Original Poem in Arabic
إِلى كَم أَنتَ في بَحرِ الخَطايا
تُبارِزُ مَن يَراكَ وَلا تَراهُ
وَسَمتُكَ سمَتٌ ذي وَرَعٍ وَدينٍ
وَفِعلُكَ فِعلُ مُتَّبَعٍ هَواهُ
فَيا مَن باتَ يَخلو بِالمَعاصي
وَعَينُ اللَهِ شاهِدَةٌ تَراهُ
أَتَطمَعُ أَن تَنالَ العَفوَ مِمَّن
عَصَيتَ وَأَنتَ لم تَطلُب رِضاهُ
أَتَفرَحُ بِالذُنوبِ وبالخطايا
وَتَنساهُ وَلا أَحَدٌ سِواهُ
فَتُب قَبلَ المَماتِ وَقَبلَ يَومٍ
يُلاقي العَبدُ ما كَسَبَت يَداهُ
Translation
How long will you drift in the sea of sins,
Dueling One who sees you, though you see Him not?
Your appearance is that of a devout and pious soul,
Yet your deeds follow the whims of desire.
O you who spends the night secluded in disobedience,
While God's eye watches over you, seeing all!
Do you hope to gain pardon from the One you defied,
Though you never sought His favor or grace?
Do you revel in sins and transgressions,
Forgetting Him, though none exists but Him?
Repent before death and before the day comes,
When each servant faces what their hands have earned.
