زَمَنُ السّرور بما يسرّ كُمُسْعِفُ

رحبُ المهاد ومسعدٌ لك متحفُ

The time of joy with what brings you joy as a helper

Spacious beds and auspicious for you a residence

فَاجْنِ المنى من روضها فلطالما

حنّ الفؤاد إلى بروق تُخلِف

So enjoy the wishes from its meadow for long indeed

The heart yearned for the lightnings you left behind

واخْلَعْ براقعك التي مَنَعَتْكَ من

نَيْل المُرَادِ فإنّ دهرك منصف

And take off your veil that prevented you from

Attaining your desires for your time is equitable

وَأْنَسْ بعسّال الٌقَوَا مِ مهفهفٍ

طلقِ القياد وَدَعْ عدوَّك يرجف

And enjoy a nimble-footed maid with swaying hips

Release the reins and leave your enemy trembling

واقْطِفْ ثمار اللّهو قطفَ مُراغم

أَنْف الأعادِ ولا يَصُدَّك مُسْرِفُ

And pluck the fruits of playfulness, plucking which is indulgent

In spite of the enemies, and let no extravagance hinder you

وأَدِرْ بذكر محمّدِ بْنِ قلاَلةٍ

كأسَ الوداد فإنّما هي قَرْقَفُ

And make mention of Muhammad son of Qallalah

The cup of affection—it alone is a goblet

واصْدَعْ بحبّك فيه لا تخش امْرَءاً

يبغي البعاد فليس يخشى المدنف

And express your love in it, fear no man

Who seeks distance, for the slanderer need not be feared

عِلْمٌ أبان بعلمه لمن اهتدى

سبُلَ الرّشاد فأين مَن لا يعرف

A knowledge by which is enlightened whoever seeks guidance

The paths of righteousness, so where is one who knows not?

وأضاء تونس من سنا ه فأصبَحَتْ

شمسُ البلاد ضياؤها لا يُكْسَفُ

And it illuminated Tunis with its radiance so it became

The sun of the land, its illumination never dims

وتزيّنَتْ من حسنه فكأنّها

ذات العماد ولاح فيها يوسف

And it adorned itself with its beauty as if it

Were the pillar and Joseph appeared in it

وغَدَتْ به مَنْحَى الورى وملاذَ مَنْ

يبغي الإِياد له فؤاد يرجف

And with him it became the asylum of mankind and refuge of whoever

Seeks assistance, for him a trembling heart

يا مَنْ به جاد الزّما ن ولم يكن

يدعَى الجواد ولا بفضل يُعْرَفُ

O you by whom time was generous but who was not

Called generous nor by merit known

ومن اغتدى من حُسْنِه كلُّ الورى

إِلفَ السّهاد له دموعٌ ذُرَّفُ

And by his beauty all mankind became infatuated with him

Accustomed to bliss for him are flowing tears

لك في المكارم سُنّةٌ وشريعةٌ

بين العباد ومذهبٌ مُتَحَنِّفُ

For you in noble deeds is a tradition and a sacred law

Among people and a singular doctrine

وعليك من حُلَلَ المها بة مَا بِهِ

خضع المُعَادِ وعاد إلْفاً يُنْصِفُ

And upon you of the adornments of love is that by which

Submission was brought low, and affection turned equitable

ومن الجمال ملابسٌ يصبو لها

صَلْدُ الجماد كأنّه بك مُدْنَفُ

And of perfections are clothes that even

The stoic mineral burns for them as if tailored

ومن العلوم مناهل تروي بها

مَنْ هو صادٍ بالجهالة مشرف

And of sciences are springs from which you water

Those who thirst in ignorance desirously drinking

ومن البلاغة ما به سحبان في

فرش القتاد من الفهاهة يلهف

And of eloquence is that by which Suhban soars in

The sky of sublimity from foolishness seeks

ومن القريض سوابق جلّت على

كلّ الجياد ودون شأوك موقف

And of poetry are antecedents that surmounted

All steeds but yours and without your equal stands

ومن الكتابة ما به تسمو على

رتب العماد وأنت أنت الأشرف

And of writing is that by which you rise above

The ranks of pillars and you, you are the noblest

ولك اليراعة صارما توقيعه

نفعٌ يُرَاد وديمة تترشّف

And you have quick perceptions whose signature

Is beneficial purpose and perpetual honor

وبك الوزارة أشرقت لو جئتَها

بادي السّداد وحدّ سيفك مرهف

And through you governance shone, had you come to it

Manifestly just, the blade of your sword sharpened

وبك العلومُ وأَهْلُهَا فَرَحاً نَفَتْ

لبس الحِداد وأصبحت تترشّف

And through you did knowledge and the learned rejoice

Throwing off the garb of mourning and gaining in nobility

ولذاك أضحى بِاسْمِهِ وبحُسْنِهِ

شعري يُنَاد ومقلتي تَتَشَوَّفُ

And for that his name and beauty have made

My poetry called out and my pen grows fervent

وَغَدَتْ ظنوني مِن سوا ه سليمةً

فهو السّناد وهل إذْن أتخوَّفُ

And my suspicions of him have become through his goodness secure

For he is the pillar—how then could I fear?

لا زال في فلك العُلَى مُتَرَقِّياً

حتى المعاد وبالمدائح يُتْحَفُ

He continues rising in the sphere of the lofty

Until the return and with eulogies adorned