وشاحُكَ فخرٌ في الأنام جليلُ

وشاحُكَ فخرٌ في الأنام جليلُ

وتاجُكَ عزٌّ في الشعوب أصيلُ

وتاجُكَ عزٌّ في الشعوب أصيلُ

Your sash is a noble glory among humankind,

Your veil is pride among people, glorious,

And your crown is deep-rooted honor among the peoples.

And your crown is might among nations, noble.

أيا شَعبَ مارونَ الذي قام أُسُّهُ

أيا شَعبَ مارونَ الذي قام أُسُّهُ

على صخرة الإيمان وهو صقيل

على صخرة الإيمان وهو صقيل

O people of Maron, whose foundation was established

O people of Maron, whose founder

Upon the rock of faith, burnished bright.

Stood on the rock of faith, smooth and polished.

فإيمانه ينبيك عنه اتحادُه

فإيمانه ينبيك عنه اتحادُه

ببطرس والأعمالُ فيه دليل

ببطرس والأعمالُ فيه دليل

For its faith is made known to you by its union

For his faith indicates to you his unity

With Peter; its deeds, too, are evidence of it.

With Peter, and his deeds are evidence.

فما وطئته قطُّ أقدامُ بدعةٍ

فما وطئته قطُّ أقدامُ بدعةٍ

ولا ضل منه حيث كان سليل

ولا ضل منه حيث كان سليل

For no feet of heresy have ever trodden it,

The feet of heresy never trod him,

Nor has any of its descendants strayed, wherever he may be.

Nor did any stray where he was a descendant.

ولا شانه مذ قام تعليم مُفسدٍ

ولا شانه مذ قام تعليم مُفسدٍ

ولا غشه في النائبات عذول

ولا غشه في النائبات عذول

Nor, since it arose, has a corrupter's teaching sullied it,

Nor did the teaching of a corrupter touch him

Nor has a reproacher deceived it amid calamities.

Nor did he incline in deputies to injustice.

ولا قال لا أرضى تعاليم بُطرسٍ

ولا قال لا أرضى تعاليم بُطرسٍ

وما جاءنا بالبينات رسول

وما جاءنا بالبينات رسول

Nor has it said, 'I do not accept Peter's teachings,

Nor did he say: “I do not accept the teachings of Peter

And no messenger has brought us clear signs.'

And what the Messenger brought us in proofs.”

ولا قال إني خائفٌ عند طاعتي

ولا قال إني خائفٌ عند طاعتي

وفي الناس منهم قاتلٌ وقتيل

وفي الناس منهم قاتلٌ وقتيل

Nor has it said, 'I am afraid when I obey,'

Nor did he say: “I fear when obeying,

Though among the people some are killers and some are slain.

And among the people are some who kill and are killed.”

ولم يغوه قولُ المماذق خادعاً

ولم يغوه قولُ المماذق خادعاً

رويدَك إن تكفرْ فأنت خليل

رويدَك إن تكفرْ فأنت خليل

Nor has the false friend's deceitful speech misled it:

And the saying of deceitful hypocrites did not tempt him:

'Easy now: if you renounce your faith, you are a close friend.'

“Go slowly, if you disbelieve, you will be a friend.”

ولم يَستعن إيمانُه سيفَ كافرٍ

ولم يَستعن إيمانُه سيفَ كافرٍ

كما يستعين الغير وهو ذليل

كما يستعين الغير وهو ذليل

Nor has its faith sought an unbeliever's sword for aid,

And his faith did not seek the aid of an infidel’s sword,

As others do, in humiliation.

As others seek aid, while humiliated.

على أنه باللَه أصبحَ ظافراً

على أنه باللَه أصبحَ ظافراً

بأعدائه واللَهُ فيه وكيل

بأعدائه واللَهُ فيه وكيل

Yet through God it has become victorious

But he became victorious over his enemies by God,

Over its enemies, with God as its guardian.

And God was his protector.

وفاز من المولى ببرٍّ ونعمةٍ

وفاز من المولى ببرٍّ ونعمةٍ

كما فاز بالآلاء إسرائيل

كما فاز بالآلاء إسرائيل

And won benevolence and blessing from the Lord,

And he attained from the Lord righteousness and bounty,

As Israel won divine favors.

As Israel attained grace.

وجاءته منه بالبشائر رحمة

وجاءته منه بالبشائر رحمة

كما جاء بالتبشير جبرائيل

كما جاء بالتبشير جبرائيل

And mercy came to it from Him bearing glad tidings,

And mercy came to him with good tidings,

As Gabriel came bearing glad tidings.

As Gabriel brought glad tidings.

فغارَ على حفظ الوداد لربه

فغارَ على حفظ الوداد لربه

كما غار نحو اللَه ميخائيل

كما غار نحو اللَه ميخائيل

So it was zealous to preserve its love for its Lord,

So he was jealous in keeping affection for his Lord,

As Michael was zealous toward God.

As Michael was jealous for God.

وذا نُجحُهُ أعمال برٍّ موطَّدٍ

وذا نُجحُهُ أعمال برٍّ موطَّدٍ

ومَسندُه التوراة والإنجيل

ومَسندُه التوراة والإنجيل

And this is its success: deeds of steadfast righteousness;

And this, his success, is deeds of firm righteousness,

And its support is the Torah and the Gospel.

Supported by the Torah and the Gospel.

فلا تخشَ يا سِرباً صغيراً لأنه

فلا تخشَ يا سِرباً صغيراً لأنه

مقامك في ملك السماء جليل

مقامك في ملك السماء جليل

So fear not, O little flock, for

So do not fear, O little flock, for your place

Your station in the kingdom of heaven is exalted.

In the kingdom of Heaven is glorious.

لأن صغير الدر يفضل قيمةً

لأن صغير الدر يفضل قيمةً

على المعدن المسبوك وهو ثقيل

على المعدن المسبوك وهو ثقيل

For a small pearl surpasses in value

For the small pearl exceeds in value

Cast metal, though it is heavy.

The molded metal, though it be heavy.

يَشينُ حسودٌ أصلَنا فتَزينُه

يَشينُ حسودٌ أصلَنا فتَزينُه

مآثرُنا إن الفعال أصول

مآثرُنا إن الفعال أصول

An envious man disparages our ancestry, but it is adorned

An envious person maligns our origin, but

By our noble deeds—for deeds are roots.

Our achievements adorn it. Verily deeds are roots.

فما شينَ أيوبٌ لخسَّةِ أصله

فما شينَ أيوبٌ لخسَّةِ أصله

ولا زين إسرائيل وهو أصيل

ولا زين إسرائيل وهو أصيل

For Job was not disgraced by his lowly origin,

Job was not disgraced due to the lowness of his origin,

Nor was Israel adorned by his noble birth.

Nor was Israel adorned, though he was noble.

ولو كان عزُّ المرء عِلَّةَ أصله

ولو كان عزُّ المرء عِلَّةَ أصله

لما كان جاء الفادي وهو ذليل

لما كان جاء الفادي وهو ذليل

And if a man's honor depended on his ancestry,

Had a person's honor been due to his lineage,

The Redeemer would not have come in lowliness.

The Redeemer would not have come, while humiliated.

يُعيِّرنا أنّا قليلٌ عديدنا

يُعيِّرنا أنّا قليلٌ عديدنا

وقد فاته أنَّ الكرام قليل

وقد فاته أنَّ الكرام قليل

He taunts us that our numbers are few,

He reproaches us for being few in number,

Yet he overlooks that the noble are few.

Though the noble ones are few.

ويَثلبُنا أنّا نحبُّ عدوَّنا

ويَثلبُنا أنّا نحبُّ عدوَّنا

وقد فاته أن الأمين فضيل

وقد فاته أن الأمين فضيل

And reviles us for loving our enemy,

And he backbites us for loving our enemy,

Yet he overlooks that the faithful are virtuous.

Though loyalty is a virtue that escaped him.

ويَعذلنا أنّا نفي بعهودنا

ويَعذلنا أنّا نفي بعهودنا

وقد فاته أن الوفاء جميل

وقد فاته أن الوفاء جميل

And reproaches us for keeping our covenants,

And he blames us for being true to our covenants,

Yet he overlooks that fidelity is beautiful.

Though faithfulness is beautiful, and he knows not.

وينقم منا أن نقوم بودنا

وينقم منا أن نقوم بودنا

ولم يدر أن الود ذا إكليل

ولم يدر أن الود ذا إكليل

And resents us for upholding our love,

And he resents that we keep our affection,

Not knowing that love bears a crown.

Unaware that affection bears a crown.

ويوسعنا وهماً بعجزٍ يُكِلُّنا

ويوسعنا وهماً بعجزٍ يُكِلُّنا

ولم يدر إِنَّ لسانَه لَكليل

ولم يدر إِنَّ لسانَه لَكليل

And falsely heaps on us charges of crippling weakness,

And he imagines our weakness makes us helpless,

Not knowing that his own tongue is indeed blunt.

Not knowing his own tongue is helpless.

وما ضرنا منه سوى أن كيده

وما ضرنا منه سوى أن كيده

يُذيع مزايانا وهُوَّ خَذيل

يُذيع مزايانا وهُوَّ خَذيل

He has done us no harm, save that his scheming

And he has not harmed us, except that his deceit

Proclaims our merits, while he is left helpless.

Spreads our virtues, while he remains despised.

كبلعامَ لما قال أنت مباركٌ

كبلعامَ لما قال أنت مباركٌ

ونسلُك يا يعقوب إسرائيل

ونسلُك يا يعقوب إسرائيل

Like Balaam when he said, 'You are blessed,

Like Balaam, when he said "You are blessed

And your offspring, O Jacob—Israel.'

And your offspring, O Israel."

ويَنشرُ من آدابنا وهو صادقٌ

ويَنشرُ من آدابنا وهو صادقٌ

على أن شانَ الأكثرين ذليل

على أن شانَ الأكثرين ذليل

And he proclaims some of our virtues, speaking truly,

And he spreads our morals, while truthful,

Though the standing of the majority is lowly.

That the ways of the masses are despised.

فهذا هو الشعب الجليل بفضله

فهذا هو الشعب الجليل بفضله

وكلٌّ سواه فضلةٌ وفُضول

وكلٌّ سواه فضلةٌ وفُضول

This, then, is the people noble through its excellence,

This is the glorious people, by their merit,

And all others are leftovers and excess.

While all others are excess and superfluous.

إذا اشتغل الحسّاد عنا بدائهم

إذا اشتغل الحسّاد عنا بدائهم

فنحن لنفع الحاسدين نَجول

فنحن لنفع الحاسدين نَجول

When the envious are occupied with their disease, away from us,

When the envious are preoccupied with their own affliction,

We roam about for the benefit of those who envy us.

We go about benefiting the envious.

فقلَّتُنا تنبي بصدق انتخابنا

فقلَّتُنا تنبي بصدق انتخابنا

وكُثْرُهُم يُنفَى وهوَّ رذيل

وكُثْرُهُم يُنفَى وهوَّ رذيل

For our fewness attests that we are truly chosen,

Our fewness indicates the sincerity of our election,

And their multitude is rejected, being ignoble.

While their multitude is denied, and it is vile.

كالشمس إلّا أنها لمنيرةٌ

كالشمس إلّا أنها لمنيرةٌ

كالنجم إلّا أنَّه لضئيل

كالنجم إلّا أنَّه لضئيل

Like the sun—yet it is indeed radiant;

Like the sun, except that it is illuminating,

Like the star—yet it is indeed tiny.

Like a star, except that it is small.

كذا نحن ثمَّ الغيرُ ما بين معشرٍ

كذا نحن ثمَّ الغيرُ ما بين معشرٍ

رأوا نورنا لا يعتريه أفول

رأوا نورنا لا يعتريه أفول

Such are we, and then the others, among a people

So we are, then the rest, between a group

Who saw our light, which never sets.

Who saw our light, not subject to setting.

ولا عيب فينا غيرَ أن لساننا

ولا عيب فينا غيرَ أن لساننا

به عن مذمّات الأنام فلول

به عن مذمّات الأنام فلول

We have no fault, except that our tongue

We have no fault other than our tongue,

Is blunted against reviling humankind.

With which we avoid the reproaches of people.

ولا فضل إلا وهو فينا متمَّمٌ

ولا فضل إلا وهو فينا متمَّمٌ

ونحن بإحكام الأمور كهول

ونحن بإحكام الأمور كهول

No virtue exists that is not perfected in us,

Every merit is perfected in us,

And we are seasoned men in the ordering of affairs.

And we are mature in commanding matters.

تذل الجبال الراسيات لحلمنا

تذل الجبال الراسيات لحلمنا

فيندك منه ظالمٌ وجهول

فيندك منه ظالمٌ وجهول

The firmly rooted mountains bow before our forbearance,

Steadfast mountains bow to our forbearance,

And through it tyrant and fool are crushed.

So the unjust collapse from it, ignorant.

وتُفحِمُ أربابَ العقول علومُنا

وتُفحِمُ أربابَ العقول علومُنا

فيُخمَلُ منها عالمٌ وفضيل

فيُخمَلُ منها عالمٌ وفضيل

Our learning silences the masters of intellect,

Our knowledge silences the intelligent,

So scholars and men of merit are eclipsed by it.

So the scholar is perplexed by it.

فنحن بنو بيت الإله وإننا

فنحن بنو بيت الإله وإننا

ذوو الإرث أما غيرنا فدخيل

ذوو الإرث أما غيرنا فدخيل

For we are sons of the house of God, and we

For we are the house of God, and we

Possess the inheritance; the others are outsiders.

Are the heirs; as for others, they are newcomers.

ونحن بنو مارون بكرِ ابن مريمٍ

ونحن بنو مارون بكرِ ابن مريمٍ

وبِكرٌ لبِكرٍ أُمُّه لَبتول

وبِكرٌ لبِكرٍ أُمُّه لَبتول

And we are sons of Maron, firstborn of Mary's Son,

We are the Maronites, first-born of Mary’s son,

A firstborn of a firstborn whose mother is indeed a virgin.

And the first-born’s mother was a virgin.

ولا غرو أن البكر يفضُلُ إرثُه

ولا غرو أن البكر يفضُلُ إرثُه

على الدون كالصنديد حين يصول

على الدون كالصنديد حين يصول

And no wonder the firstborn's inheritance surpasses

It is no wonder the first-born’s inheritance

That of the lesser, like a champion when he charges.

Excels the lesser ones, as the torrent surges.