أبا خالدٍ ظَنّي لتحفظَ غيبتي

أبا خالدٍ ظَنّي لتحفظَ غيبتي

وقد خابَ ظَنّي خيبةً إثْرَ خَيْبَةِ

وقد خابَ ظَنّي خيبةً إثْرَ خَيْبَةِ

O Abu Khalid, I thought you would protect me in my absence.

Abu Khaled, I thought you would keep my absence secret

And my hope was dashed, disappointment after disappointment.

But my hopes were shattered, disappointment after disappointment

تطوفُ بنا ليلاً كمِثْلِ عَدُونا

تطوفُ بنا ليلاً كمِثْلِ عَدُونا

وقَعْوَسْتَ داري ثم خَرّبتَ بُقْعَتي

وقَعْوَسْتَ داري ثم خَرّبتَ بُقْعَتي

You prowl around us at night like our enemy.

You roam around me at night like an enemy

And you wrecked my house, then laid waste to my plot.

And you demolished my home, then ruined my land

وَتَبْتَزُّني مِن حيثُ أني غافلٌ

وَتَبْتَزُّني مِن حيثُ أني غافلٌ

وتَجْتَاحُني حتى تناوشتَ طُرَّتي

وتَجْتَاحُني حتى تناوشتَ طُرَّتي

And you rob me while I am off my guard.

You take me by surprise when I'm unaware

And you ravage me, even snatching at my forelock.

And you overwhelm me until you've torn my cloak

مرادُك مني غير ما أنا ضامرٌ

مرادُك مني غير ما أنا ضامرٌ

وتُوكزني حتى ترومَ مَنيَّتي

وتُوكزني حتى ترومَ مَنيَّتي

What you want from me is not what I intend.

Your intention toward me is other than what I'm inferring

And you punch me, seeking even my death.

And you drive me until you intend my demise

وليس بالجارِ أن يُعاقبَ جارَهُ

وليس بالجارِ أن يُعاقبَ جارَهُ

ولو رابَهُ من فِعْلِهِ كلَّ رِيْبَةِ

ولو رابَهُ من فِعْلِهِ كلَّ رِيْبَةِ

And it is not for a neighbor to punish his neighbor,

It is not for a neighbor to punish his neighbor

Even if his conduct arouses every suspicion in him.

Even if he doubts him, suspicion after suspicion

ولو ترعوي ما في ضميري من الجَفا

ولو ترعوي ما في ضميري من الجَفا

لأبديتَ لي لُطْفاً وساءتْكَ غُربتي

لأبديتَ لي لُطْفاً وساءتْكَ غُربتي

And if you heeded the estrangement in my heart,

If you knew my inner thoughts of estrangement

You would have shown me kindness, and my life away from home would have saddened you.

You would show me kindness, and my alienation from you would cease

وَكَمْ صاحبٍ جاورتُهُ وصَحبتُهُ

وَكَمْ صاحبٍ جاورتُهُ وصَحبتُهُ

ولما افْتَرقْنا ظَلَّ يَطْلُبُ صُحْبَتي

ولما افْتَرقْنا ظَلَّ يَطْلُبُ صُحْبَتي

And many a companion have I lived beside and befriended,

How many friends I lived with and accompanied

And when we parted, he kept seeking my company.

But when we parted, they continued to seek my company

وأنت تُواحِيني بما أنا كارهٌ

وأنت تُواحِيني بما أنا كارهٌ

وتَسْطو عليَّ سطوةً بعدَ سطوةِ

وتَسْطو عليَّ سطوةً بعدَ سطوةِ

But you confront me with what I detest,

While you antagonize me with what I detest

And you assail me, assault after assault.

And you tyrannize me, oppression after oppression

وتُبْعِدُني في طَوْراً وأقْرَبْكَ تارةً

وتُبْعِدُني في طَوْراً وأقْرَبْكَ تارةً

لعلي أنل أجْراً لصبرِي بمحنتي

لعلي أنل أجْراً لصبرِي بمحنتي

And at times you push me away, while at others I draw near to you.

You distance me for a while, and draw me near at times

Perhaps I shall gain a reward for my patience in my ordeal.

Perhaps I will be rewarded for my patience in my tribulation