Skip to main content

Gleanings — §146

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 146 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

باز در چگونگی کیشها نگارش رفته بود خردمندان گیتی را چون کالبد مردمان دانسته‌اند چنانکه او را پوشش باید کالبد گیتی را هم پوشش داد و دانش شاید پس کیش یزدان جامهٴ اوست هرگاه کهنه شود بجامهٴ تازه او را بیاراید هر گاهی را روش جداگانه سزاوار همیشه کیش یزدانی بآنچه شایستهٴ آنروز است هویدا و آشکار دیگر در گفته‌های آیین‌داران گذشته نگاشته بودند

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And now concerning thy question regarding the nature of religion. Know thou that they who are truly wise have likened the world unto the human temple. As the body of man needeth a garment to clothe it, so the body of mankind must needs be adorned with the mantle of justice and wisdom. Its robe is the Revelation vouchsafed unto it by God. Whenever this robe hath fulfilled its purpose, the Almighty will assuredly renew it. For every age requireth a fresh measure of the light of God. Every Divine Revelation hath been sent down in a manner that befitted the circumstances of the age in which it hath appeared.

Translation Notes

باز
b-ʾ-z → “whence”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

چگونگی
ch-g-n → “how”

literal: how; in what manner

نگارش
n-g-ʾ-r → “question”

literal: to deem; to regard; to consider; to hold

رفته
r-f-t

literal: to go; to pass; to have gone

خردمندان
kh-r-d → “purchased” Distinctive

literal: smallness, littleness, minuteness; childhood

گیتی
g-y-t-y → “world”

literal: world; earthly; terrestrial

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

چون
ch-w-n

literal: since; when; as

کالبد
k-l-b-d → “human temple”

literal: body; corporeal form; structure

مردمان
m-r-d → “man”

literal: rebellion; mutiny; revolt

دانسته‌اند
d-ʾ-n → “considered”

literal: this world; earthly life; temporal realm; lowest; base; mean; of little account; to know; to be acquainted with

او
h-w-w → “is”

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

پوشش
p-w-sh → “clothed it with the mantle”

literal: hidden, concealed, covered

باید
b-y-d → “must”

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

هم
h-m-m

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

داد
d-ʾ-d → “of equity”

literal: to give; to grant; to present; justice; judgment; to see; sight; eye; seen

دانش
d-n-sh → “knowledge”

literal: to know; to understand

پس
p-s → “From”

literal: then; then, therefore; therefore

کیش
k-y-sh → “Prophets”

literal: would that; O that; if only

یزدان
y-z-d → “Divine”

literal: God, the Almighty (Persian term)

جامهٴ
j-ʾ-m-h → “garment”

literal: cup; chalice; garment

اوست
h-s-t → “it”

literal: is; be; are

کهنه
k-h-n → “soothsayers”

literal: poor; needy; the poor one; pauper

شود
sh-w-d

literal: to come; to go; to arrive; came

تازه
t-ʾ-z → “fresh measure”

literal: fresh; new; renewed

بیاراید
ʾ-r-ʾ → “adorned”

literal: high; exalted; upper; to adorn; to arrange; to prepare; banners; standards

هر
h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

گاهی
g-ʾ-h → “At one time”

literal: sometimes; at times; occasionally

روش
r-w-sh → “light” Distinctive

literal: light; illumination; brilliance; clarity

جداگانه
j-d-ʾ

literal: new, novel, renewed; novelty, innovation

سزاوار
s-z-w → “beseemeth”

literal: worthy; fitting; deserving; appropriate; suitable

همیشه
h-m-sh

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

بآنچه
b-ch-h → “that”

literal: building, structure, edifice; to build, construct; structure, edifice

شایستهٴ
sh-y-d → “haply” Distinctive

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

آنروز
r-w-z → “day” Distinctive

literal: day; today; that-day

هویدا
h-w-y

literal: cradle; bed; couch; resting place

آشکار
sh-k-r

literal: manifest; evident; apparent; clear

دیگر
d-g-r

literal: home; place; land; abode

گفته‌های
g-f-t

literal: say; to say; said

گذشته
g-dh-r

literal: to leave; to pass; to abandon

نگاشته
n-g-sh

literal: to write; to compose; to set down

بودند
b-w-d → “are” Distinctive

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

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 ¶
Fire Tablet cover

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 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 ¶