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Gleanings — §110

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 110 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

نبيا و اصفيا و اوليای الهی را استماع نمودی تفکّر نما که سبب چه بود و علّت چه در هيچ عهد و عصری انبياء از شماتت اعداء و ظلم اشقياء و اعراض علماء که در لباس زهد و تقوی ظاهر بودند آسودگی نيافتند در ليالی و ايّام ببلايائی مبتلا بودند که جز علم حق جلّ جلاله احصا ننموده و نخواهد نمود حال در اين مظلوم ملاحظه کن مع آنکه بآيات بيّنات ظاهر شده و آنچه در ارض

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou hast known how grievously the Prophets of God, His Messengers and Chosen Ones, have been afflicted. Meditate awhile on the motive and reason which have been responsible for such a persecution. At no time, in no Dispensation, have the Prophets of God escaped the blasphemy of their enemies, the cruelty of their oppressors, the denunciation of the learned of their age, who appeared in the guise of uprightness and piety. Day and night they passed through such agonies as none can ever measure, except the knowledge of the one true God, exalted be His glory.

Translation Notes

نبيا
n-b-ʾ → “Prophets”

literal: prophet; prophets

اصفيا
ṣ-f-w → “Thy chosen ones”

literal: pure one; chosen one; selected one; elite; purity; clarity; sincerity; pure; sincere

اوليای
w-l-y → “Chosen Ones”

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally; lord; helper; first; primary; original

الهی
ʾ-l-h → “of God”

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

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

استماع
s-m-ʿ → “heard” Distinctive

literal: heard, hearkened to, acceptable, worthy of attention

نمودی
n-m-ود → “hath” Distinctive

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

تفکّر
f-k-r → “Meditate”

literal: thoughts; ideas; fancies; opinions; to think; to reflect; to contemplate

که
k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

سبب
s-b-b → “motive” Distinctive

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

چه
ch-h

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

بود
b-w-d → “have been responsible” Distinctive

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

علّت
ʿ-l-l → “cause”

literal: for us; to us

در
d-r-r → “At” Distinctive

literal: in; in, at; radiant

هيچ
h-y-ch → “no”

literal: nothing; any; not a single

عهد
ʿ-h-d → “Dispensation”

literal: covenant; testament; promise; command

عصری
ʿ-ṣ-r → “time”

literal: age; era; century; period of time

انبياء
n-b-ʾ → “Prophets”

literal: prophet; prophets

از
ʾ-z

literal: from

شماتت
sh-m-t → “censure”

literal: malice, spite, gloating over another’s misfortune; mockery

اعداء
ʿ-d-w → “their enemies”

literal: when; if; whenever; at that time

ظلم
ẓ-l-m → “cruelty”

literal: wrongedness, oppression, meekness; state of being wronged or oppressed

اشقياء
sh-q-y → “wicked doers”

literal: wretched ones; the miserable; the wicked

اعراض
ʿ-r-ḍ → “turned away”

literal: to turn away; to avert; to abstain; heedless

علماء
ʿ-l-m → “learned”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

لباس
l-b-s → “garb”

literal: garment; clothing; raiment; vesture

زهد
z-h-d → “most righteous” Distinctive

literal: to renounce; to abstain; to have no taste for

تقوی
w-q-y → “Fear”

literal: to protect, safeguard, shield

ظاهر
ẓ-h-r → “appeared”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

آسودگی
ʾ-s-w

literal: blackened; dark; tranquil; at peace; undisturbed

نيافتند
y-ʾ-f

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

ليالی
l-ʾ-l → “pearls”

literal: night; darkness

ايّام
y-w-m → “Day”

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

ببلايائی
b-l-w → “tribulations” Distinctive

literal: affliction; trial; calamity

جز
j-z → “apart from”

literal: except

حق
ḥ-q-q → “one true” Distinctive

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

جلّ
j-l-l → “exalted”

literal: majesty; glory; exaltation; magnificence

احصا
ḥ-ṣ-y

literal: counted; enumeration; enumeration/counting

ننموده
n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

literal: to do, act, make; deed, action

نخواهد
kh-w-h

literal: will; to wish; to want

حال
ḥ-w-l

literal: state; condition; circumstance

اين
ʾ-y-n

literal: this; these

ملاحظه
l-ḥ-ẓ

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

کن
k-w-n

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

مع
m-ʿ

literal: with; together with; alongside

آنکه
ʾ-n

literal: that; indeed; that, to

بآيات
ʾ-y-y

literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof; sign, verse, miracle, token, indication; ayah; he; him; it

بيّنات
b-y-n

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident

شده
sh-d

literal: to become; to be

ارض
ʾ-r-ḍ

literal: earth; land; ground; country

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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