كادت تَذوبُ ثُغورُ البحر من حَسَدِ

لِثَغرِ بيرُوتَ أو تنهالُ منْ كَمَدِ

The lips of the sea nearly melted with envy

Of Beirut's lips, or poured down from ardor.

قد زارها من رأى أضعافَ مَنظرِها

ولم تَرَى مِثَلهُ في الناسِ منْ أحَدِ

She has been visited by one who has seen many times her beauty,

And none has seen the like of him among men.

ذاكَ السَّعيدُ الذي الدنيا بهِ سَعِدَتْ

وليسَ تَنسَى أياديهِ إلى الأبَدِ

That fortunate one by whom the world was made happy

And his generous hands will never be forgotten.

وَهْوَ الكريمُ الذي يُدعى كريمَ أبٍ

كريمَ نفسٍ كريمَ اسمٍ كريمَ يَدِ

He is the noble one called the noble son of a noble father,

A noble soul, a noble name, noble hands.

يَسيرُ والذَهَبُ المنثورُ يَتبَعُهُ

مثلَ السَّماءِ تَرُشُّ الأرضَ بالبَرَدِ

He walks about and gold is scattered after him

Like the sky sprinkling the earth with hail.

فظَنَّتِ الناسُ أنَّ السُحْبَ قد فَتحَتْ

بِقُدرةِ الله دارَ الضَربِ في الجَلَدِ

So people thought that the clouds

By God's power had opened the mint.

أماتَ ذِكرَ الكِرامِ السالِفينَ كما

أحيا مكارمَهُم في سالفِ الأمَدِ

He revived the reputations of generous men of old

As he brought their virtues to life from former times.

ورَدَّ لَهفةَ عَصرٍ كانَ منزِلُها

في بُهرةِ الصَّدرِ بينَ القلبِ والكَبِدِ

He returned the ardour of an age whose abode

Was in the exuberance of the heart, between the breast and the bowels.

ضاحي الجبينِ شديدُ البأسِ مُقتدِرٌ

في طلعةِ البدرِ ألقَى جبهةَ الأَسَدِ

Clear of brow, fierce in battle, powerful,

In the full moon he showed the mien of a lion.

بدرٌ بلا كَلَفٍ لَيثٌ بلا صَلَفٍ

بَحرٌ بلا زَبَدٍ كَنْزٌ بلا رَصَدِ

A full moon without blemish, a lion without mangy hair,

A sea without foam, a treasure without guarding.

عَطاؤهُ من عَطاءِ ا للهِ مُغتَرفٌ

بلا حِسابٍ ولا وَزنٍ ولا عَدَدِ

His gifts are drawn from God's gifts

Without reckoning, weight, or number.

إذا دنا فاضتِ الخَيراتُ من يَدِهِ

وإن نأى فنَداهُ غيرُ مُبتعِدِ

When he draws near, blessings pour from his hand,

And when he turns away, he is not far removed.

للمُلكِ في تختِهِ رأسٌ يقومُ بهِ

ومن سَعيدٍ أتاهُ اللهُ بالعَضُدِ

The ruler on his throne leans upon him

And he whom God has helped with support is fortunate.

شخصُ الخليفةِ بعدَ اللهِ نَحسبُهُ

وبعدَ ذاكَ سعيدٌ أوَّلُ العُمَدِ

We consider him the deputy of the Caliph after God,

And after that Sa'id, the mainstay.

رُكنٌ لدَولةِ هذا المُلكِ يَخِدمُها

بالمالِ والخيلِ والأبطالِ والعَدَدِ

A pillar of the state of this kingdom who serves it

With money, horse, heroes, and foot soldiers.

وَهْوَ الوَفيُّ الذي يَرعَى الذِمامَ ولا

ينسَى الصديقَ ولا يَلوي عنِ الرَشَدِ

He is the faithful one who tends to the guarantee

And does not forget the friend nor swerve from the right way,

الواسعُ الحِلمِ لا يَعلُوهُ عن غَضَبٍ

والعادلُ الحُكمِ لا يَعرُوهُ من أوَدِ

Forbearing, whom no anger can move to act hastily

And the just ruler whom no passion makes unjust.

والقاطعُ السيفِ لا تُثنَى مضارِبُهُ

وليسَ يَسلمُ منهُ لابسُ الزَرَدِ

And the decisive one with the sword whom no warrior can withstand

And from whom the mailed warrior gains no safety.

يا مَنْ علينا لهُ حَقُّ الثَّناءِ كما

لنا عليهِ حُقوقُ الغَوثِ والمَدَدِ

O you to whom belongs the right of praise from us

As to us belong the rights of succour and help from you!

عارٌ علينا إذا شَرَّفتَ بلدَتنا

ونحنُ كالعُمُدِ الخرساء في البَلَدِ

Shame on us if you honoured our country

While we were like the dumb pillars in the city.

هذا ثناء غريق في نَداكَ يَرَى

ثَناكَ في الشِّعرِ مثلَ الرُوحِ في الجسَدِ

This is the praise of a drowning man who sees

Your praise in verse like the spirit in the body.

إذا أردتَ لهُ توجيهَ مَكرُمةٍ

فقُلْ قَبِلتُكَ لي عَبداً ولا تَزِدِ

If you wish to bestow on me some honour,

Say "I accept you as my slave"--and no more!