قِف وَشاهِد واِعتَبِر هَذِهِ المَزيَّه

قِف وَشاهِد واِعتَبِر هَذِهِ المَزيَّه

وَتأَمَّل في المَعالي الصادِقيَّه

وَتأَمَّل في المَعالي الصادِقيَّه

Stand, behold, and take heed of this wondrous distinction;

Stop, behold, and reflect on this distinction,

contemplate the lofty achievements of al-Sadiq.

And contemplate the lofty achievements of al-Sadiq.

واِرجَع الطَرفَ فَهَذي قَلعَةٌ

واِرجَع الطَرفَ فَهَذي قَلعَةٌ

كادَ يُطوى ذِكرُها عِندَ البَريَّه

كادَ يُطوى ذِكرُها عِندَ البَريَّه

Turn your gaze back: here stands a fortress

And turn your gaze back, for this is a fortress

whose memory had nearly vanished from among mankind.

Whose memory was nearly erased among humankind.

خَطَّها الباشا المُشيرُ أَحمَدٌ

خَطَّها الباشا المُشيرُ أَحمَدٌ

وَسَعى حيناً وَغالَتهُ المَنيَّه

وَسَعى حيناً وَغالَتهُ المَنيَّه

Ahmad Pasha, the field marshal, first laid it out;

Ahmad Pasha, the marshal, laid it out,

he labored awhile, but death carried him off.

And labored for a time, but death carried him off.

فاِعتَنى ذو العَزمِ وَالحَزمِ بِها

فاِعتَنى ذو العَزمِ وَالحَزمِ بِها

صاحِب الهِمَّة وَالنَفس الأَبيَّه

صاحِب الهِمَّة وَالنَفس الأَبيَّه

Then it was taken in hand by a man of resolve and prudence—

Then the man of resolve and prudence cared for it,

a man of lofty purpose and a proud soul:

Possessed of high aspiration and an unbowed soul:

المُشيرُ الصادِقُ المَولى الَّذي

المُشيرُ الصادِقُ المَولى الَّذي

عَمَر القُطرَ بِأَجنادٍ قَويَّه

عَمَر القُطرَ بِأَجنادٍ قَويَّه

Field Marshal al-Sadiq, the sovereign who

Marshal al-Sadiq, the lord who

made the land flourish with mighty troops,

Built up the land with mighty troops,

وَقِلاعٍ وَأَساطيلَ بِها

وَقِلاعٍ وَأَساطيلَ بِها

مِن أَسودٍ لَيسَ تَرضى بالدَنيَّه

مِن أَسودٍ لَيسَ تَرضى بالدَنيَّه

and with fortresses and fleets wherein are

And fortresses and fleets, in which

lions who will never brook humiliation.

Are lions who will not accept dishonor.

همَةٌ قَد خَيَّمَت فَوقَ السَما

همَةٌ قَد خَيَّمَت فَوقَ السَما

صانَها الرحمانُ مِن كُلِّ بَليَّه

صانَها الرحمانُ مِن كُلِّ بَليَّه

An ambition has pitched its tent above the heavens—

An aspiration that has pitched its tent above the sky—

may the All-Merciful shield it from every affliction.

May the All-Merciful preserve it from every calamity,

وَحَمى اللَهُ تَعالى مُلكَهُ

وَحَمى اللَهُ تَعالى مُلكَهُ

وَحُماةَ المُلكِ مَع باقي الرَعيَّه

وَحُماةَ المُلكِ مَع باقي الرَعيَّه

May God Most High protect his realm,

And may God Most High protect his realm,

the realm’s defenders, and all the remaining subjects,

And the realm’s defenders, with the rest of the subjects,

وَحَباهُ العَونَ في مَقصِده

وَحَباهُ العَونَ في مَقصِده

بهباتٍ مِن عَطاياهُ السَنيَّه

بهباتٍ مِن عَطاياهُ السَنيَّه

and favor him with aid in his endeavor,

And grant him aid in his purpose,

through gracious gifts from His bounty.

With gifts from His splendid bounty.

بَرُعَت حُسناً لِذا أَرّختُها

بَرُعَت حُسناً لِذا أَرّختُها

بَرعَت بالقَيروان الصادِقيَّه

بَرعَت بالقَيروان الصادِقيَّه

It excelled in beauty; thus I set its date in a chronogram:

It excelled in beauty; hence I recorded its date:

“Al-Sadiqiyya excelled in Kairouan.”

Al-Sadiqiyya excelled in Kairouan.