضَرَّتُها أَثِنا

كَما حَسَدَتكِ ضَرَّتُها أَثِنا

Rome, the mother of art, has indeed envied you,

Rome, mother of art, envied you

Rome, the mother of art, has truly envied you,

just as her co-wife, Athens, has envied you.

As did her rival, Athens

Just as her rival, Athens, has envied you.

فَمَجدُكِ فَوقَ مَجدِهِما عَلاءً

فَمَجدُكِ فَوقَ مَجدِهِما عَلاءً

وَحُسنُكِ فَوقَ حُسنِهِما فُتونا

وَحُسنُكِ فَوقَ حُسنِهِما فُتونا

For your glory rises above theirs in grandeur,

Your glory towered above theirs

For your glory towers above their glory in height,

and your beauty surpasses theirs in allure.

Your beauty surpassed their charms

And your beauty surpasses theirs in enchantment.

نَزَلنا في حِماكِ فَقَرِّبينا

نَزَلنا في حِماكِ فَقَرِّبينا

وَبارَكنا ثَراكَ فَبارِكينا

وَبارَكنا ثَراكَ فَبارِكينا

We have alighted in your haven; so draw us near,

We came under your protection, so favor us

We have alighted in your sanctuary, so draw us near,

and we have blessed your soil; so bless us.

We blessed your soil, so bless us

And we have blessed your soil, so bless us now.

فَما لِطَماعَةٍ بِنُضارِ فوردٍ

فَما لِطَماعَةٍ بِنُضارِ فوردٍ

وَفَضَّتِهِ إِلَيكِ اليَومَ جينا

وَفَضَّتِهِ إِلَيكِ اليَومَ جينا

For it was not out of greed for Ford's gold

Why would one with blossoming roses

It is not out of greed for Ford's gold,

and his silver that we came to you today.

Offer them to you today?

Nor for his silver, that we came to you today.

فَما هُوَ في سَماحَتهِ كَمَعنٍ

فَما هُوَ في سَماحَتهِ كَمَعنٍ

وَلَيسَت نوقُهُ لِلذابِحينا

وَلَيسَت نوقُهُ لِلذابِحينا

For he is no Ma'n in his generosity,

It is not like a camel offered for slaughter

For he is not, in his generosity, like Ma'n,

and his she-camels are not for slaughterers.

Nor steeds presented to executioners

Nor are his camels destined for the butcher.

وَلَكِن فيكِ إِخوانٌ هَوَينا

وَلَكِن فيكِ إِخوانٌ هَوَينا

لِأَجلِهِمِ جَميعَ الساكِنينا

لِأَجلِهِمِ جَميعَ الساكِنينا

But within you are brothers; we have loved,

But you have brothers who adore us

But within you are brothers whom we have loved,

for their sake, all the inhabitants.

For their sake, all who dwell here

And for their sake, we love all who dwell here.

أَحِبّونا كَأَنَّهُمُ ذَوُنا

أَحِبّونا كَأَنَّهُمُ ذَوُنا

وَطَنسونا بِلُطفِهِمِ ذَوينا

وَطَنسونا بِلُطفِهِمِ ذَوينا

They loved us as though they were our kin,

They loved us as their own

They loved us as though they were our own kin,

and with their kindness made us forget our own kin.

And made us forget our people with their kindness

And through their kindness, made us forget our kin.

وَعاهَدناهُمُ إِذ عاهَدونا

وَعاهَدناهُمُ إِذ عاهَدونا

فَلَم نَنكُث وَلا نَكَثوا يَمينا

فَلَم نَنكُث وَلا نَكَثوا يَمينا

And we made a pact with them when they made a pact with us,

We pledged to them as they pledged to us

We pledged our word to them when they pledged to us,

and neither we nor they broke an oath.

Neither betrayed, nor were oaths broken

And neither we nor they have broken a solemn oath.

إِذا غَضِبوا عَلى الدُنيا غَضِبنا

إِذا غَضِبوا عَلى الدُنيا غَضِبنا

وَإِن يَرضوا عَلى الدُنيا رَضينا

وَإِن يَرضوا عَلى الدُنيا رَضينا

If they grew angry with the world, we grew angry,

If they were angry with the world, so were we

If they raged against the world, we raged as well,

and if they were content with the world, we were content.

If they were pleased with the world, so were we

And if they were pleased with the world, we were pleased.

دَعاهُم لِلعُلى وَالخَيرِ داعٍ

دَعاهُم لِلعُلى وَالخَيرِ داعٍ

مِنَ الوادي فَلَبّوا أَجمَعينا

مِنَ الوادي فَلَبّوا أَجمَعينا

A caller summoned them to greatness and goodness

A caller summoned them to excellence and virtue

A caller summoned them to glory and to good,

from the valley, and they all answered.

From the valley, so they unanimously responded

From the Valley, and they answered, all as one.

أَيَخذِلُ جارَةَ الوادي بَنوها

أَيَخذِلُ جارَةَ الوادي بَنوها

مَعاذَ اللَهِ هَذا لَن يَكونا

مَعاذَ اللَهِ هَذا لَن يَكونا

Would her sons forsake the valley's neighbor?

Would the people of the valley abandon their neighbor?

Would her sons ever forsake the Neighbor of the Valley?

God forbid! This shall never be.

God forbid this should ever be!

God forbid! Such a thing shall never be.

فَما لاقَيتُ زَحلِيّاً جَباناً

فَما لاقَيتُ زَحلِيّاً جَباناً

وَلا لاقَيتُ زَحلِيّاً ضَنينا

وَلا لاقَيتُ زَحلِيّاً ضَنينا

For I have never met a cowardly man from Zahle,

Never did I meet a cowardly Saturnian

For I have never met a coward from Zahle,

nor have I met a miserly man from Zahle.

Nor a miserly Saturnian

Nor have I met a miser from Zahle.

تَأَمَّل كَيفَ أَدحى تَلُّ شيحا

تَأَمَّل كَيفَ أَدحى تَلُّ شيحا

يُحاكي في الجَلالَةِ طورَسينا

يُحاكي في الجَلالَةِ طورَسينا

Consider how Shiha Hill has come

Consider how the peak of Sheeha rises

Behold how the Hill of Shiha has come to be,

to rival Mount Sinai in majesty.

Rivaling Taurus in majesty

Rivalling Mount Sinai in its majesty.

فَعَن هَذا تَحَدَّرَتِ الوَصايا

فَعَن هَذا تَحَدَّرَتِ الوَصايا

وَفي هَذا يَجَدنا المُحسِنينا

وَفي هَذا يَجَدنا المُحسِنينا

For from that one the commandments descended,

From it came commandments

From that one, the Commandments were sent down,

and in this one we found the benefactors.

And in it we find the charitable

While in this one, we have found the benefactors.

عَلى جَنَباتِهِ وَعَلى ذَراهُ

عَلى جَنَباتِهِ وَعَلى ذَراهُ

جَمالٌ يُبهِرُ المُتَأَمِّلينا

جَمالٌ يُبهِرُ المُتَأَمِّلينا

Upon its sides and upon its heights

On its slopes and terraces

Upon its slopes and upon its soaring peaks

is beauty that dazzles those who contemplate it.

Beauty dazzles the beholder

Is a beauty that dazzles those who contemplate.

فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَهُ لِلخَيرِ دُنيا

فَلَم أَرَ مِثلَهُ لِلخَيرِ دُنيا

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَهُ فَتحاً مُبينا

وَلَم أَرَ مِثلَهُ فَتحاً مُبينا

For I have seen no world of goodness like it,

Never did I see its equal in kindness

I have never seen a world like it for goodness,

nor have I seen a manifest triumph like it.

Nor its equal in triumphant conquest

Nor have I seen like it such a manifest triumph.

فَيا أَشبالَ لُبنانَ المُفَدّى

فَيا أَشبالَ لُبنانَ المُفَدّى

وَيا إِخوانِنا وَبَني أَبينا

وَيا إِخوانِنا وَبَني أَبينا

So, O lion cubs of beloved Lebanon,

O lions of liberated Lebanon

O cubs of our ransomed Lebanon,

and O our brothers, sons of our father!

Our brothers and sons of our father

O our brothers and sons of our forefather.

تَرَنَّحَ عَصرُكُم فَخراً وَهَشَّت

تَرَنَّحَ عَصرُكُم فَخراً وَهَشَّت

لِصُنعِكُم عِظامُ المائِتينا

لِصُنعِكُم عِظامُ المائِتينا

Your age swayed with pride, and joy awakened

Your era boasted with pride and the bones

Your era has swayed with pride, and the bones

in the bones of the dead at your handiwork.

Of the dead were humbled by your making

Of the dead have rejoiced at your handiwork.

تَبارى الناسُ في طَلَبِ المَعالي

تَبارى الناسُ في طَلَبِ المَعالي

فَكُنتُم في المَجالِ السابِقينا

فَكُنتُم في المَجالِ السابِقينا

People vied in pursuit of lofty achievements,

People compete to seek high ambitions

People vied with one another in seeking heights,

so in the arena you were the front-runners.

Yet you were the foremost contenders

But in this field, you were the forerunners.

بَنى الأَهرامَ فِرعَونٌ فَدامَت

بَنى الأَهرامَ فِرعَونٌ فَدامَت

لِتُخبِرَ كَيفَ كانَ الظالِمونا

لِتُخبِرَ كَيفَ كانَ الظالِمونا

Pharaoh built the pyramids, and they endured

Pharaohs built pyramids that still stand

Pharaoh built the Pyramids, and they endured

to tell what the tyrants were like,

To tell how oppressors acted

To tell the tidings of how the oppressors lived;

وَكَم أَشقى الجُموعَ الفَردُ مِنهُم

وَكَم أَشقى الجُموعَ الفَردُ مِنهُم

وَكَم طَمَسَ الأُلوفَ لِكَي يَبينا

وَكَم طَمَسَ الأُلوفَ لِكَي يَبينا

and how often a single one of them made the multitudes wretched,

And how the individual made multitudes miserable

How much misery a single man brought upon the crowds,

and how often he obliterated thousands so that he might stand out.

Blotting out thousands to prove himself

And how many thousands he erased to make his mark.

وَشُدتُم مَعهَداً في تَلِّ شيحا

وَشُدتُم مَعهَداً في تَلِّ شيحا

سَيَبقى مَلجَأً لِلبائِسينا

سَيَبقى مَلجَأً لِلبائِسينا

But you built an institution on Shiha Hill;

While you built an academy on Mount Sheeha

But you built a sanctuary upon Tell Shiha,

it will remain a refuge for the wretched.

To remain a refuge for the wretched

That shall remain a refuge for the wretched.

يُطِلُّ الفَجرُ مُبتَسِماً عَلَيهِ

يُطِلُّ الفَجرُ مُبتَسِماً عَلَيهِ

وَيَرجِعُ مُطمَإِنّاً مُستَكينا

وَيَرجِعُ مُطمَإِنّاً مُستَكينا

Dawn looks down upon it, smiling,

Dawn smiles down upon it

The dawn looks down upon it with a smile,

and returns reassured and at peace,

And returns reassured and serene

And returns feeling reassured and tranquil.

وَيَمضي يَملَءُ الوادي ثَناءً

وَيَمضي يَملَءُ الوادي ثَناءً

عَلَيكُم وَالأَباطِحَ وَالحُزونا

عَلَيكُم وَالأَباطِحَ وَالحُزونا

and goes forth filling the valley with praise

Passing, filling the valley with praise

It moves on, filling the valley with praise

of you—and filling the gravelly flats and rugged ground as well.

For you, the desolate and the sorrowful

For you, across the flatlands and the rugged hills.

أَرى غَيثَينِ يَستَبِقانِ جوداً

أَرى غَيثَينِ يَستَبِقانِ جوداً

هُما مَطَرُ السَما وَالغائِثونا

هُما مَطَرُ السَما وَالغائِثونا

I see two rains competing in generosity:

I see two rains racing in generosity

I see two rains racing in generosity:

heaven's rain and those who bring relief.

The rain from the sky and you, the benefactors

The rain of the heavens, and the succor you bring.

لَئِن حَجَبَ الغَمامُ الشَمسَ عَنّا

لَئِن حَجَبَ الغَمامُ الشَمسَ عَنّا

فَلَم يَطمِس ضِياءَ اللَهِ فينا

فَلَم يَطمِس ضِياءَ اللَهِ فينا

Though the clouds have hidden the sun from us,

If clouds conceal the sun from us

Though the clouds may veil the sun from us,

they have not blotted out God's light within us,

They cannot dim God's light within us

They have not blotted out God's light within us;

وَلَم يَستِر سَبيلَ الخَيرِ عَنكُم

وَلَم يَستِر سَبيلَ الخَيرِ عَنكُم

وَلَم يَقبِض أَكُفّ الباذِلينا

وَلَم يَقبِض أَكُفّ الباذِلينا

nor hidden the path of goodness from you,

Or bar the path of goodness from you

They did not hide the path of kindness from you,

nor clenched the hands of those who give.

Or close the hands of those who give

Nor did they close the hands of those who give.

وَجَدتُ المَرءَ حُبَّ الخَيرِ فيهِ

وَجَدتُ المَرءَ حُبَّ الخَيرِ فيهِ

فَإِن يَفقُدُهُ صارَ المَرءُ طينا

فَإِن يَفقُدُهُ صارَ المَرءُ طينا

I found that man is the love of goodness within him;

I found love of goodness within a person

I found that a man is defined by the love of good;

if he loses it, the man becomes clay.

If it's lost, he becomes mere clay

Should he lose that, the man turns into clay.

تَكَمَّشَ في الحُقولِ الشَوكُ بُخلاً

تَكَمَّشَ في الحُقولِ الشَوكُ بُخلاً

فَذُلَّ فَعاشَ مُكتَإِباً حَزينا

فَذُلَّ فَعاشَ مُكتَإِباً حَزينا

The thorn shrank in the fields out of stinginess,

Thorns shriveled in the fields from stinginess

The thorns in the fields curled up from miserliness,

so it was abased and lived dejected and sad.

Living dejected and morose

So they were abased, living in gloom and sorrow.

وَأَسنى الوَردُ إِذ أَعطى شَذاهُ

وَأَسنى الوَردُ إِذ أَعطى شَذاهُ

مَكانَتَهُ فَكُن في الواهِبينا

مَكانَتَهُ فَكُن في الواهِبينا

And the rose, when it gave its fragrance, raised

While roses thrived by giving their fragrance

But the rose rose high when it gave its scent,

its standing; so be among the givers.

Take your place among the generous!

Elevating its station, so be among the givers.

سَأَلتُ الشِعرَ أَن يَثني عَلَيكُم

سَأَلتُ الشِعرَ أَن يَثني عَلَيكُم

فَقالَت لِيَ القَوافي قَد عَيِنا

فَقالَت لِيَ القَوافي قَد عَيِنا

I asked poetry to praise you,

I asked poetry to praise you, but rhyme

I asked Poetry to sing your praises,

but the rhymes told me, "We are at a loss."

Told me it had already chosen you

But the rhymes replied to me, "We are exhausted."

سَيَجزيهُمُ عَنِ البُؤَساءِ رَبٌّ

سَيَجزيهُمُ عَنِ البُؤَساءِ رَبٌّ

يُكافِئُ بِالجَميلِ المُحسِنينا

يُكافِئُ بِالجَميلِ المُحسِنينا

The Lord will reward them on behalf of the wretched,

A Lord will reward them for the destitute

The Lord shall reward them on behalf of the poor,

who rewards those who do good with goodness.

Requiting the charitable for their goodness

He who repays the doers of good with grace.