Sahifa Sajjadiya 9: In Yearning to Ask Forgiveness

وَصَيِّرْنَا إِلَى مَحْبُوبِكَ مِنَ التَّوْبَةِ

Wa ṣayyirnā ilā maḥbūbika mina at-tawbati

And lead us to Your beloved repentance

وَأَزِلْنَا عَنْ مَكْرُوهِكَ مِنَ الْإِصْرَارِ

Wa azilnā ‘an makrūhika mina al-iṣrāri

And remove us from Your disliked persistence in sin

أَللَّهُمَّ وَمَتَى وَقَفْنَا بَيْنَ نَقْصَيْنِ فِي دِينٍ أَوْ دُنْيَا

Allāhumma wa matā waqafnā bayna naqṣayni fī dīnin Aw dunyā

O Allah, whenever we stand between two shortcomings in religion Or worldly matters,

فَأَوْقِعِ النَّقْصَ بِأَسْرَعِهِمَا فَنَاءً

fa awqi‘i an-naqṣa bi-asra‘ihimā fanā’an

let the shortcoming fall on what perishes fastest

وَاجْعَلِ التَّوْبَةَ فِي أَطْوَلِهِمَا بَقَاءً

Wa aj‘ali at-tawbata fī aṭwalihimā baqā’an

And make repentance endure in what lasts longest

وَإِذَا هَمَمْنَا بِهَمَّيْنِ يُرْضِيكَ أَحَدُهُمَا عَنَّا

Wa idhā hammamnā bi-hammayni yurḍīka aḥaduhumā ‘annā

And when we intend two matters, one pleasing You about us

وَيُسْخِطُكَ الْآخَرُ عَلَيْنَا

Wa yuskhituka al-ākharu ‘alaynā

And the other angering You against us

فَمِلْ بِنَا إِلَى مَا يُرْضِيكَ عَنَّا

Fa mil binā ilā mā yurḍīka ‘annā

Incline us toward what pleases You about us

وَأَوْهِنْ قُوَّتَنَا عَمَّا يُسْخِطُكَ عَلَيْنَا

Wa awhin quwwatanā ‘ammā yuskhituka ‘alaynā

And weaken our strength in what angers You against us

وَلَا تُخَلِّ فِي ذَلِكَ بَيْنَ نُفُوسِنَا وَاخْتِيَارِهَا

Wa lā tukhallī fī dhālika bayna nufūsinā wa ikhtiyārihā

And do not leave it to our souls and their choices

فَإِنَّهَا مُخْتَارَةٌ لِلْبَاطِلِ إِلَّا مَا وَفَّقْتَ

Fa innahā mukhtāratun lil-bāṭili illā mā waffaqta

For they choose falsehood unless You grant success

أَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمْتَ

Ammāratun bis-sū’i illā mā raḥimta

Inclined to evil unless You show mercy

اللَّهُمَّ وَإِنَّكَ مِنَ الضَّعْفِ خَلَقْتَنَا

Allāhumma wa innaka mina aḍ-ḍa‘fi khalaqtanā

O Allah, You created us from weakness

وَعَلَى الْوَهْنِ بَنَيْتَنَا

Wa ‘alā al-wahni banaytanā

And built us upon frailty

وَمِنْ مَاءٍ مَهِينٍ ابْتَدَأْتَنَا

Wa min mā’in mahīnin ibtada’tanā

And began us from a despised fluid

فَلَا حَوْلَ لَنَا إِلَّا بِقُوَّتِكَ

Fa lā ḥawla lanā illā bi-quwwatika

So we have no power except through Your strength

وَلَا قُوَّةَ لَنَا إِلَّا بِعَوْنِكَ

Wa lā quwwata lanā illā bi-‘awnika

And no strength except through Your help

فَأَيِّدْنَا بِتَوْفِيقِكَ وَسَدِّدْنَا بِتَسْدِيدِكَ

Fa ayyidnā bi-tawfīqika wa saddidnā bi-tasdīdika

So support us with Your guidance and direct us with Your direction

وَأَعْمِ أَبْصَارَ قُلُوبِنَا عَمَّا خَالَفَ مَحَبَّتَكَ

Wa a‘mi abṣāra qulūbinā ‘ammā khālafa maḥabbataka

And blind the sights of our hearts to what opposes Your love

وَلَا تَجْعَلْ لِشَيْءٍ مِنْ جَوَارِحِنَا نُفُوذًا فِي مَعْصِيَتِكَ

Wa lā taj‘al lishay’in min jawāriḥinā nufūdhan fī ma‘ṣiyatika

And let none of our limbs find way to Your disobedience

اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ

Allāhumma fa ṣalli ‘alā Muḥammadin wa ālihi

O Allah, so send blessings upon Muhammad and his family

وَاجْعَلْ هَمَسَاتِ قُلُوبِنَا وَحَرَكَاتِ أَعْضَائِنَا

Wa aj‘al hamasāti qulūbinā wa ḥarakāti a‘ḍā’inā

And make the whispers of our hearts and movements of our limbs

وَلَمَحَاتِ أَعْيُنِنَا وَلَهَجَاتِ أَلْسِنَتِنَا

Wa lamaḥāti a‘yuninā wa lahajāti alsinatinā

And the glances of our eyes and utterances of our tongues

فِي مُوجِبَاتِ ثَوَابِكَ

Fī mūjibāti thawābika

Be among the causes of Your reward

حَتَّى لَا تَفُوتَنَا حَسَنَةٌ نَسْتَحِقُّ بِهَا جَزَاءَكَ

Ḥattā lā tafūtanā ḥasanatun nastaḥiqqu bihā jazā’aka

So no good deed passes us by which earns Your reward

وَلَا تَبْقَى لَنَا سَيِّئَةٌ نَسْتَوْجِبُ بِهَا عِقَابَكَ

Wa lā tabqā lanā sayyi’atun nastaḥjibu bihā ‘iqābaka

And no evil deed remains for us that deserves Your punishment

أللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ

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

1.O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

وَصَيِّرْنَـا إلَى مَحْبُوبِكَ مِنَ التَّوْبَةِ

wa s'ay-yir-naaa ilaa mah'-boobika minat-taw-bati

2.make us go to the repentance that You lovest

وَأَزِلْنَا عَنْ مَكْرُوهِكَ مِنَ الإصْرَارِ.

wa azil-naa a'm-mak-roohika minal-is'-raar

3.and make us leave the persistence that You hatest!

أللَّهُمَّ وَمَتَى وَقَفْنَا بَيْنَ نَقْصَيْنِ فِي دِين

al-laahum-ma wamataa waqaf-naa bay-na naq-s'ay-ni fee deenin

4.O God, when we halt before two decreases, in religion

أَوْ دُنْيَا فَأَوْقِعِ النَّقْصَ بِأَسْرَعِهِمَا فَنَاءً ،

aw dunyaa faaw-qii'n-naq-s'a bis-rai'himaa fanaaa-

5.or in this world, let the decrease fall upon that which passes quickly

وَاجْعَلِ التّوْبَةَ فِي أَطْوَلِهِمَا بَقَاءً.

waj-a'lit-taw-bata feee at'-walihimaa baqaaa-

6.and relent in that which lasts the longer!

وَإذَا هَمَمْنَا بِهَمَّيْنِ يُرْضِيكَ أَحَدُهُمَا عَنَّا

wa id'aa hamam-naa biham-may-ni yur-z''eeka ah'aduhumaa annaa

7.When we set out after two concerns, one of which makes You pleased with us

وَيُسْخِطُكَ الآخَرُ عَلَيْنَا ،

wayuskhit'ukal-aaakharu a'lay-naa

8.and the other of which displeases You,

فَمِلْ بِنَا إلَى مَا يُرْضِيْكَ عَنَّا ،

famil binaaa ilaa maa yur-z''eeka a'n-naa

9.incline us toward that which makes You pleased

وَأَوْهِنْ قُوَّتَنَا عَمَّا يُسْخِطُكَ عَلَيْنَا ،

wa aw-hin qoo-watanaa a'm-maa yus-khit'uka a'lay-naa

10.and weaken our strength in that which displeases You!

وَلاَ تُخَلِّ فِي ذلِكَ بَيْنَ نُفُوسِنَا وَاخْتِيَارِهَا

wa laa tukhal-li fee d'alika bay-na nufoosinaa wa akh-teeaarihaa

11.Leave not our souls alone to choose in that,

فَإنَّهَا مُخْتَارَةٌ لِلْبَاطِلِ إلاَّ مَا وَفَّقْتَ أَمَّارَةٌ بالسُّوءِ إلاّ مَا رَحِمْتَ

fa in-nahaa mukh-taaratul-lil-baat'ili il-laa maa waf-faq-t am-maaratum-bis-sooo il-laa maa rah'im-t

12.for they choose falsehood except inasmuch as You givest success, and they command to evil except inasmuch as You hast mercy!

اللَّهمَّ وَإنَّكَ مِنَ الضَّعْفِ خَلَقْتَنَا،

al-laahum-ma wa in-naka minaz''-z''aa'-fi khalaq-tanaa

13.O God, You created us from frailty,

وَعَلَى الْوَهْنِ بَنَيْتَنَا ، وَمِنْ ماُءٌُِِ مَهِين ابْتَدَأتَنَا ،

wa a'laal-wah-ni banay-tanaa wa mim-maaa-im-maheeninb-tadaa-tanaa

14.built us up from feebleness, and began us from a mean water;

فَلاَ حَوْلَ لَنَا إلاّ بِقُوَّتِكَ وَلا قُوَّةَ لَنَا إلاّ بِعَونِِكَ ،

falaa h'aw-la lanaaa il-laa biqoo-watik wa laa qoo-wata lanaaa il-laa biqoo-watika

15.we have no force except through Your strength and no strength except through Your help.

فَأيِّدْنَا بِتَوْفِيقِكَ وَسَدِّدْنَا بِتَسْدِيدِكَ

faay-yid-naa bitaw-feeqik wa sad-did-naa bitas-deedik

16.So confirm us by giving us success, point us the right way by Your pointing,

وَأعْمِ أَبْصَارَ قُلُوبِنَا عَمَّا خَالَفَ مَحَبَّتَكَ

wa aa'-mi ab-s'aara quloobinaa a'm-maa khaalafa mah'b-batak

17.blind the eyes of our hearts toward everything opposed to Your love,

وَلا تَجْعَلْ لِشَيْء مِنْ جَوَارِحِنَا نُفُوذاً فِي مَعْصِيَتِكَ.

wa laa taj-a'l-lishay-im-min jawaarih'inaa nufood'an fee maa'-s'eeatik

18.and set not in any of our limbs passage to disobeying You!

اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَد وَآلِهِ

al-laahum-ma fas'al-li a'laa muh'am-madiw-wa aaalihee

19.O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

وَاجْعَلْ هَمَسَاتِ قُلُوبِنَا وَحَرَكَاتِ أَعْضَائِنَا ،

hamasaati quloobinaa wa h'arakaati aa'-z''aaa-inaa

20.and assign the whisperings of our hearts, the movements of our members,

وَلَمَحَاتِ أَعْيُنِنَا ، وَلَهَجَاتِ ألسِنَتِنَا فِيْ مُوجِبَاتِ ثَوَابِكَ،

wa lamah'aati aa'-yuninaa wa lahajaati al-sinatinaa fee moojibaati thawaabik

21.the glances of our eyes, and the idioms of our tongues, to that which makes incumbent Your reward,

حَتَّى لاَ تَفُوتَنَا حَسَنَةٌ نَسْتَحِقُّ بِهَا جَزَآءَكَ ،

h'at-taa laa tafootanaa h'asanatun-nas-tah'iq-qu bihaa jazaaa-ak

22.lest a good deed slip by us, through which we might deserve Your repayment,

وَلا تَبْقَى لَنَا سَيِّئـةٌ نَسْتَوْجِبُ بِهَا عِقَابَكَ.

wa laa tab-qaa lanaa say-yi-atun-nas-taw-jibu bihaa i'qaabak

23.or an evil deed remain with us, by which we might merit Your punishment!