رِكابَكَ لا يَشطُّ بِها المَزارُ

رِكابَكَ لا يَشطُّ بِها المَزارُ

إِذا ما كانَ مَطلَبَها الفَخارُ

إِذا ما كانَ مَطلَبَها الفَخارُ

The destination is not too far for your mounts,

Your processions are not graced by the shrines,

if glory is their goal.

If their goal is but earthenware.

فَإِنَّ بِتِونسَ الخَضراء رَوضٌ

فَإِنَّ بِتِونسَ الخَضراء رَوضٌ

بِهِ لِلعَيش رَغدٌ وَاِخضِرارُ

بِهِ لِلعَيش رَغدٌ وَاِخضِرارُ

For in verdant Tunis there is a garden,

Yet in verdant Tunis is a garden,

where life has ease and verdure.

Wherein lies plenty and greenery.

وَفيهِ المُصطَفى يَحيي البَرايا

وَفيهِ المُصطَفى يَحيي البَرايا

بِفَضلٍ في البِلاد لَهُ اِنتِشارُ

بِفَضلٍ في البِلاد لَهُ اِنتِشارُ

And there Mustafa revives humankind,

Therein revives the Chosen One the wilds

with bounty that spreads throughout the land.

With grace spreading through the land.

تَيمن باسمِهِ وَاقدم عَلَيهِ

تَيمن باسمِهِ وَاقدم عَلَيهِ

تَرى الإِقبال يقدمهُ اليَسارُ

تَرى الإِقبال يقدمهُ اليَسارُ

Seek blessing through his name, and approach him;

Seeking blessing in his name, set forth;

you will see good fortune preceded by wealth.

You will find favor ushering you in.

أَميرٌ قَد سما عَزماً وَحَزماً

أَميرٌ قَد سما عَزماً وَحَزماً

عَلى دَفع الخُطوب لَهُ اِقتِدارُ

عَلى دَفع الخُطوب لَهُ اِقتِدارُ

A prince exalted in resolve and prudence,

A prince with mighty resolve and wisdom

he has the power to ward off calamities.

To repel disasters, he is able.

وَزيرٌ قَد تَمكن في مَعالٍ لَها

وَزيرٌ قَد تَمكن في مَعالٍ لَها

بِأَكُفهِ قامَ المَدارُ

بِأَكُفهِ قامَ المَدارُ

A minister firmly established in lofty honors, whose

A minister established in his affairs,

course is sustained by his hands.

Through his efforts order was upheld.

غَدا يَحمي المَعارف وَهِيَ تَجلي

غَدا يَحمي المَعارف وَهِيَ تَجلي

لِأَنَّ حِماهُ لِلآدابِ دارُ

لِأَنَّ حِماهُ لِلآدابِ دارُ

He has come to guard learning as it shines,

Tomorrow he will guard knowledge and inspire it,

for his sanctuary is a home for letters.

For protecting arts is his purpose.

أَيا مَولى لَهُ عَظمت أَيادٍ

أَيا مَولى لَهُ عَظمت أَيادٍ

بِشُكرِ جَميلِها صَدح الهِزارُ

بِشُكرِ جَميلِها صَدح الهِزارُ

O patron, whose favors have grown great,

O lord of great, generous hands,

the nightingale has sung in thanks for their goodness.

For which choruses of praise resounded!

قَد اِتشَحَت صِفاتَكَ ثَوبَ نورٍ

قَد اِتشَحَت صِفاتَكَ ثَوبَ نورٍ

عَلَيهِ راحَ يَحسُدُها النَهارُ

عَلَيهِ راحَ يَحسُدُها النَهارُ

Your qualities have donned a robe of light,

Your traits have donned a raiment of light

for which daylight has begun to envy them.

Which the daytime envies.

لِأَنَّ ضياءَها طَبعٌ غَريزٌ

لِأَنَّ ضياءَها طَبعٌ غَريزٌ

وَذاكَ ضِياؤُهُ ثَوبٌ مُعارُ

وَذاكَ ضِياؤُهُ ثَوبٌ مُعارُ

For their radiance is an inborn quality,

For its glow is innate nature,

whereas daylight's radiance is a borrowed robe.

While the day’s is but a borrowed garb.

نَراكَ طَلَعتَ بَدراً لِلأَعالي

نَراكَ طَلَعتَ بَدراً لِلأَعالي

وَلَكن لا خسوف وَلا سرارُ

وَلَكن لا خسوف وَلا سرارُ

We behold you risen as a full moon to the heights,

We see you rose like a full moon on high

yet with neither eclipse nor the dark of the moon.

With no eclipse or obscurity.

سِياسات المَمالكِ حينَ تَبدو

سِياسات المَمالكِ حينَ تَبدو

عَلى كَلِمات فيكَ لها دوارُ

عَلى كَلِمات فيكَ لها دوارُ

The policies of kingdoms, when they emerge,

When policies of realms come to light

revolve around the words of your mouth.

On your words they rotate.

وَأَسياد القَبائل وَالمَوالي

وَأَسياد القَبائل وَالمَوالي

إِلَيكَ عُيونَها أَبَداً تُدارُ

إِلَيكَ عُيونَها أَبَداً تُدارُ

And the chiefs of the tribes and the patrons—

And the lords of tribes and loyalties

their eyes are ever turned toward you.

Forever turn their eyes to you.

فَلِلراجِينَ أَسعادٌ وَبَشرٌ

فَلِلراجِينَ أَسعادٌ وَبَشرٌ

وَلِلحُسادِ كَيدٌ أَو دمارُ

وَلِلحُسادِ كَيدٌ أَو دمارُ

For the hopeful, happiness and good cheer;

So good tidings and joy to the hopeful,

and for the envious, intrigue or ruin.

While for envious foes, ruin or harm!

لِمعتَ بِجيد هَذا العَصر عَقداً

لِمعتَ بِجيد هَذا العَصر عَقداً

وَأَنتَ بِمعصم الدُنيا سوارُ

وَأَنتَ بِمعصم الدُنيا سوارُ

You shone as a necklace on the neck of this age,

You have strung this era’s necklace with a fine gem,

and you are a bracelet on the wrist of the world.

And you are the bracelet on the world’s wrist.

جَمعتَ اللَطفَ وَالإِفضالِ فَرداً

جَمعتَ اللَطفَ وَالإِفضالِ فَرداً

إِلِيهِ مِن بَني الدُنيا يُشارُ

إِلِيهِ مِن بَني الدُنيا يُشارُ

You united gentleness and generosity, a peerless one,

You combined gentleness and favor uniquely,

to whom the sons of the world point.

To you from all mankind point.

فَمِن مُعناكَ تَكتَسِبُ المَعاني

فَمِن مُعناكَ تَكتَسِبُ المَعاني

وَتَعصُر مِن شمائِلَكَ العَقارُ

وَتَعصُر مِن شمائِلَكَ العَقارُ

For meanings are drawn from your essence,

Thus from your shelter meanings gain

and wine is pressed from your virtues.

And your traits distill only goodness.