1. You sought great glory with strong determination,
And so attained the shining state when still young.

2. You climbed the thorns of difficulties to the heights,
And he who seeks the heights must ride the rugged.

3. To gain praise you plunged into battles, for
Only he who dares the sea's depths finds pearls.

4. If a barrier loomed before your goal,
You made iron into a bridge to cross it.

5. And if darkness veiled the light of vision,
You lit the way with wise opinion's dawn.

6. The king saw, O Yahya, that you were his heart,
So he embraced you until he lodged you in his breast.

7. You sat upon his throne and balanced it,
Becoming like a bride in her maidenhood.

8. When one of your hands was gone from it you sought
To replace the loss after the chance had passed.

9. His ring was not torn from his right hand,
Whether the right or left hand held the seal.

10. Fair Basra is but a necklace,
And we, beside its pearls, yet more precious.

11. It is but beauty incarnate, so wondrous
That it has made the black lions its chamberlains.

12. A steed girt with the halo of castles,
Served by the white and the dusky brown.

13. Long it promised, then drew back,
Then yielded union after prolonging estrangement.

14. You stole the hearts of the whites towards it
And plunged into the surging fray like a torrent.

15. You wed it after it had lost its youth,
So with you now the widow seems a virgin.

16. You wove its red garments amidst the fray,
And clothed it in your safekeeping with green robes.

17. You made the heads of the transgressors its sacrifice,
And saved its bride-price from the steel.

18. You entered it when the veil was lifted,
Becoming, for the age's shame, its cloak.

19. You returned to it as governor after
You had voyaged the spirit's night journey.

20. You journeyed from it like the new moon, but
Kept coming and going till full moon in its sky.

21. It parted from you, its heart on fire,
Yet you were blithe - this, in itself, was secret.

22. For years she hid her longing for you
And passed her nights sleepless with vigil.

23. For some reason she would deny
Whenever union with you came due, finding no excuse.

24. You smote its cheek's rose with your arrows white,
And played upon its mouth with your mouth's music.

25. After blindness it saw through you its sight,
Your coming brought magic to its eyes.

26. About its neck you hung the necklace of glory,
And from it, in your works, bound up the waist.

27. You made it laugh after weeping with bright blades -
Whenever it smiled in spirit it laughed victory.

28. You pelted it till the dust became its perfume,
Without you it would have turned to barren wastes.

29. When you came to its throne an equal,
Like Joseph when his lord gave him Egypt.

30. Never did the cunning achieve by their cunning,
Nor did you dissemble treason against the traitorous.

31. You granted safety to all sinners' souls,
Excusing abundantly, weighing down with thanks.

32. Your presence here delights the faithful,
For you are the full moon and it the flower garden.

33. You encompassed glory, valor, resolve and reproof,
Earning blessing, pardon, patience and calm.

34. You rebuilt the broken houses of glory,
Restoring, O Yahya, life to their lifeless ruins.

35. With your slipper the iron shoe walks -
It surpasses Chosroes' bejeweled crown.

36. And when you trod the dust of Basra,
It grew sublime, nearing the glittering stars.

37. It flirted with you in joy, and gave its face,
Laughing, to the kisses of the shining moon.

38. The hands of fate and youth never left
Its cheeks, gathering there dew and embers.

39. Choice wine was drunk to the rose of its cheek -
Wine's drinking's sweetest to the ruddy cheek.

40. Nor did the limpid breeze blow healthily,
Nor in your era were its languid eyes cleared.

41. You remain a pouring rain while it's a meadow
That reaps from its beautiful ones flowers forever.