1. سهرٌ صالحٌ ينير العقولا

    بليالٍ تَزيد نوماً ثقيلا

    Wholesome wakefulness illuminates minds

    On nights that deepen heavy sleep.

  2. طهِّرِ العقل بالسهاد فتدري

    فضلَ ما قد أَخذتَ فيه سبيلا

    Purify the mind through sleeplessness, and you will know

    The virtue of the course you have taken.

  3. من رأى فكره عليلاً بفُحشٍ

    فبذاك الدواء يشفي العليلا

    Whoever finds his thought ailing from indecency

    Heals the ailing one with that remedy,

  4. بليالٍ تَصُورُ فيهنَّ فكراً

    بسهادٍ يَصُورُ داءً دخيلا

    Through nights in which you direct your thought,

    With sleeplessness that cuts away an inward illness.

  5. يا حليفَ السهاد إن كنت برقاً

    لا يراك الرقادُ إلّا قليلا

    O companion of sleeplessness, if you are lightning,

    Slumber sees you only briefly.

  6. سهرٌ دائمٌ وقلبٌ رقيقٌ

    كاد لولا غشاؤه أن يسيلا

    Unceasing wakefulness, and a tender heart

    That, but for its sheath, would almost flow away.

  7. وفؤادٌ يذوبُ بين ضلوعٍ

    وحنينٌ يشتاق تلك الطلولا

    And a heart that melts between the ribs,

    And longing that yearns for those ruins.

  8. وسحابُ الجفون تَسكُبُ دمعاً

    من عيونٍ كأنَّ فيها سيولا

    And the clouds of the eyelids pour forth tears

    From eyes in which there seem to be torrents.

  9. ومحبٌّ يُساق للبين قهراً

    فتراه لذاك عبداً ذليلا

    And a lover driven by force to separation,

    So you see him its abject slave.

  10. يا رعى اللَه عهدَ لبنان عني

    وسقاه العِهادَ عَرضاً وطولا

    Ah, may God preserve the memory of Lebanon for me,

    And water it with recurring rains across its breadth and length.

  11. كم رسولٍ بعثتُه بسلامٍ

    فجفاني وكان قلبي الرسولا

    How many a messenger I sent with a greeting,

    Only for him to forsake me—and my heart was the messenger.

  12. وبِوادٍ به النواقيسُ تتلو

    نغماً طيباً وحمداً طويلا

    And in a valley where the bells recite

    A sweet melody and prolonged praise,

  13. وبِديرٍ يزين رهبانَ نُسكٍ

    بصلاةٍ تُزيِّنُ الإنجيلا

    And in a monastery that adorns ascetic monks

    With a prayer that adorns the Gospel,

  14. وبشادٍ يُشيدُ صوتاً رخيماً

    سَبِّحوا سَبِّحوا إلهاً جليلا

    And with a singer who raises a mellow voice:

    Praise, praise a majestic God!

  15. نغماتٍ يقال أبرَت عليلاً

    وصلاةٌ يقال أحيت قتيلا

    Melodies said to have healed an ailing person,

    And a prayer said to have revived one who was slain.

  16. ما رأت مقلتي كهذا جمالاً

    ولذا ما رأت كذاك جميلا

    My eye has seen no beauty like this,

    And so it has seen nothing as beautiful as that.