1. بُشرى لمملكة الخضرا بواليها

    إذا جاء يرغب في تعمير خاليها

    Glad tidings to the kingdom of al-Khadra through its governor,

    when he comes seeking to restore its deserted places,

  2. مُؤمّنا خوف من كانت جنايتهُ

    من قبل جانيها أو من غير جانيها

    allaying the fear of anyone implicated in an offense,

    whether its perpetrator or one who did not commit it;

  3. مُمهّدا طُرُق الإنصاف مُتّبعا

    آثار والده بالعدل حاميها

    smoothing the paths of fairness and following

    the footsteps of his father, its protector through justice.

  4. مُحمّدٌ وعليُّ بن الحسين لهم

    دانت من النّاس قاصيها ودانيها

    Muhammad and Ali ibn al-Husayn—to them

    people far and near submitted.

  5. كلٌّ أتى قاصدا فعل المحامد من

    دفع المظالم واستئصال أهليها

    Each came intent on praiseworthy deeds:

    repelling injustices and uprooting their perpetrators.

  6. إن مسّ تُونس من عصيانهم سقمٌ

    فإنّ طاعتها من بعدُ تشفيها

    If Tunis was afflicted with sickness through disobedience to them,

    then its obedience thereafter will heal it.

  7. وإنّ مملكة الخضراء أجمعها

    بغيرهم لم تكن تعلو مبانيها

    And indeed, the entire kingdom of al-Khadra

    would not have seen its buildings rise without them.

  8. لئن حواها الّذي لي يستحقّ لها

    من قبل فهو بالاستحقاق حاويها

    If indeed the one who, in my eyes, deserves it held it

    before, then he holds it by rightful claim.

  9. فأيّ منزلة علياء حلّ بها

    من تُونس وأبوهم غيرُ مُعليها

    What lofty station, then, has anyone occupied

    in Tunis that their father had not raised?

  10. أو أيّ حلّة فخر كان لابسها

    سواهُمُ وأبوهُمُ غير مسديها

    Or what robe of pride has anyone worn

    apart from them, that their father had not bestowed?

  11. ولايةُ الملك في نجليه تالدةٌ

    وفي سواهُم طريفٌ وهو واليها

    Rule of the realm is ancestral in his two sons,

    but newly acquired in others—and he is its ruler.

  12. يا مالكا خضعت كلُّ البلاد لهُ

    أعناقُ حاضرها طُرّا وباديها

    O sovereign to whom the whole land has bowed,

    the necks of its townspeople and desert dwellers, one and all,

  13. لمّا تحاكمت الأيّامُ فيك وفي

    من كان خصمك حين السّيفُ قاضيها

    when the days sought judgment between you and

    your opponent, with the sword as their judge,

  14. قضى عليه لكم من عدل بيّنة

    قامت وردّ مياها في مجاريها

    it ruled against him in your favor; clear evidence of justice

    arose, and it restored the waters to their channels.

  15. وأنزل الدّار بانيها ومُنشئها

    يوم القضاء وأعطى القوس باريها

    And it lodged in the house its builder and founder

    on the day of judgment, and gave the bow to its carver.

  16. قُلوب كلّ الورى عن حبّكم جُبلت

    أخذتُمُ الحقّ أو لم تأخُذُوا فيها

    The hearts of all mankind were fashioned out of love for you,

    whether you claimed your rightful due there or did not.

  17. فإنّ أيّامكم كانت مواسمها

    وغير أيّامكم كانت مواسيها

    For your days were its festive seasons,

    and days other than yours were its razors.

  18. وصار عالي كُلّ النّاس سافلها

    وصار سافلُ كلّ النّاس عاليها

    And the highest of all people became their lowest,

    and the lowest of all people became their highest.

  19. جئتم وأيّامُها بالجور مُظلمةٌ

    فعدن أيّامها منكم لياليها

    You came while its days were dark with injustice,

    so through you its nights became days.

  20. أبديت بشر مُحيّا لو تهلّل في

    داج من اللّيل لانجابت دياجيها

    You showed a cheerful face that, were it to beam in

    a dark stretch of night, would scatter its darkness.

  21. لو رام بشرُك تطويع العصاة لكم

    بلا عساكر لانقادت عواصيها

    If your cheerfulness sought to make rebels obey you,

    without armies, its rebellious ones would surely submit.

  22. فاللهُ أولاك نصرا لا يُفارقُكم

    في الدّهر ما دامت الدُّنيا وما فيها

    For God has granted you a victory that will never leave you,

    throughout time, as long as the world and all within it endure.

  23. قد يسّر اللهُ أسباب الفتوح لكم

    من الحصون الّتي شيدت مبانيها

    Indeed, God has made easy for you the means of conquest

    of fortresses whose structures were raised high.

  24. فالكهفُ قد كان من آياتكم عجبا

    تُتلى عجائبهُ والدّهرُ تاليها

    Al-Kahf (the Cave) was indeed a marvel among your signs;

    its wonders are recited, and time itself recites them.

  25. أمّا وقائعُ ترشيش فلم أرها

    إلا كرُؤيا حكاها الان رائيها

    As for the battles of Tarshish, I did not see them

    except as a vision its seer has just now recounted.

  26. فالان لو رُمت فتح السّدّ هان ولو

    حاولت نيل الجبال الشمّ تحويها

    Now, if you sought to breach the barrier, it would be easy; and if

    you tried to reach the towering mountains, you would possess them.

  27. فكلُّ شيء لك الرّحمانُ يسرهُ

    فزدهُ شُكرا لما أولى وتنزيها

    For the All-Merciful makes everything easy for you;

    so give Him greater thanks and glorification for what He has bestowed.

  28. ما إن عليك لشخص منّةٌ ظهرت

    إلا لمولى البرايا فهو مُوليها

    No one has any evident claim of favor upon you,

    except the Lord of creation, for He bestows it.

  29. لا يدّعي أحدٌ فضلا عليك ولا

    جميلُ فعل ولا حسناءُ يُبديها

    No one may claim a favor over you, nor

    a gracious deed or a kindness he displays.

  30. فمر بعرف وخُذ بالعفو عن زلل

    فالعفوُ أقربُ للتّقوى ومُوليها

    So enjoin what is right, and choose to pardon missteps;

    for pardon is nearer to piety and to its Giver.

  31. مُدّت أيادي الرّعايا منك سائلة

    إتمام عفو وأمن منك يُنجيها

    Your subjects' hands are outstretched, asking you for

    a full pardon and safety from you that will deliver them.

  32. فاللهُ يسأل كلا عن رعيّته

    يوم القيامة والمسؤولُ راعيها

    For God will question each one about his subjects

    on Resurrection Day, and their shepherd is answerable.

  33. وإن أخذت بحقّ ليس ذا خطأ

    وإن عفوت ففضلٌ منك تُوليها

    If you exact what is rightfully due, that is no wrong;

    but if you pardon, it is a kindness you bestow upon them.

  34. لا عفو إلا على ذنب وحلمُ فتى

    إلا على قُدرة في النّاسُ مُبديها

    There is no pardon except for a sin, nor a young man's forbearance

    unless he shows it among people while possessing power.

  35. وقد قدرت وهم جرُّوا ومثلك من

    يعفو ويحلم عمّا جرّ ماضيها

    You have gained power, while they have done wrong; one like you

    pardons and bears with what its past has brought.

  36. ولا تُشبها بأقوال الوّشاة فما

    يجرُّ نفعا إلى علياك واشيها

    And do not taint it with the words of slanderers, for

    its slanderer brings no benefit to your lofty rank.

  37. أدام ربُّ العلا بالعزّ دولتكم

    ومن سعادتها تشقى أعاديها

    May the Lord of the heights perpetuate your rule in glory,

    and may its enemies suffer through its good fortune.

  38. ولا برحت لهذا الملك تعمرُها

    شادت أوائلك القصوى معاليها

    May you never cease to build up this realm,

    whose lofty glories your remotest forebears raised.

  39. ولم يزل كوكب الإقبال يصعدُ في

    سماء عليائكم واللهُ يحميها

    And may the star of good fortune never cease to rise in

    the sky of your exalted rank, with God protecting it.