Seeking Asylum with God. – Sahifa Sajjadia

اللّهُمَّ إن تَشَأْ تعفُ عَنّا فَبِفضْلِكَ ،

al-laahum-ma in tashaa taa'-fu a'n-naa fabifaz''-lik

1. O God, if You willest, You wilt pardon us through Your bounty

وَانْ تَشَأْ تُعَذِّبْنا فَبَعدْلِكَ. فَسَهِّلْ لَنَا عَفْوَكَ بِمنِّكَ ،

wa in tashaa tua'd'-d'ib-naa fabia'd-lik fasah-hil-lanaa a'f-waka biman-nik

2. and if You willest, You wilt chastise us through Your justice. So make our ways smooth to Your pardon through Your kindness

وَأَجِرْنَا مِنْ عَذَابِكَ بِتَجاوُزكَ; فَإنَّهُ لاَ طاقَةَ لَنَا بَعدلِكَ،

wa ajir-naa min a'd'aabika bitajaawuzik fa in-nahoo laa t'aaqata lanaa bia'd-lik

3. and grant us sanctuary from Your chastisement through Your forbearance, for none of us has the endurance for Your justice

وَلاَ نجاةَ لأحَد مِنّا دُوْنَ عَفْوِكَ.

wa laa najaata liah'adim-min-naa doona a'f-wik

4. and none of us can reach deliverance without Your pardon!

يا غَنِيَّ الأغْنياء هَا نَحَنُ عِبادُكَ بين يدَيكَ

yaa ghanee-yal-agh-neeaaa-i haa nah'-nu i'baaduka bay-na yaday-k

5. O Richest of the rich! Here we are, Your servants, before You.

وَأَنَا أَفقَرُ الفْقَراء إليْكَ فَأجْبُرْ فاقَتَنا بِوُسْعِكَ ،

wa ana af-qarul-fuqaraaa-i ilay-k faj-bur faaqatanaa biwus-i'k

6. I am the neediest of the needy toward You, so redress our neediness through Your plenty

ولا تَقْطَعَ رَجَاءنا بِمَنْعِكَ فَتَكُوْنَ قد أَشْقَيْتَ مَنِ اسْتَسْعَدَ بِكَ ،

wa laa taq-t'aa' rajaaa-naa biman-i'k fatakoona qad ash-qay-ta mani as-tas-a'da bikِِa

7. and cut us not off from our hopes through Your withholding, lest You makest wretched him who seeks felicity through You

وَجَرَمْتَ مَنِ اسْتَرْفَدَ فَضْلَكَ.

wa h'aram-ta mani as-tar-fada faz''-lak

8. and deprivest him who seeks help from Your bounty!

فَإلى مَنْ حيْنئذ مُنْقَلَبُنَا عَنْكَ ،

faalaa man h'eena-id'im-munqalabunaa a'nka?

9. Then to whom would we return after You?

وإلى أيْنَ مَذهَبُنَا عن بَابِكَ ،

wa ilaaa ay-na mad'-habunaa a'm-baabika?

10. Where would we go from Your gate?

سُبْحَنَكَ نَحْنُ المضْطُّرون الذّينَ أَوْجَبْتَ إجابَتَهُمْ ،

sub-h'aanaka nah'-nul muz''-t'ar-roonal-lad'eena aw-jab-ta ijaabatahum-

11. Glory be to You! We are the distressed, the response to whom You hast made incumbent,

وَأهْلُ السُّوْء الذّيْنَ وَعَدْتَ الْكَشْفَ عَنْهُمْ.

wa ah-lus-sooo-il-lad'eena waa't-tal-kash-fa a'n-hum-

12. the people from whom You hast promised to remove the evil.

وَأَشْبَـهُ الأَشْياءِ بِمَشِيَّتِـكَ ،

wa ash-bahul-ash-yaaa-i bimashee-yatik

13. That thing most resembling Your will

وَأَوْلَى الأمُورِ بِكَ فِيْ عَظَمَتِكَ رَحْمَةُ مَنِ اسْتَرْحَمَكَ،

wa aw-laal-umoori bika fee a'z'amatik rah'-matu mani as-tar-h'amak

14. and that affair most worthy for You in Your mightiness is showing mercy to him who asks You for mercy

وَغَوْثُ مَنِ اسْتَغَاثَ بِكَ، فَارْحَمْ تَضَرُّعَنَا إلَيْكَ،

wa ghaw-thu mani as-taghaatha bik far-h'am taz''ar-rua'naaa ilay-k

15. and helping him who seeks help from You. So show mercy upon our pleading with You

وَأَغْنِنَا إذْ طَرَحْنَـا أَنْفُسَنَا بَيْنَ يَـدَيْكَ.

wa agh-ninaaa id' t'arah'-naaa anfusanaa bay-na yaday-k

16. and free us from need when we throw ourselves before You!

أللَّهُمَّ إنَّ الشَّيْطَانَ قَدْ شمِتَ بِنَا إذْ شَايَعْنَاهُ عَلَى مَعْصِيَتِكَ،

al-laahum-ma in-nash-shay-t'aana qad shamita binaaa id' shaayaa'-naahoo a'laa maa'-s'eeatak

17. O God, Satan will gloat over us if we follow him in disobeying You,

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّد وَآلِهِ

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

18. so bless Muhammad and his Household

وَلا تُشْمِتْهُ بِنَا بَعْدَ تَرْكِنَا إيَّاهُ لَكَ،

wa laa tush-mit-hoo binaa baa'-d tar-kinaaa ee-yaahoo lak

19. and let him not gloat over us after we have renounced him for You

وَرَغْبَتِنَا عَنْهُ إلَيْكَ.

wa ragh-batinaa a'n-hooo ilay-k

20. and beseeched You against him!