1. عَرُوسُ شِعْرٍ تَنْجَلِي

    بَيْنَ الحِلَى وَالحُلَلِ

    A bride of poetry is unveiled

    Among jewels and robes.

  2. مَا أَبْهَجَ الزَّهْرَ عَلَى

    جَبِينِهَا المُكَلَّلِ

    How delightful are the flowers upon

    Her garlanded brow!

  3. يَا حُسْنَهَا تَخْطِرُ فِي

    هَفْهَافِهَا المُذَيَّلِ

    Oh, her beauty as she sways in

    Her airy, trailing robe!

  4. كَأَنَّمَا الحُورُ نَسَجْن

    غَزْلَهُ مِنْ غَزَلِ

    As though the houris had woven

    Its yarn from love verse.

  5. شَبهْتَها بِمَلَكٍ

    مِن الجِنَانِ مُرْسَلِ

    You likened her to an angel

    Sent from the gardens of Paradise,

  6. فِي غَيْهَبٍ أَبْيَضَ لَمَّا

    عٍ بِهَا مُنَزَّلِ

    In a white, gleaming gloom,

    Sent down with her.

  7. أَمَا تَرَى فِي نَاظِرَيْهَا

    لَمْحَةً لَمْ تَزِل

    Do you not see in her eyes

    A glimpse that has not faded

  8. مِنْ زُرْقَةِ السَّمَاءِ فِي اليَوْمٍ

    البَشُوشِ المُقْبِلِ

    Of the sky's blue on the day

    That comes smiling?

  9. عَذْرَاءُ مِلْءُ العَيْنِ فِي

    شَبَابِهَا الُمْقَتبلِ

    A maiden who fills the eye, in

    The first bloom of her youth.

  10. تَحَدَّثُ الغُصُونُ عَنْ

    قَوَامِهَا المُعْتَدِلِ

    The branches speak of

    Her well-proportioned figure.

  11. تَهْفُو القُلُوبُ مَائِلاَ

    ت نَحْوَهَا إِنْ تَملِ

    Hearts flutter, inclining

    Toward her if she inclines.

  12. مِنْ نَبْعَةٍ أَكْرِمُ بِهَا

    مُنْتَسَباً وَأَنْبِلِ

    From a root—how honorable it is

    As a lineage, and how noble!

  13. بِنْتُ أَبٍ هُوَ الإِبَاءُ

    مَاثِلاً فِي رَجُلِ

    Daughter of a father who is proud dignity

    Embodied in a man,

  14. مُنَزَّهُ الشِّيمَةِ عَنْ

    عَيْبٍ وَعَنْ تَبَذُّلِ

    His character is free from

    Fault and vulgarity.

  15. لَهُ مِنَ الإِكْرَامِ وَالإِ

    عْزَازِ أَسْنَى مَنْزِلِ

    For him, in honor and

    Esteem, is the loftiest station.

  16. مَنَّاحِ أَقْصَى العُذْرِ

    مَنَّاعٍ لأَدْنَى العَذَلِ

    Lavish with the fullest pardon,

    Barring even the slightest reproach.

  17. وَمَالَهُ بِخُطَّةٍ

    شَائِنَةٍ مِنْ قِبَلِ

    And he cannot abide

    A dishonorable course.

  18. هُوَ ابْنَ عَبْدِ اللهِ ذِي الْ

    قَدْرِ الرَّفِيعِ المُعْتَلي

    He is the son of Abdallah, whose

    Rank is lofty and exalted,

  19. أَسْمَى عِمَادِ جِيلِهِ

    بِالطَّوْلِ وَالتَّطَوُّل

    The loftiest pillar of his generation,

    Through bounty and beneficence,

  20. وَخَيْرِ أُمٍّ عُرِفَتْ

    بِالخُلُقِ المُكَمَّلِ

    And of the finest mother, known

    For consummate character,

  21. مِنْ خَيْرِ عُنْصُرٍ

    بِأَسْبَابِ العُلَى مُتَّصِلِ

    Of the finest stock,

    Bound by ties to eminence.

  22. هَذَا وَمَا تَشَاءُ مِنْ

    مَحْمدَةٍ بَعْدُ قُلِ

    All this—and whatever you wish

    In further praise, say it

  23. فِي غَادَةٍ آدَابُهَا

    مِنَ الطِّرَازِ الأوَّلِ

    Of a maiden whose manners

    Are of the first rank.

  24. حَدِيثُهَا فِي الأَنْفُسِ ال

    عَطْشَى كَمَاءٍ الجَدْوَلِ

    Her words, within souls

    Athirst, are like a brook's water.

  25. ضَمِيرُهَا أَنْقَى ضَمِيرٍ

    خَالِص مِنْ دَخَلِ

    Her conscience is the purest conscience,

    Free from taint.

  26. زَاهِيَةٌ زَاهِرَةٌ

    بَاهِرةٌ لِلْمُجْتَلِي

    Splendid and radiant,

    Dazzling to the beholder,

  27. كَالْكَوْكَبِ الدُّريِّ

    لِلأَبْصَارِ يَبدُو مِنْ عَلِ

    Like a pearl-bright star,

    Appearing to the eyes from on high.

  28. أَوْجُ العَنَانِ بُرْجُهُ

    وَنُورُهُ فِي المُقَلِ

    The summit of the clouds is its tower,

    And its light is in the eyes.

  29. أُمُّ العَرُوسِ وَلَهَا

    شغْلٌ وَأَيُّ شُغُلِ

    The bride's mother has

    Work—and what work!

  30. بِكُلِّ أَمْرٍ صَالِحٍ

    لِلْحَالِ وَالمُسْتَقْبَلِ

    In every matter beneficial

    To the present and the future.

  31. أُوتِيتِ سَعْداً يَا عَرُو

    سُ فَالْبَسِيهِ وَارْفُلِي

    You have been granted good fortune, O

    Bride: wear it and walk proudly.

  32. وَلْيَحْيَا سَامِي نَاعِماً

    بِحَظِّهِ المُكْتَمِلِ

    And may Sami live in bliss

    With his perfect good fortune.

  33. سَلِيلُ فَتْحِ اللهِ

    وَجْهِ الوُجَهَاءِ الأمْثَلِ

    Scion of Fathallah,

    The finest chief of notables,

  34. السَّيِّدِ العَالِي الجَنَا

    بِ السَّنَدِ المُبَجَّلِ

    The lord of lofty

    Standing, the revered support.

  35. إِنَّ ابْنَهُ لَسِرُّهُ

    فِي الفَضْلِ وَالتَّفَضُّلِ

    Indeed, his son is his very essence

    In virtue and generosity,

  36. فَتًى عَزِيزَ النَّفْسِ حُر

    الفِعْلِ عَفُّ المِقْوَلِ

    A youth of proud spirit, noble

    In action, chaste in speech.

  37. قَدْ يَسَّرَ اللهُ لَهُ

    فَوْزاً بِأَقَصَى الأمَلِ

    God has made easy for him

    Attainment of his utmost hope.

  38. دَامَ وَدَامَتْ عِرْسُهُ

    فِي فَرَحٍ وَجَذَلِ

    May he and his bride live long

    In joy and gladness.

  39. وَلاَ تَفُتْنِي هَهُنَا

    تَهْنِئَةٌ فِي عَجَلِ

    And let me not omit here

    A hurried congratulation,

  40. تَنُوبُ عَنْ تَهْنِئَةٍ

    سَالِفَةٍ لَمْ تُقَلِ

    Standing in for a congratulation

    Of earlier days, left unsaid.

  41. أَعْدَدْتُهَا مَنْظُومَةً

    مِنْ جَوْهَرٍ مُفَصَّلِ

    I prepared it in verse,

    From finely arrayed jewels,

  42. لإِمِلِي وَزَوْجِهَا

    هَدِيَّةً مِنْ قِبَلِي

    For Emily and her husband,

    A gift from me.

  43. نِعْمَ الفَتى بِنَفْسِهِ

    وَالعُنْصُرِ المُسَلْسَلِ

    Excellent is the young man in himself

    And in his continuous line of descent.

  44. يُعَدُّ فِي الأَفْرَادِ

    إِنْ عُدَّ رِجَالُ العَمَلِ

    He is counted among the exceptional few

    If men of action are counted.

  45. وَنِعْمَتِ الهَيْفَاءُ مَا

    فِي مَيْلِهَا مِنْ مَيَلِ

    And excellent is the slender maiden: no

    Fault mars her swaying.

  46. لَهَا ابْتِسَامَاتُ الصَّبَاحِ

    وَشُجُونُ البُلْبُلِ

    She has the smiles of morning

    And the nightingale's sorrows.

  47. فَأَنَا أَدْعُو بِفُؤَادِ

    المُخْلِصِ المُبْتَهِلِ

    So I pray with the heart

    Of a sincere supplicant,

  48. بِسَعْدِ يُوحَنَّا الحَبِيبِ

    وَهَنَاءِ إِمِلي

    For beloved Yuhanna's good fortune

    And Emily's happiness,

  49. وَلاِكْمتِمَالِ الشَّمْلِ

    شَمْلِ الأُسْرَةِ المُمَثَّلِ

    And for the reunion's completion—

    The family reunion, represented

  50. فِي صُورَة أَشْبَهَ

    مَا كَانَتْ بِهِمْ فِي مَحْفِلِ

    In a likeness as true

    As could be to them at a gathering.

  51. أَذْكُرُ مِنْ فِي ذِكْرِهِ

    مَسَرَّةٌ لَكُمْ وَلِي

    I mention one whose remembrance

    Brings joy to you and me.

  52. مَاذَا يَفِي الثَّنَاءُ

    مِنْ حَقِّ الصَّدِيقِ المُفْضِلِ

    How much can praise repay

    Of what is owed the generous friend?

  53. اسْكَنْدر الشَّهْمِ

    الأبِيِّ العَادِلِ المُعْتَدِلِ

    Iskandar, the gallant,

    High-minded, just and temperate,

  54. الصَّادِقِ السَّالِمِ فِي

    أَخْلاَقِهِ مِنْ عِلَلِ

    Truthful and free, in

    His character, from flaws;

  55. وَزَوْجِهِ ذَاتَ الحُلِيِّ

    الكَاسِفَاتِ لِلْحُلِي

    And his wife, whose adornments

    Eclipse the jewels:

  56. لُطْفٌ وَظَرْفٌ فِي جَمَالٍ

    فِي عَفَافٍ أَجْمَلِ

    Gentleness and charm in beauty,

    In chastity more beautiful still,

  57. وَفِطْنَةٌ شِبْهُ سَنىً

    فِي دُرَّةٍ مُشْتَعِلِ

    And intelligence like a radiance

    Blazing in a pearl.

  58. يَا آلَ خُوري إِنَّ

    مُطْرَاناً لَكُمْ أَوْفَى وَلِي

    O family of Khouri, indeed

    Mutran is your most faithful friend.

  59. خَلِيلُكُمْ فِيمَا مَضَى

    خَلِيلُكُمْ فِيمَا يَلِي

    Your Khalil in days gone by,

    Your Khalil in days to come,

  60. بَاقٍ عَلَى العَهْدِ

    مَدَى الدَّهْرِ بِلاَ تَحَوُّلِ

    Remaining true to the pledge

    For all time, without change.

  61. عِيْشُوا أُصُولاً وَفُرُوعاً

    فِي الصَّفَاءِ الأجْزَلِ

    Live, roots and branches alike,

    In the fullest harmony,

  62. بِحَسَبٍ مُؤَثَّلٍ

    وَنَسَبٍ مُؤَصَّلِ

    With long-established honor

    And deeply rooted lineage.