سألتُ الذي لا يَنْفَدُ الرِّزقُ عندَهُ

سألتُ الذي لا يَنْفَدُ الرِّزقُ عندَهُ

ولا يَمنَعُ الحُجَّابُ عن بابهِ سُؤْلَا

ولا يَمنَعُ الحُجَّابُ عن بابهِ سُؤْلَا

I asked the One whose provision never runs out,

I asked Him whose provision is endless

and no gatekeepers bar a plea from His door,

And whose door is not barred to petitioners

بألَّا يَكِلْنِي للخلائقِ أَرْتَجِي

بألَّا يَكِلْنِي للخلائقِ أَرْتَجِي

حوائجَ أَجْنِي مِنْ نوائلِها ذُلَّا

حوائجَ أَجْنِي مِنْ نوائلِها ذُلَّا

not to leave me to people, seeking

That He not leave me begging of people

what I need, reaping humiliation from their gifts.

The needs of strangers, in humiliation

عزيزٌ على نفسي الأبيِّةِ مقصِدٌ

عزيزٌ على نفسي الأبيِّةِ مقصِدٌ

تُسامُ بِهِ، أو لا تَنَالُ بِهِ عَدْلَا

تُسامُ بِهِ، أو لا تَنَالُ بِهِ عَدْلَا

My proud soul finds it hard to seek a place

It is hard for my soul to pursue a purpose

where it is debased or finds no justice.

By which I rise or gain justice thereby

فَيَا بُؤْسَ مِنْ أَمْرٍ يُرَدُّ قضاؤُهُ

فَيَا بُؤْسَ مِنْ أَمْرٍ يُرَدُّ قضاؤُهُ

لِمَنْ لَمْ يَصُنْ في اللهِ عهدًا ولا إلَّا

لِمَنْ لَمْ يَصُنْ في اللهِ عهدًا ولا إلَّا

So alas for a matter whose resolution is entrusted

Oh, the misery of a matter whose outcome

to one who, before God, has honored neither covenant nor kinship.

Is rejected by one who broke no pact or bond

يَلَذُّ لهُ في حاجةِ النَّاسِ ذِلَّةٌ

يَلَذُّ لهُ في حاجةِ النَّاسِ ذِلَّةٌ

لضائقةٍ إِنْ قالَ في رَدِّها "كَلَّا"!

لضائقةٍ إِنْ قالَ في رَدِّها "كَلَّا"!

He delights in the humiliation of people seeking help

A man takes pleasure in people's neediness

for a hardship, if he rejects their plea with 'No!'

In distress, if he says in refusal, "Nay!"

يُرَى شامتًا مِمَّنْ رَمَتْهُ حُظُوظُهُ

يُرَى شامتًا مِمَّنْ رَمَتْهُ حُظُوظُهُ

إليهِ، فلا يُخْفِي لقاصِدِهِ غلَّا!

إليهِ، فلا يُخْفِي لقاصِدِهِ غلَّا!

He is seen gloating over one whose fortunes have cast him

He seems gleeful if fortunes cast others

to him; so he hides no rancor from the one who seeks him,

To him, not hiding his scorn for visitors

كَمَنْ نَصَبَ الأَشْراكَ لِلْأُسْدِ إِنْ هَوَتْ

كَمَنْ نَصَبَ الأَشْراكَ لِلْأُسْدِ إِنْ هَوَتْ

بها، صَيْدُها أَمْسَى لِغَدَّارِها سَهْلَا!

بها، صَيْدُها أَمْسَى لِغَدَّارِها سَهْلَا!

like one who sets snares for lions: if they fall

Like one who set traps for lions; if they

into them, catching them becomes easy for their betrayer.

Fall in, their prey becomes easy for the betrayer

فَيَا رَبِّ جَنِّبْنَا مَذَلَّةَ حاجةٍ

فَيَا رَبِّ جَنِّبْنَا مَذَلَّةَ حاجةٍ

تُنَالُ بماءِ الْوَجْهِ في عُسْرِها نَيْلَا!

تُنَالُ بماءِ الْوَجْهِ في عُسْرِها نَيْلَا!

So, my Lord, spare us the humiliation of a need

Oh Lord, spare us the humiliation of a need

met in hardship at the cost of one's dignity!

Got with face-water in hardship, not plenty

فأَنْتَ سَخِيُّ الْفَضلِ ما خَابَ سائلٌ

فأَنْتَ سَخِيُّ الْفَضلِ ما خَابَ سائلٌ

دعاكَ، تُثِيبُ الْعَبْدَ في مَحْلِهِ هَطْلَا

دعاكَ، تُثِيبُ الْعَبْدَ في مَحْلِهِ هَطْلَا

For You are generous in bounty; no supplicant has been disappointed

For You are Bounty itself; no asker has erred

who called upon You; You reward the servant with pouring rain amid his drought.

Calling You, who rewards a servant fitly

مَذَلَّةُ خَلْقِ اللهِ للهِ عِزَّةٌ

مَذَلَّةُ خَلْقِ اللهِ للهِ عِزَّةٌ

وذِلَّتُهُمْ لِلْخَلْقِ يا بُؤْسَهُمْ ذُلَّا

وذِلَّتُهُمْ لِلْخَلْقِ يا بُؤْسَهُمْ ذُلَّا

The humility of God's creatures before God is honor,

People's humiliation is glory for God

but their abasement before creatures—alas for them!—is disgrace.

Their disgrace for others - oh, their misery!