أَدِر لَنا راحَ تِذكارِ الحِمى أَدِر

أَدِر لَنا راحَ تِذكارِ الحِمى أَدِر

وَصفَ لَنا اليَومَ مَحلى سَفحِهِ النَضِرِ

وَصفَ لَنا اليَومَ مَحلى سَفحِهِ النَضِرِ

Pass round for us the wine of remembrance of the homeland—pass it round.

Turn the winds of remembrance of fevered zeal, turn

And describe for us today the adornment of its verdant slope.

And describe for us the day, the freshness of its verdant slopes

وَاِرمُق سَناوَتُهُ وَاِنظُر سَماوَتُهُ

وَاِرمُق سَناوَتُهُ وَاِنظُر سَماوَتُهُ

تَرى دَرارِيِّها تَزدانُ بِالدُرَرِ

تَرى دَرارِيِّها تَزدانُ بِالدُرَرِ

Gaze upon its radiance, and behold its sky;

And glance at its youth and look to its heavens

You see its brilliant stars adorned with pearls.

You will see its pearls adorned with treasures

تَرى قِبابَ السَنا في الأُفُقِ صاعِدَةً

تَرى قِبابَ السَنا في الأُفُقِ صاعِدَةً

عَلى أَساطينِ نورِ ناثِرِ الأَكرِ

عَلى أَساطينِ نورِ ناثِرِ الأَكرِ

You see domes of radiance rising on the horizon,

You see the domes of excellence rising on the horizon

Upon pillars of light that scatter spheres.

On pillars of diffusing the light of honor

أَنعَمَ بِها لَيلَةَ لُبنانَ تاهَ بِها

أَنعَمَ بِها لَيلَةَ لُبنانَ تاهَ بِها

وَباتَ يَرفُلُ في ثَوبٍ مِنَ الحِبرِ

وَباتَ يَرفُلُ في ثَوبٍ مِنَ الحِبرِ

What a delightful night! Lebanon gloried in her,

It gifted Lebanon a night, wandered therein

And spent the night strutting in a robe of patterned cloth.

And slept wrapped in a garment of ink

جادَ الزَمانُ بِأَهليهِ بِطَلعَتِها

جادَ الزَمانُ بِأَهليهِ بِطَلعَتِها

مِن بَعدِ ظَنٍّ بِها في سالِفِ العَصرِ

مِن بَعدِ ظَنٍّ بِها في سالِفِ العَصرِ

Time graced its people with her appearance,

Time has been generous with its people with its rise

After anticipation of her in a bygone age.

After an era of neglect in days gone by

كَأَنَّما كانَ مُنذُ البَدءِ حامِلُها

كَأَنَّما كانَ مُنذُ البَدءِ حامِلُها

حَتّى تَمَخَّضَها ذا اليَومَ عَن كِبرِ

حَتّى تَمَخَّضَها ذا اليَومَ عَن كِبرِ

As though it had carried her since the beginning,

As if it had carried it since the beginning

Until this day it brought her forth in old age.

Until it gave birth to it, this day out of honor

يَزينُ قِبَّتُها نورٌ وَساحَتُها

يَزينُ قِبَّتُها نورٌ وَساحَتُها

نَورٌ فَتَزهَرُ بَينَ الزَهرِ وَالزَهرِ

نَورٌ فَتَزهَرُ بَينَ الزَهرِ وَالزَهرِ

Her dome is adorned with light, and her courtyard

Its dome is adorned by light and its courtyard

With blossoms; she glows between stars and flowers.

Is light, so it blooms amidst flowers and flowers

حَتّى كَأَنَّ ضِياها اِمتَدَّ مُتَّصِلاً

حَتّى كَأَنَّ ضِياها اِمتَدَّ مُتَّصِلاً

بِيَومِها وَكَأَنَّ الأَرضَ لَم تَدرِ

بِيَومِها وَكَأَنَّ الأَرضَ لَم تَدرِ

Until it seemed her radiance stretched unbroken

Until its glow seems to extend, connected

Into her day, as though the earth had never known

To its day, as if the land did not know

مَشاهِدَ كَمُلَت أَنوارَ زينَتَها

مَشاهِدَ كَمُلَت أَنوارَ زينَتَها

ما بَينَ مُنتَظِمٌ مِنها وَمُنتَثِرِ

ما بَينَ مُنتَظِمٌ مِنها وَمُنتَثِرِ

Scenes whose adorning lights were made complete,

Its sights, completed the lights of its adornment

Whether arrayed in order or strewn about.

Organized therein and scattered about

يَكادُ لُبنانَ أَن يَهتَزَّ مِن طَرَبٍ

يَكادُ لُبنانَ أَن يَهتَزَّ مِن طَرَبٍ

وَأَن يَمينسَ بِها يَحويهِ مِن مَدَرِ

وَأَن يَمينسَ بِها يَحويهِ مِن مَدَرِ

Lebanon almost quivers with delight,

Lebanon nearly trembles from joy

And sways with her, with all the earth it holds.

And flashes with it, containing its flashes

عِمتَ بِذي البَهجةِ العُليا مَسَرَّتُهُ

عِمتَ بِذي البَهجةِ العُليا مَسَرَّتُهُ

جَميعَ أَهليهِ مِن بادٍ وَمُحتَضَرِ

جَميعَ أَهليهِ مِن بادٍ وَمُحتَضَرِ

Its joy in this supreme splendor embraced

Its supreme joy has permeated

All its people, nomad and town-dweller alike.

All its inhabitants, both far and near

تَأَرَّجَت مِن ثَنا المَولى الوَزيرِ لَنا

تَأَرَّجَت مِن ثَنا المَولى الوَزيرِ لَنا

أَرجاؤُهُ بِأَريجٍ ضائِعٍ عَطِرِ

أَرجاؤُهُ بِأَريجٍ ضائِعٍ عَطِرِ

Praise of the lord minister has perfumed for us

It exudes from our guardian minister

Its reaches with a spreading, sweet fragrance.

Its spaces with a wandering, fragrant scent

هُوَ الوَزيرُ الَّذي ما شِئتَ مِن وَزرِ

هُوَ الوَزيرُ الَّذي ما شِئتَ مِن وَزرِ

مِنهُ عَلى دَهرِنا أَلفَيتَ مِن وَزرِ

مِنهُ عَلى دَهرِنا أَلفَيتَ مِن وَزرِ

He is the minister—whatever refuge you desire,

He is the minister, whatever ministry you wish for

You find refuge in him against our age.

You will find in his time a thousand ministries

أَقسَمَت مادامَ مِنهُ الخَيرُ مُنصَرِفاً

أَقسَمَت مادامَ مِنهُ الخَيرُ مُنصَرِفاً

إِلى العِبادِ فَما زِندَ الزَمانِ وَري

إِلى العِبادِ فَما زِندَ الزَمانِ وَري

I swore: so long as goodness flows from him

I swear for as long as good emanates from him

To mankind, Time's fire-stick will not spark.

To the people, time has lost its bitterness

كُنّا نُحاذِرُ دَهراً قَبلَ هِمَّتُهُ

كُنّا نُحاذِرُ دَهراً قَبلَ هِمَّتُهُ

فَالآنَ نَحنُ وَما نَبقى عَلى حَذَرِ

فَالآنَ نَحنُ وَما نَبقى عَلى حَذَرِ

We feared Time before his exertions;

We used to be wary of time before his resolve

So now we no longer remain on our guard.

And now we and those remaining are without caution

يَرتَدُّ عَن مَجدِهِ الوَضّاحُ مُنكَسِراً

يَرتَدُّ عَن مَجدِهِ الوَضّاحُ مُنكَسِراً

طَرفٌ عَنِ الشَمسِ أَضحى غَيرَ مُنكَسِرِ

طَرفٌ عَنِ الشَمسِ أَضحى غَيرَ مُنكَسِرِ

From his resplendent glory recoils, defeated,

Dazzled, he who seeks his glory turns back broken

A gaze that had faced the sun unbroken.

An eye averted from the sun remains unbroken

بَدرٌ يُنيرُ عَلى الأَقطارِ قاطِبَةً

بَدرٌ يُنيرُ عَلى الأَقطارِ قاطِبَةً

بَحرٌ سِواهُ جَميعُ الناسِ كَالغَدرِ

بَحرٌ سِواهُ جَميعُ الناسِ كَالغَدرِ

A full moon shining over all the lands,

A moon that illuminates the lands entirely

An ocean, beside which all other people are mere pools.

An ocean, while all people are like treason

مُهَذَّبٌ تَبخَعُ الجَلى لِحِكمَتِهِ

مُهَذَّبٌ تَبخَعُ الجَلى لِحِكمَتِهِ

يَرى وَيَمضي مَضاءَ الصارِمِ الذَكَرِ

يَرى وَيَمضي مَضاءَ الصارِمِ الذَكَرِ

Refined, before whose wisdom great ordeals bow,

Refined, thinkers stand dumbfounded by his wisdom

He sees and acts with the keenness of a hard-steel blade.

Seeing and blazing a trail, remembering strongly

مُؤَيَّدَ سَنَةِ العَدلِ الَّتي شَرَفَت

مُؤَيَّدَ سَنَةِ العَدلِ الَّتي شَرَفَت

وَرافِعَ رايَةِ الإِرشادِ في البِشرِ

وَرافِعَ رايَةِ الإِرشادِ في البِشرِ

Upholder of the honored tradition of justice,

Supporter of the path of justice which has been ennobled

And raiser of guidance's banner among humankind,

And bearer of the banner of guidance among mankind

طافَت بِكَعبَتِهِ الآمالَ وَاِعتَمَرَت

طافَت بِكَعبَتِهِ الآمالَ وَاِعتَمَرَت

وَلَيسَ إِلّا البَنانَ الرَطبَ مِن حِجرِ

وَلَيسَ إِلّا البَنانَ الرَطبَ مِن حِجرِ

Hopes circled his Kaaba and made the lesser pilgrimage;

Hopes have circled his holy site and prayed

Yet there is no stone but his moist fingers.

And nothing but fresh dates from stones

إِلى مَكارِمِهِ الآنامَ وارِدَةٌ

إِلى مَكارِمِهِ الآنامَ وارِدَةٌ

تَترى وَلَكِنَّهُ وَرَدَ بِلا صَدرِ

تَترى وَلَكِنَّهُ وَرَدَ بِلا صَدرِ

To his bounty mankind comes to drink,

To his noble qualities people now flock

In succession; yet it is a coming with no departure.

Crowding, yet he comes without chest-beating

باتَت تَحدُثُ عَن مَعنى سَماحَتِهِ

باتَت تَحدُثُ عَن مَعنى سَماحَتِهِ

وَعَدلٌُ أَحكامِهِ الغَرّاءِ عَن عُمرِ

وَعَدلٌُ أَحكامِهِ الغَرّاءِ عَن عُمرِ

His generosity has come to speak of Maʿn,

They remain discussing the meaning of his generosity

And his illustrious judgments' justice speaks of Umar.

And the justice of his noble rulings across ages

أَبدى فَأَيَّدَ أَيدي المَكرُماتِ بِنا

أَبدى فَأَيَّدَ أَيدي المَكرُماتِ بِنا

جوداً كَما كَفَّ كَفَّ الرَزءُ وَالغَيرِ

جوداً كَما كَفَّ كَفَّ الرَزءُ وَالغَيرِ

He displayed—thus strengthening noble deeds' hands toward us—

He initiated and supported our hands

Generosity, just as he checked the hand of loss and upheaval.

With generosity, just as hardship and destitution were relieved

أَينَ الرُزيئَةَ تَجتاحُ العِبادَ فَقَد

أَينَ الرُزيئَةَ تَجتاحُ العِبادَ فَقَد

رَمى بَها بَينَ سَمعِ الأَرضِ وَالبَصَرِ

رَمى بَها بَينَ سَمعِ الأَرضِ وَالبَصَرِ

Where is the calamity that ravages mankind? For he has

Where is hardship to sweep people away, for he has

Cast it between the earth's hearing and sight.

Cast it between the hearing of the earth and the seeing

لَهُ بِكُلِّ مَكانٍ كُلَّ مَأثَرَةٍ

لَهُ بِكُلِّ مَكانٍ كُلَّ مَأثَرَةٍ

غَراءَ مَعلومَةِ الأَحجالِ وَالغُرَرِ

غَراءَ مَعلومَةِ الأَحجالِ وَالغُرَرِ

Everywhere he has every noble accomplishment,

In every place, he has every glorious deed

Resplendent, known by white leg-markings and forehead blazes.

Known for its burdens and its treasures

إِذا أَفاضَ عَلى العافي مَواهِبُهُ

إِذا أَفاضَ عَلى العافي مَواهِبُهُ

أزرى بِغَيثٍ مِنَ الوَطفاءَ مُنهَمِرُ

أزرى بِغَيثٍ مِنَ الوَطفاءَ مُنهَمِرُ

When he pours his gifts upon a supplicant,

When he bestows on the needy his gifts

He shames rain cascading from a laden cloud.

I see a pouring rain from the cloudburst

وَإِن سَطا بِطِعانِ مِلءٍ مِن يَدِهِ

وَإِن سَطا بِطِعانِ مِلءٍ مِن يَدِهِ

قَرى الوَشيجُ وَغَربَ الصَيلَمِ البَترِ

قَرى الوَشيجُ وَغَربَ الصَيلَمِ البَترِ

And if he attacks with a full measure of spear-thrusts from his hand,

And if his hands extend with plentiful provision

He serves spear-shafts and the cleaving sword's edge as a feast.

The miserable are satiated and the destitute recover

يا مَن لِتَأييدِ عَلياهُ وَسُلطَتُهُ

يا مَن لِتَأييدِ عَلياهُ وَسُلطَتُهُ

تَدعو الرَعِيَّةَ في الآصالِ وَالبِكرِ

تَدعو الرَعِيَّةَ في الآصالِ وَالبِكرِ

O you, to uphold whose eminence and authority

Oh you whose support of the authorities and power

The subjects pray at evening and at dawn,

Have the people pray in the night and at dawn

بِكَ اِنقَضَت غُصَّةَ الأَيّامِ وَاِنكَشَفَت

بِكَ اِنقَضَت غُصَّةَ الأَيّامِ وَاِنكَشَفَت

صُروفُها بِالزَمانِ الأَخضَرِ النَضِرِ

صُروفُها بِالزَمانِ الأَخضَرِ النَضِرِ

Through you the days' anguish ended, and were dispelled

Through you the sorrows of the days have vanished

Their reversals, by a verdant, flourishing age.

And their turns in time turn fresh and flourishing

لَكَ الأَيادي عَلى لُبنانَ تُرسِلُها

لَكَ الأَيادي عَلى لُبنانَ تُرسِلُها

سُحُباً عَلى رائِحٍ فيها وَمُبتَكَرِ

سُحُباً عَلى رائِحٍ فيها وَمُبتَكَرِ

Yours are the benefactions you send upon Lebanon,

For you hands over Lebanon extend

As clouds over those going out there at evening and at dawn.

Clouds with a fragrance, some familiar, some novel

لَكُم رَأَيتُ لَهُ صَدعاً وَكَم شَعثٍ

لَكُم رَأَيتُ لَهُ صَدعاً وَكَم شَعثٍ

لَمَمَت فيهِ وَكَم قومَت مِن صَعرِ

لَمَمَت فيهِ وَكَم قومَت مِن صَعرِ

How many a rift I have seen in it, and how much disorder

For you I have seen it cracked and how much disheveled

You gathered up there, and how much crookedness you straightened!

I have touched there and how much ruggedness from baldness

سَقَيتُهُ الغَيثُ مِن رَغَدٍ وَمِن دِعَةٍ

سَقَيتُهُ الغَيثُ مِن رَغَدٍ وَمِن دِعَةٍ

كَذاكَ يَسقي جَديبَ الأَرضِ بِالمَطَرِ

كَذاكَ يَسقي جَديبَ الأَرضِ بِالمَطَرِ

You watered it with rain of plenty and ease,

The rain has watered it with luxury and tranquility

Just so does it water barren earth with rain.

Just as it waters the barren earth with rain

فَعادَ بَعدَ ذَوِيٍّ عَيشُهُ نَضراً

فَعادَ بَعدَ ذَوِيٍّ عَيشُهُ نَضراً

وَشَبَّ بَعدَ وُضوحِ الشَيبِ في الشِعرِ

وَشَبَّ بَعدَ وُضوحِ الشَيبِ في الشِعرِ

And so its life grew verdant again after withering,

So after decline its livelihood turned verdant

And grew young after gray had clearly appeared in its hair.

And aged after the clarity of white in the hair

ما إِن تَرى ماسَ بَينَ الناسِ غُصنٌ هُنا

ما إِن تَرى ماسَ بَينَ الناسِ غُصنٌ هُنا

إِلّا وَلُبنانَ أَمسى خَيرَ مُهتَصِرِ

إِلّا وَلُبنانَ أَمسى خَيرَ مُهتَصِرِ

You never see a bough sway here among the people

You do not see a branch touch the people anywhere

But Lebanon becomes the finest plucker of boughs.

Except Lebanon is best at recovery

مالي أَعدُد ما واصَيتُ مِن نِعَمٍ

مالي أَعدُد ما واصَيتُ مِن نِعَمٍ

عَلى حِماكَ وَما شُيِّدَت مِن أَثَرِ

عَلى حِماكَ وَما شُيِّدَت مِن أَثَرِ

Why should I count the blessings you have bestowed

Why should I recount the blessings I noted

Upon your domain, and the monuments you have raised?

Upon your protectorate and the monuments built

فَمِثلُ فَضلِكَ بَحراً لَيسَ يَحصُرُهُ

فَمِثلُ فَضلِكَ بَحراً لَيسَ يَحصُرُهُ

لِسانٌ مِثلي في ذا العَيِّ وَالحَصَرِ

لِسانٌ مِثلي في ذا العَيِّ وَالحَصَرِ

For such bounty as yours—a sea—cannot be encompassed

For the like of your favor is an ocean that

By a tongue like mine, with this faltering and tongue-tiedness.

A tongue like mine cannot quantify in this limitation

فَاِهنَأ بِسَعدِ هَداءٍ لا تَزالُ بِهِ

فَاِهنَأ بِسَعدِ هَداءٍ لا تَزالُ بِهِ

مُقارِنُ العِزَّ وَالنُعمى مَدى العُمرِ

مُقارِنُ العِزَّ وَالنُعمى مَدى العُمرِ

Then rejoice in the good fortune of a bridal union, through which you will ever

So congratulations on the good fortune that

Be joined with honor and blessings throughout your life.

Will always accompany honor and bounty all your life

تَزهو لَنا اليَومَ في تاريخِهِ جُمَلٌ

تَزهو لَنا اليَومَ في تاريخِهِ جُمَلٌ

فَقُل تَجَلّى قَرانَ الشَمسِ وَالقَمَرِ

فَقُل تَجَلّى قَرانَ الشَمسِ وَالقَمَرِ

Today, in its chronogram, phrases shine for us;

It sparkles for us today in its date

So say: 'The union of sun and moon has shone forth.'

So say the sun and moon have come together