Supplication in Fleeing to God (28)

وَ كَانَ مِنْ دُعَائِهِ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ مُتَفَزِّعاً إِلَى اللَّهِ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ
His Supplication in Fleeing to God
Translated by William Chittick

اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَخْلَصْتُ بِانْقِطَاعِي إِلَيْكَ

O God, I showed sincerity by cutting myself off from everything but Thee.

وَ أَقْبَلْتُ بِكُلِّي عَلَيْكَ

I approached Thee with my whole self.

وَ صَرَفْتُ وَجْهِي عَمَّنْ يَحْتَاجُ إِلَى رِفْدِكَ

I averted my face from everyone who needs Thy support.

وَ قَلَبْتُ مَسْأَلَتِي عَمَّنْ لَمْ يَسْتَغْنِ عَنْ فَضْلِكَ

I ceased to ask from any who cannot do without Thy bounty.

وَ رَأَيْتُ أَنَّ طَلَبَ الْمُحْتَاجِ إِلَى الْمُحْتَاجِ

I saw that the needy who seeks from the needy

سَفَهٌ مِنْ رَأْيِهِ وَ ضَلَّةٌ مِنْ عَقْلِهِ .

is foolish in his opinion, and misguided in his intellect.

فَكَمْ قَدْ رَأَيْتُ يَا إِلَهِي مِنْ أُنَاسٍ

How many people have I seen, my God,

طَلَبُوا الْعِزَّ بِغَيْرِكَ فَذَلُّوا ،

who sought exaltation through other than Thee and were abased,

وَ رَامُوا الثَّرْوَةَ مِنْ سِوَاكَ فَافْتَقَرُوا ،

who wanted wealth from someone else and became poor,

وَ حَاوَلُوا الِارْتِفَاعَ فَاتَّضَعُوا ،

who tried to rise high and fell down low!

فَصَحَّ بِمُعَايَنَةِ أَمْثَالِهِمْ حَازِمٌ

Observing the likes of them corrects a prudent man;

وَفَّقَهُ اعْتِبَارُهُ ،

his taking heed gives him success;

وَ أَرْشَدَهُ إِلَى طَرِيقِ صَوَابِهِ اخْتِيَارُهُ .

his choosing the best guides him to the path of right.

فَأَنْتَ يَا مَوْلَايَ

So Thou, my Master,

دُونَ كُلِّ مَسْئُولٍ مَوْضِعُ مَسْأَلَتِي ،

art the object of my asking to the exclusion of all those who are asked

وَ دُونَ كُلِّ مَطْلُوبٍ إِلَيْهِ وَلِيُّ حَاجَتِي

and the patron of my need to the exclusion of all those from whom requests are made.

أَنْتَ الْمَخْصُوصُ قَبْلَ كُلِّ مَدْعُوٍّ بِدَعْوَتِي ،

Thou art singled out for my call before all who are called;

لَا يَشْرَكُكَ أَحَدٌ فِي رَجَائِي ،

none is associated with Thee in my hope,

وَ لَا يَتَّفِقُ أَحَدٌ مَعَكَ فِي دُعَائِي ،

none comes along with Thee in my supplication,

وَ لَا يَنْظِمُهُ وَ إِيَّاكَ نِدَائِي

nor does any join with Thee within it, for to Thee is my appeal.

لَكَ يَا إِلَهِي وَحْدَانِيَّةُ الْعَدَدِ ،

To Thee, my God, belongs the Unity of number,

وَ مَلَكَةُ الْقُدْرَةِ الصَّمَدِ ،

the property of eternal power,

وَ فَضِيلَةُ الْحَوْلِ وَ الْقُوَّةِ ،

the excellence of force and strength,

وَ دَرَجَةُ الْعُلُوِّ وَ الرِّفْعَةِ .

the degree of sublimity and elevation.

وَ مَنْ سِوَاكَ مَرْحُومٌ فِي عُمُرِهِ ،

Everyone other than Thee is the object of compassion in his lifetime,

مَغْلُوبٌ عَلَى أَمْرِهِ ،

overcome in his affair,

مَقْهُورٌ عَلَى شَأْنِهِ ،

overwhelmed in his situation,

مُخْتَلِفُ الْحَالَاتِ ، مُتَنَقِّلٌ فِي الصِّفَاتِ

diverse in states, constantly changing in attributes.

فَتَعَالَيْتَ عَنِ الْأَشْبَاهِ وَ الْأَضْدَادِ ،

So Thou art high exalted above likenesses and opposites,

وَ تَكَبَّرْتَ عَنِ الْأَمْثَالِ وَ الْأَنْدَادِ ،

proudly magnified beyond similitudes and rivals!

فَسُبْحَانَكَ لَا إِلَهَ إِلَّا أَنْتَ .

Glory be to Thee!  There is no God but Thou.