Sahifa Sajjadiya 40: When He Remembered Death

أَللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ،

al-laahum-ma s'al-li a'laa muh'am-madiw-wa aaalih

1O God, Bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَاكْفِنَا طُـولَ الأمَـلِ، وَقَصِّرْهُ عَنَّا بِصِدْقِ الْعَمَلِ

wak-finaa t'oolal-amal wa qas'-s'ir-hoo a'n-naa bis'id-qil-a'mal

2spare us drawn out expectations and cut them short in us through sincerity of works,

حَتَّى لا نُؤَمِّلَ اسْتِتْمَامَ سَاعَةٍ بَعْدَ سَاعَةٍ

h'at-taa laa noo-am-mila is-tit-maama saaa'tim-baa'-da saaa'h

3that we may not hope expectantly for completing an hour after an hour,

وَلاَ اسْتِيفَاءَ يَوْمٍ بَعْدَ يَوْمٍ،

wa laa as-teefaaa-a yaw-mim-baa'-da yaw-m

4closing a day after a day,

وَلاَ اتِّصَالَ نَفَسٍ بِنَفَس،

wa laa at-tis'aala nafasim-binafas

5joining a breath to a breath,

وَلا لُحُـوقَ قَدَمٍ بِقَـدَم.

wa laa luh'ooqa qadamim-biqadam

6or overtaking a step with a step!

وَسَلِّمْنَا مِنْ غُرُورِهِ، وَآمَنَّا مِنْ شُـرُوْرِهِ،

wa sal-lim-naa min ghuroorih wa aaamin-naa min shuroorih

7Keep us safe from the delusions of expectations, make us secure from their evils,

وَانْصِبِ المَوْتَ بَيْنَ أَيْدِينَا نَصْباً،

wans'ibil-maw-ta bay-na ay-deenaa nas'-baa

8set up death before us in display.

وَلاَ تَجْعَلْ ذِكْرَنَا لَهُ غِبّاً،

wa laa taj-a'l d'ik-ranaa lahoo ghib-baa

9and let not our remembering of it come and go!

وَاجْعَلْ لَنَا مِنْ صَالِحِ الأعْمَـالِ

waj-a'l-lanaa min s'aalih'il-aa'-maali

10Appoint for us from among the righteous works

عَمَلاً نَسْتَبْطِئُ مَعَهُ الْمَصِيرَ إلَيْكَ،

a'malana nas-tab-t'i-u maa'hul-mas'eera ilay-k

11a work through which we will feel the homecoming to You as slow

وَنحْـرِصُ لَهُ عَلَى وَشْكِ اللِّحَاقِ بِكَ

wa nah'-ris'u lahoo a'laa wash-kil-lah'aaqi bik

12and crave a quick joining with You,

حَتَّى يَكُونَ الْمَوْتُ مَأنَسَنَا الَّذِي نَأنَسُ بِهِ،

h'at-taa yakoonal-maw-t maa-nasanaal-lad'ee naa-nasu bih

13so that death may be our intimate abode with which we are intimate,

وَمَألَفَنَا الَّذِي نَشْتَاقُ إلَيْهِ، وَحَامَّتَنَا الَّتِي نُحِبُّ الدُّنُوَّ مِنْهَا

wa maa-lafanaal-lad'ee nash-taaqu ilay-h wa h'aaam-matanaal-latee nuh'ib-bud-dunoo-wa min-haa

14our familiar place toward which we yearn, and our next of kin whose coming we love!

فَإذَا أَوْرَدْتَهُ عَلَيْنَا، وَأَنْزَلْتَهُ بِنَا

fa id'aaa aw-rat-tahoo a'lay-naa wa anzal-tahoo binaa

15When You bringest it to us and sendest it down upon us,

فَأسْعِدْنَا بِهِ زَائِراً، وَآنِسْنَا بِهِ قَادِماً،

faas-i'd-naa bihee zaaa-iraa wa aaanis-naa bihee qaadimaa

16make us happy with it as a visitor, comfort us with its arrival,

وَلاَ تُشْقِنَا بِضِيافَتِهِ، وَلا تُخْزِنَا بِزِيارَتِهِ،

wa laa tush-qinaa biz''eeaafatih wa laa tukh-zinaa bizeeaaratih

17make us not wretched through entertaining it, degrade us not through its visit,

وَاجْعَلْهُ بَاباً مِنْ أَبْوَابِ مَغْفِرَتِكَ،

waj-a'l-hoo baabam-min ab-waabi magh-firatik

18and appoint it one of the gates to Your forgiveness

وَمِفْتَاحاً مِنْ مَفَاتِيحِ رَحْمَتِكَ.

wa mif-taah'am-mim-mafaateehee rah'-matik

19and the keys to Your mercy!

أَمِتْنَا مُهْتَدِينَ غَيْرَ ضَالِّينَ

amit-naa muh-tadeena ghay-ra z''aaal-leen

20Make us die guided, not astray,

طائِعِينَ غَيْرَ مُسْتَكْرِهِينَ تَائِبينَ غَيْرَ عاصِينَ وَلا مُصِرِّينَ

t'aaa-ie'ena ghay-ra mus-tak-riheen taaa-ibeena ghay-ra a'as'eena wa laa mus'ir-reen

21obedient, not averse, repentant, not disobedient or persisting,

يَا ضَامِنَ جَزَاءِ الْمُحْسِنِينَ،

yaa z''aamina jazaaa-il-muh'-sineen

22O He who guarantees the repayment of the good-doers

وَمُسْتَصْلِحَ عَمَلِ الْمُفْسِدِينَ.

wa mus-tas'-lih'a a'malil-muf-sideen

23and seeks to set right the work of the corrupt!