Gleanings — §138

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 138 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

ولکن قدّرنا ظهور الکلمة وما قدّر فیها بین العباد علی مقادیر الّتي قدّرت من لدن علیم حکیم وجعلنا حجاب وجهها نفسها وکذلک کنّا قادرین وأنّها لو تتجلّی علی العباد بما فیها لن یحملنّها أحد بل یفرّنّ عنها کلّ من في السّموات والأرضین فانظر إلی ما نزّل

Shoghi Effendi Translation

It hath been decreed by Us that the Word of God and all the potentialities thereof shall be manifested unto men in strict conformity with such conditions as have been foreordained by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. We have, moreover, ordained that its veil of concealment be none other except its own Self. Such indeed is Our Power to achieve Our Purpose. Should the Word be allowed to release suddenly all the energies latent within it, no man could sustain the weight of so mighty a Revelation. Nay, all that is in heaven and on earth would flee in consternation before it.

Translation Notes

ولکن

l-k-n → “however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

قدّرنا

q-d-r → “hath been decreed”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

ظهور

ẓ-h-r → “manifested” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

الکلمة

k-l-m → “Word”

literal: words; utterances; locutions

فیها

f-y → “in”

literal: in it; in them

بین

b-y-n

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

العباد

ʿ-b-d → “men”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

علی

ʿ-l-w → “in strict conformity with” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

الّتي

ʾ-l-l

literal: who; which/that; which

من

m-n → “by Him Who is” Distinctive

literal: from; out of; than (preposition and particle)

لدن

l-d-n → “by”

literal: from; on the part of; from before; near

علیم

ʿ-l-m → “All-Knowing”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

حکیم

ḥ-k-m → “All-Wise”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

وجعلنا

j-ʿ-l → “have, moreover, ordained”

literal: to make; to cause; to render; to appoint

حجاب

ḥ-j-b → “veil”

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

وجهها

w-j-h

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

نفسها

n-f-s → “its own Self”

literal: soul; self; person; essence

وکذلک

k-dh-l → “Thus”

literal: that; thus; likewise

کنّا

k-w-n

literal: to be; existence

وأنّها

ʾ-n-n → “that” Distinctive

literal: it is; that it is

لو

l-w → “If”

literal: if; would that; O that

تتجلّی

j-l-y → “revelation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; manifestations; manifestation, revelation

بما

m-ʾ → “that” Distinctive

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

لن

l-n → “no” Distinctive

literal: will not (negation of future)

یحملنّها

ḥ-m-l → “sustain”

literal: to bear; to endure; to carry; to tolerate

أحد

ʾ-ḥ-d → “none”

literal: Divine unity; monotheism; belief in the oneness of God

بل

b-l → “Nay”

literal: rather; but; rather/nay

یفرّنّ

f-r-r → “flee”

literal: to flee, escape, run away

عنها

ʿ-n-n → “of”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

کلّ

k-l-l → “all that”

literal: for us; to us

السّموات

s-m-w → “heaven”

literal: heaven; sky

والأرضین

ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

فانظر

n-ẓ-r

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

إلی

ʾ-l-y

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

نزّل

n-z-l

literal: to descend, to be revealed

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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59 ¶