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Gleanings — §17

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 17 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

در سبيل او و خضوع و خشوع در حبّ او مرزوق شويد از خود بگذريد و در سايرين نگريد منتهای جهد را در تربيت ناس مبذول داريد امری از حق پوشيده نبوده و نيست اگر برضای حق حرکت نمايند بفيوضات لا تتناهی فائز خواهند شد اينست کتاب مبين که از قلم أمر ربّ العالمين جاری و ظاهر شد تفکّروا فيما نزّل فيه و کونوا من العالمين ...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Beseech ye the one true God to grant that ye may taste the savor of such deeds as are performed in His path, and partake of the sweetness of such humility and submissiveness as are shown for His sake. Forget your own selves, and turn your eyes towards your neighbor. Bend your energies to whatever may foster the education of men. Nothing is, or can ever be, hidden from God. If ye follow in His way, His incalculable and imperishable blessings will be showered upon you. This is the luminous Tablet, whose verses have streamed from the moving Pen of Him Who is the Lord of all worlds. Ponder it in your hearts, and be ye of them that observe its precepts.

Translation Notes

در
d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

سبيل
s-b-l → “path”

literal: path; way; road; cause; means

او
h-w-w → “His”

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

خضوع
kh-ḍ-ʿ → “submissiveness”

literal: humility; submissiveness; lowliness

خشوع
kh-sh-ʿ → “humility”

literal: fear of God; awe; reverence; submission

حبّ
ḥ-b-b → “for His” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

مرزوق
r-z-q → “partake”

literal: sustenance; provision; to grant livelihood

شويد
sh-w-d

literal: to become; to be

از
ʾ-z

literal: from

خود
kh-w-d → “your own selves”

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

بگذريد
g-dh-r → “renounced”

literal: to place, to put, to leave, to set, to pass

جهد
j-h-d → “Strive”

literal: effort; striving; exertion; endeavor

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

تربيت
r-b-y → “education”

literal: education; upbringing; training; cultivation

ناس
n-ʾ-s → “men”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

مبذول
b-dh-l → “confer”

literal: to give; to bestow; to expend

داريد
d-ʾ-r

literal: to have; to hold; to possess; to maintain

امری
ʾ-m-r

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

حق
ḥ-q-q → “God”

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

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

literal: to hide; to conceal; to cover

نبوده
b-w-d → “are” Distinctive

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

اگر
ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

برضای
r-ḍ-y

literal: good-pleasure, consent, satisfaction

حرکت
ḥ-r-k → “move”

literal: movement; motion; trembling

نمايند
n-m-ʾ → “may”

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

بفيوضات
f-y-ḍ → “blessings”

literal: flood; abundance; overflow; emanation; grace; overflowing; emanating; surplus

لا
l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تتناهی
n-h-y → “forbidden” Distinctive

literal: ultimate; extreme; end; utmost

فائز
f-w-z

literal: benefit, profit, advantage; usefulness; bounty; effusion; grace

خواهند
kh-w-ʾ-h → “will be showered”

literal: to will; to want; shall; will (future auxiliary)

شد
sh-d

literal: to become; to be

اينست
h-s-t → “This is”

literal: is; be; are

کتاب
k-t-b → “Book”

literal: book; scripture; writing

مبين
b-y-n → “luminous”

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

که
k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

قلم
q-l-m → “Pen”

literal: pen; writing instrument

أمر
ʾ-m-r

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

ربّ
r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: Lord; lord; divine

العالمين
ʿ-l-m → “worlds”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

جاری
j-r-y → “streamed”

literal: trade; commerce; business; to flow; to run; to be in effect; flowing

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

تفکّروا
f-k-r → “Ponder”

literal: reflection; reflect; contemplation

فيما
f-y

literal: in a day; during a day; one day after another

نزّل
n-z-l

literal: to descend, to be revealed

کونوا
k-w-n → “be ye”

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

من
m-n

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

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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