لخليلِ نحّاسَ الأَسيفَ مَناحةٌ

لخليلِ نحّاسَ الأَسيفَ مَناحةٌ

لسُرى حَنينةَ عِندَ زَهرةِ عُمرِها

لسُرى حَنينةَ عِندَ زَهرةِ عُمرِها

A lament for grief-stricken Khalil Nahhas,

For Khalil the copper engraver has a blade

For Hanina's night journey, in the bloom of her life,

For Sura the lovely one in the flower of her youth

مِن آلِ عَنحوري كَغُصنٍ قَد ذَوى

مِن آلِ عَنحوري كَغُصنٍ قَد ذَوى

فَسَقَت مدامِعُهُ جَوانب قَبرِها

فَسَقَت مدامِعُهُ جَوانب قَبرِها

Of the Anhoury family, like a branch that has withered.

Of the Anhouris like a withered branch

So his tears watered the sides of her grave.

So his tears soaked the sides of her grave

تَرَكَت لَدَيهِ كُلّ طفلٍ ناحبٍ

تَرَكَت لَدَيهِ كُلّ طفلٍ ناحبٍ

للبينِ يَبكي مِن مرارَةِ هَجرِها

للبينِ يَبكي مِن مرارَةِ هَجرِها

She left each wailing child with him,

She left by him every weeping child

Weeping over separation, from the bitterness of her departure.

Crying bitterly from the bitterness of her absence

وَلَقَد دَعَت جُرجَ العَزيزَ لِقُربِها

وَلَقَد دَعَت جُرجَ العَزيزَ لِقُربِها

شَوقاً فَأَمسى نائِماً في حِجرها

شَوقاً فَأَمسى نائِماً في حِجرها

And indeed she called beloved George to her side,

And she had summoned glorious Jurj to be near her

Out of longing; so he lay asleep in her lap.

Yearningly so he lay sleeping in her lap

وَلَّت وَبالتأريخِ وَلَّى مُسرِعاً

وَلَّت وَبالتأريخِ وَلَّى مُسرِعاً

كَالشَمسِ قَد أَفلَ الهِلالُ بِإِثرِها

كَالشَمسِ قَد أَفلَ الهِلالُ بِإِثرِها

She departed; and in the chronogram he departed swiftly:

She turned her back, turning away swiftly

Like the sun, the crescent moon has set in her wake.

Like the sun when the crescent has set in its trail