هَتَفَتْcalled out تُبَشِّرُheralding بِالضُّحىthe morning light الأَطيارُthe birds
هَتَفَتْ تُبَشِّرُ بِالضُّحى الأَطيارُ
فَاِستَيقَظَتso awoke لِهُتافِهاto their calls الأَزهارُthe flowers
فَاِستَيقَظَت لِهُتافِها الأَزهارُ
The birds called out, heralding the morning light;
The birds proclaimed the morning glow,
so the flowers awoke to their calls.
The flowers awoke to their calls.
وَجَرَتand ran تُصافِحُهاclasping their hands النَسائمthe breezes فَاِنثَنَتthen turned back
وَجَرَت تُصافِحُها النَسائم فَاِنثَنَت
بَعدَafter الصِّفاحِthe handclasp وَثَوبُهاand their robe مِعطارُrichly fragrant
بَعدَ الصِّفاحِ وَثَوبُها مِعطارُ
And the breezes ran to clasp their hands, then turned back,
The breeze caressed and embraced them,
after the handclasp, their robe richly fragrant.
After greeting, their robes perfumed.
وَبَداand appeared جَبينُthe brow of النَّهرِthe river يَحكيresembles فضَّةًsilver
وَبَدا جَبينُ النَّهرِ يَحكي فضَّةً
فَعَلاهُthen overlaid it مَنfrom حَليِthe ornaments of الصَّباحِmorning نُضارُgold
فَعَلاهُ مَن حَليِ الصَّباحِ نُضارُ
And the river's brow appeared, resembling silver;
The river's brow seemed to tell of silver,
then gold from morning's jewels overlaid it.
Adorned by the jewels of the dawn.
وَكَسَتهُand clothed it أخيلةِthe reflections of الغُصونِthe branches غَدائِراًtresses
وَكَسَتهُ أخيلةِ الغُصونِ غَدائِراً
أَبداًforever يُلاعِبُهاplays with them الهَواthe wind السَيَّارُroaming
أَبداً يُلاعِبُها الهَوا السَيَّارُ
And the branches' reflections clothed it in tresses,
The branches' tents cloaked it
forever played with by the roaming wind.
As the wandering winds toyed with them forever.
ياO حَبَّذاhow lovely رَوضٌa garden بِهِin it تُشرىare bought المُنىwishes
يا حَبَّذا رَوضٌ بِهِ تُشرى المُنى
وَتُباعand are sold فيin لَذَّاتِهِits pleasures الأَعمارُlifetimes
وَتُباع في لَذَّاتِهِ الأَعمارُ
Ah, how lovely is a garden where wishes are bought,
Blessed is a garden where dreams are bought
and lifetimes are sold for its delights!
And lives bartered for its joys.
طابَis sweet الصّبوحُmorning wine بِهِin it فَهاتِso bring it وَعاطِنيand hand me
طابَ الصّبوحُ بِهِ فَهاتِ وَعاطِني
كَأساًa cup عَليَّto me بِهاthrough it الصَفاءُserenity يُدارُis passed around
كَأساً عَليَّ بِها الصَفاءُ يُدارُ
Morning wine is sweet here; bring it, and hand me
The morn is sweet in it, so pour me
a cup through which serenity is passed round to me.
A cup in which purity circulates.
وَإِذاand if رَأَيتyou see عَليَّin me مَيلةَthe sway of شارِبٍa drinker
وَإِذا رَأَيت عَليَّ مَيلةَ شارِبٍ
زِدنيgive me more فَذَلِكَfor that مَذهَبيmy way المُختارُchosen
زِدني فَذَلِكَ مَذهَبي المُختارُ
And if you see in me a drinker's sway,
And if you see me lean to drink
give me more, for that is my chosen way.
Replenish me, for that is my way.
وَدَعِand let الصَّبابةَardent love فيَّwithin me تَأخُذtake وسعَهاits full scope
وَدَعِ الصَّبابةَ فيَّ تَأخُذ وسعَها
ماno بِالصَبابةِin ardent love لِلمُتَيَّمِfor the love-enslaved عارُshame
ما بِالصَبابةِ لِلمُتَيَّمِ عارُ
And let ardent love take its full course within me;
Let youth take its course in me
there is no shame in ardent love for one enslaved by love.
For the sober have no youthful spirit.
اِستَغفرُI seek forgiveness from اللَّهَGod العَظيمَAlmighty عَليَّupon me مِنfrom
اِستَغفرُ اللَّهَ العَظيمَ عَليَّ مِن
أَخلاقِthe virtues of نائبهHis deputy الكَريمthe noble وَقارُdignity
أَخلاقِ نائبه الكَريم وَقارُ
I seek forgiveness of God Almighty; upon me, from
I beg God, the Almighty, to forgive me
His noble deputy's virtues, rests a solemn dignity.
For the morals of His noble deputy.
السَيِّدُthe master العلَمُthe illustrious one الَّذيwho لِكَمالِهِfor his perfection
السَيِّدُ العلَمُ الَّذي لِكَمالِهِ
شِيَمٌvirtues بِهاwith them تَتَزيَّنُadorn themselves الأَخيارُthe righteous
شِيَمٌ بِها تَتَزيَّنُ الأَخيارُ
The illustrious master, whose perfection is marked by
The master, the banner of knowledge,
virtues with which the righteous adorn themselves;
With virtues the excellent are adorned.
حَبرٌa learned cleric لَهُfor him التَّقوىpiety شِعارan inner garment لازِمٌinseparable
حَبرٌ لَهُ التَّقوى شِعار لازِمٌ
وَالبِرُّand righteousness ثَوبٌa robe وَالعَفافُand chastity إِزارُa waistcloth
وَالبِرُّ ثَوبٌ وَالعَفافُ إِزارُ
a learned cleric, with piety his inseparable inner garment,
Godfearing, his creed ever present,
and righteousness his robe, and chastity his waistcloth.
Righteousness his garb and chastity his skirt.
يَقظٌvigilant تَراعيis mindful of اللَهَGod مِنهُof his مُقلَةٌan eye
يَقظٌ تَراعي اللَهَ مِنهُ مُقلَةٌ
سَهِرَتhas kept vigil وَأُخرىand another فيin الأُمورِaffairs تُدارُis directed
سَهِرَت وَأُخرى في الأُمورِ تُدارُ
Vigilant: one eye of his, mindful of God,
Wakeful, watching God in his sleeplessness,
has kept vigil, while the other is turned toward affairs.
Having stayed up, while others sleep.
يَغشىshelters الرَعيةَthe flock مِنهُfrom him ظِلٌّa shade وَارفٌspreading
يَغشى الرَعيةَ مِنهُ ظِلٌّ وَارفٌ
لِلأَمنِfor safety فيهِwithin it وَالهَناءِand happiness قَرارُa resting place
لِلأَمنِ فيهِ وَالهَناءِ قَرارُ
A spreading shade from him shelters the flock,
His shade covers the people, a sheltering cloud,
where safety and happiness find a home.
Wherein is rest and comfort.
مَولىa patron لَقَدindeed قسمَhas allotted الإِلَهُGod لَناto us بِهِthrough him
مَولى لَقَد قسمَ الإِلَهُ لَنا بِهِ
كَرَماًgenerosity وَأَنصَفَناand dealt justly with us بِهِthrough him المِقدارُdestiny
كَرَماً وَأَنصَفَنا بِهِ المِقدارُ
A patron through whom God has indeed allotted us
My lord, God has granted us in him
generosity, and through whom destiny has dealt justly with us.
Bounty, and equated us in measure.
حَظٌّgood fortune بِهِthrough him بَيروتَBeirut راقَbecame lovely صَفاؤُهاits serenity
حَظٌّ بِهِ بَيروتَ راقَ صَفاؤُها
وَتَزحزَحَتand receded عَنfrom أُفقِهاits horizon الأَكدارُtroubles
وَتَزحزَحَت عَن أُفقِها الأَكدارُ
A blessing through whom Beirut's serenity grew fair,
With him, Beirut's fortune has been brightened
and troubles receded from its horizon.
And the gloom lifted from its horizon.
هُوَhe خَيرُthe best فَكَّاكunraveler لِكُلof every عَسيرَةٍdifficulty
هُوَ خَيرُ فَكَّاك لِكُل عَسيرَةٍ
عُقدتwas knotted فَحارَتso became bewildered دونَهاbefore it الأَفكارُthoughts
عُقدت فَحارَت دونَها الأَفكارُ
He is the finest unraveler of every difficulty
He is the best unraveler of difficulties,
tied in knots, leaving thoughts baffled before it.
Before which minds stand helpless.
حَزمٌfirm resolve لَقَدindeed ضَبطَhas set in order الأُمورَaffairs وَحكمةٌand wisdom
حَزمٌ لَقَد ضَبطَ الأُمورَ وَحكمةٌ
كَشَفَتwere revealed لِثاقبِto the keenness of عِلمَهاits knowledge الأَسرارُsecrets
كَشَفَت لِثاقبِ عِلمَها الأَسرارُ
Firm resolve that has indeed set affairs in order, and wisdom
Wisdom and resolve have ordered matters;
to whose penetrating knowledge secrets have been revealed.
His keen mind penetrated secrets.
يَلقَىmeets الأَمورَaffairs بِهِمَةٍwith determination قَدalready عَوَّدَتhas made customary
يَلقَى الأَمورَ بِهِمَةٍ قَد عَوَّدَت
أَنthat لاnot تَفوتoutrun سِباقَهاits racing pursuit الأَوطارُgoals
أَن لا تَفوت سِباقَها الأَوطارُ
He meets affairs with a resolve that has made a habit
With determination he tackles matters,
of letting no goal outrun its pursuit.
Trained never to lose pace.
ياO خَيرَbest of مَنthose who وافىcame إِلَيناto us زائِراًas a visitor
يا خَيرَ مَن وافى إِلَينا زائِراً
وَأَجَلَّand most exalted of مَنthose whom تَسعىhasten لَهُto him الزُوّارُvisitors
وَأَجَلَّ مَن تَسعى لَهُ الزُوّارُ
O best of those who have come to us as visitors,
O best of visitors to come to us,
and most exalted of those to whom visitors hasten,
The most majestic whom visitors seek!
سُرَّتrejoiced بَمقدَمِكَat your arrival السَّعيدauspicious كَنيسةa church
سُرَّت بَمقدَمِكَ السَّعيد كَنيسة
عرفتكَknew you أَفضلَthe finest of مَنthose whom إِلَيهِto him يشارُone points
عرفتكَ أَفضلَ مَن إِلَيهِ يشارُ
a church rejoiced at your auspicious arrival,
The church thrilled at your blessed arrival,
that knew you as the finest of those to whom people point.
Knowing none finer than you to heed.
وَاِستَبشَرَتand rejoiced بِالفَوزat success طائِفةa community لَهاit has
وَاِستَبشَرَت بِالفَوز طائِفة لَها
بِكَin you فيamong الأَنامhumankind مَسَرَّةٌjoy وَفخارُand pride
بِكَ في الأَنام مَسَرَّةٌ وَفخارُ
And a community rejoiced in success, for it has
A denomination triumphed, proud
in you, among humankind, joy and pride.
To have you celebrated among men.
فَليبتَهجso let it rejoice بِكَin you قُطرُthe region of بَيروتَBeirut الَّذيwhich
فَليبتَهج بِكَ قُطرُ بَيروتَ الَّذي
ماnot زالَhas ceased يحسدهenvies it بِكَbecause of you الأَقطارُthe regions
ما زالَ يحسده بِكَ الأَقطارُ
So let Beirut's region rejoice in you, which
Let the Beirut district rejoice in you,
other regions have never ceased to envy because of you.
Still envied for you by all regions.
وَاهِنأand be happy وَدُمْand remain بِالفَضلِin excellence بَدراًa full moon كامِلاًperfect
وَاهِنأ وَدُمْ بِالفَضلِ بَدراً كامِلاً
تَجريrun their courses فَتنقصَthen wane دونَكَbeneath you الأَقمارُthe moons
تَجري فَتنقصَ دونَكَ الأَقمارُ
And be happy, and remain in excellence a perfect full moon,
Congratulations! Always excel,
while the moons run their courses, then wane beneath you.
A full moon, outshining all stars!