ياO ليلةnight العيدthe feast ماnot لقيتI found بهاin it
يا ليلة العيد ما لقيت بها
إلاbut تباريحtorments حظيmy fortune النكدwretched
إلا تباريح حظي النكد
O night of the feast, I found in you nothing
O festival night, I found in it
but the torments of my wretched fortune.
Only the misfortunes of my ill-fated luck
سهرتهاI stayed awake through it كلهاall of it علىin مضضanguish
سهرتها كلها على مضض
سهرتهاI stayed awake through it والداًas a father علىover ولدa child
سهرتها والداً على ولد
I stayed awake through all of it, in anguish;
I stayed up all night long reluctantly
I stayed awake through it, a father watching over his child.
I stayed up grieving for my son
الاdo you not ترانيyou see me وميwhile May باكيةweeping
الا تراني ومي باكية
أكادI almost انعيannounce the death of لامهاto her mother جلديmy fortitude
أكاد انعي لامها جلدي
Do you not see me, while May is weeping?
Don't you see me crying
I almost announce my fortitude's death to her mother.
I almost peel off my own skin out of sorrow
تبكيshe weeps ولمand did not أدرِI know اينwhere موجعهاher source of pain
تبكي ولم أدرِ اين موجعها
أقولI say ياO ميMay ياO ابنتيmy daughter اتئديbe calm
أقول يا مي يا ابنتي اتئدي
She weeps, and I do not know where her pain lies.
She cries and I don't know what hurts her
I say: O May, O my daughter, be calm.
I say, oh Mayya, oh my daughter, are you alright?
ياO ميُّMay جفتhave dried مدامعيmy tear ducts فدعيso leave
يا ميُّ جفت مدامعي فدعي
فيin مقلتيmy eye دمعةa tear ليومfor the day of غدِtomorrow
في مقلتي دمعة ليوم غدِ
O May, my tear ducts have run dry; so leave
Oh Mayya, my tears have dried up, leave me be
in my eye a tear for tomorrow.
In my eyelids remains a tear for tomorrow
اللَهGod ليfor me بعدafter أنthat غدوتُI became أباًa father
اللَه لي بعد أن غدوتُ أباً
جعلتI placed روحيmy soul فيin المهدthe cradle معwith ولديmy child
جعلت روحي في المهد مع ولدي
God is my help, now that I have become a father;
Oh God, after I became a father
I have placed my soul in the cradle with my child.
I made my soul in the cradle with my son
ياO عيدfeast of لبنانLebanon اينwhere ماذاwhat اخذتhas taken
يا عيد لبنان اين ماذا اخذت
نفسيَmy soul منfrom طيبthe sweetness of نفحكyour breath البردcool
نفسيَ من طيب نفحك البرد
O feast of Lebanon, where are you? What has been taken
Oh Lebanon's holiday, what have you taken
by my soul from the sweetness of your cool breath?
From the goodness of your cool breeze?
عذراًpardon فإنfor indeed الزمانtime يشغلنيkeeps me occupied
عذراً فإن الزمان يشغلني
بطفلتيwith my little girl اليومtoday عنكaway from you ياO بلديmy homeland
بطفلتي اليوم عنك يا بلدي
Forgive me, for time keeps me occupied
Sorry, for time preoccupies me
with my little girl today, away from you, O my homeland.
With my little girl today from you, my country
رباهO my Lord إنindeed الطريقthe road قدalready وعرتhas grown rough
رباه إن الطريق قد وعرت
رباهO my Lord ظهريmy back انحنىhas bent فخذُso take بيديby my hand
رباه ظهري انحنى فخذُ بيدي
O my Lord, the road has indeed grown rough;
My Lord, the road has become difficult
O my Lord, my back is bowed; so take me by the hand.
My Lord, my back is bent so take my hand
ماnot الشيبgray hair فيon هامةa head يكللهاcrowns it
ما الشيب في هامة يكللها
الشيبgrayness شيبُthe graying of الفؤادthe heart والكبدand the liver
الشيب شيبُ الفؤاد والكبد
Grayness is not what crowns a head;
What is this white hair crowning my head?
grayness is the graying of the heart and liver.
White hair is the white hair of the heart and liver