Qad Kafānī ‘Ilmu Rabbī

– verse 2 –

فَلِهٰذَا السِّرِّ أَدْعُو
فِي يَسَارِي وَعَسَارِي
أَنَا عَبْدٌ صَارَ فَخْرِي
ضِمْنَ فَقْرِي وَاضْطِرَارِي

Fa lihaadhas–sirri ad‘oo
fee yasaaree wa ‘asaaree
Ana ‘abdun ṣaara fakhree
ḍimna faqree waḍṭiraaree

By this secret I supplicate,
in times of ease and times of difficulty:
I am a slave, my only pride
is in my poverty and need.

– verse 3 –

يَا إِلٰهِي وَمَلِيكِي
أَنْتَ تَعْلَمْ كَيْفَ حَالِي
وَبِمَا قَدْ حَلَّ قَلْبِي
مِنْ هُمُومٍ وَاشْتِغَالِي

Yaa Ilaahee wa Malikee
Anta ta‘lam kayfa ḥaalee
Wa bi maa qad ḥalla qalbee
min humoomin washtighaalee

O my Lord, my King!
You are aware of my state,
And of the worries and preoccupations
that overwhelm by heart.

– verse 4 –

فَتَدَارَكْنِي بِلُطْفٍ
مِنْكَ يَا مَوْلَى الْمَوَالِي
يَا كَرِيمَ الْوَجْهِ غِثْنِي
قَبْلَ أَنْ يَفْنَى اصْطِبَارِي

Fa tadaaraknee biluṭfin
minka yaa Mawlal–mawaalee
Yaa Kareemal–wajhi ghithnee
qabla an yafna ṣṭibaaree

Acknowledge me with gentle grace
from You, O Master of masters!
O Most Generous One, save me
before my patience is exhausted.

– verse 5 –

يَا سَرِيعَ الْغَوْثِ غَوْثاً
مِنْكَ يُدْرِكْنِي سَرِيعًا
يَهْزِمُ العُسْرَ وَيَأْتِي
بِالَّذِي أَرْجُو جَمِيعًا

Yaa Saree‘al–ghawthi ghawthan
minka yudriknee saree‘an
Yahzimul–‘usra wa ya’tee
bil–ladhee arjoo jamee‘an

O Swift in granting aid! Grant me aid
from You which will reach me swiftly,
Vanquishing all difficulty, and bringing
all that I hope for.

– verse 6 –

يَا قَرِيبًا يَا مُجِيبًا
يَا عَلِيمًا يَا سَمِيعًا
قَدْ تَحَقَّقْتُ بِعَجْزِي
وَخُضُوعِي وَانْكِسَارُي

Yaa Qareeban yaa Mujeeban
yaa ‘Aleeman yaa Samee‘an
Qad taḥaqqaqtu bi ‘ajzee
wa khudoo’ee wankisaaree

O Most Near! Answerer of Prayers!
O All-Knowing, All-Hearing One!
I acknowledge my incapacity,
my lack of power and my brokenness.

– verse 7 –

لَمْ أَزَلْ بِالْبابِ وَاقِفْ
فَارْحَمَنْ رَبِّي وُقُوفِي
وَبِوَادِي الْفَضْلِ عَاكِفْ
فَأَدِمْ رَبِّي عُكُوفِي

Lam azal bil–baabi waaqif
farḥaman Rabbee wuqoofee
Wa bi-waadil–faḍli ‘aakif
fa-adim Rabbee ‘uqoofee

Yet here I stand, at Your door,
so have mercy, my Lord, on my standing!
And I withdraw unto the valley of grace,
so make my retreat here abiding!

– verse 8 –

وَلِحُسْنِ الظَّنِّ لَازِمْ
فَهْوَ خِلِّي وَحَلِيفِي
وَأَنِيسِي وَجَلِيسِي
طُولَ لَيْلِي وَنَهَارِي

Wa li-ḥusniẓ–ẓanni laazim
fa Hwa khillee wa ḥaleefee
Wa Aneesee wa Jaleesee
ṭoola laylee wa nahaaree

I hold fast to a good opinion [of my Lord],
for He is my Close Friend, my Ally,
My Intimate, the One Who is with me
throughout the day and the night.

– verse 9 –

حَاجَةً فِي النَفْسِ رَبِّي
فَاقْضِهَا يَا خَيْرَ قَاضِي
وَأَرِحْ سِرِّي وَقَلْبِي
مِنْ لَظَاهَا وَالشُّواظِ

Ḥaajatan fin–nafsi Rabbee
faqḍihaa yaa Khayra qaaḍee
Wa ariḥ sirree wa qalbee
min laẓaahaa wash–shuwaaẓee

The need in my soul! O Lord,
fulfil it, You are the Best of those who fulfil!
And soothe my soul and my heart
from the burning fire inside them,

– verse 10 –

فِي سُرُورٍ وَحُبُورِ
وَإِذَا مَا كُنْتَ رَاضِي
فَالْهَنَا وَالبَسْطُ حَالِي
وَشِعَارِي وَدِثَارِي

Fee suroorin wa ḥuboorin
wa idhaa maa kunta raaḍee
Fal–hanaa wal–baṣṭu ḥaalee
wa shi‘aaree wa dithaaree

With pleasure and joy
and that with which You are pleased.
Let bliss and expansion be my state,
my covering and my blanket.