يَفُلُّ غربَ الرزايا وهي باسلةٌ

ويُوسِعُ الجارَ نَصْراً وهو مخْذولُ

He blunts the edge of calamities, fierce though they are,

and lavishes aid upon his neighbor when that neighbor is forsaken.

ويشَهدُ الهَوْلَ بَسَّاماً وقد دمعَتْ

شُوسُ العُيونِ فَذمَ القوْمَ إِجْفيلُ

He faces terror smiling, though they have begun to weep—

the fierce-eyed, out of fear, while the people flee.

وتُتَّقى مثلما تُرْجى فَواضِلُهُ

وجُودهُ فهو مَرْهوبٌ ومَأمولُ

One fears him just as one hopes for his abundant favors;

and his munificence—he is both dreaded and hoped for.

عارٍ منَ العارِ كاسٍ مِنْ مَناقِبِهِ

كأنَّهُ مُرْهَفُ الحَدَّيْنِ مَصْقولُ

Naked of shame, clothed in his virtues,

as though he were a keen, polished, double-edged blade.

سَهْلُ المكارِمِ سَهْلٌ في حَفيظَتِهِ

فبَأسُهُ والنَّدى مُرٌّ ومَعْسولُ

Noble deeds come readily to him, and so does protective wrath;

his might is bitter, his bounty honey-sweet.

قالي الدَّنايا وصَبْوانُ العُلى كَلِفٌ

فالعارُ والمَجْدُ مَقْطوعٌ ومَوْصولُ

Loathing all that is low, passionately enamored of the heights,

he is severed from shame and joined to glory.

الصَّدْرُ يحيى لَدى قَوْلٍ ومُعْتَرَكٍ

إذا تَشابَهَ مَقْطوعٌ ومَفْلولُ

Yahya stands foremost in speech and in the fray,

when one cut short in argument and one routed in battle look alike.

تَهْمي الأسِنَّةُ والأقْوالُ ماضيَةٌ

فالحَبْرُ والقِرْنُ مَطْرودٌ ومَفْضولُ

Spearheads rain down while words drive keenly on;

scholar and champion alike are driven off, outdone.

جَوادُ مَحْلٍ لهُ من فَخْرِهِ شِيَةٌ

وفيهِ مِنْ واضِح العَلْياءِ تَحْجيلُ

Generous in famine, he bears glory’s distinguishing mark;

and on him gleam the white leg-markings of radiant eminence.

يَصيدُ وَحْشَ المَعالي وهي نافِرَةٌ

كأنَّ مَسْعاهُ للعَلْياءِ أحْبولُ

He hunts the wild quarry of lofty deeds as it shies away,

as though his striving for the heights were a snare.