Fire Tablet — §14

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 14 of 50.

Source (Arabic)

تَرَى مَشْرِقَ الآيَاتِ فِي سُبُحَاتِ الإِشْارَاتِ أَيْنَ إِصْبَعُ قُدْرَتِكَ يَا إِقْتِدَارَ العَالَمِيْنَ *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou seest the Dawning Place of Thy signs veiled by evil suggestions: Where are the fingers of Thy might, O Power of the worlds?

Translation Notes

تَرَى

tará r-ʾ-y → “thou seest”

literal: see; to see; see/behold

thou 53% seest 16% beholdest 12% behold 6% wert 2% regard 2% seest?” 2% discover 2% dost 2% art 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §213: see fire-tabletFire §26: seest gleaningsGWB §77: We point out prayers-and-meditationsP&M §62: beholdest all things the-hidden-wordsHW §62: thou mayest obtain will-and-testamentW&T §5: behold him epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §68: regard gleaningsGWB §359: judgment

مَشْرِقَ

mashriq sh-r-q → “dawning place” Distinctive

literal: shining; east; shine

This form usually rendered as “dayspring”, “dawning-place”, “shining” (140 occurrences)

dayspring 41% dawning-place 15% shining 14% shineth 11% east 6% shine 4% shone 2% horizon 2% realms 2% source 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §47: fourth Ishraq fire-tabletFire §14: Dawning Place gleaningsGWB §191: premature birth kitab-i-iqanKIQ §57: the East prayers-and-meditationsP&M §108: Thou didst shed tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §27: Flooding the-hidden-wordsHW §103: realms epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §130: the dawn

الآيَاتِ

al-áyát ʾ-y-y → “signs”

literal: sign; signs; verse

signs 56% verses 31% words 3% manifold 2% sign 2% testimonies 2% manifest 2% word 2% reveal 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §232: by His verses fire-tabletFire §26: utterance gleaningsGWB §135: the signs and tokens kitab-i-iqanKIQ §186: the verse itself prayers-and-meditationsP&M §638: in Thy tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §7: by what will-and-testamentW&T §6: by the holy verse epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §218: verse

سُبُحَاتِ

subuḥát s-b-ḥ → “glorified” Distinctive

literal: glory; glory, praise; glory/praise

This form usually rendered as “veils”, ““veils”, “mists” (17 occurrences)

veils 38% “veils 25% mists 6% impediments 6% clouds 6% beneath 6% grievous 6% veil 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: celebrateth gleaningsGWB §13: celebration kitab-i-iqanKIQ §149: celebrate prayers-and-meditationsP&M §137: Glorified, immeasurably glorified tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §11: my Lord the-hidden-wordsHW §89: from on high epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §265: \‘Glorified gleaningsGWB §112: Glory be to Thee

الإِشْارَاتِ

ash-shárát sh-y-r

literal: allusion; allusions

SE rendered الآيَاتِ (al-áyát), سُبُحَاتِ (subuḥát), الإِشْارَاتِ (ash-shárát), إِصْبَعُ (ʾiṣbaʿ), قُدْرَتِكَ (qudratik) as “signs, veiled by evil suggestions, fingers, might”

suggestions 20% allusions 13% hints 13% evil 13% vain 7% blasphemous 7% implications 7% references 7% strivings 7% doubt 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §205: the description gleaningsGWB §635: vain allusions kitab-i-iqanKIQ §27: implications prayers-and-meditationsP&M §676: suggestions the-hidden-wordsHW §104: milk gleaningsGWB §3: hint kitab-i-iqanKIQ §283: references prayers-and-meditationsP&M §303: the suggestions

إِصْبَعُ

ʾiṣbaʿ ṣ-b-ʿ → “fingers”

literal: finger; fingers

finger 71% whose 14% pen 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §244: finger gleaningsGWB §415: the finger kitab-i-iqanKIQ §175: fingers prayers-and-meditationsP&M §790: Whose finger the-hidden-wordsHW §129: pen gleaningsGWB §283: as the fingers prayers-and-meditationsP&M §438: the fingers

قُدْرَتِكَ

qudratik q-d-r → “might”

literal: power; powerful

power 45% might 30% strength 7% almighty 7% through 4% authority 3% transcendent 1% all-conquering 1% omnipotent 1% sovereign 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §174: many fire-tabletFire §48: Ordainer gleaningsGWB §377: rank and station kitab-i-ahdAhd §2: measure kitab-i-iqanKIQ §85: Little perception prayers-and-meditationsP&M §601: the power of Thy tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §3: the Powerful tablet-of-carmelCarmel §5: of His might

العَالَمِيْنَ

al-ʿálamín ʿ-l-m → “the worlds”

literal: world; worlds

worlds 53% all 31% world 5% whole 3% earth 2% men 2% creation 2% entire 1% people 1% peoples 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §201: teaching fire-tabletFire §13: ensigns gleaningsGWB §20: well imagined kitab-i-iqanKIQ §203: science prayers-and-meditationsP&M §298: recognize tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §17: of all the worlds tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §13: we have taught thee the-hidden-wordsHW §57: is My knowledge

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf cover

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶

Gleanings cover

Gleanings

Bahá’u’lláh

A compilation of 166 selections from Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablets, spanning the Baghdad, Adrianople, and ‘Akká periods (1853–1892). George Townshend assisted with English refinement. Shoghi Effendi wrote that it gives the friends a splendid opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of the Faith.

729 ¶

Kitáb-i-'Ahd cover

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán cover

Kitáb-i-Íqán

Bahá’u’lláh

The principal doctrinal work of the Faith, revealed in Baghdad within the space of two days and two nights in response to questions from the Báb’s maternal uncle. Shoghi Effendi described it as occupying a position unequalled by any work except the Kitáb-i-Aqdas — a model of Persian prose, at once original, chaste, vigorous, and remarkably lucid.

291 ¶

Prayers and Meditations cover

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

Published in 1938, this companion volume to Gleanings contains 184 prayers and meditations selected by Shoghi Effendi from Bahá’u’lláh’s devotional writings revealed across successive exiles from Baghdad to ‘Akká. Shoghi Effendi described it as a volume whose perusal would deepen the spirit of devotion and faith.

858 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad cover

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in Adrianople and addressed to a believer named Aḥmad, this Tablet has been invested by Bahá’u’lláh with a special potency and significance. Its central imagery draws on the metaphor of fire and water: “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones.”

17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel cover

Tablet of Carmel

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed during a visit to Mount Carmel, this Tablet addresses the mountain directly and prophesies its future as the world spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi designated it one of three foundational Charters. Its imagery of the Ark and the dwellers therein prefigures the Universal House of Justice.

5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner cover

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words cover

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

160 ¶

Will and Testament cover

Will and Testament

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in three parts between 1901 and 1908, opened and read after His passing on 28 November 1921. Shoghi Effendi designated it the Charter of the New World Order — the mightiest instrument forged to ensure the continuity of the three ages of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

59 ¶