أيا ربُ قد أحسنت عوداً وبدأةً

أيا ربُ قد أحسنت عوداً وبدأةً

إليَّ فلم ينهض باحسانك الشكرُ

إليَّ فلم ينهض باحسانك الشكرُ

O Lord, You have shown kindness anew and from the outset,

O Lord, You have been good and kind in Your giving,

to me, yet gratitude has not matched Your kindness.

Yet thankfulness from me does not spring forth.

فمن كان ذا عذرٍ لديكَ وحجةٍ

فمن كان ذا عذرٍ لديكَ وحجةٍ

فعذري إقراري بأن ليس لي عذرُ

فعذري إقراري بأن ليس لي عذرُ

So if anyone has an excuse and a plea before You,

Who has an excuse with You, who a plea,

my excuse is my admission that I have no excuse.

When I have no excuse for not giving thanks?

إذا كان شكري نعمة اللَه نعمةً

إذا كان شكري نعمة اللَه نعمةً

عليَّ له في مثلها يجب الشكرُ

عليَّ له في مثلها يجب الشكرُ

If my gratitude for God's blessing is itself a blessing

If my thanks for Your blessings themselves be a blessing,

upon me, for which gratitude to Him is likewise due,

Gratitude to You for such thanks is meet.

فكيف بلوغ الشكر إلا بفضله

فكيف بلوغ الشكر إلا بفضله

وان طالت الأيامُ واتصل العمرُ

وان طالت الأيامُ واتصل العمرُ

then how can gratitude be attained except through His grace,

How can thanks reach You save through Your grace?

even if the days grow long and life goes on?

Though my days are long and my life spins out.

سأشكر لا أني أجازيه منعماً

سأشكر لا أني أجازيه منعماً

بشكري ولكن كي يراد له الشكرُ

بشكري ولكن كي يراد له الشكرُ

I shall give thanks—not that I repay Him, the Giver of blessings,

I give thanks, not as if I could match Your gifts

with my thanks, but so that gratitude to Him may be sought.

With my thanks, but so thanks may be made to You.

وأشكرُ أياماً لدي قضيتها

وأشكرُ أياماً لدي قضيتها

وآخرُ ما يبقى على الشاكرِ الذكرُ

وآخرُ ما يبقى على الشاكرِ الذكرُ

And I give thanks for the days I had and lived through;

I give thanks for days I have lived through,

and the last thing still due from the grateful is remembrance.

And the last that remains for the thanker is remembrance.