إِلى اللَهِ كُلُّ الأَمرِ في الخَلقِ كُلِّهِ

إِلى اللَهِ كُلُّ الأَمرِ في الخَلقِ كُلِّهِ

وَلَيسَ إِلى المَخلوقِ شَيءٌ مِنَ الأَمرِ

وَلَيسَ إِلى المَخلوقِ شَيءٌ مِنَ الأَمرِ

All authority in all creation belongs to God,

To God belongs all command in all creation

and no part of that authority belongs to a created being.

And nothing of command belongs to any creature

إِذا أَنا لَم أَقبَل مِنَ الدَهرِ كُلَّ ما

إِذا أَنا لَم أَقبَل مِنَ الدَهرِ كُلَّ ما

تَكَرَّهتُ مِنهُ طالَ عَتبي عَلى الدَهرِ

تَكَرَّهتُ مِنهُ طالَ عَتبي عَلى الدَهرِ

If I do not accept from time all that

Whenever I do not accept from time all that

I have disliked in it, my reproach of time will last long.

I dislike about it, my blame on time is prolonged

تَعَوَّدتُ مَسَّ الضُرِّ حَتّى أَلِفتُهُ

تَعَوَّدتُ مَسَّ الضُرِّ حَتّى أَلِفتُهُ

وَأَحوَجَني طولُ العَزاءِ إِلى الصَبرِ

وَأَحوَجَني طولُ العَزاءِ إِلى الصَبرِ

I grew accustomed to affliction's touch until I became familiar with it,

I became accustomed to the touch of harm until I was intimate with it

and prolonged self-consolation left me in need of patience.

And the length of consolation made me more patient

وَوَسَّعَ صَبري بِالأَذى الأُنسُ بِالأَذى

وَوَسَّعَ صَبري بِالأَذى الأُنسُ بِالأَذى

وَقَد كُنتُ أَحياناً يَضيقُ بِهِ صدَري

وَقَد كُنتُ أَحياناً يَضيقُ بِهِ صدَري

And familiarity with suffering broadened my patience in suffering,

And my patience was expanded by the familiarity with harm

though my breast had sometimes tightened under it.

Though sometimes it would constrict my chest

وَصَيَّرَني يَأسي مِنَ الناسِ راجِياً

وَصَيَّرَني يَأسي مِنَ الناسِ راجِياً

لِسُرعَةِ لُطفِ اللَهِ مِن حَيثُ لا أَدري

لِسُرعَةِ لُطفِ اللَهِ مِن حَيثُ لا أَدري

And my despair of people made me hopeful

And my despair of people made me hopeful

for God's swift kindness from a source unknown to me.

For the quick subtle kindness of God from where I know not