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Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §153

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 153 of 268.

Source (Persian)

يا شيخ از حقّ بطلب آذان و ابصار و افئده عالم را مقدّس فرمايد و از هوای نفس حفظ نمايد چه که غرض مرضيست بزرگ انسانرا از عرفان حضرت موجود محروم مينمايد و از تجلّيات انوار نيّر ايقان ممنوع ميسازد * از فضل و رحمت الهی سائل و امل که اين مانع اکبر را از ميان بردارد * انّه هو القویّ الغالب القدير *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

O Shaykh! Entreat thou the one true God to sanctify the ears, and the eyes, and the hearts of mankind, and to protect them from the desires of a corrupt inclination. For malice is a grievous malady which depriveth man from recognizing the Great Being, and debarreth him from the splendors of the sun of certitude. We pray and hope that through the grace and mercy of God He may remove this mighty obstacle. He, verily, is the Potent, the All-Subduing, the Almighty.

Translation Notes

يا
y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

شيخ
sh-y-kh → “Shaykh”

literal: elder; elder/shaykh; sheikh

از
ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

حقّ
ḥ-q-q → “one true God”

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

بطلب
ṭ-l-b → “theme” Distinctive

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

آذان
ʾ-dh-n → “ears”

literal: ear; permission; leave; to permit; to allow; to listen

ابصار
b-ṣ-r → “eyes”

literal: sight; insight; eyes

افئده
f-ʾ-d → “hearts”

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

عالم
ʿ-l-m → “mankind” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

مقدّس
q-d-s → “sanctify” Distinctive

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

فرمايد
f-r-m → “to” Distinctive

literal: to say; to decree; to ordain; to command

هوای
h-w-y → “desires”

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

نفس
n-f-s → “corrupt inclination” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

حفظ
ḥ-f-ẓ → “protect”

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

نمايد
n-m-ʾ → “to”

literal: to show, display, exhibit; to grow, develop

چه
ch-h → “For”

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

که
k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

غرض
gh-r-ḍ → “malice”

literal: purpose, aim, malice, spite

مرضيست
m-r-ḍ → “ills” Distinctive

literal: illness, disease; sickness

بزرگ
b-z-r-g

literal: great; large; important; grandeur

انسانرا
ʾ-n-s → “man”

literal: familiar; intimate; companionship; to be acquainted with; companion; intimate friend; to be intimate with; to keep company; to console

عرفان
ʿ-r-f → “recognizing” Distinctive

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

حضرت
ḥ-ḍ-r → “Great” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

موجود
w-j-d → “Being”

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

محروم
ḥ-r-m → “depriveth”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

تجلّيات
j-l-w → “revelation” Distinctive

literal: effulgence; manifestation; revelation

نيّر
n-w-r → “sun”

literal: type; kind; species

ايقان
y-q-n → “certitude”

literal: certainty; certitude; conviction; faith

ممنوع
m-n-ʿ → “debarreth”

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

ميسازد
s-ʾ-z

literal: well-being, happiness, prosperity, tranquility, ease, comfort

فضل
f-ḍ-l → “grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

رحمت
r-ḥ-m → “mercy”

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

الهی
ʾ-l-h → “God”

literal: God; Allah; deity; Divinity; divine nature; godhood

سائل
s-ʾ-l → “I implore Thee” Distinctive

literal: question; problem; issue; matter; asking; petition; request

امل
ʾ-m-l → “desire”

literal: hope; expectation; aspiration; desire; wish; to hope; to wish

اين
ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

اکبر
k-b-r → “mighty” Distinctive

literal: liver; soul; essence

ميان
m-y-n

literal: between; among; amid; in the midst of

بردارد
b-r-d → “brother” Distinctive

literal: brother

انّه
ʾ-n-n → “verily” Distinctive

literal: I, verily; behold I

هو
h-w → “He”

literal: He; He is

القویّ
q-w-y → “power”

literal: strength; power; might

الغالب
gh-l-b → “All-Subduing”

literal: to overcome, overpower, vanquish, prevail

القدير
q-d-r → “Almighty”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

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