Gleanings — §121

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 121 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

انتاب در مرایا و مجالی که از زنگ و غبار شئونات بشری تیره و مظلم گشته مخفی و مهجور است حال این شمع و سراج را افروزنده‌ئی باید و این مرایا و مجالی را صیقل‌دهنده‌ئی شاید و واضح است که تا ناری مشتعل ظاهر نشود هرگز سراج نیفروزد و تا آیینه از زنگ و غبار ممتاز نگردد صورت و مثال و تجلّی و اشراق شمس بی‌امس در او منطبع نشود و چون مابین خلق

Shoghi Effendi Translation

These energies with which the Daystar of Divine bounty and Source of heavenly guidance hath endowed the reality of man lie, however, latent within him, even as the flame is hidden within the candle and the rays of light are potentially present in the lamp. The radiance of these energies may be obscured by worldly desires even as the light of the sun can be concealed beneath the dust and dross which cover the mirror. Neither the candle nor the lamp can be lighted through their own unaided efforts, nor can it ever be possible for the mirror to free itself from its dross. It is clear and evident that until a fire is kindled the lamp will never be ignited, and unless the dross is blotted out from the face of the mirror it can never represent the image of the sun nor reflect its light and glory.

Translation Notes

انتاب

n-w-b → “repent” Distinctive

literal: deputy; representative; vicegerent; substitute

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مرایا

r-ʾ-y → “mirror”

literal: to guard, watch over, regard, heed, respect, maintain

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

از

ʾ-z

literal: from

زنگ

z-n-g → “dross”

literal: chain; bonds

غبار

gh-b-r → “dust”

literal: dust; particles

شئونات

sh-ʾ-n → “in such wise” Distinctive

literal: affair; concern; matter; aspect; quality; state; affairs; matters; conditions; circumstances; affair, matter, station, rank, dignity; station; rank; importance; matter, affair, concern, dignity, rank

بشری

b-sh-r → “of man” Distinctive

literal: human; mankind; human nature

تیره

t-y-r → “obscured”

literal: arrow; dark; gloomy

مظلم

ẓ-l-m

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

گشته

g-sh-t

literal: become; became; to become

مخفی

kh-f-y → “conceal” Distinctive

literal: hiddenness, concealment, obscurity

مهجور

h-j-r

literal: to emigrate, migrate, forsake; migration, emigration

است

b-w-d

literal: to be; are (third person plural present copula)

حال

ḥ-w-l

literal: state; condition; circumstance

این

ʾ-y-n

literal: this; these

شمع

sh-m-ʿ → “candle”

literal: candle, lamp, light

سراج

s-r-j → “lamp”

literal: lamp; light; illuminator

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

باید

b-y-d

literal: by hand; with hands; eternal; perpetual; everlasting

صیقل‌دهنده‌ئی

ṣ-q-l → “itself”

literal: polisher, burnisher; one who polishes or clarifies

شاید

sh-y-d

literal: perhaps, perchance, haply, maybe, possibly; to become; to be; to happen; to occur

واضح

w-ḍ-ḥ → “clear”

literal: clear; evident; manifest; obvious

تا

t-y-y

literal: so that/until

ناری

n-ʾ-r → “fire”

literal: light; illumination

مشتعل

sh-ʿ-l → “kindled”

literal: to burn; to be inflamed; to kindle; burning; blazing

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

نشود

sh-w-d

literal: to not become; to not be

هرگز

h-r-g → “never”

literal: never; at no time; never ever

نیفروزد

f-r-w → “ignited”

literal: to kindle, to light, to inflame

آیینه

ʾ-y-n → “mirror”

literal: this; these

ممتاز

m-y-z → “distinguish”

literal: distinguished; excellent; outstanding

نگردد

g-r-d

literal: not to become; to not turn; to remain unchanged

صورت

ṣ-w-r → “trumpet-call” Distinctive

literal: to imagine; to conceive; to suppose

مثال

m-th-l

literal: weight; heavy; weighty testimony

تجلّی

j-l-w → “revelation”

literal: manifestations; splendors; display; mirrors

اشراق

sh-r-q → “light” Distinctive

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

شمس

sh-m-s → “sun”

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

بی‌امس

ʾ-m-s

literal: yesterday

او

h-w-w

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

منطبع

ṭ-b-ʿ → “stamped”

literal: nature; disposition; to seal; to imprint

چون

ch-w-n

literal: since; when; as

مابین

b-y-n

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

خلق

kh-l-q

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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 ¶

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘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 ¶