ددُعَاؤُهُ فِي التَّذَلُّلِ

53. Abasing himself before God

Narrated by Imam Ali Zayn al-Abidin

1

رَبِّ أَفْحَمَتْنِيْ ذُنُوبِي، وَانْقَطَعَتْ مَقَالَتِي،

rabbī afḥamatnī dhunūbī, wa-nqaṭa‘at maqālatī,

My Lord, my sins have rendered me speechless, and my speech is cut short,

2

فَلاَ حُجَّةَ لِي، فَأَنَا الأَسِيـرُ بِبَلِيَّتِي،

fa-lā ḥujjata lī, fa-ana l-asīru bi-baliyyatī,

so I have no argument (or plea), for I am the captive of my affliction,

3

الْمُـرْتَهَنُ بِعَمَلِي، الْمُتَرَدِّدُ فِي خَطِيئَتِي،

al-murtahanu bi-‘amalī, al-mutaraddidu fī khaṭī’atī,

the one held in pledge by my deed, the one faltering in my mistake,

4

الْمُتَحَيِّرُ عَنْ قَصْدِي، الْمُنْقَطَعُ بِي،

al-mutaḥayyiru ‘an qaṣdī, al-munqaṭa‘u bī,

the bewildered one away from my purpose, the one cut off (with no way out),

5

قَدْ أَوْقَفْتُ نَفْسِي مَوْقِفَ الأَذِلاَّءِ الْمُذْنِبِينَ،

qad awqaftu nafsī mawqifa l-adhillā’i l-mudhnibīn,

I have surely made myself stand in the station of the humiliated sinners,

6

مَوْقِفَ الأَشْقِيآءِ الْمُتَجَرِّينَ عَلَيْكَ، الْمُسْتَخِفِّينَ بِوَعْدِكَ.

mawqiqa l-ashqiyā’i l-mutajarrīna ‘alayk, al-mustakhiffīna bi-wa‘dik.

the station of the wretched ones who dared against You, those who took Your promise lightly.

7

سُبْحَانَكَ! أَيَّ جُرْأَة اجْتَرَأْتُ عَلَيْكَ؟

subḥānak! ayyu jur’atin ijtar’tu ‘alayk?

Glory be to You! What daring did I dare against You?

8

وَأَيَّ تَغْرِير غَرَّرْتُ بِنَفْسِي

wa-ayya taghrīrin gharrartu bi-nafsī

And what deception did I deceive myself with?

9

مَوْلاَيَ إرْحَمْ كَبْوَتِيْ لِحُرِّ وَجْهِي،

mawlāya irḥam kabwatī li-ḥurri wajhī,

My Master, have mercy on my fall (down) upon my noble face,

10

وَزَلَّةَ قَدَمِي، وَعُدْ بِحِلْمِكَ عَلَى جَهْلِي،

wa-zallata qadamī, wa-‘ud bi-ḥilmika ‘alā jahlī,

and the slip of my foot, and return with Your forbearance upon my ignorance,

11

وَبِإحْسَانِكَ عَلَى إسَآءَتِي، فَأَنَا الْمُقِرُّ بِذَنْبِي،

wa-bi-iḥsānik ‘alā isā’atī, fa-ana l-muqirru bi-dhanbī,

and with Your benevolence upon my wrongdoing, for I am the one confessing my sin,

12

الْمُعْتَرِفُ بِخَطِيئَتِي، وَهَذِهِ يَدِيْ وَنَاصِيَتِي،

al-mu‘tarifu bi-khaṭī’atī, wa-hādhihī yadī wa-nāṣiyatī,

the one acknowledging my mistake, and here is my hand and my forelock,

13

أَسْتَكِينُ بِالْقَـوْدِ مِنْ نَفْسِي .

astakīnu bi-l-qawdi min nafsī.

I humble myself to be led by myself (to submit to punishment).

14

إرْحَمْ شَيْبَتِي، وَنَفَادَ أَيَّامِي،

irḥam shaybatī, wa-nafāda ayyāmī,

Have mercy on my gray hair, and the running out of my days,

15

وَاقْتِرَابَ أَجَلِي، وَضَعْفِي،

wa-qtirāba ajalī, wa-ḍa‘fī,

and the nearness of my term (of death), and my weakness,

16

وَمَسْكَنَتِي، وَقِلَّةَ حِيلَتِي.

wa-maskanatī, wa-qillata ḥīlatī.

and my wretchedness, and the fewness of my resourcefulness.

17

مَوْلاَيَ وَارْحَمْنِي إذَا انْقَطَعَ مِنَ الدُّنْيَا أَثَرِي،

mawlāya wa-rḥamnī idhā nqaṭa‘a mina d-dunyā atharī,

My Master, and have mercy on me when my trace is cut off from the world,

18

وَامَّحى مِنَ الْمَخْلُوقِينَ ذِكْرِي،

wa-mmaḥā mina l-makhlūqīna dhikrī,

and my mention is wiped away from the creatures,

19

وَكُنْتُ فِي الْمَنْسِيِّينَ، كَمَنْ قَدْ نُسِيَ.

wa-kuntu fī l-mansiyyīn, ka-man qad nusī.

and I am among the forgotten, like one who has been forgotten.

20

مَوْلاَيَ وَارْحَمْنِي عِنْدَ تَغَيُّرِ صُورَتِي

mawlāya wa-rḥamnī ‘inda taghayyuri ṣūratī

My Master, and have mercy on me when my form changes

21

وَحَالِي إذَا بَلِيَ جِسْمِي، وَتَفَرَّقَتْ أَعْضَائِي،

wa-ḥālī idhā baliya jismī, wa-tafarraqat a‘ḍā’ī,

and my state, when my body wears out, and my limbs disperse,

22

وَتَقَطَّعَتْ أَوْصَالِيْ، يا غَفْلَتِي عَمَّا يُرَادُ بِيَ.

wa-taqaṭṭa‘at awṣālī, yā ghaflatī ‘ammā yurādu biya.

and my joints are severed. Oh, my heedlessness concerning what is intended for me!

23

مَوْلاَيَ وَارْحَمْنِي فِي حَشْرِي وَنَشْرِي،

mawlāya wa-rḥamnī fī ḥashrī wa-nashrī,

My Master, and have mercy on me at my gathering and resurrection,

24

وَاجْعَل فِي ذَلِكَ الْيَومِ مَعَ أَوْلِيَآئِكَ مَوْقِفِي،

wa-j‘al fī dhālika l-yawmi ma‘a awliyā’ika mawqifī,

and make my station on that Day with Your friends,

25

وَفِي أَحِبَّائِكَ مَصْدَرِي،

wa-fī aḥibbā’ik maṣdarī,

and my proceeding (or return) with Your beloved ones,

26

وَفِي جِوَارِكَ مَسْكَنِي يَا رَبَّ الْعَالَمِينَ.

wa-fī jiwārik maskanī yā rabba l-‘ālamīn.

and my dwelling place in Your vicinity, O Lord of the Worlds.

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