English Translation

Transliteration

 Arabic Text

My God, to You I complain of a soul commanding to evil,

ilaaheee ilay-ka ash-koo naf-sana

 bis-sooo-i am-maarah 

إِلـٰهِي إليْكَ أَشْكُو نَفْساً بِالسُّوءِ أَمَّارَةً،

rushing to offenses,

wa ilaal-khat'ee-ati mubaadirah

وَإلَىٰ الْخَطيئَةِ مُبادِرَةً،

eager to disobey You,

wa bimaa'as'eeka moolaa'h

وَبِمَعاصِيكَ مُولَعَةً،

and exposing itself to Your anger.

wa lisakhat'ika mutaa'r-riz''atan

وَلِسَخَطِكَ مُتَعَرِّضَةً،

It takes me on the roads of disasters,

tas-luka bee masaalikal-mahaalik

تَسْلُكُ بِي مَسالِكَ الْمَهالِكِ،

it makes me the easiest of perishers before You;

wa taj-a'lunee i'ndaka ah-wana haalik

وَتَجْعَلُنِي عِنْدَكَ أَهْوَنَ هَالِكٍ،

many its pretexts, drawn out its expectations;

kathyratal-i'lal,  t'awylatal-amal

كَثِيرَةَ الْعِلَلِ طَوِيلَةَ الأَمَلِ،

when evil touches it, it is anxious,

im-mas-sahaash-shar-ru taj-zau'

إنْ مَسَّهَا الشَّرُّ تَجْزَعُ،

when good touches it, grudging;

wa im-mas-sahaal-khay-ru tam-nau'

وَإنْ مَسَّهَا الْخَيْرُ تَمْنَعُ،

inclining to play and diversion,

may-yaalatan ilaal-lai'bi wal-laah-wi

مَيَّالَةً إلَىٰ اللَّعِبِ وَاللَّهْوِ،

full of heedlessness and inattention,

mam-looo-atam-bil-ghaf-lati was-sah-wi

مَمْلُوَّةً بِالْغَفْلَةِ وَالسَّهْوِ،

it hurries me to misdeeds

tus-riu' beee ilaal-h'aw-bah

تُسْرِعُ بِي إلَىٰ الْحَوْبَةِ،

and makes me delay repentance.

wa tusaw-wifunee bit-taw-bah

وَتُسَوِّفُنِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ.

My God, I complain to You of an enemy who misguides me

ilaaheee ash-kooo ilay-k  a'doo-way-yuz''il-lunee

إِلـٰهِي أَشْكُو إلَيْكَ عَدُوّاً يُضِلُّنِي

and a satan who leads me astray.

wa shay-t'aanay-yugh-weenee

وَشَيْطانَاً يَغْوِينِي،

He has filled my breast with tempting thoughts,

qad malaa bil-was-waasi s'ad-ree

قَدْ مَلأَ بِالْوَسْواسِ صَدْرِي،

and his suggestions have encompassed my heart.

wa ah'aat'at hawaajisuhoo biqal-bee

وَأَحاطَتْ هَواجِسُهُ بِقَلْبِي

He supports caprice against me,

yua'az''idu leeal-hawaa

يُعاضِدُ لِيَ الْهَوىٰ،

embellishes for me the love of this world,

wa yuzay-yinu lee h'ub-bad-dunyaa

وَيُزَيِّنُ لِي حُبَّ الدُّنْيَا،

and separates me from obedience and proximity!

wa yah'oolu bay-nee wa bay-nat'-t'aaa'ti waz-zul-faa

وَيَحُولُ بَيْنِي وَبَيْنَ الطَّاعَةِ وَالزُّلْفىٰ.

My God, to You I complain of a heart that is hard,

ilaaheee ilay-ka ash-koo qal-bana qaaseea

إِلـٰهِي إلَيْكَ أَشْكُو قَلْبَاً قاسِياً

turned this way and that by tempting thoughts,

maa'l-was-waasi mutaqal-liban

مَعَ الْوَسْواسِ مُتَقَلِّباً،

clothed in rust and the seal,

w-wa bir-ray-ni wat'-t'ab-i' mutalab-bisaa

وَبِالرَّيْنِ وَالطَّبْعِ مُتَلَبِّساً،

and of an eye too indifferent to weep in fear of You

wa a'y-nana a'nil-bukaaa-i min khaw-fika jaamidatan

وَعَيْنَاً عَنِ الْبُكاءِ مِنْ خَوْفِكَ جامِدَةً،

and eagerly seeking that which gladdens it!

w-wa ilaa maa tasur-ruhaa t'aamih'ah

وَإِلَىٰ ما تَسُرُّها طامِحَةً.

My God, there is no force and no strength except in Your power,

ilaahee laa h'aw-la wa laa qoo-wata il-laa biqud-ratik

إِلـٰهِي لا حَوْلَ وَلا قُوَّةَ إلاَّ بِقُدْرَتِكَ،

and no deliverance for me from the detested things of this world save through Your preservation.

wa laa najaata lee mim-makaarihid-dunyaaa il-laa bii's'-matik

وَلا نَجاةَ لِي مِنْ مَكارِهِ الدُّنْيا إلاَّ بِعِصْمَتِكَ،

So I ask You by Your far-reaching wisdom

faas-aluka bibalaaghati h'ik-matika

فَأَسْأَلُكَ بِبَلاغَةِ حِكْمَتِكَ،

and Your penetrating will

wa nafaad'i mashee-yatika

وَنَفاذِ مَشِيَّتِكَ،

not to let me expose myself to other than Your munificence

an-laa taj-a'l-nee lighay-ri joodika mutaa'r-riz''aa

أَنْ لا تَجْعَلَنِي لِغَيْرِ جُودِكَ مُتَعَرِّضاً،

and not to turn me into a target for trials!

wa laa tus'ay-yir-nee lil-fitani gharaz''aa

وَلا تُصَيِّرَنِي لِلْفِتَنِ غَرَضاً،

Be for me a helper against enemies,

wa kul-lee  a'laal-aa'-daaa-i naas'iraa

وَكُنْ لِي عَلَىٰ الأَعْداءِ ناصِرَاً،

a coverer of shameful things and faults,

wa a'laal-makhaazee wal-u'yoobi saatiraa

وَعَلَىٰ الْمَخَازِي وَالْعُيُوبِ ساتِراً،

a protector against afflictions,

wa minal-balaa’ee waaqeean

وَمِنَ الْبَلاءِ واقِياً،

a preserver against acts of disobedience!

waa'nil-maa'as'ee a'as'iman

وَعَنِ الْمَعاصِي عاصِمَاً،

By Your clemency and mercy, O Most Merciful of the merciful!

biraa-fatika wa rah'-matika

yaaa ar-h'amar-raah'imeen

بِرَأْفَتِكَ وَرَحْمَتِكَ يا أَرْحَمَ الرَّاحِمِينَ.