Sahifa Sajjadiyya 38: In Asking Pardon

أَللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعْتَذِرُ إِلَيْكَ

Allāhumma innī aʿtaẓiru ilayka

O Allah, I apologize to You

مِنْ مَظْلُومٍ ظُلِمَ بِحَضْرَتِي فَلَمْ أَنْصُرْهُ

Min maẓlūmin ẓulima bi-ḥaḍratī fa-lam anṣuruh

From an oppressed person who was wronged in my presence, yet I did not aid him

وَمِنْ مَعْرُوفٍ أُسْدِيَ إِلَيَّ فَلَمْ أَشْكُرْهُ

Wa min maʿrūfin usdīya ilayya fa-lam ashkurhu

And from a favor that was given to me, but I did not thank for it

وَمِنْ مُسِيءٍ اعْتَذَرَ إِلَيَّ فَلَمْ أَعْذِرْهُ

Wa min musī'in iʿtadhara ilayya fa-lam aʿdhirhu

And from a wrongdoer who apologized to me, yet I did not forgive him

وَمِنْ ذِيْ فَاقَةٍ سَأَلَنِي فَلَمْ أُوثِرْهُ

Wa min dhī fāqatin saʾalanī fa-lam ūthirhu

And from one in need who asked me, but I did not prefer him

وَمِنْ حَقِّ ذِيْ حَقٍّ لَزِمَنِي لِمُؤْمِنٍ فَلَمْ أُوَفِّرْهُ

Wa min haqqi dhī ḥaqqin lazimani limuʾminin fa-lam uwaffirhu

And from the right due to a believer that was my duty, but I did not fulfill it

وَمِنْ عَيْبِ مُؤْمِنٍ ظَهَرَ لِي فَلَمْ أَسْتُرْهُ

Wa min ʿaybi muʾminin ẓahara lī fa-lam asturuh

And from a fault of a believer that appeared to me, yet I did not conceal it

وَمِنْ كُلِّ إِثْمٍ عَرَضَ لِي فَلَمْ أَهْجُرْهُ

Wa min kulli ithmin ʿaraḍa lī fa-lam ahjurhu

And from every sin that came my way, but I did not abandon it

أَعْتَذِرُ إِلَيْكَ يَا إِلَهِي مِنْهُنَّ

Aʿtaẓiru ilayka yā Ilāhī minhunna

I apologize to You, my God, for these

وَمِنْ نَظَائِرِهِنَّ اعْتِذَارَ نَدَامَةٍ

Wa min naẓāʾirihinna iʿtidhāra nadāmah

And from their similar actions, a regretful apology

يَكُونُ وَاعِظاً لِمَا بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ مِنْ أَشْبَاهِهِنَّ

Yakūnu wāʿiẓan limā bayna yadayya min ashbāhihinna

So that it may be a lesson for what lies ahead among their likes

فَصَلِّ عَلَى مُحَمَّدٍ وَآلِهِ

Faṣalli ʿalā Muḥammad wa ālihi

So send blessings on Muhammad and his family

وَاجْعَلْ نَدَامَتِي عَلَى مَا وَقَعْتُ فِيهِ مِنَ الزَّلَّاتِ

Wa-jʿal nadāmatī ʿalā mā waqaʿtu fīhi mina az-zallāt

And make my regret for the slips I fell into

وَعَزْمِي عَلَى تَرْكِ مَا يَعْرِضُ لِي مِنَ السَّيِّئَاتِ

Wa-ʿazmī ʿalā tarki mā yaʿriḍu lī min as-sayyiʾāt

And my resolution to avoid the misdeeds that may come before me

تَوْبَةً تُوجِبُ لِي مَحَبَّتَكَ

Tawbatan tujibu lī maḥabbatak

A repentance that makes me deserving of Your love

يَا مُحِبَّ التَّوَّابِينَ

Yā muḥibba at-tawwābīn

O Lover of those who repent