Supplication in Yearning (9)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فِي الِاشْتِيَاقِ إِلَى طَلَبِ الْمَغْفِرَةِ مِنَ اللَّهِ جَلَّ جَلَالُهُ
His Supplication in Yearning to Ask Forgiveness from God
Translated by William Chittick

   اللَّهُمَّ صَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household,

    وَ صَيِّرْنَا إِلَى مَحْبُوبِكَ مِنَ التَّوْبَةِ ،

make us go to the repentance that Thou lovest

    و أَزِلْنَا عَنْ مَكْرُوهِكَ مِنَ الْإِصْرَارِ

and make us leave the persistence that Thou hatest!

     اللَّهُمَّ وَ مَتَى وَقَفْنَا بَيْنَ نَقْصَيْنِ فِي دِينٍ أَوْ دُنْيَا،

O God, when we halt before two decreases, in religion or in this world,

    فَأَوْقِعِ النَّقْصَ بِأَسْرَعِهِمَا فَنَاءً ،

let the decrease fall upon that which passes quickly

    وَ اجْعَلِ التَّوْبَةَ فِي أَطْوَلِهِمَا بَقَاءً

and relent in that which lasts the longer!

     وَ إِذَا هَمَمْنَا بِهَمَّيْنِ يُرْضِيكَ أَحَدُهُمَا عَنَّا ،

When we set out after two concerns, one of which makes Thee pleased with us

    وَ يُسْخِطُكَ الْآخَرُ عَلَيْنَا ،

and the other of which displeases Thee,

    فَمِلْ بِنَا إِلَى مَا يُرْضِيكَ عَنَّا ،

incline us toward that which makes Thee pleased

    وَ أَوْهِنْ قُوَّتَنَا عَمَّا يُسْخِطُكَ عَلَيْنَا

and weaken our strength in that which displeases Thee!

     وَ لَا تُخَلِّ فِي ذَلِكَ بَيْنَ نُفُوسِنَا وَ اخْتِيَارِهَا ،

Leave not our souls alone to choose in that,

    فَإِنَّهَا مُخْتَارَةٌ لِلْبَاطِلِ إِلَّا مَا وَفَّقْتَ ،

for they choose falsehood except inasmuch as Thou givest success,

    أَمَّارَةٌ بِالسُّوءِ إِلَّا مَا رَحِمْتَ

and they command to evil except inasmuch as Thou hast mercy!

    اللَّهُمَّ وَ إِنَّكَ مِنَ الضُّعْفِ خَلَقْتَنَا ،

O God, thou created us from frailty,

    وَ عَلَى الْوَهْنِ بَنَيْتَنَا ،

built us up from feebleness,

    وَ مِنْ مَاءٍ مَهِينٍ ابْتَدَأْتَنَا ،

and began us from a mean water;

    فَلَا حَوْلَ لَنَا إِلَّا بِقُوَّتِكَ ،

we have no force except through Thy strength

    وَ لَا قُوَّةَ لَنَا إِلَّا بِعَوْنِكَ

and no strength except through Thy help

     فَأَيِّدْنَا بِتَوْفِيقِكَ ، وَ سَدِّدْنَا بِتَسْدِيدِكَ ،

So confirm us by giving us success, point us the right way by Thy pointing,

    وَ أَعْمِ أَبْصَارَ قُلُوبِنَا عَمَّا خَالَفَ مَحَبَّتَكَ ،

blind the eyes of our hearts toward everything opposed to Thy love,

    وَ لَا تَجْعَلْ لِشَيْ‏ءٍ مِنْ جَوَارِحِنَا نُفُوذاً فِي مَعْصِيَتِكَ

and set not in any of our limbs passage to disobeying Thee!

     اللَّهُمَّ فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَ آلِهِ ،

O God, bless Muhammad and his Household

    وَ اجْعَلْ هَمَسَاتِ قُلُوبِنَا ،

and assign the whisperings of our hearts,

    وَ حَرَكَاتِ أَعْضَائِنَا وَ لَمَحَاتِ أَعْيُنِنَا ،

the movements of our members, the glances of our eyes,

    وَ لَهَجَاتِ أَلْسِنَتِنَا

and the idioms of our tongues,

    فِي مُوجِبَاتِ ثَوَابِكَ

to that which makes incumbent Thy reward,

    حَتَّى لَا تَفُوتَنَا حَسَنَةٌ نَسْتَحِقُّ بِهَا جَزَاءَكَ ،

lest a good deed slip by us, through which we might deserve Thy repayment,

    وَ لَا تَبْقَى لَنَا سَيِّئَةٌ نَسْتَوْجِبُ بِهَا عِقَابَكَ

or an evil deed remain with us, by which we might merit Thy punishment!