أَحْلَلْتُ رَحْلِي في بَنِي ثُعَلٍ

أَحْلَلْتُ رَحْلِي في بَنِي ثُعَلٍ

إِنَّ الكَرِيمَ لِلْكَرِيمِ مَحَلّْ

إِنَّ الكَرِيمَ لِلْكَرِيمِ مَحَلّْ

I set down my saddle gear among the sons of Thuʿal;

I pitched my tent amidst the clan of Thu'al

Indeed, a noble man is a haven for the noble.

For the generous man's place is with the generous

فَوَجَدْتُ خيرَ النَّاسِ كُلِّهُمُ

فَوَجَدْتُ خيرَ النَّاسِ كُلِّهُمُ

جَارًا وَأَوْفَاهَم أبَا حَنْبَلْ

جَارًا وَأَوْفَاهَم أبَا حَنْبَلْ

So I found the best of all people

And found amongst all people the best of them

as a neighbor, and the most faithful of them—Abu Hanbal;

As neighbor, and the truest friend, Abu Hanbal,

أَقْرَبَهُمْ خَيرًا وَأَبْعَدَهُمْ

أَقْرَبَهُمْ خَيرًا وَأَبْعَدَهُمْ

شَرًّا وَأَجْوَدَهُمْ أَوَانَ بَخَلْ

شَرًّا وَأَجْوَدَهُمْ أَوَانَ بَخَلْ

The closest of them to goodness, and the farthest of them

The closest in goodness, farthest in evil,

from evil, and the most generous of them in times of miserliness.

Most open-handed, though times might try his palm