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Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §37

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 37 of 268.

Source (Persian)

و در ايّام توقّف در سجن ارض طا اگر چه نوم از زحمت سلاسل و روائح منتنه قليل بود و لکن بعضی از اوقات که دست ميداد احساس ميشد از جهت اعلای راس چيزی بر صدر ميريخت بمثابه رودخانه عظيمی که از قلّه جبل باذخ رفيعی بر ارض بريزد و بان جهت از جميع اعضاء اثار نار ظاهر و در ان حين لسان قرائت مينمود انچه را که بر اصغاء ان احدی قادر نه *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

During the days I lay in the prison of Ṭihrán, though the galling weight of the chains and the stench-filled air allowed Me but little sleep, still in those infrequent moments of slumber I felt as if something flowed from the crown of My head over My breast, even as a mighty torrent that precipitateth itself upon the earth from the summit of a lofty mountain. Every limb of My body would, as a result, be set afire. At such moments My tongue recited what no man could bear to hear.

Translation Notes

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

ايّام
y-w-m → “days”

literal: day; age; period; era; a day

توقّف
w-q-f → “hesitated”

literal: to stop; to halt; to pause; to hesitate

سجن
s-j-n → “prison”

literal: prison, imprisonment; to imprison

ارض
ʾ-r-ḍ → “of” Distinctive

literal: earth; land; ground; country

اگر
ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

چه
ch-h

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

نوم
n-w-m → “little sleep”

literal: to sleep; to slumber

از
ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

زحمت
z-ḥ-m → “labor”

literal: hardship; toil; labor; trouble; suffering

سلاسل
s-l-s-l → “chains”

literal: chain; links; succession

روائح
r-w-ḥ → “spirit” Distinctive

literal: narration; tradition; fragrance; to grow; to spring forth; to sprout

منتنه
n-t-n → “loathsome” Distinctive

literal: stinking, foul-smelling; stench

بود
b-w-d

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

لکن
l-k-n → “however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

بعضی
b-ʿ-ḍ → “some”

literal: part; some; portion

اوقات
w-q-t

literal: time; occasion; moment; period

که
k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

دست
d-s-t → “hand”

literal: hand; control, power, authority

ميداد
d-ʾ-d → “of equity” Distinctive

literal: give; grant; bestow; award

احساس
ḥ-s-s → “senses” Distinctive

literal: to feel; sensation; perception; feeling

ميشد
sh-d → “was” Distinctive

literal: become; to become; became

جهت
j-h-t

literal: direction; aspect; side; regard

اعلای
ʿ-l-w → “crown”

literal: highest; upon; exalted

راس
r-ʾ-s → “head”

literal: chief; leader; head; president; beginning

چيزی
ch-y-z → “something”

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

بر
b-r-r → “righteous” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

صدر
ṣ-d-r → “My breast”

literal: to issue, emanate, proceed; issued, emanating

ميريخت
r-y-z → “rot”

literal: to appear; to show; to display; to exhibit

بمثابه
m-th-l → “as if”

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

رودخانه
r-w-d → “desire” Distinctive

literal: to go; to come; to proceed

عظيمی
ʿ-ẓ-m → “mighty”

literal: strong; severe; intense; violent

قلّه
q-l-l → “less” Distinctive

literal: little; few; scanty; small in quantity

جبل
j-b-l → “lofty mountain”

literal: mountain; nature, constitution; to create, to form

باذخ
b-dh-kh

literal: magnificent; stately; sublime; lofty

رفيعی
r-f-ʿ

literal: to be raised, elevated, exalted, lifted up

بريزد
r-y-z → “precipitateth”

literal: to appear; to show; to display; to exhibit

بان
ʾ-n-n

literal: that; indeed; moment

جميع
j-m-ʿ → “Every”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

اعضاء
ʿ-ḍ-w → “limb of My body”

literal: limb; member; organ

اثار
ʾ-th-r

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint; sign; mark; vestige

نار
n-ʾ-r → “afire”

literal: light; illumination

ظاهر
ẓ-h-r → “Revelation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

ان
ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

حين
ḥ-y-n → “such moments”

literal: time; moment; while; season

لسان
l-s-n → “My tongue”

literal: tongue; language

قرائت
q-r-ʾ → “read”

literal: Qur’an; recitation

مينمود
n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

literal: do; show; make

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

اصغاء
ṣ-gh-w → “hear”

literal: to listen, hear; to give ear

احدی
ʾ-ḥ-d → “no man” Distinctive

literal: oneness; unity; absolute unicity; singleness of divine essence

قادر
q-d-r → “could”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

نه
n-h-y

literal: end; ended; utmost

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

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