نَزَلتُ عَلى آلِ المُهَلَّب شاتياً

نَزَلتُ عَلى آلِ المُهَلَّب شاتياً

غَريباً عَنِ الأَوطانِ في زَمَنِ المحلِ

غَريباً عَنِ الأَوطانِ في زَمَنِ المحلِ

I lodged with the house of al-Muhallab as a winter guest,

I lodged with the family of al-Muhallab for the winter,

I arrived as a guest at the home of Al Muhalab

I alighted as a winter guest among the family of Al-Muhallab,

an exile from my homeland in a season of drought.

A stranger far from home in a time of drought.

A stranger far from home in troubled times

A stranger far from his homeland in a season of drought;

فَما زالَ بي إِحسانُهم وافتِقادُهم

فَما زالَ بي إِحسانُهم وافتِقادُهم

وَبِرَّهُمو حَتّى حَسِبتهمُ أَهلي

وَبِرَّهُمو حَتّى حَسِبتهمُ أَهلي

Their kindness and constant care never ceased to sustain me,

So their generosity and care for me continued,

Yet still they treated me with utmost care

Their persistent kindness and attentive care never ceased,

nor their generosity, until I thought them my own family.

And their kindness, until I came to regard them as my family.

Their kindness and concern as if kin I were

Nor did their deep goodness, until I deemed them my own kin.