Introduction
This is a song that we were asked to learn as an instrumental accompaniment to the dabke dance which we often feature in Confluence. We were asked by a Palestinian dancer which perhaps shows the significance of this song across the levant. Since then we have played it regularly – the melody is intricate and develops beautifully and to a climactic end – starting with vocalisation and becoming more profound throughout.
There is a loose translation of the song in ths score. This rhymes and scans as the original so that people can sing in English and feel the meaning of the song. A more accurate translation by Marwa from Lebanon is attached
Translated lyrics
Scores with romanized and translated lyrics
Comments from members of Confluence Collective
For us as Lebanese, Bektob Ismak Ya Bladi (“I Write Your Name, My Homeland”) is much more than a patriotic song. It carries a deep emotional attachment to Lebanon — a love of the homeland that remains even through separation, hardship, war and emigration. The image of writing the country’s name on a sun that never sets expresses something many Lebanese instinctively understand: wherever we may go, Lebanon continues to live within us.
The song also has a special place in our collective memory. Generations of Lebanese have heard it at national celebrations and moments of remembrance, and its words evoke pride, belonging and longing at the same time. This is particularly meaningful in a country where so many families have experienced departure and migration. The song speaks not only to those who remain in Lebanon, but also to those who have left and continue to carry their country with them.
Perhaps this is why the song still feels so powerful to us decades after it was written. It presents Lebanon not simply as a place on a map, but as something personal — a memory, an identity and a bond that distance cannot erase.
-Marwa Hazzouri
“I Write Your Name, My Homeland” is one of Lebanon’s most beloved patriotic songs, cherished across generations for its simple yet deeply moving expression of love for country. More than a national song, it has become an emotional touchstone for Lebanese people at home and throughout the diaspora, evoking memories of a homeland marked by both beauty and hardship. Its message, however, has resonated far beyond Lebanon’s borders. The song has been embraced by Palestinians and others across the Arab world who see in its lyrics a universal expression of longing, belonging, and devotion to one’s homeland. Its words speak of a love that surpasses wealth, family, and personal gain, while its soaring melody captures a profound sense of pride. Often accompanied by the traditional Levantine dabke—a communal folk dance that symbolizes solidarity, celebration, and connection to the land—the song becomes not only a tribute to homeland, but a shared expression of cultural identity and collective memory. In a region whose history has been shaped by conflict, resilience, and emigration, the song remains a poignant reminder of the enduring bond between a people and the land they call home.
-A Palestinian woman who prefers to remain anonymous sent this explanation of the song.
