أَنتَ يا اِبنَ الرَبيعِ أَلزَمتَني النُس

أَنتَ يا اِبنَ الرَبيعِ أَلزَمتَني النُس

كَ وَعَوَّدتِنيهِ وَالخَيرُ عادَه

كَ وَعَوَّدتِنيهِ وَالخَيرُ عادَه

You, son of al-Rabi‘, have bound me to devotion

You, O Ibn al-Rabi', have bound me to the path of devotion,

and accustomed me to it; goodness is a habit.

And accustomed me to it, for virtue is but a habit.

فَاِرعَوى باطِلي وَأَقصَرَ حَبلي

فَاِرعَوى باطِلي وَأَقصَرَ حَبلي

وَتَبَدَّلتُ عِفَّةً وَزَهادَه

وَتَبَدَّلتُ عِفَّةً وَزَهادَه

So my frivolity subsided, and my tether grew shorter,

My vanity has desisted, and my tether has been shortened,

and I took up chastity and asceticism instead.

And I have exchanged my old ways for chastity and asceticism.

لَو تَراني ذَكَرتَ لِلحَسَنِ البَص

لَو تَراني ذَكَرتَ لِلحَسَنِ البَص

رِيِّ في حُسنِ سَمتِهِ أَو قَتادَه

رِيِّ في حُسنِ سَمتِهِ أَو قَتادَه

If you saw me, you would be reminded of al-Hasan al-Basri

Were you to see me, you would recall Al-Hasan of Basra

in his fine bearing, or of Qatada.

In the excellence of his bearing, or even Qatadah.

المَسابيحُ في ذِراعي وَالمُص

المَسابيحُ في ذِراعي وَالمُص

حَفُ في لُبَّتي مَكانَ القِلادَه

حَفُ في لُبَّتي مَكانَ القِلادَه

Prayer beads are on my arm, and the Qur'an

The prayer beads are wrapped around my arm, and the Scripture

rests at the hollow of my throat in place of a necklace.

Rests upon my chest, taking the place of a necklace.

وَإِذا شِئتَ أَن تَرى طُرفَةً تَع

وَإِذا شِئتَ أَن تَرى طُرفَةً تَع

جَبُ مِنها مَليحَةً مُستَفادَه

جَبُ مِنها مَليحَةً مُستَفادَه

And if you wish to see a curiosity you would

And if you wish to behold a rare curiosity,

marvel at—lovely and newly acquired—

At which you will marvel—a beautiful, gained benefit—

فَاِدعُ بي لا عَدِمتَ تَقويمَ مِثلي

فَاِدعُ بي لا عَدِمتَ تَقويمَ مِثلي

وَتَفَطَّن لِمَوضِعِ السُجّادَه

وَتَفَطَّن لِمَوضِعِ السُجّادَه

then call for me—may you never lack the chance to reform one like me—

Then summon me—may you never lack the power to reform one like me—

and look closely at the site of the prostration mark:

And examine the spot marked by the prayer rug.

تَرَ أَثراً مِنَ الصَلاةِ بِوَجهي

تَرَ أَثراً مِنَ الصَلاةِ بِوَجهي

توقِنِ النَفسُ أَنَّها مِن عِبادَه

توقِنِ النَفسُ أَنَّها مِن عِبادَه

you will see on my face a trace of prayer;

You will see a trace of prayer imprinted upon my face,

the soul is certain it comes from worship.

Which the soul knows with certainty comes from true worship.

لَو رَآها بَعضُ المُرائينَ يَوماً

لَو رَآها بَعضُ المُرائينَ يَوماً

لَاِشتَراها يُعِدُّها لِلشَهادَه

لَاِشتَراها يُعِدُّها لِلشَهادَه

If one of those who parade their piety saw it one day,

If some of the hypocrites were to see it one day,

he would surely buy it, readying it for testimony.

They would purchase it to hold in readiness for giving testimony.

وَلَقَد طالَ ما شَقيتُ وَلَكِن

وَلَقَد طالَ ما شَقيتُ وَلَكِن

أَدرَكَتني عَلى يَدَيكَ السَعادَه

أَدرَكَتني عَلى يَدَيكَ السَعادَه

And long indeed have I been wretched, yet

For a long time indeed have I been wretched, but now,

happiness has overtaken me at your hands.

True happiness has overtaken me at your hands.