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Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §218

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 218 of 268.

Source (Persian)

و همچنين در لوح فؤاد و لوح پاريس و الواح اخری نازل شده انچه که هر صاحب انصافی شهادت ميدهد بر قدرت و عظمت و علم حقّ جلّ جلاله * اگر بعدل ملاحظه نمايند بر سرّ اين ايه مبارکه ﴿لَا رَطْبٍ وَ لَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِی کِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ﴾ اگاه ميشوند و ادراک مينمايند * و لکنّ اليوم منع النّاس اعراضهم عن ادراک ما نزّل بالحقّ من لدن منزل قديم * سبحان اللّه آيات باهرات از جميع جهات احاطه نموده مع ذلک اکثری از عباد از مشاهده و اگاهی ان محرومند * از حقّ ميطلبم توفيق عطا فرمايد تا جميع بر لالی مستوره در اصداف بحر اعظم اگاه شوند و به لک الحمد يا اله العالم ناطق گردند *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And likewise, in the Lawh-i-Fu'ad, and in the Tablet of the King of Paris (Napoleon III), and in other Tablets, there hath been revealed that which will lead every fair-minded person to testify unto the power, and the majesty, and the wisdom of God - exalted be His glory. Were men to observe with the eye of justice, they would be made aware of the secret of this blessed verse: "Neither is there a thing green or sere, but it is noted in a distinct writing," and would comprehend it. On this day, however, men's repudiation of the truth hath prevented them from understanding what hath been sent down in truth by Him Who is the Revealer, the Ancient of Days. Gracious God! Perspicuous signs have appeared on every side, and yet men are, for the most part, deprived of the privilege of beholding and of comprehending them. We beseech God to bestow His aid, that all men may recognize the pearls that lie hid within the shells of the Most Great Ocean, and exclaim: "Praised be Thou, O God of the world!"

Translation Notes

فؤاد
fʾád f-ʾ-d

literal: heart; hearts; hearts, souls

SE rendered همچنين (hmchnín)لوح (lúḥ)فؤاد (fʾád)لوح (lúḥ)پاريس (párís)الواح (al-wáḥ)اخری (ikhrí)نازل (názl) as “likewise, the Tablet, Paris, Tablets, other, revealed”

heart 75% mind 25%
اعراضهم
iʿráḍhm ʿ-r-ḍ

literal: turn away; turning away; objection

SE rendered لکنّ (lknn)اليوم (al-yúm)منع (mnʿ)النّاس (an-nás)اعراضهم (iʿráḍhm)ادراک (idrák)نزّل (nzzl)بالحقّ (bálḥqq) as “however, On this day, prevented, men's repudiation, understanding, sent down, in truth”

denials 25% belief 25% opposition 25% have 25%
اللّه
al-lh ʾ-l-h

literal: God; divine; god

SE rendered لدن (ldn)منزل (mnzl)قديم (qdím)سبحان (sbḥán)اللّه (al-lh)آيات (áyát)باهرات (báhrát)از (iz)جميع (jmíʿ)جهات (jhát) as “Who is, Revealer, the Ancient of Days, Gracious God, signs, Perspicuous, of, every, side”

god 67% divine 18% god’s 4% lord 4% divinity 3% holy 1% other 1% mystic 1% heavenly 1% godhead 0%
فرمايد
frmáyd f-r-m

literal: say; says

SE rendered از (iz)حقّ (ḥqq)ميطلبم (míṭlbm)توفيق (túfíq)عطا (ʿṭá)فرمايد (frmáyd)جميع (jmíʿ)بر (br)لالی (lálí)مستوره (mstúrh) as “of, God, beseech, aid, bestow, all men, pearls, lie hid”

saith 42% said 15% revealed 14% hath 11% spoken 4% recorded 4% may 3% conferreth 3% say 3% referred 3%
لک
lk l

literal: for; for you; for him

SE rendered اصداف (iṣdáf)بحر (bḥr)اعظم (iʿẓm)اگاه (igáh)شوند (shúnd)لک (lk)الحمد (al-ḥmd)اله (al-h)العالم (al-ʿálm)ناطق (náṭq)گردند (grdnd) as “shells, Ocean, Most Great, recognize, "Praised, God, of the world, exclaim, be Thou”

5 occurrences in corpus

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

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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