Sahifa Sajjadiya 50: Supplication in Fear

وَرَبَّيْتَنِي صَغِيراً، وَرَزَقْتَنِي مَكْفِيّاً.

wa-rabbaytanī ṣaghīrā, wa-razaqtanī makfiyyā.

and You nurtured me when little, and You provided for me sufficiently.

أَللَّهُمَّ إنِّي وَجَدْتُ فِيمَا أَنْزَلْتَ مِنْ كِتَابِكَ،

Allāhumm innī wajadtu fīmā anzalta min kitābik,

O God, I found in what You revealed of Your Book,

وَبَشَّرْتَ بِهِ عِبَادِكَ،

wa-bashsharta bihī ‘ibādik,

and with which You gave glad tidings to Your servants,

أَنْ قُلْتَ: (يا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ

an qult: (yā ‘ibādiya l-ladhīna asrafū ‘alā anfusihim

that You said: (O My servants who have transgressed against their own souls

لاَ تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً)

lā taqnaṭū min raḥmatillāh innallāha yaghfiru dh-dhunūba jamī‘ā)

Do not despair of God's mercy; truly, God forgives all sins) [Qur'an 39:53]

وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ مِنِّي مَا قَدْ عَلِمْتَ،

wa-qad taqaddama minnī mā qad ‘alimt,

And there has proceeded from me what You already know,

وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي،

wa-mā anta a‘lamu bihī minnī,

and what You know better than I do,

فَيَا سَوْأَتا مِمَّا أَحْصَاهُ عَلَيَّ كِتَابُكَ،

fa-yā saw’atā mimmā aḥṣāhu ‘alayya kitābuk,

So woe to what Your Book has enumerated against me!

فَلَوْلاَ الْمَوَاقِفُ الَّتِي أُؤَمِّلُ مِنْ عَفْوِكَ

fa-lawlā l-mawāqifullatī u’ammilu min ‘afwik

And were it not for the opportunities (or stances) in which I hope for Your pardon,

الَّذِي شَمِلَ كُلَّ شَيْء لاَلْقَيْتُ بِيَدِي،

alladhī shamila kulla shay’ lā-alqaytu bi-yadī,

which encompasses everything, I would have cast myself down (in surrender),

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَحَداً اسْتَطاعَ الْهَرَبَ

wa-law anna aḥadan istaṭā‘a l-harab

And if anyone were able to flee

مِنْ رَبِّهِ لَكُنْتُ أَنَا أَحَقُّ بِالهَرَبِ،

min rabbihī la-kuntu ana aḥaqqu bi-l-harab,

from his Lord, I would be the most deserving to flee,

وَأَنْتَ لاَ تَخْفَى عَلَيْكَ خَافِيَةٌ فِي الاَرْضِ

wa-anta lā takhfā ‘alayk khāfiyatun fī l-arḍ

And You, no hidden thing is concealed from You on the earth

وَلاَ فِي السَّمَآءِ إلاَّ أَتَيْتَ بِهَا،

wa-lā fī s-samā’ illā atayta bihā,

nor in the heaven, but You bring it forth,

وَكَفى بِكَ جَازِياً، وَكَفى بِكَ حَسِيباً.

wa-kafā bik jāziyā, wa-kafā bik ḥasībā.

and You are sufficient as a rewarder, and You are sufficient as a reckoner.

أَللَّهُمَّ إنَّكَ طَالِبِي إنْ أَنَا هَرَبْتُ،

Allāhumm innaka ṭālibī in anā harabt,

O God, truly You are my seeker if I flee,

وَمُدْرِكِي إنْ أَنَا فَرَرْتُ،

wa-mudrikī in anā farart,

and my captor if I run away,

فَهَا أَنَا ذَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ خَاضِعٌ ذَلِيلٌ رَاغِمٌ،

fa-hā ana dhā bayna yadayk khāḍi‘un dhalīlun rāghim,

So here I am before You, submissive, abased, utterly humbled,

إنْ تُعَذِّبْنِي فَإنّي لِذلِكَ أَهْلٌ،

in tu‘adhdhibnī fa-innī li-dhālika ahl,

If You punish me, then I am worthy of that,

وَهُوَ يَارَبِّ مِنْكَ عَدْلٌ،

wa-huwa yā Rabb mink ‘adl,

and it, O Lord, is justice from You,

وَإنْ تَعْفُ عَنِّي فَقَدِيماً شَمَلَنِي عَفْوُكَ،

wa-in ta‘fu ‘annī fa-qadīman shamalanī ‘afwuk,

and if You pardon me, then Your pardon has long encompassed me,

وَأَلْبَسْتَنِي عَافِيَتَكَ.

wa-albasstanī ‘āfiyatak.

and You clothed me in Your well-being.

فَأَسْأَلُكَ اللَّهُمَّ بِالْمَخْزونِ مِنْ أَسْمائِكَ،

Fa-as’aluka Allāhumm bi-l-makhzūni min asmā’ik,

So I ask You, O God, by the treasured of Your Names,

وَبِمَا وَارتْهُ الْحُجُبُ مِنْ بَهَائِكَ،

wa-bimā wārathu l-ḥujubu min bahā’ik,

and by what the veils have concealed of Your splendor,

إلاَّ رَحِمْتَ هذِهِ النَّفْسَ الْجَزُوعَةَ،

illā raḥimta hādhihi n-nafs al-jazū‘ah,

that You have mercy on this impatient soul,

وَهَذِهِ الرِّمَّةَ الْهَلُوعَةَ،

wa-hādhihi r-rimmata l-halū‘ah,

and this restless, anxious (or frail) body,

الَّتِي لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُ حَرَّ شَمْسِكَ،

allatī lā tastaṭī‘u ḥarra shamsik,

which cannot withstand the heat of Your sun,

فَكَيْفَ تَسْتَطِيعُ حَرَّ نارِكَ؟

fa-kayfa tastaṭī‘u ḥarra nārik?

so how can it withstand the heat of Your fire?

وَالَّتِي لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُ صَوْتَ رَعْدِكَ،

wa-llatī lā tastaṭī‘u ṣawta ra‘dik,

And which cannot withstand the sound of Your thunder,

فَكَيْفَ تَسْتَطِيعُ صَوْتَ غَضَبِكَ؟

fa-kayfa tastaṭī‘u ṣawta ghaḍabik?

so how can it withstand the sound of Your wrath?

فَارْحَمْنِي اللَّهُمَّ فَإنِّي امْرُؤٌ حَقِيرٌ، وَخَطَرِي يَسِيرٌ،

Fa-rḥamnī Allāhumm fa-innī mrū’un ḥaqīr, wa-khaṭarī yasīr,

So have mercy on me, O God, for I am a contemptible person, and my affair is insignificant,

وَلَيْسَ عَذَابِي مِمَّا يَزِيدُ فِي مُلْكِكَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّة،

wa-laysa ‘adhābī mimmā yazīdu fī mulkik mithqāla dharratin,

and my punishment is not something that would increase Your dominion by the weight of an atom,

وَلَوْ أَنَّ عَذَابِي مِمَّا يَزِيدُ فِي مُلْكِكَ

wa-law anna ‘adhābī mimmā yazīdu fī mulkik

And if my punishment were something that would increase Your dominion,

لَسَأَلْتُكَ الصَّبْرَ عَلَيْهِ،

la-sa’altuka ṣ-ṣabra ‘alayh,

I would have asked You for patience for it,

وَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذلِكَ لَكَ،

wa-aḥbabtu an yakūna dhālik lak,

and I would have loved that to be for Your sake,

وَلكِنْ سُلْطَانُكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَعْظَمُ،

wa-lākin sulṭānuka Allāhumm a‘ẓam,

But Your sovereignty, O God, is greater,

وَمُلْكُكَ أَدْوَمُ مِنْ أَنْ تَزِيـدَ فِيْهِ طَاعَةُ الْمُطِيعِينَ،

wa-mulkuk adwamu min an tazīda fīh ṭā‘atu l-muṭī‘īn,

and Your dominion is more eternal than to be increased by the obedience of the obedient,

أَوْ تُنْقِصَ مِنْهُ مَعْصِيَةُ الْمُذْنِبِينَ.

aw tunqiṣa minhu ma‘ṣiyatu l-mudhnibīn.

or to be diminished by the disobedience of the sinners.

فَارْحَمْنِي يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ،

Fa-rḥamnī yā Arḥama r-Rāḥimīn,

So have mercy on me, O Most Merciful of the merciful ones,

وَتَجاوَزْ عَنِّي يا ذَا الْجَلاَلِ وَالإكْرَامِ،

wa-tajāwaz ‘annī yā dhā l-Jalāli wa-l-Ikrām,

and overlook my faults, O Possessor of Majesty and Honor,

وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ.

wa-tub ‘alayya innaka Ant at-Tawwābu r-Raḥīm.

and accept my repentance; truly, You are the Relenting, the Merciful.

أَللَّهُمَّ إنَّكَ خَلَقْتَنِي سَوِيّاً،

al-laahum-ma in-nak khalaq-tanee sawee-yaa

1.O God, You created me without fault,

وَرَبَّيْتَنِي صَغِيراً، وَرَزَقْتَنِي مَكْفِيّاً.

wa rab-bay-tanee s'agheeraa wa razaq-tanee mak-fee-yaa

2.nurtured me when small, and provided me with sufficiency.

أَللَّهُمَّ إنِّي وَجَدْتُ فِيمَا أَنْزَلْتَ مِنْ كِتَابِكَ،

al-laahum-ma in-nee wajat-tu feemaa anzal-ta min kitaabik

3.O God, I found in the Book which You sent down

وَبَشَّرْتَ بِهِ عِبَادِكَ،

wa bash-shar-ta bihee i'baadak

4.and through which You gave good news to Your servants,

أَنْ قُلْتَ: (يا عِبَادِيَ الَّذِينَ أَسْرَفُوا عَلَى أَنْفُسِهِمْ

an qul-ta: (yaa i'baadeeal-lad'eena as-rafoo a'laaa anfusihim

5.that You said, O My servants who hare been prodigal against yourselves,

لاَ تَقْنَطُوا مِنْ رَحْمَةِ اللهِ إنَّ اللهَ يَغْفِرُ الذُّنُوبَ جَمِيعاً)

laa taq-nat'oo mir-rah'-matil-laah in-nal-laaha yagh-firud'-d'unooba jameea'a)

6.do not despair of God's mercy, surely God forgives all sins,

وَقَدْ تَقَدَّمَ مِنِّي مَا قَدْ عَلِمْتَ،

waqad t-taqad-dama min-nee maa qad a'lim-ta

7.but there has gone ahead from me what You knowest

وَمَا أَنْتَ أَعْلَمُ بِهِ مِنِّي،

wa maaa anta aa'-lamu bihee min-nee

8.(and of which You knowest more than I)!

فَيَا سَوْأَتا مِمَّا أَحْصَاهُ عَلَيَّ كِتَابُكَ،

fayaa saw-ataa mim-maaa ah'-s'aahoo a'lay-ya kitaabuk

9.O the shame of what Your Book has counted against me!

فَلَوْلاَ الْمَوَاقِفُ الَّتِي أُؤَمِّلُ مِنْ عَفْوِكَ

falaw-laal-mawaaqifu al-lateee oo-am-milu min a'f-wika

10.Were it not for the places where I expectantly hope for Your pardon,

الَّذِي شَمِلَ كُلَّ شَيْء لاَلْقَيْتُ بِيَدِي،

lad'ee shamila kul-la shayil-la al-qay-tu beeadee

11.which enfolds all things, I would have thrown myself down [in despair]!

وَلَوْ أَنَّ أَحَداً اسْتَطاعَ الْهَرَبَ

wa law an-na ah'adana as-tat'aaa'l-haraba

12.Were anyone able to flee from his Lord,

مِنْ رَبِّهِ لَكُنْتُ أَنَا أَحَقُّ بِالهَرَبِ،

mir-rab-bihee lakuntu ana ah'aq-qa bil-harabi

13.I would be the most obligated to flee from You!

وَأَنْتَ لاَ تَخْفَى عَلَيْكَ خَافِيَةٌ فِي الاَرْضِ

wa anta laa takh-faa a'lay-ka khaafeeatun fil-ar-z''i

14.But not a secret in earth and heaven is concealed from You,

وَلاَ فِي السَّمَآءِ إلاَّ أَتَيْتَ بِهَا،

laa fis-samaaa-i il-laaa atay-ta bihaa

15.except that You bringest it.

وَكَفى بِكَ جَازِياً، وَكَفى بِكَ حَسِيباً.

wa kafaa bika jaazeeaa wa kafaa bika h'aseebaa

16.You sufficest as a recompenser! You sufficest as a reckoner!

أللَّهُمَّ إنَّكَ طَالِبِي إنْ أَنَا هَرَبْتُ،

al-laahum-ma in-nak t'aalibeee in ana harab-t

17.O God, surely You wouldst seek me if I flee

وَمُدْرِكِي إنْ أَنَا فَرَرْتُ،

wa mud-rikeee in ana farar-t

18.and catch me if I run.

فَهَا أَنَا ذَا بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ خَاضِعٌ ذَلِيلٌ رَاغِمٌ،

fahaaa ana d'aa bay-na yaday-k khaaz''iu'n d'aleelur-raaghim

19.So here I am before You, abject, lowly, abased.

إنْ تُعَذِّبْنِي فَإنّي لِذلِكَ أَهْلٌ،

in tua'd'-d'ib-nee fa in-nee lid'alika ah-loo

20.If You chastisest me, I am worthy of that,

وَهُوَ يَارَبِّ مِنْكَ عَدْلٌ،

wa huwa yaa rab-bi minka a'd-l

21.and it would be, my Lord, an act of justice from You.

وَإنْ تَعْفُ عَنِّي فَقَدِيماً شَمَلَنِي عَفْوُكَ،

wa in taa'-fu a'n-nee faqadeemana shamalanee a'f-wuk

22.But if You pardonest me, anciently has Your pardon enfolded me

سْتَنِي عَافِيَتَكَ.

wa al-bas-tanee a'afeeatak

23.and Your well-being garmented me!

فَأَسْأَلُكَ اللَّهُمَّ بِالْمَخْزونِ مِنْ أَسْمائِكَ،

faas-alukal-laahum-ma bil-makh-zooni min as-maaa-ik

24.So I ask You, O God, by Your names stored in Your treasury

وَبِمَا وَارتْهُ الْحُجُبُ مِنْ بَهَائِكَ،

wa bimaa waarat-hul-h'ujubu mim-bahaaa-ik

25.and Your splendour masked by the veils!

إلاَّ رَحِمْتَ هذِهِ النَّفْسَ الْجَزُوعَةَ،

il-laa rah'im-ta hd'ihin-naf-sal-jazooa'h

26.If You hast no mercy upon this anxious soul

وَهَذِهِ الرِّمَّةَ الْهَلُوعَةَ،

wa hd'ihir-rim-matal-halooa'h

27.and these uneasy, decaying bones -

الَّتِي لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُ حَرَّ شَمْسِكَ،

al-latee laa tas-tat'eeu' h'ar-ra sham-sik

28.he cannot endure the heat of Your sun,

فَكَيْفَ تَسْتَطِيعُ حَرَّ نارِكَ؟

fakay-fa tas-tat'eeu' h'ar-ra naarika?

29.so how can he endure the heat of Your Fire?

وَالَّتِي لاَ تَسْتَطِيعُ صَوْتَ رَعْدِكَ،

wal-latee laa tas-tat'eeu' s'aw-ta raa'-dik

30.He cannot endure the sound of Your thunder,

فَكَيْفَ تَسْتَطِيعُ صَوْتَ غَضَبِكَ؟

fakay-fa tas-tat'eeu' s'aw-ta ghaz''abika?

31.so how can he endure the sound of Your wrath?

فَارْحَمْنِي اللَّهُمَّ فَإنِّي امْرُؤٌ حَقِيرٌ، وَخَطَرِي يَسِيرٌ،

far-h'am-neel-laahum fa in-nee am-roo-un h'aqeer wa khat'aree yaseer

32.So have mercy upon me, O God, for I am a vile man and my worth is little.

وَلَيْسَ عَذَابِي مِمَّا يَزِيدُ فِي مُلْكِكَ مِثْقَالَ ذَرَّة،

wa lay-sa a'd'aabee mim-maa yazeedu fee mul-kika mith-qaala d'ar-rah

33.Chastising me will not add the weight of a dust mote to Your kingdom.

وَلَوْ أَنَّ عَذَابِي مِمَّا يَزِيدُ فِي مُلْكِكَ

wa law an-na a'd'aabee mim-maa yazeedu fee mul-kik

34.Were chastising me something that would add to Your kingdom,

لَسَأَلْتُكَ الصَّبْرَ عَلَيْهِ،

lasaal-tukas'-s'ab-ra a'lay-h

35.I would ask You for patience to bear it

وَأَحْبَبْتُ أَنْ يَكُونَ ذلِكَ لَكَ،

wa ah'-bab-tu ay-yakoona d'alika lak

36.and would love for it to belong to You;

وَلكِنْ سُلْطَانُكَ اللَّهُمَّ أَعْظَمُ،

wa lakin-na sul-t'aanukal-laahum-ma aa'-z'am

37.but Your authority, my God, is mightier,

وَمُلْكُكَ أَدْوَمُ مِنْ أَنْ تَزِيـدَ فِيْهِ طَاعَةُ الْمُطِيعِينَ،

wa mul-kuka ad-wam min an tazeeda feehee t'aaa'tul-mut'eee'en

38.and Your kingdom more lasting, than that the obedience of the obeyers should increase it

أَوْ تُنْقِصَ مِنْهُ مَعْصِيَةُ الْمُذْنِبِينَ.

aw tanqus'a min-hoo maa'-s'eeatul-mud'-nibeen

39.or the disobedience of the sinners diminish it!

فَارْحَمْنِي يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ،

far-h'am-nee yaaa ar-h'amar-raah'imeen

40.So have mercy upon me, O Most Merciful of the merciful!

وَتَجاوَزْ عَنِّي يا ذَا الْجَلاَلِ وَالإكْرَامِ،

wa tajaawaz a'n-nee yaa d'aal-jalaali wal-ik-raam

41.Show me forbearance, O Possessor of majesty and munificence!

وَتُبْ عَلَيَّ إنَّكَ أَنْتَ التَّوَّابُ الرَّحِيمُ.

wa tub a'lay-ya in-naka antat-taw-waabur-rah'eem

42.And turn toward me, Surely You art Ever-turning, All-compassionate!