مَدَحتُ يَزيدَ بنَ عَبدِ المَدانِ

فَأَكرِم بِهِ مِن فَتىً مُمتَدَح

I praised Yazid son of Abd al-Madan

So honor him, for he is a man worthy of praise

إِذا المَدحُ زانَ فَتى مَعشَرٍ

فَإِنَّ يَزيدَ يَزينُ المِدَح

When praise adorns a man of noble company

Indeed, Yazid beautifies praise

حَلَلتُ بِهِ دونَ أَصحابِهِ

فَأَورى زِنادِيَ لَمّا قَدَح

I singled him out among his companions

So I lit my fires when he sparked the flame

وَرَدَّ النِساءَ بِأَطهارِها

وَلَو كانَ غَيرُ يَزيدٍ فَضَح

He defended the honor of women

While another in his place would have disgraced them

وَفَكَّ الرِجالَ وَكُلُّ اِمرِئٍ

إِذا أَصلَحَ اللَهُ يَوماً صَلَح

He freed both men and each man

When God reforms a time, it is reformed

وَقُلتُ لَهُ بَعدَ عِتقِ النِساءِ

وَفَكِّ الرِجالِ وَرَدِّ اللِقَح

And I said to him after freeing the women

And releasing the men and restoring propriety

أَجِر لي فَوارِسَ مِن عامِرٍ

فَأَكرِم بِنَفحَتِهِ إِذ نَفَح

Grant me some horsemen from the tribe of Amir

And honor me with his breeze when it blows

وَما زِلتُ أَعرِفُ وَجهَهُ

بِكَرّي السُؤالَ ظُهورَ الفَرَح

I still recognize his face

With my continual asking and his joyful presence

رَأَيتُ أَبا النَضرِ في مَذجِحٍ

بِمَنزِلَةِ الفَجرِ حينَ اِتَّضَح

I saw Abu Nadhar in pitched battle

In the position of dawn when it becomes clear

إِذا قارَعوا عَنهُ لَم يُقرَعوا

وَإِن قَدَّموهُ لَكَبشٍ نَطَح

When they collide with him they are not collided with

And if they charge him, he is a butting ram

وَإِن حَضَرَ الناسُ لَم يُخزِهِم

وَإِن وازَنوهُ بِقَرنٍ رَجَح

If people gather he does not humiliate them

And if weighed against any, he prevails

فَذاكَ فَتاها وَذو فَضلِها

وَإِن نابِحٌ بِفَخارٍ نَبَح

Such is their young man, and the one of their superiority

Even if a snarling slanderer snarls