Sahifa Sajjadiya 29: When Provision Was Stinted

وَفِي آجَالِنَا بِطُولِ الأمَلِ

wa fī ājālinā bi-ṭūli al-amal

and concerning our terms of life with prolonged expectation,

حَتَّى الْتَمَسْنَا أَرْزَاقَكَ مِنْ عِنْدِ الْمَرْزُوقِينَ،

ḥattā iltamasnā arzāqaka min ‘indi al-marzūqīn,

until we sought Your provisions from those who are provided for,

وَطَمِعْنَا بِآمَالِنَا فِي أَعْمَارِ الْمُعَمَّرِينَ.

wa ṭami‘nā bi-āmālinā fī a‘māri al-mu‘ammarīn.

and we yearned, through our expectations, for the lives of those whose lives are prolonged.

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ،

Fa-ṣalli ‘alā Muḥammad wa ālih,

So bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَهَبْ لَنَا يَقِيناً صَادِقاً تَكْفِينا بِهِ مِنْ مَؤونَةِ الطَّلَبِ،

wa hab lanā yaqīnan ṣādiqan takfīnā bihī min ma’ūnati aṭ-ṭalab,

and grant us true certainty through which You suffice us from the burden of seeking,

وَأَلْهِمْنَا ثِقَةً خَالِصَةً تُعْفِينَا بِهَا مِنْ شِدَّةِ النَّصَبِ،

wa alhimnā thiqatan khāliṣatan tu‘fīnā bihā min shiddati an-naṣab,

and inspire us with sincere trust through which You spare us the hardship of toil,

وَاجْعَلْ مَا صَرَّحتَ بِهِ مِنْ عِدَتِكَ فِي وَحْيِكَ،

wa ij‘al mā ṣarraḥta bihī min ‘idatika fī waḥyik,

and make what You have plainly declared of Your promise in Your revelation,

وَأَتْبَعْتَهُ مِنْ قَسَمِكَ فِي كِتَابِكَ

wa atba‘tahu min qasamika fī kitābik

and what You followed it with of Your oath in Your Book,

قَاطِعاً لاهْتِمَامِنَا بِالرِّزْقِ الَّـذِيْ تَكَفَّلْتَ بِهِ

qāṭi‘an li-ihtimāminā bi-ar-rizq alladhī takaffalta bih

a severance for our concern with the provision which You guaranteed,

وَحَسْمَاً لِلاشْتِغَالِ بِمَا ضَمِنْتَ الْكِفَايَةَ لَهُ،

wa ḥasman li-al-ishtighāl bi-mā ḍaminta al-kifāyah lah,

and a decisive end to preoccupation with what You secured sufficiency for,

فَقُلْتَ وَقَوْلُكَ الْحَقُّ الْأَصْدَقُ

Fa-qulta wa qawluka al-ḥaqqu al-aṣdaq

for You have said—and Your saying is the truest truth—

وَأَقْسَمْتَ وَقَسَمُكَ الْأَبَرُّ الْأَوْفى:

wa aqsamta wa qasamuka al-abarru al-awfā:

and You have sworn—and Your oath is the most righteous, the most perfect:

( وَفِي السَّمَاءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ )

(Wa fī as-samā’i rizqukum wa mā tū‘adūn)

("And in the heaven is your provision and whatever you are promised") [Qur'an 51:22]

ثُمَّ قُلْتَ: ( فَوَرَبِّ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ إنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ مِثْلَ مَا أَنَّكُمْ تَنْطِقُوْنَ ).

Thumma qulta: (Fa-wa-rabbi as-samā’i wa al-arḍi innahū la-ḥaqqun mithla mā annakum tanṭiqūn).

Then You said: ("Then, by the Lord of the heaven and the earth, indeed, it is the truth, just as you speak.") [Qur'an 51:23]

أَللَّهُمَّ إنَّكَ ابْتَلَيْتَنَا فِي أَرْزَاقِنَا بِسُوءِ الظَّنِّ

al-laahum-ma in-naka abtalay-tanaa feee ar-zaaqinaa bisooo-iz'-z'an

1.O God, You hast tried us with distrust in our provisions

وَفِي آجَالِنَا بِطُولِ الأمَلِ

wa feee aaajaalinaa bit'oolil-amal

2.and the expectation of long lives,

حَتَّى الْتَمَسْنَا أَرْزَاقَكَ مِنْ عِنْدِ الْمَرْزُوقِينَ،

ha't-taal-tamas-naaa ar-zaaqaka min i'ndil-mar-zooqeen

3.until we begged for provisions from those who are provided

وَطَمِعْنَا بِآمَالِنَا فِي أَعْمَارِ الْمُعَمَّرِينَ.

wa t'amia'-naa biaamaalinaa feee aa'-maaril-mua'm-mareen

4.and craved in our expectations the life-spans of the long-lived!

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ،

fas'al-li a'laa muh'am-madiw-wa aaalih

5.So bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَهَبْ لَنَا يَقِيناً صَادِقاً تَكْفِينا بِهِ مِنْ مَؤونَةِ الطَّلَبِ،

wa hab lanaa yaqeenana s'aadiqana tak-feenaa bihee mim-ma-oonatit'-t'alab

6.give us a true certainty that will suffice us the burden of seeking,

وَأَلْهِمْنَا ثِقَةً خَالِصَةً تُعْفِينَا بِهَا مِنْ شِدَّةِ النَّصَبِ،

wa al-him-naa thiqatan khaalis'atan tua'-feenaa bihaa min shid-datin-nas'ab

7.and inspire us with a sincere trust that will release us from the hardship of exertion!

وَاجْعَلْ مَا صَرَّحتَ بِهِ مِنْ عِدَتِكَ فِي وَحْيِكَ،

waj-a'l maa s'ar-rah'-ta bihee min i'datika fee wah'-yika

8.Let Your clear promise in Your Revelation

وَأَتْبَعْتَهُ مِنْ قَسَمِكَ فِي كِتَابِكَ

wa at-baa'-tahoo min qasamika fee kitaabik

9.which You hast followed in Your Book with Your oath

قَاطِعاً لاهْتِمَامِنَا بِالرِّزْقِ الَّـذِيْ تَكَفَّلْتَ بِهِ

qaat'ia'l-liah-timaaminaa bir-riz-qil-lad'ee takaf-fal-ta bih

10.cut off our worry about the provision for which You hast made Yourself responsible

وَحَسْمَاً لِلاشْتِغَالِ بِمَا ضَمِنْتَ الْكِفَايَةَ لَهُ،

wa h'as-mal-liliash-tighaali bimaa z''amintal-kifaayata lah

11.and sever our occupation with everything whose sufficiency You hast guaranteed!

فَقُلْتَ وَقَوْلُكَ الْحَقُّ الاصْـدَقُ

faqul-ta wa qaw-lukal-h'aq-qul-as'-daq

12.For You hast said - and Your word is the most truthful truth

وَأَقْسَمْتَ وَقَسَمُكَ الأَبَرُّ الأَوْفى:

wa aq-sam-ta waqasamukal-abar-rul-aw-faa:

13.and You hast sworn - and Your oath is the most kept and fulfilled

( وَفِي السَّمَاءِ رِزْقُكُمْ وَمَا تُوعَدُونَ )

(wafees-samaaa-i riz-qukum wa maa tooa'doon).

14."In the heaven are your provision and everything you are promised" (51:22)!

ثُمَّ قُلْتَ: ( فَوَرَبِّ السَّمَاءِ وَالأَرْضِ إنَّهُ لَحَقٌّ مِثْلَ مَا أَنَّكُمْ تَنْطِقُوْنَ ).

thum-ma qul-ta: (fawarab-bis-samaaa-i wal-ar-z''i in-nahoo lah'aq-qu mith-la maaa an-nakum tant'iqoon)

15.And then You hast said, "So by the Lord of heaven and earth, it is as surely true as that you have speech" (51:23)!