لَم أَرَ جاراً لِاِمرِئٍ يَستَجيرُهُ

لَم أَرَ جاراً لِاِمرِئٍ يَستَجيرُهُ

كَجارِيَ أَوفى لي جِواراً وَأَمنَعا

كَجارِيَ أَوفى لي جِواراً وَأَمنَعا

I have never seen a protector for a man seeking refuge with him

I have not seen a neighbor for a man seeking refuge

More faithful in sheltering me, or stronger in defense, than my own.

Like my neighbor, most faithful in granting refuge and protection

رَمى بي إِلَيهِ الخَوفُ حَتّى أَتَيتُهُ

رَمى بي إِلَيهِ الخَوفُ حَتّى أَتَيتُهُ

وَقَد يَمنَعُ الحامي إِذا ما تَمَنَّعا

وَقَد يَمنَعُ الحامي إِذا ما تَمَنَّعا

Fear hurled me toward him, until I came to him,

Fear drove me to him until I came to him

And a defender can protect when he stands firm.

And the protector can protect when he is determined to do so

فَشَمَّرَ عَن ساقَيهِ حَتّى تَطامَنَت

فَشَمَّرَ عَن ساقَيهِ حَتّى تَطامَنَت

أَنابيبُ نَفسي وَاِستَقَرَّت بِها مَعا

أَنابيبُ نَفسي وَاِستَقَرَّت بِها مَعا

Then he bared his shins, until they sank to rest—

So he rolled up his sleeves until

The channels of my soul—and settled within it together.

The pipes of my soul calmed down and settled with him

بِهِ حَطَمَ اللَهُ القُيودَ وَأومِنَت

بِهِ حَطَمَ اللَهُ القُيودَ وَأومِنَت

مَخافَةُ نَفسٍ طومِنَت أَن تَفَزَّعا

مَخافَةُ نَفسٍ طومِنَت أَن تَفَزَّعا

Through him God shattered the fetters, and allayed

With him Allah broke the shackles and

The fear of a soul soothed lest it take fright.

The fear of a soul afraid it would panic was secured

كَمَنعِ أَبي لَيلى عِياضَ بنَ دَيهَثٍ

كَمَنعِ أَبي لَيلى عِياضَ بنَ دَيهَثٍ

عَشِيَّةَ خافَ القَومُ أَن يَتَمَزَّعا

عَشِيَّةَ خافَ القَومُ أَن يَتَمَزَّعا

Like Abu Layla's protection of Iyad son of Dayhath,

Like the protection of Layla's father Iyas ibn Duhayth

On the evening when the people feared he would be torn apart.

One evening, the people feared they would separate

فَما يَحيَ لا أَخشَ العَدُوَّ وَلا أَزَل

فَما يَحيَ لا أَخشَ العَدُوَّ وَلا أَزَل

عَلى الناسِ أَعلو مِن ذُرى المَجدِ مَفرَعا

عَلى الناسِ أَعلو مِن ذُرى المَجدِ مَفرَعا

So long as he lives, I fear no enemy, and never cease

So I neither fear the enemy nor cease

To ascend above the people to a lofty peak among glory's heights.

To rise above people with branches of glory

جَزى اللَهُ جاري خَيرَ ما كانَ جازِياً

جَزى اللَهُ جاري خَيرَ ما كانَ جازِياً

مِنَ الناسِ جاراً يَومَ بِنتُ مُوَدِّعا

مِنَ الناسِ جاراً يَومَ بِنتُ مُوَدِّعا

May God grant my protector the best reward He has ever given

May Allah reward my neighbor with the best reward

To a protector among men, on the day I departed, bidding farewell.

Of any neighbor, the day I bid him farewell