يا مُصطفى أَنتَ الوَزيرُ العادلُ

يا مُصطفى أَنتَ الوَزيرُ العادلُ

وَالمُفرد العلَمُ الأَمير الكاملُ

وَالمُفرد العلَمُ الأَمير الكاملُ

O Mustafa, you are the just minister,

O Mustafa, you are the just minister,

The peerless exemplar, the consummate prince.

And the peerless luminary, the perfect prince.

وِبِكَ الرِياسة قَد تَحلَّى جيدُها

وِبِكَ الرِياسة قَد تَحلَّى جيدُها

وَاِزدانَ بِالدُرِّ الثَمين العاطل

وَاِزدانَ بِالدُرِّ الثَمين العاطل

Through you, leadership has adorned its neck,

Through you, leadership's neck has been adorned,

And what was bare has decked itself in precious pearls.

And its once-bare neck is bedecked with precious pearls.

وَالحَق جاءَ مؤيداً لِسياسةٍ

وَالحَق جاءَ مؤيداً لِسياسةٍ

مِنها هَوى في الهاوِيات الباطل

مِنها هَوى في الهاوِيات الباطل

Truth came in support of a policy

And truth has come in support of a policy

By which falsehood plunged into the depths.

Through which falsehood has fallen into the abysses.

وَغَياهب الظُلْم اِنجَلَت عَن أمّةٍ

وَغَياهب الظُلْم اِنجَلَت عَن أمّةٍ

بِكَ أَنتَ وَالباي المُشير الفاضل

بِكَ أَنتَ وَالباي المُشير الفاضل

The darknesses of oppression lifted from a nation

And the dark depths of oppression have lifted from a people,

Through you and the Bey, the virtuous Mushir.

Through you yourself and the virtuous Bey, the marshal.

وَتِجارة الإِنصاف راجَت وَاِنتَهى

وَتِجارة الإِنصاف راجَت وَاِنتَهى

عَن غَيِّه غرٌّ مهينٌ جاهل

عَن غَيِّه غرٌّ مهينٌ جاهل

The commerce of justice flourished, and a wretched,

And the commerce of fairness has flourished; an end has come

Abject ignoramus turned away from his error.

To the waywardness of a naive, base, ignorant man.

وَبِكَ الأُمور قَد اِستَقامَت وَاِزدَهى

وَبِكَ الأُمور قَد اِستَقامَت وَاِزدَهى

بِالاعتدال مِن الغُصون المائل

بِالاعتدال مِن الغُصون المائل

Through you, affairs were set aright and flourished,

Through you affairs have been set straight, and now flourishes

Through moderation, which straightens every leaning bough.

In uprightness the once-bending branch.

وَرفعت حملَ الضَيمِ عَن متظلِّمٍ

وَرفعت حملَ الضَيمِ عَن متظلِّمٍ

لَولاك كاد يكلّ مِنهُ الكاهل

لَولاك كاد يكلّ مِنهُ الكاهل

You lifted oppression’s burden from a wronged complainant;

And you lifted the burden of oppression from one seeking redress;

Without you, his shoulders would nearly have failed beneath it.

But for you, his back would have nearly given out beneath it.

وَنَشأت في دست الهداية فَاِقتَدى

وَنَشأت في دست الهداية فَاِقتَدى

بِكَ في الصَداقة بِالخدامة عامل

بِكَ في الصَداقة بِالخدامة عامل

You grew up in the seat of guidance, and so

And you rose upon the seat of guidance, and were followed

A worker in loyal service followed your example.

As a model in friendship by one engaged in service.

وَحفظت عَهد الصادق الملك الَّذي

وَحفظت عَهد الصادق الملك الَّذي

مِنهُ إِلى الباغي تُساق جَحافل

مِنهُ إِلى الباغي تُساق جَحافل

You kept the covenant of the truthful sovereign, who

And you kept the covenant of al-Sadiq, the king,

Sends armies against the aggressor.

From whom legions are driven against the aggressor.

فَنشرت أَعلام الأَمان عَلى الوَرى

فَنشرت أَعلام الأَمان عَلى الوَرى

في تُونس الغَرّا وَخافَ الخاتل

في تُونس الغَرّا وَخافَ الخاتل

You spread the banners of security over all mankind,

So you unfurled the banners of safety over all people

Across radiant Tunis, and the treacherous grew afraid.

In radiant Tunis, and the deceiver grew afraid.

وَمَلأت أَرجاء البِلاد عَدالة

وَمَلأت أَرجاء البِلاد عَدالة

سادَت بِها في الخافقين قَوافل

سادَت بِها في الخافقين قَوافل

You filled every reach of the land with justice;

And you filled every reach of the land with justice,

Through it, caravans crossed the two horizons.

Through which caravans held sway in east and west.

وَبحسن سيرك في المَغارب غرّدت

وَبحسن سيرك في المَغارب غرّدت

بِالشَرق في دَوح المَديح عَنادل

بِالشَرق في دَوح المَديح عَنادل

Your excellent course in the Maghreb was sung

And for your fine conduct in the western lands, there warbled

In the East by nightingales upon the boughs of praise.

In the East, in the groves of praise, nightingales.

وَرَوى أَحاديث الحَماسة عَنكَ في

وَرَوى أَحاديث الحَماسة عَنكَ في

دار الخِلافة للإِمام محافل

دار الخِلافة للإِمام محافل

Accounts of your valor were recounted

And tales of your valor were recounted in

In the seat of the Caliphate, in assemblies before the Imam.

The seat of the Caliphate, to the imam, by assemblies.

فَحباكَ مِن تَشريفه بِمرصَّعٍ

فَحباكَ مِن تَشريفه بِمرصَّعٍ

عَن نُوره في الوَصف يَعجَزُ قائل

عَن نُوره في الوَصف يَعجَزُ قائل

He bestowed on you, as an honor, a jewel-studded decoration

So, in honoring you, he bestowed upon you a jeweled decoration,

Whose radiance no describer can adequately portray.

Whose radiance no speaker can adequately describe.

فَالبسه تَشريفاً لَهُ في دَولة

فَالبسه تَشريفاً لَهُ في دَولة

بِكَ قطرُها بَينَ المَمالك آهل

بِكَ قطرُها بَينَ المَمالك آهل

So wear it, honoring him, within a realm

Then wear it, doing it honor, in a state

Whose land, through you, thrives among the kingdoms.

Whose land, through you, is populous among the kingdoms.

لِمَ لا وَمَولانا المشير صَلاحه

لِمَ لا وَمَولانا المشير صَلاحه

وَالمُصطفى عَبد الرَحيم الفاضل

وَالمُصطفى عَبد الرَحيم الفاضل

How could it be otherwise, when our lord the Mushir is so upright,

Why not, when our lord the marshal is its source of welfare,

And Mustafa Abd al-Rahim is virtuous?

And Mustafa is the virtuous servant of the Merciful?

يا أَكبر الوزراء تِلكَ فَريدة

يا أَكبر الوزراء تِلكَ فَريدة

مِنها حلت بِثنا علاك شَمائل

مِنها حلت بِثنا علاك شَمائل

O greatest of ministers, this is a singular offering

O greatest of ministers, this is a matchless pearl,

In whose precious praise of you noble qualities shine—

Through it, graces have grown sweet with praise of your eminence.

هِيَ مِن تَهاني مُخلصٍ أَسلافُه

هِيَ مِن تَهاني مُخلصٍ أَسلافُه

لَهُم بِدارك مَولدٌ وَمَنازل

لَهُم بِدارك مَولدٌ وَمَنازل

A congratulatory gift from a devoted man whose forebears

It is among the congratulations of a devoted man whose forebears

Had birthplaces and homes within your court.

Had their birthplace and homes in your abode.

وَبِها لَهُم دَهراً صفَت بَينَ المَلا

وَبِها لَهُم دَهراً صفَت بَينَ المَلا

في ظل دَوحتها الظَليلِ مَناهل

في ظل دَوحتها الظَليلِ مَناهل

There, for ages, their life among the people was serene,

And there, for ages, among the people, flowed clear for them

Beneath its shady tree, beside refreshing springs.

Springs beneath the sheltering shade of its spreading tree.

وَخَديم دَولتك الأَمين وَإِن نَشا

وَخَديم دَولتك الأَمين وَإِن نَشا

في مَصر وَهُوَ بِها عَزيز واصل

في مَصر وَهُوَ بِها عَزيز واصل

And the faithful servant of your state, though he grew up

And the faithful servant of your state, though he grew up

In Egypt, where he is honored and well connected,

In Egypt, where he is honored and maintains his ties,

فَحنينُه مِنهُ لِتُونس زائدٌ

فَحنينُه مِنهُ لِتُونس زائدٌ

وَفُؤادُه عَنهُ إِلَيها راحل

وَفُؤادُه عَنهُ إِلَيها راحل

Feels from there an ever-growing longing for Tunis,

Yet his longing for Tunis grows within him,

And his heart journeys from there toward it.

And his heart departs from him, journeying toward her.

فَاقبل مَدائحَك الَّتي تَشدو بِها

فَاقبل مَدائحَك الَّتي تَشدو بِها

فَوقَ المَنابر بِالرِياض بَلابل

فَوقَ المَنابر بِالرِياض بَلابل

Accept, then, his praises, which are sung

So accept the praises of you that are warbled

By nightingales above the pulpits of Rabat.

Atop the pulpits in the gardens by bulbuls.

وَاعذر عَلى التَقصير فيما ينتقى

وَاعذر عَلى التَقصير فيما ينتقى

مِما يلقّنه السَعيد العاقل

مِما يلقّنه السَعيد العاقل

Excuse his shortcomings in whatever he selects

And pardon the shortcomings in what is selected

From what the fortunate, wise man prompts him with.

From what the fortunate, discerning man teaches him.

نعم الوكيل العالم الثَبت الَّذي

نعم الوكيل العالم الثَبت الَّذي

للعلم تقصده بمصر أَفاضل

للعلم تقصده بمصر أَفاضل

Excellent is the learned and steadfast deputy

How excellent the representative, the learned, reliable man whom

Whom Egypt’s eminent men seek out for knowledge.

Eminent men in Egypt seek out for knowledge.

وَلَقَد حَويت مِن المَناقب ما سَما

وَلَقَد حَويت مِن المَناقب ما سَما

بِالبَعض مِنهُ أَواخر وَأَوائل

بِالبَعض مِنهُ أَواخر وَأَوائل

You have gathered virtues of such loftiness

And indeed you have amassed virtues that have raised high,

That by some of them later and earlier men rose high.

Through even a portion of them, later and earlier generations.

وَأَرى السَماحة وَالفَصاحة وَالذَكا

وَأَرى السَماحة وَالفَصاحة وَالذَكا

تُعزَى إِلَيك وَكلهن فَضائل

تُعزَى إِلَيك وَكلهن فَضائل

I see generosity, eloquence, and intelligence

And I see generosity, eloquence, and intelligence

Ascribing themselves to you—and all of them are virtues.

Ascribed to you, and all of them are virtues.

فَإِذا سئلتَ وَأَنتَ بَحر مَكارم

فَإِذا سئلتَ وَأَنتَ بَحر مَكارم

جادَت يَداك وَلا يردّ السائل

جادَت يَداك وَلا يردّ السائل

When you are asked—you who are an ocean of noble gifts—

So whenever you are asked—and you are a sea of noble deeds—

Your hands give freely and never turn a petitioner away.

Both your hands give freely, and no petitioner is turned away.

وَلَأَنت لَيث في الحُروب مجرّبٌ

وَلَأَنت لَيث في الحُروب مجرّبٌ

وَلَأَنتَ للعافين غَيث هاطل

وَلَأَنتَ للعافين غَيث هاطل

You are indeed a lion, tested in wars,

And you are indeed a lion, tried in wars,

And pouring rain for those who seek your bounty.

And you are indeed pouring rain for those seeking bounty.

لا زلت للسلطان صَدراً دائِماً

لا زلت للسلطان صَدراً دائِماً

يَخشاك ذُو جاه ويَرجو آمل

يَخشاك ذُو جاه ويَرجو آمل

May you remain forever the Sultan’s foremost minister,

May you forever remain the sultan's chief minister,

Feared by the powerful, while every hopeful soul hopes in you.

Feared by men of rank and looked to by the hopeful,

ما اِزدان صَدرك مِن نَياشين العُلا

ما اِزدان صَدرك مِن نَياشين العُلا

بِأَجلّ ما يَعلو بِهِ مُتناول

بِأَجلّ ما يَعلو بِهِ مُتناول

How your breast has been adorned with medals of eminence,

As long as your breast is adorned, among the insignia of eminence,

With the loftiest honor any aspirant can attain.

With the noblest distinction by which a recipient rises,

وَازددت تَأييداً بنجلٍ ناجب

وَازددت تَأييداً بنجلٍ ناجب

هُوَ لِلبَنين الأَكرمين مماثل

هُوَ لِلبَنين الأَكرمين مماثل

And you gained further strength through a noble son,

And you have gained further strength through a worthy son,

A peer of the most honored sons.

Who is the equal of the noblest sons,

أَو قالَ مَجدي في الهَناء مؤرخاً

أَو قالَ مَجدي في الهَناء مؤرخاً

نيشان تَمجيد وَشبل كامل

نيشان تَمجيد وَشبل كامل

Or Majdi said, marking the date amid rejoicing:

Or Majdi said, composing a chronogram in congratulation:

“A medal of glorification—and a perfect lion-cub.”

A decoration of glory, and a perfect lion cub.