إِباؤُكَ لِلمَجدِ أَن يُبتَذَل

أَصارَ لَكَ الناسَ طُرّاً خَوَل

Your forefathers disdained glory to be debased

People became gentle birds to you out of awe

وَآزَرَكَ الرَأيُ ما إِن يَفيلُ

وَضافَرَكَ العَزمُ ما إِن يُفَلّ

Opinion supported you, it does not weaken

Resolve backed you, it does not fail

فَلَم تَتَّرِك حِصَّةً في الثَناءِ

تُسامُ وَلا فُرصَةً تُبتَذَل

So you left no share of praise humiliated

Nor an opportunity to be debased

عُلىً فَضَّتِ الخَلقَ عَن نَهجِها

فَأَفضَت إِلى رُتبَةٍ لَم تُنَل

You surpassed people in her path

So you attained a rank never reached before

وَما هِيَ مِن رُتَباتِ الوَرى

فَهَل زُحَلٌ لَكَ عَنها زَحَل

It is no ordinary rank in the world

Can any stars for you from it be eclipsed?

لَقَد كَفَلَت بِالغِنى وَاِلتَوى

يَدٌ في النَدى وَالرَدى لَم تَطُل

A hand guaranteed you richness and piety

A hand that touched dew and was ready to strike

يَدٌ كُلَّما فَتَكَت بِالنُضا

رِ قالَ الرَجاءُ لَها لا شَلَل

Whenever it unsheathed sharp swords

Hope for it said: no weakness

تَرى بَذلَهُ بِيَسيرِ السُؤالِ

وَتَمنَعُهُ مِن نِصالِ الأَسَل

You see it gives generously when asked little

And it refrains from stabbing with sharp blades

إِذا قَبَّلَ الناسُ راحَ المُلوكِ

وَقاها ثَرى قَدَمَيكَ القُبَل

When people kiss the feet of kings

The soil protected your feet from kisses

وَحُقَّ الجَلالُ لِرَبِّ الخِلالِ

غَذاها الحِجى وَعَداها الخَلَل

The right of Majesty belongs to the Lord of Grandeur

Zeal fed it and shortcomings opposed it

فَمَشروعُ إِنصافِهِ لا يَميلُ

وَمَسموعُ أَوصافِهِ لا يُمَلّ

So its path of justice does not tilt

And its attributes heard do not bore

يُعَفّي عَلى مَن عَفا أَو كَفى

وَيوفي عَلى مَن وَفى أَو عَدَل

He forgives those who pardoned or sufficed

And fulfils those who fulfilled or were just

وَيَشرَهُ في العَفوِ عَن قُدرَةٍ

وَيَكرَهُ سَبقَ الحُسامِ العَذَل

He loves pardoning despite ability

And hates swords preceding Spears

مَنيعُ الجَنابِ إِذا الدَهرُ صالَ

سَريعُ الجَوابِ إِذا السَيفُ صَلّ

Impregnable if fate becomes hostile

Quick to respond if swords are unsheathed

مَديدُ الظِلالِ سَديدُ المَقالِ

شَديدُ المِحالِ بَعيدُ المَحَلّ

With extensive shadows and eloquent words

Firm, far-reaching, and elevated

مَحَلٌّ يَقي بِالنَدى المَحلَ عَنهُ

حَيا مُزنِهِ ما وَنى مُذ هَطَل

An elevated position that protects the elevated from him

Alive is its glory since it descended

فَما اِرتَحَلَ المَجدُ مُذ حَلَّهُ

وَلا اِنفَصَلَ الحَمدُ مُنذُ اِتَّصَل

So glory never departed since it lodged

And praise never disconnected since connected

وَلا جاوَزَ الذَمُّ فيهِ الثَنا

وَلا ذَعَرَ الناسُ عَنهُ الأَمَل

Nor did blame about him exceed limits

Nor did hopes of people flee from him

تَخَيَّرَ ذو العَرشِ لِلمُسلِمينَ

غِياثاً كَفى الدينَ أَن يُبتَذَل

The Lord of the Throne chose for Muslims

A rescuer, the faith sufficed to be debased

يُحِلّونَهُ بِسَوادِ القُلو

بِ ضَنّاً بِهِ عَن سَوادِ المُقَل

They embraced him with dark hearts

Stingy towards his dark mind

رَعاهُم بِطَرفٍ كَثيرِ الرُنُوِّ

وَقَلبٍ مِنَ اللَهِ جَمِّ الوَجَل

He cared for them with a gentle gaze

And a heart from God, deterring calamity

فَمُذ باتَ يَحرُسُهُم لَم يَنَم

وَمُذ ظَلَّ يَكلَؤُهُم ما غَفَل

So since he stayed up guarding them, he did not sleep

And since he protected them he did not neglect

كَثيرُ الأَناةِ وَإِن لَم تَزَل

عَطاياهُ مَخلوقَةً مِن عَجَل

Forbearing, though his gifts never ceased

Created in hast, though glorious

مَكارِمُ لَو لَم تُحَلَّل لَدَيكَ

لَدامَت مَحارِمَ لا تُستَحَلّ

Had virtues not been permitted by you

They would have remained prohibitions, never permitted

وَلَمّا عَمَمتَ بِها السائِلي

نَ عادَت تَطَلَّبُ مَن لَم يَسَل

And when you bestowed them upon petitioners

They returned, even asking who did not ask

وَأَنزَرُها كَالأَتِيِّ اِستَمَدَّ

وَأَيسَرُها كَالغُمامِ اِستَهَلّ

The easiest of them is like the incoming clouds

And the quickest of them is like lightning that descended

أَتاكَ هَواها أَمامَ اللِبانِ

لِذَلِكَ لَم تَبغِ عَنها حِوَل

Their love came to you ahead of aloes

So you did not want to change course from it

وَواصَلتَها وَصلَ ذي صَبوَةٍ

عَزيزِ السُلُوِّ عَسيرِ المَلَل

And you connected it like one of high ambition

Of strong determination and tireless perseverance

فَيا مَن مَراميهِ لا تُنتَحى

وَيا مَن مَساعيهِ لا تُنتَحَل

So O you whose goals cannot be attained

And O you whose efforts cannot be emulated

وَيا عَلَمَ المَجدِ قاضي القُضاةِ

وَيا سَيِّدَ الوُزَراءِ الأَجَلّ

And O flag of glory, judge of judges

And O the greatest of the revered ministers

لَأَنتَ عَلى طيبِ أَصلٍ نَما

كَ مِن كُلِّ شاهِدِ عَدلٍ أَدَلّ

You are indeed of good origin grown

More guiding than every fair witness

وَما زِلتَ في طُرُقاتِ العَلاءِ

تَدُلُّ عَلَيها وَما إِن تُدَلّ

And you never stopped treading the roads of the lofty

Guiding towards them, never guided

كَفاكَ الخِداعَ أَوانَ القِرا

عِ عَزمٌ يَقُدُّ إِذا العَضبُ كَلّ

Trickery sufficed you in time of cunning

A resolve leading when fury gathered

عُرِفتَ بِهِ وَكَذاكَ الأَسو

دُ بِالحَولِ تَفعَلُ لا بِالحِيَل

You were known through it and so were the valiant

Through prowess not through cunning

سَطَوتَ عَلى الدَهرِ لَمّا اِعتَدى

وَقَد كانَ ذا مَيَلٍ فَاِعتَدَل

You overpowered fate when it transgressed

Though it had a tendency, so you made it just

فَخَوفُكَ في صَدرِهِ ماثِلٌ

وَأَمرُكَ في صَرفِهِ مُمتَثَل

So your fear rests in its breast

And your order is implemented when directed

وَجَرَّدتَ رَأيَكَ قَبلَ السُيوفِ

فَأَغنى مَواضِيَها أَن تُسَلّ

You armed your opinion before the swords

So its implications sufficed unsheathed

وَأَعمَلتَهُ وَاِطَّرَحتَ الرِماحَ

لِما في عَوامِلِها مِن خَطَل

And you implemented it, and cast aside spears

Due to the defects latent within them

إِذا قَصُرَت دَرَجُ المُرتَقينَ

فَإِنَّكَ ذو الدَرَجاتِ الطُوَل

When the steps of the climbers grew short

You possess the longest steps

وَإِنَّ الإِمامَ مَعَدّاً رَآ

كَ خَيرَ مُعَدٍّ لِأَمرٍ جَلَل

And the Leader saw you as the best prepared

For a momentous command, so he assigned it to you

فَقَلَّدَكَ الحُكمَ في مُلكِهِ

كَما قُلِّدَ المَشرَفِيَّ البَطَل

So he delegated authority to you in his kingdom

As the Brave was assigned the standard

فَمَن ذا لِذَبِّكَ عَنهُ اِستَقَلَّ

وَمَن ذا بِعِبئِكَ فيهِ اِستَقَلّ

So who was fit to carry your load independently?

And who was able to bear your burden?

وَأَتحَفتَهُ بِحُسامِ الفُتوحِ

فَعاضَكَ ما اِجتابَهُ مِن حُلَل

And you endowed him with the sword of conquests

So it exposed what garments it drew

فُتوحٌ أَتَت وَالقَنا لَم يَرِم

مَراكِزَهُ وَالظُبى في الخِلَل

Conquests came and spears had not yet cast

At their positions, while horses were in ravines

أَنَختَ بِصَنهاجَةَ النائِباتِ

فَفاتَ زَعيمَهُمُ ما أَمَل

You destroyed the elite substitutes with a raid

So their leader missed what he hoped for

فَمِن عُصَبٍ عَصَبَتها الحُروبُ

وَمِن ثُلَلٍ قَد مَحاها الثَلَل

You thus untied bonds the wars had tied

And erased traces the ravages had erased

وَكانَ يُسَمّى مُعِزّاً فَمُذ

تَحَدَّيتَهُ صار يُدعى مُذَلّ

And one who was named Mighty since you challenged him

Became known as Humiliated instead

فَما يَأمُلَن فَرَجاً بِالبِعادِ

طَريدُكَ مُستَضعَفٌ حَيثُ حَلّ

So your fleeing victim has no hope of relief

Wherever he settles, scared and confused

وَلَو أَقلَعَ الخَوفُ عَنهُ اِهتَدى

وَلَكِنَّهُ زادَ رُعباً فَضَلّ

If fear left him he would be guided

But instead his terror intensified and remained

وَخَوفُ حُذَيفَةَ عَمّى عَلَي

هِ بِالجَفرِ ما لَم يَغِب عَن حَمَل

And fear of Hudhayfah blinded him

With cowardice, as long as he did not carry a burden

وَلَو أَمَّ بابَكَ مُستَعصِماً

بِهِ صانَ مِن مُلكِهِ ما بَذَل

Had he sought protection at your door

He would have protected his kingdom from what he lost

مَمالِكُ أَسلَمَها رَبُّها

وَفَرَّ فَظَلَّت كَشاءٍ هَمَل

The kingdoms willingly surrendered to their Lord

So they remained like scattered wool

تَخَطَّفَها كُلُّ لَيثٍ أَزَبَّ

وَدانَ بِها كُلُّ سِمعٍ أَزَلّ

Every fearsome lion snatched them

And every ancient hearing submitted to you

إِذا رامَ رَيَّ كُعوبِ القَنا

ةِ لَم تَثنِهِ كاعِبٌ ذاتُ دَل

When the heels of the brave desired

No female hyena with cubs could deter them

أَعاريبُ مُذ صِرتَ رِدءاً لَها

شَفَت مِن عِدى الحَقِّ كُلَّ الغُلَل

The Bedouins since you became their protection

Saw all injustices against the truth vanish

وَلَمّا خَشيتَ عَلَيها الخِلافَ

وَما اِختَلَفَ العِزُّ إِلّا اِنتَقَل

And when you feared discord upon it

And glory only shifts with discord

أَبَيتَ لِأَعناقِها أَن تُغَلَّ

وَصُنتَ غَنائِمَها أَن تُغَل

You refused to shackle their necks

And safeguarded their spoils from being plundered

وَأَرسَلتَ فيهِم أَميناً كَفاكَ

فَقَسَّمَ بِالعَدلِ ذاكَ النَفَل

And you sent among them a trustee, sufficient for you

Who distributed with justice that bounty

وَجابَ إِلى أَن أَجابَ الصَريخَ

مَهامِهَ مَن دَلَّ فيها أَضَلّ

And he answered until he answered the call

With determination, whoever was misguided in them

مَفاوِزَ لَو أَمَّها الشَنفَرى

عَلى عِلمِهِ بِالسُرى ما وَأَل

A desolate land, if the hardy warrior traveled it

Relying on his knowledge of the trails, he would not succeed

مَضى مُعلِناً بِشِعارِ الإِمامِ

وَراياتِهِ في مَحَلٍّ مَحَل

He went announcing the banner of the Leader

And his flags in their rightful places

يُؤَيِّدُهُ حَدُّكَ المُتَّقى

وَيَعضُدُهُ جَدُّكَ المُقتَبَل

Your sharp sacred limit supports him

And your glorious ancestors help him

إِلى أَن أَناخَ إِلى القَيرُوا

نِ مِن بُزلِهِ كُلَّ دامي الأَظَل

Until he reached the Qayrawan

From its onion peel every unjust one darkening it

فَقَضّى المَآرِبَ ما عاقَها

شِماسٌ وَلا عاقَ عَنها فَشَل

So he accomplished the affairs that neither

A protector or failure had accomplished

فَخَصَّ بِأَوفى العَطِيّاتِ مَن

يُسَدِّدُ في غَزوِهِ وَالقَفَل

And he particularly gifted with the best endowments

Those who were steadfast in their conquest and shackling

فَمَن لَم يُدِلهُ الأَجَلُّ المَكي

نُ مِن صَرفِ أَيّامِهِ لَم يُدَل

So whoever fate did not return

From the turnover of his days was not returned

فَناقَضَ أَملاكَ هَذا الزَمانِ

بِما بَذَّ فيهِ المُلوكَ الأُوَل

He took possession of the realms of this time

With what he wasted upon its previous kings

فَما اِستَعمَلوا الغَدرَ إِلّا وَفى

وَلا أَعمَلوا الفِكرَ إِلّا اِرتَجَل

Who only used deceit, which availed them naught

And thought, which did not help them

وَلا بَرَّضوا النيلَ إِلّا أَفاضَ

وَلا مَرَّضوا القَولَ إِلّا فَعَل

They only paraded the Nile, which in turn flooded

And they only feigned words, which they implemented

إِذا أَمرَعوا فُقتَهُم في المُحولِ

وَإِن أَسرَعوا فُتَّهُم بِالمَهَل

If they hastened, their destruction was with deliberation

And if they slowed down, their ruin was swift

فَهُم مَرَهٌ في عُيونِ العُلى

وَإِنَّكَ وَاِبنَيكَ فيها كَحَل

While they are a pasture in the eyes of the sublime

You and your sons are its kohl

شَبيهُكَ في العَهدِ ما إِن يَحو

لُ يَوماً وَفي العَقدِ ما إِن يُحَل

Your resemblance in ancestry will not alter

Nor will your lineage ever be undone

سَحابَي نَوالٍ زَمانَ الجَدا

وَسَهمي نِضالٍ أَوانَ الجَدَل

Will you allow after excellence for me to count

Among those deficient, the blemished?

فِداؤُهُما كُلُّ مُرخي الإِزا

رِ جَلّى أَبوهُ وَلَمّا يُصَل

If the utmost you enabled me with proves too immense

Then grace for me is greater

إِذا عُدَّ فَخرُ الأُصولِ اِعتَزى

وَإِن عُدَّ فَخرُ الفُروعِ اِعتَزَل

So increase the chagrin of enviers through it

And keep harming those who plot and scheme

أَتَرضى مَعاليكَ لي أَن أَعُدَّ

بَعدَ النَباهَةِ فيمَن خَمَل

And limit praise, if you mention others, it appears

Falsehoods on the faces of states

لَئِن جَلَّ ما خَوَّلَتني لُهاكَ

فَإِنَّ الكَرامَةَ عِندي أَجَلّ

Praise that circles the furthest lands

And is found residing wherever it settles

فَضاعِف بِها كَمَدَ الحاسِدينَ

وَزِد في مَضاي تَزِدهُم وَهَل

Do not deny the pride of wishes

For you enabled their lengthening

وَحُز مِدَحاً إِن سِواها اِنطَوى

بَدَت غُرَراً في وُجوهِ الدُوَل

I did not make my worth while so it does not

Become one of endless hopes until it withers away

ثَناءٌ يَحولُ بِأَقصى البِلادِ

وَيُلفى مُقيماً إِذا ما رَحَل

The fast left in anticipation of your

Most excellent words and most pure deeds

وَلا تُنكِرَنَّ جِماحَ المُنى

فَأَنتَ مَدَدتَ لَها في الطِوَل

And the feast returned to praise you

So may you remain its adornment forever

وَلَم أَعدُ قَدرِيَ كَي لا يَكو

نَ ذا أَمَلٍ طالَ حَتّى أَمَلّ

And God has heard sincere prayers for you

From those who beseech and implore

مَضى الصَومُ مُحتَقِباً مِن تُقا

كَ أَحسَنَ قَولٍ وَأَزكى عَمَل

No community was deprived asking it

That called the Magnificent for long life

وَعاوَدَكَ العيدُ يُثني عَلَيكَ

فَدُمتَ لَهُ زينَةً ما أَظَلّ

May God suffice the perfection of your glory

For whoever attained the fullness of his goal, perfected

وَقَد سَمِعَ اللَهُ فيكَ الدُعا

ءَ مِمَّن دَعا مُخلِصاً وَاِبتَهَل

وَلا حُرِمَت سُؤلَها أُمَّةٌ

دَعَت لِلأَجَلِّ بِطولِ الأَجَل

كَفى اللَهُ مَجدَكَ عَينَ الكَمالِ

فَمَن نالَ أَوفى مَداهُ كَمَل