مُذ بصّرَتْني تَجاريبي ونَبَّهَني

مُذ بصّرَتْني تَجاريبي ونَبَّهَني

خُبْرِي بدهرِي فقدتُ العيشةَ الرّغَدَا

خُبْرِي بدهرِي فقدتُ العيشةَ الرّغَدَا

Since my experiences opened my eyes and I was alerted

Since my experiences enlightened me and warned me,

by my knowledge of my times, I have lost the life of ease.

And my knowledge of my fate made me lose a life of ease,

كأنَّنِي كنتُ في حُلْمٍ فأيقظَني

كأنَّنِي كنتُ في حُلْمٍ فأيقظَني

خَوْفي وآلَى على جفنيَّ لا رَقَدَا

خَوْفي وآلَى على جفنيَّ لا رَقَدَا

It is as though I had been in a dream, then was awakened

It was as if I had been in a dream and was awakened,

by my fear, which swore my eyelids would know no sleep.

My fear denied sleep to my eyelids.

عجزتُ عن الدنيَا فما ليَ من يدٍ

عجزتُ عن الدنيَا فما ليَ من يدٍ

بِها وليَ الأيَدُ المساعدُ واليَدُ

بِها وليَ الأيَدُ المساعدُ واليَدُ

I have proved powerless before the world; I have no sway

I was helpless in the world, having no capable hand

over it, though I have supporting strength and a hand.

To help me, though helping hands and hands to lean on abound.

ولكنّنِي لم أسْلُ عنها فأرْعَوي

ولكنّنِي لم أسْلُ عنها فأرْعَوي

ولا نِلتُ منها ما أَوَدُّ وأقصِدُ

ولا نِلتُ منها ما أَوَدُّ وأقصِدُ

Yet I have not ceased longing for it, so that I might turn away,

But I never asked anything of it, to be pampered,

nor gained from it what I desire and seek.

Nor gained from it what I wish and desire.

شَقِيتُ بما أحرزتُه من فضائلٍ

شَقِيتُ بما أحرزتُه من فضائلٍ

بأيسرِها يحظى الشقيُّ ويَسعَدُ

بأيسرِها يحظى الشقيُّ ويَسعَدُ

I have suffered because of the virtues I have acquired,

I suffered from the excellent virtues I had acquired

the least of which brings the wretched good fortune and happiness.

With the least of them the wretched attain happiness and bliss.

وفي النَّفسِ إن ناجَيْتُها باطِّراحِها

وفي النَّفسِ إن ناجَيْتُها باطِّراحِها

وبالزُّهدِ فيها فترةٌ وترَدُّدُ

وبالزُّهدِ فيها فترةٌ وترَدُّدُ

And in my soul, if I speak privately to it of casting the world aside

And if my soul escaped with the shedding of its faults,

and renouncing it, there is slackness and hesitation.

There would be in it hesitation and relapse.

فيا ربّ أَلْهمْها الرشادَ بتركِها

فيا ربّ أَلْهمْها الرشادَ بتركِها

فإِنَّك تهدِي من تشاءُ وتُرْشِدُ

فإِنَّك تهدِي من تشاءُ وتُرْشِدُ

So, Lord, inspire my soul to follow the right path by forsaking it,

O Lord, inspire it with guidance through abandoning them!

for You guide whom You will and lead aright.

For you guide whom you will, and you point the way.