يَاO مُسْهِدَone who keeps awake القَوْمِthe people أَطَلْتَyou prolonged السِّنَهْslumber
يَا مُسْهِدَ القَوْمِ أَطَلْتَ السِّنَهْ
مَاnot الدَّهْرُall time إِلاَّexcept بَعْضُpart of هَذِيthis السَّنَهْyear
مَا الدَّهْرُ إِلاَّ بَعْضُ هَذِي السَّنَهْ
O you who keep the people sleepless, you have prolonged your slumber.
O you who consoled the people, you lived long
All time is but part of this year.
For life is but a part of this longevity
يَوْمُكَyour day فِيin لُبْنَانَLebanon يَوْمٌa day لَهُit has
يَوْمُكَ فِي لُبْنَانَ يَوْمٌ لَهُ
أَنْبَاؤُهُits tidings فِيin آخِرِthe last of الأَزْمِنَهْthe ages
أَنْبَاؤُهُ فِي آخِرِ الأَزْمِنَهْ
Your day in Lebanon is a day whose
Your day in Lebanon is a day for it
tidings will be told at the end of the ages.
With news at the end of times
هَوَّنَmade easy مِنْof دَمعِيmy tears عَزِيزاًprecious أَجَلْyes
هَوَّنَ مِنْ دَمعِي عَزِيزاً أَجَلْ
وَعِزَّةِby the gravity of الخَطْبِthe calamity الَّذِيthat هَوَّنَهْmade it easy
وَعِزَّةِ الخَطْبِ الَّذِي هَوَّنَهْ
It made my precious tears easy to shed—yes,
You made my precious tears feel trivial
by the gravity of the calamity that made them so.
And the dignity of this grieved matter that made it feel trivial
بَكَيْتُI wept for تِلْكَthose المَحْمَدَاتِpraiseworthy qualities الَّتِيthat
بَكَيْتُ تِلْكَ المَحْمَدَاتِ الَّتِي
بَعْدَكَafter you أَمْسَتْbecame بِالنوىof separation مُؤْذِنَهْannouncing
بَعْدَكَ أَمْسَتْ بِالنوى مُؤْذِنَهْ
I wept for those praiseworthy qualities that
I cried for those praises that after you
after you, came to announce separation.
At Nawa they became like a prayer caller
وَهَىgrew weak بِهَاwith them الرُّكُنُthe pillar الرَّكِينُsteadfast الَّذِيwhich
وَهَى بِهَا الرُّكُنُ الرَّكِينُ الَّذِي
مَاnot لَبِثَdelayed الوَاجِبُduty أَنْto أَوْهَنَهْweaken it
مَا لَبِثَ الوَاجِبُ أَنْ أَوْهَنَهْ
With them, the steadfast pillar grew weak—the one
It is by them that the firm, steady pillar
that duty soon wore down.
Did not take long for obligation to weaken it
بَكَيْتُI wept for ذَاكَthat الخُلٌقَcharacter الحْرَّnoble مَاhow
بَكَيْتُ ذَاكَ الخُلٌقَ الحْرَّ مَا
أَحْصَنَهْunassailable it was وَالخَلْقُand the physical form مَاhow أَحْسَنَهْbeautiful it was
أَحْصَنَهْ وَالخَلْقُ مَا أَحْسَنَهْ
I wept for that noble character—how
I cried for that virtuous, protected character
unassailable it was! And that form—how beautiful!
That his moral compass protected and the people's character adorned
بَكَيْتُI wept for ذَاكَthat الوُدِّaffection أَتْحَفْتَنِيyou graced me
بَكَيْتُ ذَاكَ الوُدِّ أَتْحَفْتَنِي
بِآيَةٍwith a token مِنْof أُنْسِهِits friendly warmth بَيِّنَهْclear
بِآيَةٍ مِنْ أُنْسِهِ بَيِّنَهْ
I wept for that affection; you had graced me
I cried for that love you granted me
with a clear token of its friendly warmth.
With a clear sign of its intimacy
بَكَيْتُI wept for عِلْماًknowledge شَامِلاًall-embracing نَفْعُهُits benefit
بَكَيْتُ عِلْماً شَامِلاً نَفْعُهُ
دَوَّنَrecorded مِنْهُfrom it المَجْدُglory مَاwhat دَوَّنَهْrecorded it
دَوَّنَ مِنْهُ المَجْدُ مَا دَوَّنَهْ
I wept for knowledge whose benefit embraced all;
I cried for encompassing knowledge, its benefit
glory recorded from it all that it recorded.
Immortality recorded what it documented
بَكَيْتُI wept for إِلهَاماًinspiration أَتَاهُcame to him عَلَىabove
بَكَيْتُ إِلهَاماً أَتَاهُ عَلَى
أَقْرَانِكَyour peers الوَحْيُrevelation الَّذِيthat لَقَّنَهْimparted it
أَقْرَانِكَ الوَحْيُ الَّذِي لَقَّنَهْ
I wept for inspiration, brought to him above
I cried for inspiration that came to him over
your peers by the revelation that imparted it.
Your peers, the revelation that dictated to him
بِالفِكْرِthrough thought تَسْتَنْزِلُهُyou draw it down مِنْfrom عَلٍon high
بِالفِكْرِ تَسْتَنْزِلُهُ مِنْ عَلٍ
وَالصَّوْغُand craftsmanship تُغْلِيyou make precious فِيin الحِلَىornaments مَعْدَنَهْits metal
وَالصَّوْغُ تُغْلِي فِي الحِلَى مَعْدَنَهْ
Through thought you draw it down from on high;
With thought, you summon it from the Most High
through craftsmanship you make its metal precious in ornaments.
And composition makes its essence boil in ornaments
مَعنَاهُits meaning مَاhow أَبْلَغَexpressive وَاللَّفَّظُand the wording مَاhow
مَعنَاهُ مَا أَبْلَغَ وَاللَّفَّظُ مَا
أَفْصَحَeloquent وَالأُسْلُوبُand the style مَاhow أَرْصَنَهْsolid it is
أَفْصَحَ وَالأُسْلُوبُ مَا أَرْصَنَهْ
Its meaning—how expressive! Its wording—how
Its meaning is most eloquent, and the wording
eloquent! And its style—how solid!
Most expressive, and the style most well-organized
بَكَيْتُI wept for ذَاكَthat الأَدَبَcourtesy العَذْبَsweet فِيin
بَكَيْتُ ذَاكَ الأَدَبَ العَذْبَ فِي
جَاعِلِهِthe one who made it مِنْout of كَرَمٍnobility دَيْدنَهْhis habit
جَاعِلِهِ مِنْ كَرَمٍ دَيْدنَهْ
I wept for that sweet courtesy in
I cried for that fresh, refined literature
him who made it his habit out of nobility.
That generosity was its habit
وَالجَانِبَand the manner اللَّيِّنَgentle حَتَّىuntil إِذَاwhen
وَالجَانِبَ اللَّيِّنَ حَتَّى إِذَا
دَعَاcalled حِفَاظٌdefense of honor عَادَbecame مَاhow أَخْشَنَهْstern it was
دَعَا حِفَاظٌ عَادَ مَا أَخْشَنَهْ
And for the gentle manner—until, when
And the gentle disposition, so that if
honor called, it turned—how stern!
Preservers called, it returns what it roughened
وَالجُودَand generosity تَفْنِيyou expend فِيهِin it مِنْof رِقَّةٍtenderness
وَالجُودَ تَفْنِي فِيهِ مِنْ رِقَّةٍ
مَاwhat صَوَّرَportrayed اللُّطْفَkindness وَمَاand what فَنَّنَهْgave it artful forms
مَا صَوَّرَ اللُّطْفَ وَمَا فَنَّنَهْ
And for generosity, in which you expend tenderness
And the generosity thatrefine in it from gentleness
that portrayed kindness and gave it artful forms,
What depicted graciousness and what adorned it
بِلَحْظَةٍwith a glance أَوْor لَفْظَةٍa word تَغْتَدِيbecomes
بِلَحْظَةٍ أَوْ لَفْظَةٍ تَغْتَدِي
مُحْسِنَةًbeneficent قَبْلَbefore اليَدِthe hand المُحسِنَهْbeneficent
مُحْسِنَةً قَبْلَ اليَدِ المُحسِنَهْ
with a glance or a word that becomes
With a glance or a word it indulges
beneficent before the beneficent hand.
Before the act of benevolence, the benevolent hand
أَمْرٌa thing عَظِيمٌgreat أَنْto يَجُودَgive generously امْرُوءٌa man
أَمْرٌ عَظِيمٌ أَنْ يَجُودَ امْرُوءٌ
وَسِرُّهُand his inner self مِصْدَاقconfirmation of مَاwhat أَعْلَنَهْhe proclaimed it
وَسِرُّهُ مِصْدَاق مَا أَعْلَنَهْ
It is a great thing for a man to give generously,
It is a great matter that a man be generous
his inner self confirming what he has proclaimed.
And its secret is the sincerity of what he declared
مَاnot نَفَقَاتُexpenditures of المَالِwealth إِلاَّexcept عَلَىon
مَا نَفَقَاتُ المَالِ إِلاَّ عَلَى
مَاwhat تَشْتَهِيهِdesires it النَّفْسُthe soul بِالهَيِّنَهْat all easy
مَا تَشْتَهِيهِ النَّفْسُ بِالهَيِّنَهْ
Spending wealth, except upon
Not expenditures of wealth, except upon
what the soul desires, is no easy thing.
What the self desires lightly
يَاO أَيُّهَاyou النَّاعِيِهِwho announces his death فِيamong قَوْمِهِhis people
يَا أَيُّهَا النَّاعِيِهِ فِي قَوْمِهِ
نَعَيْتَyou announced the death of أَوْفَىthe most faithful خَادِمٍservant مَوْطِنَهْhis homeland
نَعَيْتَ أَوْفَى خَادِمٍ مَوْطِنَهْ
O you who announce his death among his people,
O you who mourned among his people
you have announced the death of his homeland's most faithful servant.
You mourned the most loyal servant of his homeland
فَتىًa youth رَعَىkept كُلَّall مَوَاثِيقِهِhis covenants
فَتىً رَعَى كُلَّ مَوَاثِيقِهِ
عَلَىthrough اخْتِلافِchanges of الحَالِcircumstance وَالآوِنَهْand times
عَلَى اخْتِلافِ الحَالِ وَالآوِنَهْ
A youth who kept all his covenants,
A young man who kept all his covenants
through changing circumstances and times.
Despite differing eras and times
إِنْif يَرْأَسِhe heads الشُّورَىthe council يَسُسْهَاhe governs it وَلَمْand not
إِنْ يَرْأَسِ الشُّورَى يَسُسْهَا وَلَمْ
تُؤْخَذْbe held عَلَيْهِagainst him فِيin مَقَامٍa situation هَنَهْa fault
تُؤْخَذْ عَلَيْهِ فِي مَقَامٍ هَنَهْ
If he headed the council, he governed it, and no
If he leads the council, he runs it and he was not
fault was held against him in any situation.
Faulted in any position or task
وَلَمْand not يَكُنْhe was إِلاَّexcept أَخاًa brother نَاصِحاًsincere in counsel
وَلَمْ يَكُنْ إِلاَّ أَخاً نَاصِحاً
فِيamong رُفْقَةٍcompanions عَنْout of ثِقَةٍtrust مُذْعِنَهْassenting
فِي رُفْقَةٍ عَنْ ثِقَةٍ مُذْعِنَهْ
And he was nothing but a brother, sincere in counsel,
He was only an advising brother
among companions who assented out of trust.
Amongst comrades, obedient with confidence
أَوْor يَبْرَحِhe leaves المَنْصِبَoffice تَنْهَضْarises عَلَىof
أَوْ يَبْرَحِ المَنْصِبَ تَنْهَضْ عَلَى
قُدرَتهِhis ability فِيin ذَاتِهِhis own self البَيِّنَهْthe evidence
قُدرَتهِ فِي ذَاتِهِ البَيِّنَهْ
Or, if he left office, clear proof arose of
Or he leaves office, his evident
the ability inherent in his own self.
Ability in himself takes charge
فِيin جَنْبِcomparison with ذَاكَthat الفَضْلِmerit أَقْلِلْhow little بِمَاof what
فِي جَنْبِ ذَاكَ الفَضْلِ أَقْلِلْ بِمَا
تُعَدِّدُenumerate الأَقلامُthe pens وَالأَلسِنَهْand the tongues
تُعَدِّدُ الأَقلامُ وَالأَلسِنَهْ
Beside that merit, how little is what
Next to that virtue, minimize with what
pens and tongues recount!
Pens and tongues enumerate
يَاO عَانِياًcaptive يَفْدِيهِwould ransom him مِنْfrom قَيْدِهِhis bonds
يَا عَانِياً يَفْدِيهِ مِنْ قَيْدِهِ
أَعِزَّةٌdear ones لَوْif فِدْيَةٌransom مُمْكِنَهْpossible
أَعِزَّةٌ لَوْ فِدْيَةٌ مُمْكِنَهْ
O captive, who would be ransomed from his bonds
O you who suffers, may dignities redeem him
by dear ones, if ransom were possible!
If ransom was possible from his bondage
ضَمَّكَclasped you لُبْنَانُLebanon إِلَىto صَدْرِهِits breast
ضَمَّكَ لُبْنَانُ إِلَى صَدْرِهِ
وَقَدْand may يَجِدfind الحِسُّfeeling بِالأَمْكَنَهْin places
وَقَدْ يَجِد الحِسُّ بِالأَمْكَنَهْ
Lebanon clasped you to its breast,
Lebanon embraced him to its chest
and feeling may find expression in places.
And perception may find what is feasible
رَقَّتْsoftened لَكَfor you الأَضْلاعُthe ribs مِنْهُof it فَمَاand so not
رَقَّتْ لَكَ الأَضْلاعُ مِنْهُ فَمَا
وُسِّدْتَyou were pillowed إِلاَّexcept on مُهْجَةًa heart لَيِّنَهْtender
وُسِّدْتَ إِلاَّ مُهْجَةً لَيِّنَهْ
Its ribs softened for you, and so
Its ribs softened toward you, so you were not
you were pillowed on nothing but a tender heart.
Filled except as a gentle blaze
نَمْsleep هَانِئاًpeacefully كَمْhow many a سَاهِدٍsleepless one فِيin ثَرَىthe soil of
نَمْ هَانِئاً كَمْ سَاهِدٍ فِي ثَرَى
غُرْبَتِهِhis exile وَدِّwished بِهِin it مَدفَنَهْhis grave
غُرْبَتِهِ وَدِّ بِهِ مَدفَنَهْ
Sleep peacefully; how many a sleepless one in the soil
Sleep comfortably, how many a comrade in the foreign
of his exile has wished his grave were there!
Soil of his exile, make his grave homely
وَلَتَكْسُand may clothe مَثْوَاكَyour resting place غَوَادِيmorning showers of الحَيَاrain
وَلَتَكْسُ مَثْوَاكَ غَوَادِي الحَيَا
مِنْwith كُلِّevery نَاضِرٍfresh growth أَزْيَنَهْits fairest
مِنْ كُلِّ نَاضِرٍ أَزْيَنَهْ
And may morning rain-showers clothe your resting place
And your dwelling will cover the valleys of life
in the fairest of all fresh greenery.
With every blossoming adornment
فِيهِin it صِبىًyouth حَقَّit is fitting عَلَىfor مِثْلِهِone like him
فِيهِ صِبىً حَقَّ عَلَى مِثْلِهِ
أَنْthat تَحْنُوَbend tenderly الوَرْدَةُthe rose وَالسَّوْسَنَهand the iris
أَنْ تَحْنُوَ الوَرْدَةُ وَالسَّوْسَنَه
Within it lies youth; for one such as he, it is fitting
In it is a child befitting his like
that the rose and the iris should bend tenderly.
That the rose and lily bow
Claude 2 is inferred from the historical translator configuration. The original record does not identify its model.