Yā Nafsu in Lam Taẓfarī · Should You Not Gain Your Wants My Soul

– verse 3 –

وَاسْتَأْنِسِي بِالْمَنْعِ وَارْعِي حَقَّهُ
إِنَّ الرِّضَا وَصْفُ الْمُنِيبِ الْأَلْمَعِ

Wasta’nisee bil–man‘i war‘ee ḥaqqahoo
innar–riḍaa waṣful–muneebil–alma‘ee

Find solace in privation and respect its due,
For only by contentment is the heart relieved.

– verse 4 –

وَإِذَا بَدَا مِنْ نَاطِقِ الْوِجْدَانِ مَا
يَدْعُوكَ لِلْيَأْسِ الذَّمِيمِ الْأَشْنَعِ

Wa-idhaa badaa min naaṭiqil–wijdaani maa
yad‘ooki lil–ya’sidh–dhameemil–ashna‘ee

And know that when the trials of life have rendered you
Despairing of all hope, and of all joy bereaved,

– verse 5 –

فَاسْتَيْقِظِي مِنْ نَوْمَةِ الْغَفَلَاتِ وَلْـ
ـيَكُنِ الرَّجَا لَكِ مَرْتَعًا فِيهِ ارْتَعِي

Fasṭayqiẓee min nawmatil–ghafalaati wal–
yakunir rajaa laki marta‘an feehi rta‘ee

Then shake yourself and rouse yourself from heedlessness,
And make pure hope a meadow that you never leave.

– verse 6 –

إِنَّ الْعَطَا إِمْدَادُهُ مُتَنَوِّعٌ
يَا حُسْنَ هٰذَاكَ الْعَطَا الْمُتَنَوِّعِ

Innal ‘aṭaa imdaaduhu mutanawwi‘un
yaa ḥusna haadhaakal–‘aṭal–mutanawwi‘ee

Your Maker’s gifts take subtle and uncounted forms.
How fine the fabric of the world His hands have weaved.

– verse 7 –

وَرَدُوا عَلَىٰ نَهْرِ الْحَيَاةِ وَكُلُّهُمْ
شَرِبُوا وَكَمْ فِي الرَّكْبِ مِنْ مُتَضَلِّعِ

Waradoo ilaa nahril–ḥayaati wa kulluhum
shariboo wa kam fir–rakbi min mutaḍalli‘ee

The journey done, they came to the water of life,
And all the caravan drank deep, their thirst alleved.

– verse 8 –

حَاشَا الْكَرِيمُ يَرُدُّهُمْ عَطْشًا وَقَدْ
وَرَدُوا وَأَصْلُ الْجُودِ مِنْ ذَا الْمَنْبَعِ

Ḥaashal–Kareemu yarudduhum ‘aṭshan wa qad
waradoo wa aṣlul–joodi min dhal–manba‘ee

Far be it from the Host to leave them thirsty there,
His spring pours forth all generosity received.

– verse 9 –

يَا رَبِّ لِي ظَنٌّ جَمِيلٌ وَافِرٌ
قَدَّمْتُهُ أَمْشِي بِهِ يَسْعَىٰ مَعِي

Yaa Rabbi lee ẓannun jameelun waafirun
qaddamtuhu amshee bihi yas‘aa ma‘ee

My Lord, my trust in all Your purposes is strong,
That trust is now my shield; I’m safe, and undeceived.

– verse 10 –

كُلُّ الَّذِي يَرْجُونَ فَضْلَكَ أُمْطِرُوا
حَاشَاكَ أَنْ يَبْقَىٰ هَشِيمًا مَرْبَعِي

Kullul–ladhee yarjoona faḍlaka umṭiroo
ḥaashaaka an yabqaa hasheeman marba‘ee

All those who hope for grace from You will feel Your rain;
Too generous are You to leave my branch unleaved.

– verse 11 –

ثُمَّ الصَّلَاةُ عَلَى الْحَبِيبِ مُحَمَّدٍ
سَبَبِي الْقَوِيِّ إِلَى الْمَقَامْ الْأَرْفَعِ

Thummaṣ–ṣalaatu ‘alal–ḥabeebi Muḥammadin
sababil–qawiyyi ilal–maqaamil–arfa‘ee

May blessings rest upon the loved one, Muhammad,
Who’s been my means to high degrees since I believed.

– verse 12 –

هُوَ عِصْمَتِي هُوَ عُرْوَتِي فَاسْتَمْسِكِي
يَا نَفْسُ بْالْمَجْدِ الْعَظِيمْ الْأَمْنَعِ

Huwa ‘iṣmatee huwa ‘urwatee fastamsikee
yaa nafsu bil–majdil–‘aẓeemil–amna‘ee

He is my fortress and my handhold, so my soul,
Hold fast, and travel to a joy still unconceived.