His Supplication in Pleading and Abasement


1

My God,
           I praise Thee,
                     - and Thou art worthy of praise -
           for Thy benefaction toward me,
                     the lavishness of Thy favours toward me,
                     and Thy plentiful bestowal upon me,
           and for showing bounty toward me through Thy mercy
                     and lavishing Thy favour upon me.
           Thou hast done well toward me
                     and I am incapable of thanking Thee.

2

Were it not for Thy beneficence toward me
                     and the lavishness of Thy favours upon me,
           I would not have reached the taking of my share
                     nor would my soul have been set right,
           but Thou began with beneficence toward me,
                     provided me sufficiency in all my affairs,
                     turned away from me the toil of affliction,
                     and held back from me the feared decree.

3

My God,
           how many a toilsome affliction
                     which Thou hast turned away from me!
           How many a lavish favour
                     with which Thou hast gladdened my eye!
           How many a generous benefaction of Thine
                     which is present with me!

4

It is Thou who
           responded to my supplication at the time of distress,
           released me from my slip in stumbling,
           and took my enemies to task for doing wrong to me.

5

My God,
           I did not find Thee a miser when I asked of Thee
                     nor a withholder when I desired from Thee.
           No, 1 found Thee a hearer of my supplication
                     and a bestower of my requests;
           I found Thy favours toward me lavish in my every situation
                     and in my every time.
           So Thou art praised by me
                     and Thy benefaction honoured.

6

My soul, my tongue, and my intelligence praise Thee,
           a praise that reaches fulfilment and the reality of thanksgiving,
                     a praise that attains to Thy good pleasure with me -
           so deliver me from Thy displeasure!

7

O my cave when the ways thwart me!
           O He who releases me from my stumble!
                     Were it not for Thy covering my shameful defects,
                     I would be one of the disgraced.
           O my confirmer through help!
                     Were it not for Thy helping me,
                     I would be one of the overcome!
           O He before whom kings place the yoke of lowliness
                     around their necks,
                     fearing His penalties!
           O worthy of reverent fear!
                     O He to whom belong the names most beautiful!267
           I ask Thee to pardon me
                               and to forgive me,
                     for I am not innocent
                               that I should offer excuses,
                     nor a possessor of strength
                               that I should gain victory,
                     nor have I any place of flight
                               that I should flee!

8

           I ask Thee to release me from my stumbles,
                     and before Thee I disavow my sins,
                               which have laid me waste,
                               encompassed me,
                               and destroyed me!
           I flee from them to Thee, my Lord,
                     turning repentantly,
                               so turn toward me,
                     seeking refuge,
                               so grant me refuge,
                     asking sanctuary,
                               so abandon me not,
                     requesting,
                               so deprive me not,
                     holding fast,
                               so leave me not,
                     supplicating,
                               so send me not back disappointed!

9

           I have supplicated Thee, my Lord, as one
                     miserable, abased,
                     apprehensive, fearful,
                     quaking, poor,
                     driven to have recourse to Thee!

10

           I complain to Thee, my God,
                     of my soul
                               - which is too weak
                               to hurry to
                                         that which Thou hast promised Thy friends
                               or to avoid
                                         that against which Thou hast cautioned Thy enemies -
                     and of the multitude of my concerns,
                     and of my soul's confusing thoughts.

11

My God,
           Thou hast not disgraced me through my secret thoughts
                     or destroyed me because of my misdeeds!
           I call upon Thee,
                     and Thou respondest,
                     even if I am slow when Thou callest upon me.
           I ask Thee everything I want of my needs,
                     and I deposit with Thee my secret
                     wherever I may be.
           I supplicate no one besides Thee,
                     and I hope for no one other than Thee.

12

           At Thy service! At Thy service!
                     Thou hearest him who complains to Thee!
                     Thou receivest him who has confidence in Thee!
                     Thou savest him who holds fast to Thee!
                     Thou givest relief to him who seeks shelter in Thee!

13

My God,
           so deprive me not of the good
                     of the last world and the first
                     because of the paucity of my thanksgiving
           and forgive me the sins of mine which Thou knowest!

14

If Thou chastisest,
                     I am the wrongdoer, the neglecter,
                               the negligent, the sinner,
                               the derelict, the sluggard,
                               the heedless of the share of my soul!
           And if Thou forgivest -
                     Thou art the Most Merciful of the merciful!