جعلَ اللَّه مهْرَبا

جعلَ اللَّه مهْرَبا

وامْتَطَى الليلَ مركبَا

وامْتَطَى الليلَ مركبَا

He made God his refuge

He made the night a refuge

and mounted the night as his steed.

And rode upon it as a mount

خادمٌ كان مرَّةً

خادمٌ كان مرَّةً

مُسْرِفاً ثم أَعْتَبَا

مُسْرِفاً ثم أَعْتَبَا

A servant who was once

A servant who was once

profligate, then made amends,

Extravagant, then remorseful

راكعاً ساجداً لهُ

راكعاً ساجداً لهُ

ليس يألُو تَقُرُّبا

ليس يألُو تَقُرُّبا

bowing and prostrating himself before Him,

Bowing, prostrating to Him

sparing no effort to draw near.

Seeking nearness tirelessly

فَرَضَ الخوفُ دمْعَهُ

فَرَضَ الخوفُ دمْعَهُ

لثرى الأرضِ مشربا

لثرى الأرضِ مشربا

Fear allotted his tears

Fear forced his tears

as drink for the earth's soil.

To soak the earth’s soil

لوْ تراهُ إذا دعا

لوْ تراهُ إذا دعا

يا مليكاً مُحجّبا

يا مليكاً مُحجّبا

If only you could see him when he prayed:

If you could see him when he calls

“O veiled King,

Like a veiled king

اعفُ عنّي فقد رَكِبْ

اعفُ عنّي فقد رَكِبْ

تُ من الأمر معطبا

تُ من الأمر معطبا

pardon me, for I have ventured

Forgive me, for I have ridden

into peril in this affair.

The command to excess

كسَّبَتْني جرائمي

كسَّبَتْني جرائمي

مكسباً ساء مكسبا

مكسباً ساء مكسبا

My crimes have earned me

My crimes have earned me

a gain—what an evil gain!”

An earnings, miserable earnings

ثم يهتزّ كالقضيـ

ثم يهتزّ كالقضيـ

ـب إذا هبّت الصَّبَا

ـب إذا هبّت الصَّبَا

Then he sways like a branch

Then he trembles like a stalk

when the east wind blows.

When the wind blows

أمِنَ الخوفَ عندها

أمِنَ الخوفَ عندها

ظَنُّهُ أنْ يُخَيَّبَا

ظَنُّهُ أنْ يُخَيَّبَا

Then there was no fear

He feels safe from fear then

that his hope would be disappointed.

Thinking it will not disappoint