زدتِyou have increased ياO بيروتBeirut نوراًin light
زدتِ يا بيروت نوراً
ببهاءthrough the splendor of ابنson of سعادهْSaʿāda
ببهاء ابن سعادهْ
You have grown brighter still, O Beirut,
You have grown in radiance, O Beirut,
through the splendor of Ibn Sa'ada.
Through the splendor of Ibn Saʿāda.
هوhe بالصدقthrough truthfulness وبالتوand through divine aid (word begins)
هو بالصدق وبالتو
فيقdivine aid (word ends) قدindeed نالattained مرادهhis desire
فيق قد نال مراده
He, through truthfulness and providential fa—
He, through truthfulness and divine assis-
vor, has attained his desire,
tance, has attained his desire,
مثلlike سعدSaʿd بنson of معاذٍMuʿādh
مثل سعد بن معاذٍ
أوor كسعدlike Saʿd بنson of عُبادهʿUbāda
أو كسعد بن عُباده
like Sa'd ibn Mu'adh,
Like Saʿd ibn Muʿādh,
or like Sa'd ibn 'Ubada.
Or like Saʿd ibn ʿUbāda.
كمhow many لهhe has فيaround عنقٍa neck مثليlike me
كم له في عنقٍ مثلي
منfrom سجاياهhis noble qualities قلادهa necklace
من سجاياه قلاده
How many a necklace of his hangs on the neck of one like me,
How many he has, around the neck of one like me—
fashioned from his noble qualities!
Necklaces of his noble qualities!
إذfor لهfor him المعروفkindness خلقٌa character trait
إذ له المعروف خلقٌ
والسخاand generosity والجودُand openhandedness عادهa habit
والسخا والجودُ عاده
For beneficence is his very nature,
For kindness is his nature,
and liberality and bounty are his habit.
And generosity and openhandedness his habit.
وعلىand in support of دعوايmy claim عنديI have
وعلى دعواي عندي
منfrom مزاياهhis virtues شهادهtestimony
من مزاياه شهاده
To support my claim, I have at hand
And to support my claim, I have
testimony drawn from his merits.
Testimony in his virtues.
وعلىand over النفسthe self بنصرٍwith victory
وعلى النفس بنصرٍ
أيّدstrengthened اللهGod جهادهhis struggle
أيّد الله جهاده
Against the self, with His aid,
And with victory over the self,
may God strengthen his striving.
God has strengthened his struggle.
محسنٌa doer of good قدindeed فازwon بالحسwith the finest reward (word begins)
محسنٌ قد فاز بالحس
نىthe finest reward (word ends) لديهwith Him وزيادهand more
نى لديه وزياده
Doing good, he has won the best re—
A doer of good, he has won the finest re-
ward with Him, and more besides.
ward with Him, and more besides.
لمnot يزلceased يرفلwalks proudly فيin ثوa garment (word begins)
لم يزل يرفل في ثو
بgarment (word ends) كمالٍperfection وسيادهand eminence
ب كمالٍ وسياده
He ever moves resplendent in a gar—
He still walks proudly in a gar-
ment of perfection and eminence,
ment of perfection and eminence,
مثلماjust as تُجلَىis unveiled عليهbefore him
مثلما تُجلَى عليه
منof جميلbeautiful الخُلقcharacter غادهa graceful maiden
من جميل الخُلق غاده
just as there appeared before him
Just as there is unveiled before him
a maiden of beautiful character.
A maiden of lovely character.
