Abasing himself before God – Sahifa Sajjadia

رَبِّ أَفْحَمَتْنِيْ ذُنُوبِي، وَانْقَطَعَتْ مَقَالَتِي،

rab-bi af-h'amat-nee d'unoobee wanqat'aa't maqaalatee

1.My Lord, my sins have silenced me, and my words have been cut off.

فَلاَ حُجَّةَ لِي، فَأَنَا الأَسِيـرُ بِبَلِيَّتِي،

falaa h'uj-jata lee faanaal-aseeru bibalee-yatee

2.I have no argument, for I am the prisoner of my own affliction,

الْمُـرْتَهَنُ بِعَمَلِي، الْمُتَرَدِّدُ فِي خَطِيئَتِي،

al-mur-tahanu bi 'malee al-mutarad-didu fee khat'ee-atee

3.the hostage to my works, the frequenter of my own offense,

الْمُتَحَيِّرُ عَنْ قَصْدِي، الْمُنْقَطَعُ بِي،

al-mutah'ay-yiru a'n qas'-dee al-munqat'iu' bee

4.the confused in my intended way, the thwarted.

قَدْ أَوْقَفْتُ نَفْسِي مَوْقِفَ الأَذِلاَّءِ الْمُذْنِبِينَ،

qad aw-qaf-tu naf-see maw-qifal-ad'il-laaa-il-mud'-nibeen

5.I have brought myself to a halt in the halting place of the abased sinners,

مَوْقِفَ الأَشْقِيآءِ الْمُتَجَرِّينَ عَلَيْكَ، الْمُسْتَخِفِّينَ بِوَعْدِكَ.

maw-qifal-ash-qeeaaa-il-mutajar-ri-eena a'lay-kal-mus-takhif-feena biwaa'-dik

6.the halting place of the wretched and insolent, those who think lightly of Your promise.

سُبْحَانَكَ! أَيَّ جُرْأَة اجْتَرَأْتُ عَلَيْكَ؟

sub-h'aanaka ay-ya jur-atin aj-taraa-tu a'lay-ka?

7.Glory be to You! What insolence I have insolently shown toward You!

وَأَيَّ تَغْرِير غَرَّرْتُ بِنَفْسِي

wa ay-ya tagh-reerin ghar-rar-tu binaf-see?

8.What delusion with which I have deluded myself!

مَوْلاَيَ إرْحَمْ كَبْوَتِيْ لِحُرِّ وَجْهِي،

maw-laaya ar-h'am- kab-watee lih'ur-ri waj-hee

9.My Master, have mercy on my falling flat on my face

وَزَلَّةَ قَدَمِي، وَعُدْ بِحِلْمِكَ عَلَى جَهْلِي،

wa zal-lata qadamee wa u'd bh'il-mika a'laa jah-lee

10.the slipping of my foot, grant me my ignorance through Your clemency,

وَبِإحْسَانِكَ عَلَى إسَآءَتِي، فَأَنَا الْمُقِرُّ بِذَنْبِي،

wa biih'-saanika a'laaa isaaa-atee faanaal-muqir-ru bid'ambee

11.and my evildoing through Your beneficence, for I admit my sin

الْمُعْتَرِفُ بِخَطِيئَتِي، وَهَذِهِ يَدِيْ وَنَاصِيَتِي،

al-mua'-tarifu bikhat'ee-atee wa hd'ihee yadee wa naas'eeatee

12.and I confess my offense: Here are my hand and my forelock!

أَسْتَكِينُ بِالْقَـوْدِ مِنْ نَفْسِي .

as-takeenu bil-qawadi min-naf-see

13.I am resigned to retaliation against my soul!

إرْحَمْ شَيْبَتِي، وَنَفَادَ أَيَّامِي،

ir-h'am shay-batee wa nafaada ay-yaamee

14.Have mercy on my white hair, the depletion of my days,

وَاقْتِرَابَ أَجَلِي، وَضَعْفِي،

waq-tiraaba ajalee wa z''aa'-fee

15.the nearing of my term, my frailty,

وَمَسْكَنَتِي، وَقِلَّةَ حِيلَتِي.

wa mas-kanatee wa qil-lata h'eelatee

16.my misery, and the paucity of my stratagems!

مَوْلاَيَ وَارْحَمْنِي إذَا انْقَطَعَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا أَثَرِي،

maw-laaya war-h'am-neee id'aa anqat'aa' minad-dunyaaa atharee

17.My Master, and have mercy upon me when my trace is cut off from this world,

وَامَّحى مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ ذِكْرِي،

wam-mah'aa minal-makh-looqeena d'ik-ree

18.my mention is effaced among the creatures,

وَكُنْتُ فِي الْمَنْسِيِّينَ، كَمَنْ قَدْ نُسِيَ.

wa kuntu fil-mansee-yeena kaman qad nusee

19.and I join the forgotten, like the forgotten ones!

مَوْلاَيَ وَارْحَمْنِي عِنْدَ تَغَيُّرِ صُورَتِي

maw-laaya war-h'am-nee i'nda taghay-yuri s'ooratee

20.My Master, and have mercy upon me at the change of my form and state

وَحَالِي إذَا بَلِيَ جِسْمِي، وَتَفَرَّقَتْ أَعْضَائِي،

wa h'aalee id'aa baleea jis-mee wa tafar-raqat aa'-z''aaa-ee

21.when my body decays, my limbs are scattered,

وَتَقَطَّعَتْ أَوْصَالِيْ، يا غَفْلَتِي عَمَّا يُرَادُ بِيَ.

wa taqat'-t'aa't aw-s'aalee yaa ghaf-latee a'm-maa yuraadu bee

22.and my joints are dismembered! O my heedlessness toward what was wanted from me!

مَوْلاَيَ وَارْحَمْنِي فِي حَشْرِي وَنَشْرِي،

maw-laaya war-h'amnee fee h'ash-ree wa nash-ree

23.My Master, have mercy upon me at my mustering and uprising

وَاجْعَل فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَومِ مَعَ أَوْلِيَآئِكَ مَوْقِفِي،

waj-a'l fee d'alikal-yawmi maa' aw-leeaaa-ika maw-qifee

24.and on that day, appoint my standing place with Your friends,

وَفِي أَحِبَّائِكَ مَصْدَرِي،

wa feee ah'ib-baaa-ika mas'-daree

25.my place of emergence with Your beloveds,

وَفِي جِوَارِكَ مَسْكَنِي يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

wa fee jiwaarika mas-kanee yaa rab-bal-a'alameen

26.and my dwelling in Your neighbourhood! O Lord of the worlds!