وَقَفْتُ  وقد   ضاقَ  بي

وَقَفْتُ وقد ضاقَ بي

سبيلُ  المُنَى  الساخِرةْ

سبيلُ المُنَى الساخِرةْ

I stood, as it narrowed before me—

I stood when the path of desire narrowed for me,

The path of mocking hopes;

And nothing remained of my course but the bitterness of the end.

ولم  يبقَ  من  مَذْهَبي

ولم يبقَ من مَذْهَبي

سوى  كَدَرِ   الآخِرَةْ

سوى كَدَرِ الآخِرَةْ

And nothing remained of my creed

I stood alone, lost, weak,

But the gloom of the hereafter.

A friend of sorrow.

وقفتُ  وحيداً ضَلُولاً

وقفتُ وحيداً ضَلُولاً

ضعيفاً  حليفَ  الشَّجَنْ

ضعيفاً حليفَ الشَّجَنْ

I stood alone, utterly lost,

I wanted to pray at length,

Weak, a companion of sorrow.

For whom? I almost forgot for whom.

أُريدُ الصلاةَ طويلاً

أُريدُ الصلاةَ طويلاً

لِمَنْ ؟ كِدْتُ أنسى لِمَنْ ؟

لِمَنْ ؟ كِدْتُ أنسى لِمَنْ ؟

I want to pray at length—

For whom can one who grew accustomed

To whom? I had almost forgotten—to whom?

To other than prayer now pray?

إلى  مَنْ  يُصلِّي  فتى   

إلى مَنْ يُصلِّي فتى

تَعَوَّدَ   غيرَ    الصلاةْ

تَعَوَّدَ غيرَ الصلاةْ

To whom does a young man pray,

One whose heart was busy,

Who has grown used to things other than prayer,

And who strayed from God?

وأَشْغَلَ   قلباً   عَتَا

وأَشْغَلَ قلباً عَتَا

وَضَلَّ   بغيرِ   الإله

وَضَلَّ بغيرِ الإله

And busied a heart that rebelled

O You whose benevolence disappeared

And strayed, with things other than God?

Behind the limits of humanity,

أيَا  مَنْ   سناهُ   اختفى

أيَا مَنْ سناهُ اختفى

وراءَ  حُدودِ   البَشَرْ

وراءَ حُدودِ البَشَرْ

O You whose radiance lies hidden

I forgot You in days of ease,

Beyond the bounds of humankind,

So do not forget me in times of distress.

نَسِيتُكَ  يومَ   الصَّفَا

نَسِيتُكَ يومَ الصَّفَا

فلا  تَنْسَنِي  في  الكَدَرْ

فلا تَنْسَنِي في الكَدَرْ

I forgot You in days of serenity;

O Most Forgiving, Most Merciful,

So do not forget me amid gloom.

Who sees my evening and morning,

أيَا    غافراً    أَرْحَمَا

أيَا غافراً أَرْحَمَا

يَرَى  ذلَّ  أمْسِي  وَغَدْ

يَرَى ذلَّ أمْسِي وَغَدْ

O forgiving One, most merciful,

May You not avenge,

Who sees the abasement of my yesterday and tomorrow,

For Your forbearance fills eternity.

مَعَاذَكَ    أنْ    تَنْقَمَا

مَعَاذَكَ أنْ تَنْقَمَا

وحِلْمُكَ  مِلءُ  الأَبَدْ

وحِلْمُكَ مِلءُ الأَبَدْ

Far be it from You to take vengeance,

Your pastures are the green of desires,

While Your forbearance fills eternity.

They are what I long for, my Master!

مَرَاعِيكَ  خُضْرُ  المُنَى

مَرَاعِيكَ خُضْرُ المُنَى

هي   المُشْتهى   سَيِّدِي !

هي المُشْتهى سَيِّدِي !

Your pastures are green with hope;

While my body is worn out by troubles -

They are what I long for, my Lord!

Take me by the hand in Your tenderness!

وجِسْمِي  دَهَاهُ  العَنَا

وجِسْمِي دَهَاهُ العَنَا

حَنَانَيْكَ ، خُذْ  بِيَدِي !

حَنَانَيْكَ ، خُذْ بِيَدِي !

And my body is stricken with hardship;

Have mercy—take me by the hand!