Text:Sixteenth supplication of al-Sahifa al-Sajjadiyya

His Supplication when he Asked Release from his Sins or Pleaded in Seeking Pardon for his Defects	(16) وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ إِذَا اسْتَقَالَ مِنْ ذُنُوبِهِ ، أَوْ تَضَرَّعَ فِي طَلَبِ الْعَفْوِ عَنْ عُيُوبِهِ
In the Name of Allah, the All-beneficent, the All-merciful.	بِسْمِ اللهِ الرَّحْمنِ الرَّحيمِ
1- O God, O He through whose Mercy sinners seek aid!	1. اللَّهُمَّ يَا مَنْ بِرَحْمَتِهِ يَسْتَغيثُ الْمُذْنِبُونَ
2- O He to the remembrance of whose beneficence the distressed flee!	2. وَ يَا مَنْ إِلَى ذِكْرِ إِحْسَانِهِ يَفْزَعُ الْمُضْطَرُّونَ
3- O He in fear of whom the offenders weep!	3. وَ يَا مَنْ لِخِيفَتِهِ يَنْتَحِبُ الْخَاطِئُونَ
4- O Comfort of every lonely stranger!	4. يَا أُنْسَ كُلِّ مُسْتَوْحِشٍ غَرِيبٍ ،
O Relief of all who are downcast and distressed!	وَ يَا فَرَجَ كُلِّ مَكْرُوبٍ كَئِيبٍ ،
O Aid of everyone abandoned and alone!	وَ يَا غَوْثَ كُلِّ مَخْذُولٍ فَرِيدٍ ،
O Support of every needy outcast!	وَ يَا عَضُدَ كُلِّ مُحْتَاجٍ طَرِيدٍ
5- Thou art He who embracest everything in mercy and knowledge!	5. أَنْتَ الَّذِي وَسِعْتَ كُلَّ شَيْ‏ءٍ رَحْمَةً وَ عِلْماً
6- Thou art He who hast appointed for each creature	6. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي جَعَلْتَ لِكُلِّ مَخْلُوقٍ
a share of Thy favours!	فِي نِعَمِكَ سَهْماً
7- Thou art He whose pardon is higher than His punishment!	7. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي عَفْوُهُ أَعْلَى مِنْ عِقَابِهِ
8- Thou art He whose mercy runs before His wrath!	8. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي تَسْعَى رَحْمَتُهُ أَمَامَ غَضَبِهِ .
9- Thou art He whose bestowal is greater than His withholding!	9. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي عَطَاؤُهُ أَكْثَرُ مِنْ مَنْعِهِ .
10- Thou art He by whose mercy all creatures are embraced!	10. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي اتَّسَعَ الْخَلَائِقُ كُلُّهُمْ فِي وُسْعِهِ .
11- Thou art He who desires no repayment by him upon whom He bestows!	11. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي لَا يَرْغَبُ فِي جَزَاءِ مَنْ أَعْطَاهُ .
12- Thou art He who does not overdo the punishment of him who disobeys Thee!	12. وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي لَا يُفْرِطُ فِي عِقَابِ مَنْ عَصَاهُ .
13- And I, my God, am Thy servant	13. وَ أَنَا ، يَا إِلَهِي ، عَبْدُكَ
whom Thou commanded to supplicate	الَّذِي أَمَرْتَهُ بِالدُّعَاءِ
and who said: I am at Thy service and disposal!	فَقَالَ لَبَّيْكَ وَ سَعْدَيْكَ ،
Here am I, my Lord, thrown down before Thee.	هَا أَنَا ذَا ، يَا رَبِّ ، مَطْرُوحٌ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ .
14- I am he whose back offenses have weighed down!	14. أَنَا الَّذِي أَوْقَرَتِ الْخَطَايَا ظَهْرَهُ ،
I am he whose lifetime sins have consumed!	وَ أَنَا الَّذِي أَفْنَتِ الذُّنُوبُ عُمُرَهُ ،
I am he who was disobedient in his ignorance,	وَ أَنَا الَّذِي بِجَهْلِهِ عَصَاكَ ،
while Thou didst not deserve that from him!	وَ لَمْ تَكُنْ أَهْلًا مِنْهُ لِذَاكَ .
15- Wilt Thou, my God,	15. هَلْ أَنْتَ ، يَا إِلَهِي ،
be merciful toward him who supplicates Thee,	رَاحِمٌ مَنْ دَعَاكَ
that I should bring my supplication before Thee?	فَأُبْلِغَ فِي الدُّعَاءِ
Wilt Thou forgive him who weeps to Thee	أَمْ أَنْتَ غَافِرٌ لِمَنْ بَكَاكَ
that I should hurry to weep?	فَأُسْرِعَ فِي الْبُكَاءِ
Wilt Thou show forbearance toward him who puts his face in the dust before Thee in lowliness?	أَمْ أَنْتَ مُتَجَاوِزٌ عَمَّنْ عَفَّرَ لَكَ وَجْهَهُ تَذَلُّلًا
Wilt Thou free from need him who complains to Thee of his indigent need with confidence?	أَمْ أَنْتَ مُغْنٍ مَنْ شَكَا إِلَيْكَ ، فَقْرَهُ تَوَكُّلًا
16- My God, disappoint not him who finds no	16. إِلَهِي لَا تُخَيِّبْ مَنْ لَا يَجِدُ
bestower other than Thee,	مُعْطِياً غَيْرَكَ ،
and abandon not him who cannot be freed from his need for Thee through less than Thee!	وَ لَا تَخْذُلْ مَنْ لَا يَسْتَغْنِي عَنْكَ بِأَحَدٍ دُونَكَ .
17- My God, so bless Muhammad and his Household,	17. إِلَهِي فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،
turn not away from me when I have turned my face toward Thee,	وَ لَا تُعْرِضْ عَنِّي وَ قَدْ أَقْبَلْتُ عَلَيْكَ ،
deprive me not when 1 have besought Thee,	وَ لَا تَحْرِمْنِي وَ قَدْ رَغِبْتُ إِلَيْكَ ،
and slap not my brow with rejection when I have stood before Thee!	وَ لَا تَجْبَهْنِي بِالرَّدِّ وَ قَدِ انْتَصَبْتُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْكَ .
18- Thou art He who has described Himself by mercy,	18. أَنْتَ الَّذِي وَصَفْتَ نَفْسَكَ بِالرَّحْمَةِ ،
so bless Muhammad and his Household and have mercy upon me!	فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ، وَ ارْحَمْنِي ،
Thou art He who has named Himself by pardon,	وَ أَنْتَ الَّذِي سَمَّيْتَ نَفْسَكَ بِالْعَفْوِ
so pardon me!	فَاعْفُ عَنِّي
19- Thou hast seen, my God,	19. قَدْ تَرَى يَا إِلَهِي ،
the flow of my tears in fear of Thee,	فَيْضَ دَمْعِي مِنْ خِيفَتِكَ ،
the throbbing of my heart in dread of Thee,	وَ وَجِيبَ قَلْبِي مِنْ خَشْيَتِكَ ،
and the infirmity of my limbs in awe of Thee.	وَ انْتِقَاضَ جَوَارِحِي مِنْ هَيْبَتِكَ
20- All this from my shame before Thee because of my evil works!	20. كُلُّ ذَلِكَ حَيَاءٌ مِنْكَ لِسُوءِ عَمَلِي ،
So my voice has become silent, no longer crying to Thee,	وَ لِذَاكَ خَمَدَ صَوْتِي عَنِ الْجَأْرِ إِلَيْكَ ،
and my tongue has gone dumb, no longer whispering in prayer.	وَ كَلَّ لِسَانِي عَنْ مُنَاجَاتِكَ .
21- My God, so to Thee belongs praise!	21. يَا إِلَهِي فَلَكَ الْحَمْدُ
How many of my flaws Thou hast covered over without exposing me!	فَكَمْ مِنْ عَائِبَةٍ سَتَرْتَهَا عَلَيَّ فَلَمْ تَفْضَحْنِي ،
How many of my sins Thou hast cloaked without making me notorious!	وَ كَمْ مِنْ ذَنْبٍ غَطَّيْتَهُ عَلَيَّ فَلَمْ تَشْهَرْنِي ،
How many faults I have committed, yet Thou didst not tear away from me their covering,	وَ كَمْ مِنْ شَائِبَةٍ أَلْمَمْتُ بِهَا فَلَمْ تَهْتِكْ عَنِّي سِتْرَهَا ،
collar me with their detested disgrace,	وَ لَمْ تُقَلِّدْنِي مَكْرُوهَ شَنَارِهَا ،
or make their dishonour plain	وَ لَمْ تُبْدِ سَوْءَاتِهَا
to those of my neighbours who search for my defects	لِمَنْ يَلْتَمِسُ مَعَايِبِي مِنْ جِيرَتِي ،
and to those who envy Thy favour toward me!	وَ حَسَدَةِ نِعْمَتِكَ عِنْدِي
22- But that did not prevent me from passing on	22. ثُمَّ لَمْ يَنْهَنِي ذَلِكَ عَنْ أَنْ جَرَيْتُ
to the evil that Thou knowest from me!	إِلَى سُوءِ مَا عَهِدْتَ مِنِّي
23- So who is more ignorant than I, my God of his own right conduct?	23. فَمَنْ أَجْهَلُ مِنِّي ، يَا إِلَهِي بِرُشْدِهِ
Who is more heedless than I of his own good fortune?	وَ مَنْ أَغْفَلُ مِنِّي عَنْ حَظِّهِ
Who is further than I from seeking to set himself right?	وَ مَنْ أَبْعَدُ مِنِّي مِنِ اسْتِصْلَاحِ نَفْسِهِ
For I spend the provision Thou deliverest to me	حِينَ أُنْفِقُ مَا أَجْرَيْتَ عَلَيَّ مِنْ رِزْقِكَ
in the disobedience Thou hast prohibited to me!	فِيمَا نَهَيْتَنِي عَنْهُ مِنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ
Who sinks more deeply into falsehood	وَ مَنْ أَبْعَدُ غَوْراً فِي الْبَاطِلِ ،
and is more intensely audacious in evil than I?	وَ أَشَدُّ إِقْدَاماً عَلَى السُّوءِ مِنِّي
For I hesitate between Thy call and the call of Satan	حِينَ أَقِفُ بَيْنَ دَعْوَتِكَ وَ دَعْوَةِ الشَّيْطَانِ
and then follow his call without being blind	فَأَتَّبِعُ دَعْوَتَهُ عَلَى غَيْرِ عَمًى مِنِّي
in my knowledge of him or forgetful in my memory of him,	فِي مَعْرِفَةٍ بِهِ وَ لَا نِسْيَانٍ مِنْ حِفْظِي لَهُ
24- while I am certain that Thy call takes to the Garden	24. وَ أَنَا حِينَئِذٍ مُوقِنٌ بِأَنَّ مُنْتَهَى دَعْوَتِكَ إِلَى الْجَنَّةِ ،
and his call takes to the Fire!	وَ مُنْتَهَى دَعْوَتِهِ إِلَي النَّارِ .
25- Glory be to Thee! How marvellous the witness I bear against my own soul	25. سُبْحَانَكَ مَا أَعْجَبَ مَا أَشْهَدُ بِهِ عَلَى نَفْسِي ،
and the enumeration of my own hidden affairs!	وَ أُعَدِّدُهُ مِنْ مَكْتُومِ أَمْرِي .
26- And more marvellous than that is Thy lack of haste with me,	26. وَ أَعْجَبُ مِنْ ذَلِكَ أَنَاتُكَ عَنِّي ،
Thy slowness in attending to me!	وَ إِبْطَاؤُكَ عَنْ مُعَاجَلَتِي ،
That is not because I possess honour with Thee,	وَ لَيْسَ ذَلِكَ مِنْ كَرَمِي عَلَيْكَ ،
but because Thou waitest patiently for me	بَلْ تَأَنِّياً مِنْكَ لِي ،
and art bountiful toward me	وَ تَفَضُّلًا مِنْكَ عَلَيَّ
that I may refrain from disobedience displeasing to Thee	لِأَنْ أَرْتَدِعَ عَنْ مَعْصِيَتِكَ الْمُسْخِطَةِ ،
and abstain from evil deeds that disgrace me,	وَ أُقْلِعَ عَنْ سَيِّئَاتِيَ الْمُخْلِقَةِ ،
and because Thou lovest to pardon me more than to punish!	وَ لِأَنَّ عَفْوَكَ عَنِّي أَحَبُّ إِلَيْكَ مِنْ عُقُوبَتِي
27- But I, my God, am more numerous in sins,	27. بَلْ أَنَا ، يَا إِلَهِي ، أَكْثَرُ ذُنُوباً ،
uglier in footsteps, more repulsive in acts,	وَ أَقْبَحُ آثَاراً ، وَ أَشْنَعُ أَفْعَالًا ،
more reckless in rushing into falsehood,	وَ أَشَدُّ فِي الْبَاطِلِ تَهَوُّراً ،
weaker in awakening to Thy obedience,	وَ أَضْعَفُ عِنْدَ طَاعَتِكَ تَيَقُّظاً ،
and less attentive and heedful toward Thy threats,	وَ أَقَلُّ لِوَعِيدِكَ انْتِبَاهاً وَ ارْتِقَاباً
than that I could number for Thee my faults	مِنْ أَنْ أُحْصِيَ لَكَ عُيُوبِي ،
or have the power to recount my sins.	أَوْ أَقْدِرَ عَلَى ذِكْرِ ذُنُوبِي .
28- I only scold my own soul, craving Thy gentleness,	28. وَ إِنَّمَا أُوَبِّخُ بِهَذَا نَفْسِي طَمَعاً فِي رَأْفَتِكَ
through which the affairs of sinners are set right,	الَّتِي بِهَا صَلَاحُ أَمْرِ الْمُذْنِبِينَ ،
and hoping for Thy mercy, through which the necks of the offenders are freed.	وَ رَجَاءً لِرَحْمَتِكَ الَّتِي بِهَا فَكَاكُ رِقَابِ الْخَاطِئِينَ .
29- O God, this is my neck, enslaved by sins,	29. اللَّهُمَّ وَ هَذِهِ رَقَبَتِي قَدْ أَرَقَّتْهَا الذُّنُوبُ ،
bless Muhammad and his Household	فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،
and release it through Thy pardon!	وَ أَعْتِقْهَا بِعَفْوِكَ ،
This is my back, weighed down by offenses,	وَ هَذَا ظَهْرِي قَدْ أَثْقَلَتْهُ الْخَطَايَا ،
bless Muhammad and his Household	فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،
and lighten it through Thy kindness!	وَ خَفِّفْ عَنْهُ بِمَنِّكَ
30- My God, were I to weep to Thee until my eyelids drop off,	30. يَا إِلَهِي لَوْ بَكَيْتُ إِلَيْكَ حَتَّى تَسْقُطَ أَشْفَارُ عَيْنَيَّ ،
wail until my voice wears out,	وَ انْتَحَبْتُ حَتَّى يَنْقَطِعَ صَوْتِي ،
stand before Thee until my feet swell up,	وَ قُمْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى تَتَنَشَّرَ قَدَمَايَ ،
bow to Thee until my backbone is thrown out of joint,	وَ رَكَعْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى يَنْخَلِعَ صُلْبِي ،
prostrate to Thee until my eyeballs fall out,	وَ سَجَدْتُ لَكَ حَتَّى تَتَفَقَّأَ حَدَقَتَايَ ،
eat the dirt of the earth for my whole life,	وَ أَكَلْتُ تُرَابَ الْأَرْضِ طُولَ عُمُرِي ،
drink the water of ashes till the end of my days,	وَ شَرِبْتُ مَاءَ الرَّمَادِ آخِرَ دَهْرِي ،
mention Thee through all of that until my tongue fails,	وَ ذَكَرْتُكَ فِي خِلَالِ ذَلِكَ حَتَّى يَكِلَّ لِسَانِي ،
and not lift my glance to the sky's horizons in shame before Thee,	ثُمَّ لَمْ أَرْفَعْ طَرْفِي إِلَى آفَاقِ السَّمَاءِ اسْتِحْيَاءً مِنْكَ
yet would I not merit through all of that	مَا اسْتَوْجَبْتُ بِذَلِكَ
the erasing of a single one of my evil deeds!	مَحْوَ سَيِّئَةٍ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْ سَيِّئَاتِي .
31- Though Thou forgivest me when I merit Thy forgiveness	31. وَ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَغْفِرُ لِي حِينَ أَسْتَوْجِبُ مَغْفِرَتَكَ ،
and pardonest me when I deserve Thy pardon,	وَ تَعْفُو عَنِّي حِينَ أَسْتَحِقُّ عَفْوَكَ
yet I have no title to that through what I deserve,	فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ غَيْرُ وَاجِبٍ لِي بِاسْتِحْقَاقٍ ،
nor am I worthy of it through merit,	وَ لَا أَنَا أَهْلٌ لَهُ بِاسْتِيجَابٍ ،
since my repayment from Thee from the first that I disobeyed Thee is the Fire!	إِذْ كَانَ جَزَائِي مِنْكَ فِي أَوَّلِ مَا عَصَيْتُكَ النَّارَ ،
So if Thou punishest me, Thou dost me no wrong.	فَإِنْ تُعَذِّبْنِي فَأَنْتَ غَيْرُ ظَالِمٍ لِي .
32- My God, since Thou hast shielded me with Thy covering	32. إِلَهِي فَإِذْ قَدْ تَغَمَّدْتَنِي بِسِتْرِكَ
and not exposed me,	فَلَمْ تَفْضَحْنِي ،
waited patiently for me through Thy generosity,	وَ تَأَنَّيْتَنِي بِكَرَمِكَ فَلَمْ تُعَاجِلْنِي ،
and not hurried me to punishment, and shown me clemency through Thy bounty,	وَ حَلُمْتَ عَنِّي بِتَفَضُّلِكَ فَلَمْ تُغَيِّرْ نِعْمَتَكَ عَلَيَّ ،
and not changed Thy favour upon me	وَ لَمْ تُكَدِّرْ مَعْرُوفَكَ عِنْدِي ،
or muddied Thy kindly acts toward me, have mercy on my drawn out pleading, my intense misery,	فَارْحَمْ طُولَ تَضَرُّعِي وَ شِدَّةَ مَسْكَنَتِي ،
and my evil situation!	وَ سُوءَ مَوْقِفِي .
33- O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,	33. اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،
protect me from acts of disobedience,	وَ قِنِي مِنَ الْمَعَاصِي ،
employ me in obedience,	وَ اسْتَعْمِلْنِي بِالطَّاعَةِ ،
provide me with excellent turning back [to Thee],	وَ ارْزُقْنِي حُسْنَ الْإِنَابَةِ ،
purify me through repentance, strengthen me through preservation from sin,	وَ طَهِّرْنِي بِالتَّوْبَةِ ، وَ أَيِّدْنِي بِالْعِصْمَةِ ،
set me right through well being,	وَ اسْتَصْلِحْنِي بِالْعَافِيَةِ ،
let me taste the sweetness of forgiveness,	وَ أَذِقْنِي حَلَاوَةَ الْمَغْفِرَةِ ،
make me the freedman of Thy pardon and the slave released by Thy mercy,	وَ اجْعَلْنِي طَلِيقَ عَفْوِكَ ، وَ عَتِيقَ رَحْمَتِكَ ،
and write for me a security from Thy displeasure!	وَ اكْتُبْ لِي أَمَاناً مِنْ سُخْطِكَ ،
Give me the good news of that in the immediate, not the deferred	وَ بَشِّرْنِي بِذَلِكَ فِي الْعَاجِلِ دُونَ الْآجِلِ ،
- a good news I recognize -	بُشْرَى أَعْرِفُهَا ،
and make known to me therein a sign which I may clearly see!	وَ عَرِّفْنِي فِيهِ عَلَامَةً أَتَبَيَّنُهَا .
34- That will not constrain Thee in Thy plenty,	34. إِنَّ ذَلِكَ لَا يَضِيقُ عَلَيْكَ فِي وُسْعِكَ ،

distress Thee in Thy power,	وَ لَا يَتَكَأَّدُكَ فِي قُدْرَتِكَ ،
ascend beyond Thy lack of haste,	وَ لَا يَتَصَعَّدُكَ فِي أَنَاتِكَ ،
or tire Thee in Thy great gifts, which are pointed to by Thy signs.	وَ لَا يَئُودُكَ فِي جَزِيلِ هِبَاتِكَ الَّتِي دَلَّتْ عَلَيْهَا آيَاتُكَ ،
Verily Thou dost what Thou wilt, Thou decreest what Thou desirest.	إِنَّكَ تَفْعَلُ مَا تَشَاءُ ، وَ تَحْكُمُ مَا تُرِيدُ ،
Thou art powerful over everything.	إِنَّكَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْ‏ءٍ قَدِيرٌ .