يَا مَنْ يُقِيمونَ لاِسْتِقْلاَلِهِمْ عِيداً

يَا مَنْ يُقِيمونَ لاِسْتِقْلاَلِهِمْ عِيداً

لَنْ تُسْرِفُوا فِيهِ تَعْظِيماً وتَمْجِيداً

لَنْ تُسْرِفُوا فِيهِ تَعْظِيماً وتَمْجِيداً

O you who hold a festival for your independence,

O you who are celebrating their independence

you can never honor and glorify it too greatly,

You will not glorify it too much with veneration and praise

وَلَنْ تُوَفُّوهُ حَقَّا مِنْ مَوَاجِبِهِ

وَلَنْ تُوَفُّوهُ حَقَّا مِنْ مَوَاجِبِهِ

لَو جُزْتُمُ الْحَدَّ تَزيِيناً وَتَشْييدا

لَو جُزْتُمُ الْحَدَّ تَزيِيناً وَتَشْييدا

nor can you discharge even one of the duties owed to it,

And you will not fulfill its rightful duties

even if you exceed all bounds in adornment and construction.

Even if you suffice by decorating and building

أَوْحَى إِلَيْكُمْ هَوَى لُبْنَانَ عَاطِفَةً

أَوْحَى إِلَيْكُمْ هَوَى لُبْنَانَ عَاطِفَةً

لَمْ تُبْقِ في الأَرْضِ تَقْرِيباً وَتَبْعِيدا

لَمْ تُبْقِ في الأَرْضِ تَقْرِيباً وَتَبْعِيدا

Love of Lebanon inspired in you a feeling

Lebanon's affection has inspired in you

that left no distinction on earth between near and far.

Leaving no land in the world unreached

فَفِي النَّوَى تَسْتَقِي مِنْهُ نَوَاظِرُكُمْ

فَفِي النَّوَى تَسْتَقِي مِنْهُ نَوَاظِرُكُمْ

طِيباً وَأَسْمَاعُكُمْ تَروَى أَغَارِيدَا

طِيباً وَأَسْمَاعُكُمْ تَروَى أَغَارِيدَا

For, even far away, your eyes draw from it

So from its sapling your sights are watered

sweetness, and your ears drink their fill of melodies.

And your ears satiated by its melodies

للهِ في لُبْنَانُ مَا أَبْهَاهُ مِنْ جَبَلٍ

للهِ في لُبْنَانُ مَا أَبْهَاهُ مِنْ جَبَلٍ

يَمْشِي بِهِ الْحُسْنُ تَصْويْباً وَتَصْعِيدا

يَمْشِي بِهِ الْحُسْنُ تَصْويْباً وَتَصْعِيدا

God be praised for Lebanon—what a splendid mountain!

Lebanon has what God has made it of glorious mountains

Beauty walks upon it, descending and ascending.

Upon which beauty walks erect and climbs

فِي كُلِّ مَوْقِعِ طَرْفِ آيَةٌ عَجَبٌ

فِي كُلِّ مَوْقِعِ طَرْفِ آيَةٌ عَجَبٌ

تَكْفِي المُنَى وَتُرِيحُ الذِّهْنَ مَكْدُودا

تَكْفِي المُنَى وَتُرِيحُ الذِّهْنَ مَكْدُودا

Wherever a glance falls, there is a wondrous sign

At every spot there is a verse that amazes

that fulfills wishes and soothes the toil-worn mind.

Satisfying wishes and resting tired minds

تُرَابُهُ يُخْرِجُ الأَزْهَارَ مُونِقَةً

تُرَابُهُ يُخْرِجُ الأَزْهَارَ مُونِقَةً

وَمَاءُهُ قَرْقَفٌ يُنْشِي الأَمالِيدا

وَمَاءُهُ قَرْقَفٌ يُنْشِي الأَمالِيدا

Its soil brings forth delightful flowers,

Its soil grows delicate flowers

and its water is wine that intoxicates the tender shoots.

Its water is a flask that revives withered hopes

لاَ يَسْتَعِيضُ بِهِ الْجَنَّاتِ بَائِسُهُ

لاَ يَسْتَعِيضُ بِهِ الْجَنَّاتِ بَائِسُهُ

وَقَدْ يَكُونُ عَنِ الأَقْوَاتِ مَصْدُودَا

وَقَدْ يَكُونُ عَنِ الأَقْوَاتِ مَصْدُودَا

Not even its poorest would take paradises in its stead,

The miserable gardens cannot compensate it

though he may be denied sustenance.

And it may forbid foods altogether

أَحْمَدْتُ هِمَّتكُمْ بِراً بِهِ وَرِضىً

أَحْمَدْتُ هِمَّتكُمْ بِراً بِهِ وَرِضىً

عَنْهُ وَمَا زَالَ رَاعِي الْعَهْدِ مَحْمُودَا

عَنْهُ وَمَا زَالَ رَاعِي الْعَهْدِ مَحْمُودَا

I found your zeal praiseworthy: devotion to it and contentment

I praised your righteous intention towards it and satisfaction

with it; the keeper of a pledge has always been praised.

With it and its keeper of the covenant continues to be praiseworthy

لَكِنَّني مُوجِسٌ خَوْفَاً لِغَاشِيَةٍ

لَكِنَّني مُوجِسٌ خَوْفَاً لِغَاشِيَةٍ

تَبُثُّ فِي جَذَلِي حُزْناً وَتَنْكِيدَا

تَبُثُّ فِي جَذَلِي حُزْناً وَتَنْكِيدَا

Yet I feel dread of an overwhelming calamity

But I fear an overwhelming disaster

that sows sorrow and distress amid my joy.

That sows in my heart grief and anguish

أَخْشَى شَظَايَا أَرَاهَا مِنْ تَفَرُّقِّكمْ

أَخْشَى شَظَايَا أَرَاهَا مِنْ تَفَرُّقِّكمْ

إِنْ تَصْدُقَ الصُّحفَ تَرْجِيعاً وتَرْدِيدَا

إِنْ تَصْدُقَ الصُّحفَ تَرْجِيعاً وتَرْدِيدَا

I fear the splinters I see arising from your disunity,

I fear the shattering fragments I see from your division

if the newspapers speak true in what they echo and repeat.

If the papers speak truly of reversal and repetition

فإِن تكونُوا كَمَا تُبْدِي فَوَا حَرَبَا

فإِن تكونُوا كَمَا تُبْدِي فَوَا حَرَبَا

أَنْ تَكْذِبُوا اللهَ وَالأَوْطَانَ تَعْيِيدَا

أَنْ تَكْذِبُوا اللهَ وَالأَوْطَانَ تَعْيِيدَا

So if you are as they portray you, then alas—

For if you are as you pretend, what a war

that you should lie to God and your homelands by celebrating!

That you belie God and the homelands with renewal

بَعْضُ الأَسَى إِنْ طَغَى يَدْعُونَه طَرَباً

بَعْضُ الأَسَى إِنْ طَغَى يَدْعُونَه طَرَباً

وَلِلأَذَى نَوْبَةٌ يَدْعُونَهَا عِيدَا

وَلِلأَذَى نَوْبَةٌ يَدْعُونَهَا عِيدَا

Some sorrow, when it overwhelms, they call joy,

Some of the grief, if overwhelming, they call it confusion

and suffering has a spell they call a festival.

And for harm they call a festival celebration

تَرَوْنَ لٌبْنَانَ إنْ عَقَّتهُ فِتيَتُهُ

تَرَوْنَ لٌبْنَانَ إنْ عَقَّتهُ فِتيَتُهُ

إِلا العُيُونَ تَبَاكتْ وَالْجَلاَمِيدَا

إِلا العُيُونَ تَبَاكتْ وَالْجَلاَمِيدَا

Would you see Lebanon, if its young men betrayed it,

You would see Lebanon, if its youth become unwise

as anything but eyes and boulders weeping together?

Save the eyes crying and the pens

إِني أُعِيذ وَفَاءً تَجْهَرُونَ بِهِ

إِني أُعِيذ وَفَاءً تَجْهَرُونَ بِهِ

كَمَا أُعِيذُ أُلِي الرَّأْي الأَمَاجِيدَا

كَمَا أُعِيذُ أُلِي الرَّأْي الأَمَاجِيدَا

I invoke protection for the loyalty you proclaim,

I seek refuge in a loyalty you proclaim

as I do for the noble men of judgment.

As I seek refuge in the elite of opinion and glory

لاَ يَعْصِمُ الْعِيدُ أَوْطَاناً مُمَزَّقَةً

لاَ يَعْصِمُ الْعِيدُ أَوْطَاناً مُمَزَّقَةً

وَلاَ تَقِي الزِّينَةُ الْقَوْمَ الأَبَابِيدَا

وَلاَ تَقِي الزِّينَةُ الْقَوْمَ الأَبَابِيدَا

A festival does not safeguard homelands torn apart,

The festival does not protect fragmented homelands

nor does adornment protect a scattered people.

Nor do adornments protect the ignorant tribes

بِلاَدُكُمْ فَاجْعَلُوهَا نُصبَ أعْيُنِكُمْ

بِلاَدُكُمْ فَاجْعَلُوهَا نُصبَ أعْيُنِكُمْ

وَأَيِّدُوها عَلى الأحْدَاثِ تَأْييدَا

وَأَيِّدُوها عَلى الأحْدَاثِ تَأْييدَا

Your country—set it before your eyes,

Make your countries the object of your eyes

and give it steadfast support against misfortune.

And support them against events with support

وَلاَ تَضَنُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِاتِّحادِكُمُ

وَلاَ تَضَنُّوا عَلَيْهَا بِاتِّحادِكُمُ

فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْهَوَى مَا كَانَ تَوْحِيدَا

فَإِنَّ خَيْرَ الْهَوَى مَا كَانَ تَوْحِيدَا

And do not begrudge it your unity,

Do not be stingy towards them with your unity

for the best love is that which brings unity.

For the best love is what is unifying

هّذَا كِتَابِيَ تَنْبِيهَا لِطَائِفَةٍ

هّذَا كِتَابِيَ تَنْبِيهَا لِطَائِفَةٍ

مِنْكُمْ تُؤوِّدُهَا الأَحْقَادُ تَأْوِيدَا

مِنْكُمْ تُؤوِّدُهَا الأَحْقَادُ تَأْوِيدَا

This is my letter, a warning to a group

This is my letter, a warning to a group

among you, whom hatreds bend and warp.

Whose hatreds fuel them continuously

أَمَّا الأولَى مَنَحُوا لُبْنَانَ حُبَّهمُ

أَمَّا الأولَى مَنَحُوا لُبْنَانَ حُبَّهمُ

وَلَمْ يُبِيدُوهُ بِالاَغْرَاضِ تَبْدِيدَا

وَلَمْ يُبِيدُوهُ بِالاَغْرَاضِ تَبْدِيدَا

As for those who gave Lebanon their love

As for the first ones who gave Lebanon their love

and have not laid it waste through selfish aims,

And did not destroy it with motives and dispersion

فَلْيَمْجُدِ الْجَبَلُ الْحُرُّ المَنِيعُ بِهِمْ

فَلْيَمْجُدِ الْجَبَلُ الْحُرُّ المَنِيعُ بِهِمْ

وَلْيَشْتَمِلْ ظِلُّهُ الأَمْصَارَ وَالْبِيدَا

وَلْيَشْتَمِلْ ظِلُّهُ الأَمْصَارَ وَالْبِيدَا

let the free, impregnable mountain gain glory through them,

Let the free, steadfast mountain glorify them

and let its shade enfold the cities and the deserts.

And let its shade encompass cities and ruins

وَلْيَرْفَعِ الْجِيدَ كُلُّ مِنْ بَنِيهِ كَمَا

وَلْيَرْفَعِ الْجِيدَ كُلُّ مِنْ بَنِيهِ كَمَا

يَرَوْنَهُ رَافِعاً فَوْقَ الُّربَى جِيدَا

يَرَوْنَهُ رَافِعاً فَوْقَ الُّربَى جِيدَا

And let each of its sons raise his neck, just as

And let each of its children raise the banner

they see it holding its neck high above the hills.

As they see it raised above the heights, as a hand

وَلْيَعْلَمِ النَّاسُ فِي اَقْصَى البَسِيطَةِ مَا

وَلْيَعْلَمِ النَّاسُ فِي اَقْصَى البَسِيطَةِ مَا

قَدْ أحْرَزُوهُ لَهُ عِزَّا وتَوْطِيدَا

قَدْ أحْرَزُوهُ لَهُ عِزَّا وتَوْطِيدَا

And let people at the earth’s farthest reaches know what

And let people know in the furthest plain what

they have secured for it: honor and firm foundations.

They have secured for it of honor and steadfastness

تَدَبَّرُوا قَصْدَكُمُ وَاللهُ يَمْنَحُكُمْ

تَدَبَّرُوا قَصْدَكُمُ وَاللهُ يَمْنَحُكُمْ

فِي نَهْجِ تَحْقِيقِهِ قَصْداً وَتَسْدِيدَا

فِي نَهْجِ تَحْقِيقِهِ قَصْداً وَتَسْدِيدَا

Consider your aim; may God grant you

Deliberate your intention, and God will grant you

on the path to achieving it, a straight course and true guidance.

In the path of its realization, deliberation and guidance