1. أحيا قدومُك مَرعى الجود والجودِ

    وسرّنا عيد عودٍ منك محمودِ

    Your arrival revived the pasture of rain and generosity,

    And the feast of your praiseworthy return delighted us.

  2. وافيتَ وَالغيثُ قد طالت مغبّتهُ

    ما بَينَ غَيثين ممطورٍ ومنقودِ

    You arrived when rain had long kept away,

    Between two showers—one rained down, the other paid in coin.

  3. فَاِهتزّت الأرضُ واِزدانت ببهجتها

    وَهشَّ بالبشرِ مِنها كلّ موجودِ

    So the earth stirred and adorned itself in its delight,

    And every being upon it brightened with gladness.

  4. للّه طالعُ سعدٍ قَد وَردت به

    في يومِ حفلٍ إِلى لقياك مشهودِ

    Praise God for the fortunate star with which you arrived,

    On a festive day thronged in celebration of meeting you.

  5. لَم يستهلّ لَنا مرآك مقتبلاً

    حتّى تَكاملتَ بدراً غير مجحودِ

    No sooner had your youthful presence dawned before us

    Than you became a full moon no one could deny,

  6. حتّى رَفلت منَ الإِجلال في حللٍ

    هزّت لَها قبل أعطافُ الصناديدِ

    And strode resplendently in robes of reverence,

    For which the mighty chiefs' shoulders had swayed before.

  7. إِنّ الخليفةَ مدّ اللّه دولتهُ

    رَآك أَحرى بتنويهٍ وتمجيدِ

    Indeed, the Caliph—may God prolong his reign—

    Deemed you more deserving of acclaim and exaltation.

  8. فَلاحَظتك عيونٌ من رعايتهِ

    يَغدو بها الماءُ ماساً قبل ترديدِ

    So the watchful eyes of his care looked upon you,

    Through which water turns to diamond before any repetition.

  9. وَما تريّث أَن ولّاك منزلةً

    أَضحى حسودكَ فيها كلّ محسودِ

    And he did not delay in granting you a rank

    Where every envied man became one who envied you.

  10. فَاليوم ما أَنت إلّا من صنائعهِ

    ولا تزالُ فريدَ الغادة الصيدِ

    Today, then, you are none other than one of his protégés,

    And remain the fair maiden's peerless jewel among proud chiefs [wording unclear].

  11. فَاِستوزع اللّه شكراً تستزيد به

    نَعماء ما ربّها يوماً بمنكودِ

    So ask God to inspire gratitude, through which you may gain more

    Blessings whose possessor is never ill-fated.

  12. وَارع روعكَ ما اِستكفاك مضطلعاً

    ومثلُ روعك راعٍ غير مجهودِ

    And keep your heart alert, capably bearing what he entrusted to you;

    A heart like yours keeps watch without exhaustion.

  13. فإنّ دولةَ مَولانا المشير لها

    مِنَ العنايةِ أركانٌ بتشييدِ

    For our lord the Marshal's state has

    Pillars built up by providential care.

  14. عَلى تقى اللّه قَد أَضحت مؤسّسةً

    في منعةٍ وجباياتٍ وتجنيدِ

    It has been founded upon reverence for God,

    In defensive strength, tax revenues, and the raising of troops.

  15. محروسةٌ بِأساطينٍ أكاسرةٍ

    مِن كلّ ناشٍ بحجرِ الملك مولودِ

    Guarded by pillars of power, men like Persian kings,

    Each born and raised in the lap of kingship.

  16. ما منهمُ غيرُ رحبِ الصدرِ مضطلع

    بِالأمرِ ما ليله حزماً بمجهودِ

    None among them is other than broad-hearted, shouldering

    The task, his night unwearied in prudent resolve.

  17. جَهابذٌ لا عَدِمنا مِن كفايتهم

    لِلملكِ محمودَ تدبيرٍ وتأييدِ

    Masters of judgment—may we never lack from their competence

    Praiseworthy governance and support for the realm.

  18. لا غروَ إِن صرتَ بدراً بين زهرهم

    تَحوي الكمالَ بسعيٍ منك محمودِ

    No wonder if you have become a full moon among their bright stars,

    Attaining perfection through your own praiseworthy effort.

  19. مَزيّةٌ لَم تغيّر وَجه سائرهم

    وَفي التعاضدِ جمعٌ ضمن توحيدِ

    A distinction that has not changed the faces of the rest,

    And mutual support gathers all within unity.

  20. بِشهبُ رأيك خيرِ الدين قَد حُرِسَت

    خَضراء تونس مِن طغيان نمرودِ

    By the meteors of your counsel, Khayr al-Din, was guarded

    Verdant Tunis from Nimrod's tyranny.

  21. ما رامَها ماردٌ إلّا وَأَتبعهُ

    مُشيرُها بشهابٍ منك مرصودِ

    No rebel demon sought her without being pursued

    By her Marshal with a meteor from you, held ready.

  22. لا تَلقِمِ الخصمَ من فصلِ الخطاب سوى

    صمّاء حالوتَ مِن مقلاع داوودِ

    Feed the adversary no decisive reply but

    The hard stone of Halut, from David's sling.

  23. فَليهنِ مَجدك ما أوليب من رتبٍ

    كُنتَ الأحقّ بِها من غير ترديدِ

    May your glory rejoice in the ranks bestowed upon you,

    You were the most deserving of them, without hesitation.

  24. كانَت لكَ الجيدُ حسناءُ الوزارة كي

    تُضحي مَساعيكَ مِنها العقد في الجيدِ

    The fair maiden of the ministry served as your neck, so that

    Your endeavors might become the necklace upon her neck.

  25. أَفضت إِليكَ بسرّ ما لمرتجهِ

    غيرُ الأمانةِ يوماً من مقاليدِ

    She confided to you a secret whose locked gate

    Never has any keys save trustworthiness.

  26. وَمن أَبو النخبةِ الأعلى مريستهُ

    يَرقى العلى دونَ تدريجٍ وتمهيدِ

    And one whose [unclear term] is the exalted Abu al-Nukhba

    Rises to the heights without stages or preparation.

  27. فَاِنعم بها وَتليّد في مزارتها

    نموَّ نبعك لم يطرف بتجديدِ

    So enjoy it, and grow long-established in its place of visitation;

    Your bow-wood tree's growth is no new acquisition brought by renewal.

  28. وَاِنعَم بريحانةٍ وافَتك نفحتها

    مِن روضةِ الملكِ في أزكى الأماليدِ

    And rejoice in a basil sprig whose fragrance reached you

    From the king's garden, among the purest tender shoots.

  29. لَم تَسمُ معطسُ عرنين لهبّتها

    هيباً وما كلُّ مَرغوبٍ بموجودِ

    No proud nose's nostril had risen toward that fragrant waft,

    Out of awe—and not everything desired is to be found.

  30. ما أَقرب القطبَ من شيمٍ وأوقع في

    نفسِ الفتى نيلُ مرجوّ المواعيدِ

    How close the chief is to noble traits, and how deeply in

    A young man's soul the fulfillment of hoped-for promises is felt!

  31. فَاِسلم وَدُم لمسرّات مجدّدةٍ

    تفتضّ منهنّ عذراء المنى الرودِ

    So live in safety, and endure for ever-renewed joys,

    From them you deflower the tender virgin of desire,

  32. مُسدّد السهمِ ماضي العزمِ متّشحاً

    بِالحزمِ متّزراً بالبأس والجودِ

    Your arrow well aimed, your resolve unwavering, cloaked

    In prudence, girded with valor and generosity,

  33. مبلّغاً بأميرِ المؤمنين إلى

    سَعادةٍ وكمالٍ غير محدودِ

    Brought through the Commander of the Faithful to

    Happiness and perfection without limit.