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Gleanings — §211

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 211 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

القِدم وأین الأیّام الّتي كنت مصباح الفلاح بین الأرض والسّمآء وتتضوّع منك نفحات السّبحان في كلّ صباح ومسآء یا بیت ‌الله أین شمس العظمة والإقتدار الّتي كانت مشرقة من أفقك وأین مطلع عنایة ربّك المختار الّذي كان مستویا علیك ما لي یا عرش الله أری تغیّر حالك واضطربت أركانك وغلق بابك علی وجه من أرادك وما لي أراك الخراب أسمعت محبوب

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Where, O House of God, is the Sun of majesty and power Who had enveloped thee with the brightness of His presence? Where is He, the Dayspring of the tender mercies of thy Lord, the Unconstrained, Who had established His seat within thy walls? What is it, O throne of God, that hath altered thy countenance, and made thy pillars to tremble? What could have closed thy door to the face of them that eagerly seek thee? What hath made thee so desolate? Couldst thou have been told that the Beloved of the world is pursued by the swords of His enemies? The Lord bless thee, and bless thy fidelity unto Him, inasmuch as thou hast remained His companion through all His sorrows and His sufferings.

Translation Notes

القِدم
q-d-m

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

وأین
ʾ-y-n → “Where”

literal: this; these

الأیّام
y-w-m

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

الّتي
ʾ-l-l → “which”

literal: who; which/that; which

مصباح
ṣ-b-ḥ → “is the” Distinctive

literal: morning, dawn; daybreak

الفلاح
f-l-ḥ

literal: felicity; prosperity; farmer

بین
b-y-n

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

الأرض
ʾ-r-ḍ

literal: earth; land; ground; country

والسّمآء
s-m-w

literal: heaven; sky

وتتضوّع
ḍ-w-ʿ → “diffuse” Distinctive

literal: emitting fragrance; diffusing; exuding

نفحات
n-f-ḥ

literal: breeze; fragrance; whiff; breath; emanation

السّبحان
s-b-ḥ

literal: glorified; the All-Praised; exalted; dawn; daybreak; morning

في
f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

كلّ
k-l-l

literal: for us; to us

ومسآء
m-s-w

literal: evening; night

یا
y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

بیت
b-y-t → “House of God”

literal: house; household; family; verse

الله
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

أین
ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

شمس
sh-m-s → “Sun”

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

العظمة
ʿ-ẓ-m → “majesty”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

والإقتدار
q-d-r

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

كانت
k-w-n → “had enveloped”

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

مشرقة
sh-r-q

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

من
m-n → “of”

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

أفقك
ʾ-f-q

literal: horizon

مطلع
ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring”

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

عنایة
ʿ-n-y → “loving-kindness”

literal: to concern; to mean; to turn away from; bounty; loving-kindness; grace; divine care; attention; meaning; significance; inner sense

ربّك
r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

المختار
kh-y-r → “Unconstrained”

literal: west; the western region

الّذي
l-dh-y → “which”

literal: who; which; that which; the one who

مستویا
s-w-y → “established”

literal: level; equal; straight; upon a throne; resting upon; toward; to; direction of; other than; besides; except

علیك
ʿ-l-y → “upon”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

ما
m-ʾ → “that”

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

عرش
ʿ-r-sh → “throne”

literal: of the Throne; companion of the Throne

أری
r-ʾ-y

literal: Persian form from آراستن (ārāstan) ‘to adorn/invest’, root ا-ر-ا, not ر-ء-ي (to see)

تغیّر
gh-y-r → “altered”

literal: other; other than; change

حالك
ḥ-w-l → “now” Distinctive

literal: state; condition; circumstance

واضطربت
ḍ-r-b → “to tremble”

literal: to be disturbed; to tremble; to be troubled; to be shaken

أركانك
r-k-n → “pillars”

literal: pillar; cornerstone; support; fundamental element; limb; member

وغلق
gh-l-q → “locked”

literal: close; to lock/close; to be shut, closed

بابك
b-w-b → “door”

literal: door; gate; opening; chapter; way

علی
ʿ-l-w → “to the”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

وجه
w-j-h → “face”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

أرادك
r-y-d → “eagerly seek”

literal: to will, to intend, to wish, to desire; to want; to intend; to desire

الخراب
kh-r-b → “desolate”

literal: ruin; desolation

أسمعت
s-m-ʿ → “Couldst thou have been”

literal: hear; hearing; heard

محبوب
ḥ-b-b → “Beloved”

literal: love; affection

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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