قَصَدْتُ أَبَا عَلِيٍّ ذَا الْمَعَالِي

قَصَدْتُ أَبَا عَلِيٍّ ذَا الْمَعَالِي

وَنَارُ كَآبَتِي ذَاتُ اشْتِعَالِ

وَنَارُ كَآبَتِي ذَاتُ اشْتِعَالِ

I sought Abu Ali, possessed of lofty honors,

I sought out Abu Ali, the eminent one,

I sought out Abu Ali, the possessor of exalted virtues,

While the fire of my sorrow blazed,

While the fire of my anguish blazed intensely,

while the fire of my sorrow was blazing fiercely,

عَلَى حِيَن ادْلَهَمَّتْ مُعْضِلاَتِي

عَلَى حِيَن ادْلَهَمَّتْ مُعْضِلاَتِي

لِكَوْنِي بَيْنَ مَنْ يَهْوَى اغْتِيَالِي

لِكَوْنِي بَيْنَ مَنْ يَهْوَى اغْتِيَالِي

At a time when my predicaments grew pitch-dark,

At a time when my problems overwhelmed me,

at a time when my overwhelming hardships grew pitch-black,

Because I was among those who longed for my assassination,

For I was amidst those who wished my demise.

for being among those who desire my ruin,

وَبُعْدِ أَحِبَّتِي وَفِرَاقِ أَهْلِي

وَبُعْدِ أَحِبَّتِي وَفِرَاقِ أَهْلِي

وَحِلِّي كُلَّ حِينٍ وَارْتِحَالِي

وَحِلِّي كُلَّ حِينٍ وَارْتِحَالِي

And my loved ones' remoteness and my separation from my family,

And far from my loved ones and kith and kin,

and the distance of my loved ones, the separation from my family,

And my halting and departing at every turn,

With no abode, wandering ceaselessly,

and my ceaseless settling and departing,

وَقِلَّةِ مُنْجِدِي فِي دِينِ رَبِّي

وَقِلَّةِ مُنْجِدِي فِي دِينِ رَبِّي

وَكَثْرَةِ نَاصِرِيَ عَلَى الضَّلاَلِ

وَكَثْرَةِ نَاصِرِيَ عَلَى الضَّلاَلِ

And the scarcity of my helpers in my Lord's faith,

With few who would help me in my faith,

and the scarcity of my helpers in the religion of my Lord,

And the abundance of my supporters in error.

And many aiding my going astray.

and the abundance of my supporters toward misguidance.

ذَلِيلاً مُسْتَغِيثاً ذَا احْتِرَاقٍ

ذَلِيلاً مُسْتَغِيثاً ذَا احْتِرَاقٍ

بِهِ مِمَّا عَرَانِي مِنْ خَبَالِ

بِهِ مِمَّا عَرَانِي مِنْ خَبَالِ

Humbled and burning with anguish, seeking rescue

So I came, hapless and begging urgently,

Humbled, crying out for relief, burning within,

Through him from the affliction that had befallen me.

Burning with all the disgrace that's dogged me.

seeking his aid against the distress that has afflicted me.

فَمَنْ يَدْخُلْ حِمَى الْكُبَرَاءِ يَسْلَمْ

فَمَنْ يَدْخُلْ حِمَى الْكُبَرَاءِ يَسْلَمْ

وَيَا مَنْ لاَ يَخَافُ وَلاَ يُبَالِي

وَيَا مَنْ لاَ يَخَافُ وَلاَ يُبَالِي

For whoever enters the sanctuary of the great is safe.

He who enters the sanctuary is safe and sound—

For whoever enters the sanctuary of the great ones finds safety,

And O you who neither fear nor care,

O you who fear not and are unperturbed!

and O you who are fearless and undeterred!

أَغِثْنِي يَا عَلاَءَ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ

أَغِثْنِي يَا عَلاَءَ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ

وَأَنْقِذْنِي مِنْ أَسْبَابِ الْوَبَالِ

وَأَنْقِذْنِي مِنْ أَسْبَابِ الْوَبَالِ

Rescue me, O glory of Abu Ali,

Save me, O Pride of Abu Ali!

Rescue me, O eminence of Abu Ali,

And save me from the causes of ruin.

Rescue me from causes of doom!

and save me from the causes of woe.

أَجِرْنِي يَا أمَانَ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ

أَجِرْنِي يَا أمَانَ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ

وَبَاعِدْ بَيْنَ وَسْوَاسِي وَبَالِي

وَبَاعِدْ بَيْنَ وَسْوَاسِي وَبَالِي

Shelter me, O refuge of Abu Ali,

Shield me, O Shelter of Abu Ali!

Grant me sanctuary, O safeguard of Abu Ali,

And put distance between my whispering doubts and my mind.

And distance me from my woes and worries!

and place a distance between my anxious whispers and my mind.

أَفِدْنِي يَا نَوَالَ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ

أَفِدْنِي يَا نَوَالَ أَبِي عَلِيٍّ

غِنىً عَنْ مَا سِوَى رَبِّ الْجَلاَلِ

غِنىً عَنْ مَا سِوَى رَبِّ الْجَلاَلِ

Grant me, O bounty of Abu Ali,

Enrich me, O Bounty of Abu Ali!

Bestow upon me, O bounty of Abu Ali,

Independence from all but the Lord of Majesty.

Free of all save the Lord of Majesty!

an independence from all save the Lord of Majesty.

وَنَظِّمْ شَمْلَ أَهْلِي بِاجْتِمَاعِي

وَنَظِّمْ شَمْلَ أَهْلِي بِاجْتِمَاعِي

بِهِمْ ذَا تَوْبَةٍ وَصَلاَحِ حَالِي

بِهِمْ ذَا تَوْبَةٍ وَصَلاَحِ حَالِي

And knit my family together through my reunion

And unite my clan with my return

And mend the separation of my family by uniting me

With them, repentant and with my condition set right.

To them in repentance and rectitude!

with them, possessing true repentance and a righteous state.