لِمُبَشِّري بِرِضاكَ أنْ يَتَحَكَّما

لِمُبَشِّري بِرِضاكَ أنْ يَتَحَكَّما

لا المالَ أسْتَثْنِي عَلَيْهِ ولا الدِّما

لا المالَ أسْتَثْنِي عَلَيْهِ ولا الدِّما

Whoever brings me glad tidings of your favor may set his terms;

For those who proclaimed Your consent could take control,

I withhold from him neither wealth nor blood.

I do not make exception of wealth, nor blood.

تاللَّهِ لا غُبِنَ امْرُوءٌ يَبْتاعُهُ

تاللَّهِ لا غُبِنَ امْرُوءٌ يَبْتاعُهُ

بِحَيَاتِهِ فَوُجودهُ أنْ يُعْدَما

بِحَيَاتِهِ فَوُجودهُ أنْ يُعْدَما

By God, no man is cheated who buys it

By Allah, a man is not wronged if he buys it

with his life, for his existence lies in being no more.

With his life, though his existence would perish.

أَيّ المَعاذِرِ أرْتَضِي لِجِنايَةٍ

أَيّ المَعاذِرِ أرْتَضِي لِجِنايَةٍ

عَظُمَتْ وَلَكِن ظَلَّ عَفْوُكَ أَعْظَما

عَظُمَتْ وَلَكِن ظَلَّ عَفْوُكَ أَعْظَما

What excuse could I accept for an offense

What excuse could I be satisfied with for a crime

so grave—yet your pardon has remained greater?

That was heinous, though Your pardon was more tremendous?

نَدَمِي عَلَى ما نَدَّ مِنِّي دائِمٌ

نَدَمِي عَلَى ما نَدَّ مِنِّي دائِمٌ

وعَلامَةُ الأوَّابِ أنْ يَتَنَدَّما

وعَلامَةُ الأوَّابِ أنْ يَتَنَدَّما

My remorse for what slipped from me is unceasing;

My regret for what flowed from me is everlasting.

and the mark of the penitent is to feel remorse.

And the mark of the penitent is that he remains regretful.

يَا طُولَ بُؤْسِيَ مُبْسَلاً بِجَريرَةٍ

يَا طُولَ بُؤْسِيَ مُبْسَلاً بِجَريرَةٍ

إنْ لَمْ تُجِرْنِي بالتَّجاوُزِ مُنْعِما

إنْ لَمْ تُجِرْنِي بالتَّجاوُزِ مُنْعِما

Alas, how long I shall suffer, condemned for an offense,

O You of endless affliction, dressed in a robe of sin,

if you do not graciously shelter me with pardon!

If You do not draw me with forgiveness, Bestower of bounty.

مَوْلايَ رُحْماكَ التي عَوَّدْتَنِي

مَوْلايَ رُحْماكَ التي عَوَّدْتَنِي

إنِّي اعْتَمَدْتُكَ خَاضِعاً مُسْتَرْحِما

إنِّي اعْتَمَدْتُكَ خَاضِعاً مُسْتَرْحِما

My lord, grant me the mercy you have accustomed me to;

My Master, Your mercy which You accustomed me to—

indeed, I have relied on you, submissive, seeking mercy.

I relied on You, humbly beseeching.

فَأحَقُّ مَنْ تُولِي الإقَالَةَ عاثِرٌ

فَأحَقُّ مَنْ تُولِي الإقَالَةَ عاثِرٌ

لَمْ يَسْتَحِبَّ عَلى الهُدى قطُّ العَمَى

لَمْ يَسْتَحِبَّ عَلى الهُدى قطُّ العَمَى

For the one most deserving of your pardon is a man who stumbled,

So the most deserving for You to pardon is one who stumbled

who never preferred blindness to guidance.

Who never preferred blindness over guidance.

أقْصاهُ عَنْكَ تَزَلُّفٌ بِخَطِيئَةٍ

أقْصاهُ عَنْكَ تَزَلُّفٌ بِخَطِيئَةٍ

خَالَ الصَّوابَ خِلالَها وَتَوَهَّما

خَالَ الصَّوابَ خِلالَها وَتَوَهَّما

A bid for favor through wrongdoing drove him far from you;

Keep him from You—wandering into sin,

he imagined right lay within it, and was deluded.

Straying its course, deluded in imagination.

ولَقَدْ تَحَفَّظَ في المَقَالَةِ جُهْدَه

ولَقَدْ تَحَفَّظَ في المَقَالَةِ جُهْدَه

لَكِنَّهُ نُمِيَ الحَديثُ ونُمْنِما

لَكِنَّهُ نُمِيَ الحَديثُ ونُمْنِما

And indeed, he took the utmost care in his speech,

And he was diligent in guarding his speech,

but his words were passed on and embellished.

But slumber overcame conversation and dozed off.

مَوْلايَ عَبْدُكَ مَا لَه مِنْ مَعْدِلٍ

مَوْلايَ عَبْدُكَ مَا لَه مِنْ مَعْدِلٍ

عَنْ دارِ عَدْلِكَ منْذُ حَلَّ وَخَيَّما

عَنْ دارِ عَدْلِكَ منْذُ حَلَّ وَخَيَّما

My lord, your servant has no way to turn aside

My Master, Your servant has no alternate

from the abode of your justice, since he settled and pitched his tent.

To Your abode of justice since he pitched camp and settled.

لَوْ أنَّهُ يَجِدُ الحَيَاةَ كَريمَةً

لَوْ أنَّهُ يَجِدُ الحَيَاةَ كَريمَةً

في غَيْرِها لَرَأى المَنِيَّةَ أكْرَما

في غَيْرِها لَرَأى المَنِيَّةَ أكْرَما

Were he to find an honorable life

If he found life honorable in other than it,

elsewhere, he would deem death more honorable.

He would see death as more noble.

إِنْ يَنْتَزِحْ نادِيكَ عَنْهُ يَقْتَرِبْ

إِنْ يَنْتَزِحْ نادِيكَ عَنْهُ يَقْتَرِبْ

منْهُ وإِلا تَحْمِهِ يَلجِ الحِمَى

منْهُ وإِلا تَحْمِهِ يَلجِ الحِمَى

If your court draws away from him, he draws closer

If Your caller moves away from him, he approaches.

to it; and if you do not protect him, he enters the sanctuary,

Otherwise, its fever will force him to enter.

مُتَهافِتاً مُتَرامِياً مُتَطارِحاً

مُتَهافِتاً مُتَرامِياً مُتَطارِحاً

مُتَواصِلاً مُتَوَسِّلاً مُتَحَرِّما

مُتَواصِلاً مُتَوَسِّلاً مُتَحَرِّما

rushing headlong, flinging himself forward, casting himself down,

Rushing, extending, falling,

seeking connection, pleading, claiming protection.

Persisting, pleading, sanctifying.

قَد عَلَّمَتْهُ تَجَنُّبَ الجَهْلِ العُلَى

قَد عَلَّمَتْهُ تَجَنُّبَ الجَهْلِ العُلَى

يَكْفِيهِ أَن قَوَّمْتَهُ فَتَقَوَّما

يَكْفِيهِ أَن قَوَّمْتَهُ فَتَقَوَّما

Nobility has taught him to shun ignorance;

You taught him to avoid ignorant heights.

it is enough for him that you set him straight, and he became upright.

It suffices him that You straightened him, so he walked straight.

هَيْهاتَ يَصْحُو أَوْ يُواقِعُ سَلْوَةً

هَيْهاتَ يَصْحُو أَوْ يُواقِعُ سَلْوَةً

مَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ برضاك مُغْرىً مُغْرَما

مَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ برضاك مُغْرىً مُغْرَما

Far from sobering or finding solace is he

Far-fetched! One awakes or experiences tranquility

who remains enticed by your favor, enthralled.

Who did not remain devoted to Your pleasure, infatuated.

أهْوِنْ بِما لاقاه مِنْ هُونٍ إِذا

أهْوِنْ بِما لاقاه مِنْ هُونٍ إِذا

لاقَاكَ مُرْتاحاً له مُتَرَنِّما

لاقَاكَ مُرْتاحاً له مُتَرَنِّما

How little the humiliation he suffered matters, when

The disgrace he meets is lighter when

he meets you, rejoicing in it, singing,

He meets You, comforted by and humming to You.

وجَثَا يُقَبِّل قَبْلَ راحَتِكَ الثَّرَى

وجَثَا يُقَبِّل قَبْلَ راحَتِكَ الثَّرَى

غَرِداً بِما أوْلَيْتَهُ مُتَرَنِّما

غَرِداً بِما أوْلَيْتَهُ مُتَرَنِّما

and kneels, kissing the soil before he kisses your palm,

He kneeled, kissing the soil of Your palm,

warbling over what you bestowed on him, singing,

Warbling with what You blessed him, humming.

بِمَثَابَةٍ رَسَخَ الهُدَى أثْنَاءَها

بِمَثَابَةٍ رَسَخَ الهُدَى أثْنَاءَها

عَلَماً وقَام الحَقُّ فيها مُعْلَما

عَلَماً وقَام الحَقُّ فيها مُعْلَما

at a refuge where guidance took firm root

With a reward in which guidance took root during it

as a banner, and truth stood there, clearly marked.

As a sign, and truth stood in it as a mark.

هَيْهاتَ يَصْحُو أَوْ يُواقِعُ سَلْوَةً

هَيْهاتَ يَصْحُو أَوْ يُواقِعُ سَلْوَةً

مَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ برضاك مُغْرىً مُغْرَما

مَنْ لَمْ يَزَلْ برضاك مُغْرىً مُغْرَما

Far from sobering or finding solace is he

Far-fetched! One awakes or experiences tranquility

who remains enticed by your favor, enthralled.

Who did not remain devoted to Your pleasure, infatuated.

أهْوِنْ بِما لاقاه مِنْ هُونٍ إِذا

أهْوِنْ بِما لاقاه مِنْ هُونٍ إِذا

لاقَاكَ مُرْتاحاً له مُتَرَنِّما

لاقَاكَ مُرْتاحاً له مُتَرَنِّما

How little the humiliation he suffered matters, when

The disgrace he meets is lighter when

he meets you, rejoicing in it, singing,

He meets You, comforted by and humming to You.

وجَثَا يُقَبِّل قَبْلَ راحَتِكَ الثَّرَى

وجَثَا يُقَبِّل قَبْلَ راحَتِكَ الثَّرَى

غَرِداً بِما أوْلَيْتَهُ مُتَرَنِّما

غَرِداً بِما أوْلَيْتَهُ مُتَرَنِّما

and kneels, kissing the soil before he kisses your palm,

He kneeled, kissing the soil of Your palm,

warbling over what you bestowed on him, singing,

Warbling with what You blessed him, humming.

بِمَثَابَةٍ رَسَخَ الهُدَى أثْنَاءَها

بِمَثَابَةٍ رَسَخَ الهُدَى أثْنَاءَها

عَلَماً وقَام الحَقُّ فيها مُعْلَما

عَلَماً وقَام الحَقُّ فيها مُعْلَما

at a refuge where guidance took firm root

With a reward in which guidance took root during it

as a banner, and truth stood there, clearly marked.

As a sign, and truth stood in it as a mark.