طالَ شُغلي بِغَيرِ ما يَعنيني

طالَ شُغلي بِغَيرِ ما يَعنيني

وَطِلابي فَوقَ الَّذي يَكفيني

وَطِلابي فَوقَ الَّذي يَكفيني

Long have I been preoccupied with what does not concern me,

My occupation with what does not concern me has lasted long,

and seeking more than suffices me,

And my pursuits are more than what suffices me,

وَاِحتِيالي بِما عَلَيَّ وَلا لي

وَاِحتِيالي بِما عَلَيَّ وَلا لي

وَاِشتِغالي بِكُلِّ ما يُلهيني

وَاِشتِغالي بِكُلِّ ما يُلهيني

and scheming over what is against me, not for me,

And my scheming for what is against me and not for me,

and busying myself with all that distracts me.

And my preoccupation with everything that distracts me,

وَأَرى ما قَضى عَلَيَّ إِلَهي

وَأَرى ما قَضى عَلَيَّ إِلَهي

مِن قَضاءٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَأتيني

مِن قَضاءٍ فَإِنَّهُ يَأتيني

And I see that whatever my God has decreed for me

And I see what my God has decreed for me,

as a decree will indeed come to me.

Of a decree, for indeed it will come to me,

وَلَوَ اِنّي كَفَفتُ لَم أَبغِ رِزقي

وَلَوَ اِنّي كَفَفتُ لَم أَبغِ رِزقي

كانَ رِزقي هُوَ الَّذي يَبغيني

كانَ رِزقي هُوَ الَّذي يَبغيني

And even if I held back and did not seek my sustenance,

And had I curbed my appetite, I would not have sought my sustenance,

it would be my sustenance that sought me.

For my sustenance is what seeks me,

أَحمَدُ اللَهَ ذا المَعارِجِ شُكراً

أَحمَدُ اللَهَ ذا المَعارِجِ شُكراً

ما عَلَيها إِلّا ضَعيفُ اليَقينِ

ما عَلَيها إِلّا ضَعيفُ اليَقينِ

I praise God, Lord of the ways of ascent, in gratitude.

I praise Allah, the Owner of the Ascending Stairways in gratitude,

None upon it is anything but weak in certainty.

Upon them is none but the weak of faith,

وَلَعَمري إِنَّ الطَريقَ إِلى الحَق

وَلَعَمري إِنَّ الطَريقَ إِلى الحَق

قِ مُبينٌ لِلناظِرِ المُستَبينِ

قِ مُبينٌ لِلناظِرِ المُستَبينِ

And by my life, indeed, the path to the Truth

And by my life, the path to the truth is indeed,

is clear to the discerning observer.

Clear to the discerning beholder,

وَيحَ نَفسي إِنّي أَراني بِدُنيا

وَيحَ نَفسي إِنّي أَراني بِدُنيا

يَ ضَنيناً وَلا أَضِنُّ بِديني

يَ ضَنيناً وَلا أَضِنُّ بِديني

Alas for my soul! I see myself, where my worldly life is concerned,

And woe to my soul! I see myself in the world,

miserly, yet I am not miserly with my faith.

Miserly while not miserly in my religion,

لَيتَ شِعري غَداً أَأُعطى كِتابي

لَيتَ شِعري غَداً أَأُعطى كِتابي

بِشِمالي لِشَقوَتي أَم يَميني

بِشِمالي لِشَقوَتي أَم يَميني

Would that I knew: tomorrow, shall I be given my book

I wish I knew tomorrow, will my book be given,

in my left hand, to my misfortune, or in my right?

To my left hand for my wretchedness or my right hand?