God and a drop of oil is one of Charbel Baini's books translated by Maha Bechara

Sanctify the cross

 

The journey will end, O Lord,

The years of my life will fade away.

I hid many people in my heart,

And some I visited... 

But never visited again.


And some people became a disgrace in this world,

And some you can smell their incense.

I tried to shake off the dust of alienation,

But alienation has a high wall.


If it weren't for you, 

I would have fallen on my path,

I would have descended into its pit... 

And plunged into it.

I have no regrets... 

I am able to raise my head,

I did not sin... 

Even to distribute my vows.


My mother, O Lord, 

Knew how to raise a family 

That never lived a day oppressed,

And my father gave me a request from prayer,

And told me: O my son, sanctify the cross.

**