بيني وبين الفضل كلُّ تَنُوفَةٍ

بيني وبين الفضل كلُّ تَنُوفَةٍ

للذنب لم تقطع بصدق إنابة

للذنب لم تقطع بصدق إنابة

Between me and virtue lie all the boundless wastes

Between me and grace lies every desolate wilderness,

of sin, uncrossed by sincere repentance,

Because of sin, uncrossed through sincere repentance,

ومهالكٍ لاجنة تلفي بها

ومهالكٍ لاجنة تلفي بها

وثقت بغير إصابتي فأصابتِ

وثقت بغير إصابتي فأصابتِ

and deadly reaches where no shield is found.

And deadly perils in which you find no shield.

I trusted I would not be struck—yet it struck me.

I trusted I would not be struck, yet they struck me.

ولقد علمت بأنني مستهدف

ولقد علمت بأنني مستهدف

حتى أبدّل حالتي وعصابتي

حتى أبدّل حالتي وعصابتي

I have indeed known that I remain a target

And I have surely learned that I am a target,

until I change my state and the company I keep.

Until I change my state and my company.