مطرانُناour bishop الزغبيُّal-Zoghbi يوسفُYusuf قدindeed بَنىbuilt
مطرانُنا الزغبيُّ يوسفُ قد بَنى
للعلمfor learning مدرسةًa school بِهِthrough him تَتَشَرَّفُit is honored
للعلم مدرسةً بِهِ تَتَشَرَّفُ
Our bishop Yusuf al-Zoghbi has built
Our metropolitan Yusuf has built
a school for learning, honored through him.
A school for knowledge, honored by it
لَقَدindeed اِبتداهاhe began it الحبرُthe prelate يوسُفYusuf جعجعٍJa'ja'
لَقَد اِبتداها الحبرُ يوسُف جعجعٍ
قِدَماlong ago فتمَّمهاthen he completed it كَمَنlike one who يستأنفُbegins anew
قِدَما فتمَّمها كَمَن يستأنفُ
Indeed, the prelate Yusuf Ja'ja' began it
The scholar Yusuf Jajjawi began it
long ago; our bishop completed it as though starting anew.
And completed it like one restarting
قامَتit rose علىupon علَمٍa height كنيرانlike the fires القرىhospitality
قامَت على علَمٍ كنيران القرى
تَدعوit calls إِليهِto it كلَّeveryone منwho يتضيَّفُseeks hospitality
تَدعو إِليهِ كلَّ من يتضيَّفُ
It rose upon a height, like the fires of hospitality,
It rose on knowledge like the fires of villages
calling to it all who seek hospitality.
Calling to it all who seek shelter
نُسبتit was ascribed الىto لبنانَLebanon مركزِهاits home وَماand what
نُسبت الى لبنانَ مركزِها وَما
هوit is منthan مبانيهاits buildings اعزُّnobler وآنفand prouder
هو من مبانيها اعزُّ وآنف
It was named for Lebanon, its home; and what
Named for Lebanon though not
is nobler and prouder than its buildings?
From its buildings the proudest or dearest
انif رمتَyou seek تأريخاًa chronogram فأَنشدthen recite فوقهُabove it
ان رمتَ تأريخاً فأَنشد فوقهُ
قلsay ياO جياعhungry ones العلمknowledge هَذاthis يوسفُYusuf
قل يا جياع العلم هَذا يوسفُ
If you seek a chronogram, then recite above it:
If you seek a date, chant above it
“Say, O you hungry for knowledge: this is Yusuf.”
Say, O hungry for knowledge, this is Yusuf