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Gleanings — §214

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 214 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

طوبی لمن یعرف لحن القول فیما أراد مالك البریّة وطوبی للّذین یستنشقون منك نفحات الرّحمن ویعرفون قدرك ویحفظون حرمتك ویراعون شأنك في كلّ الأحیان نسأل الله بأن یفتح بصر الّذین غفلوا عنك وما عرفوا قدرك لعرفانك وعرفان من رفعك بالحقّ إنّهم قوم عمون والیوم لا یعرفون

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Happy are those that inhale from thee the sweet savors of the Merciful, that acknowledge thine exaltation, that safeguard thy sanctity, that reverence, at all times, thy station. We implore the Almighty to grant that the eyes of those who have turned away from thee, and failed to appreciate thy worth, may be opened, that they may truly recognize thee, and Him Who, through the power of truth, hath raised thee up on high. Blind, indeed, are they about thee, and utterly unaware of thee in this day. Thy Lord is, verily, the Gracious, the Forgiving.

Translation Notes

طوبی
ṭ-w-b → “Happy”

literal: happiness; blessedness; felicity

لمن
m-n → “from”

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

یعرف
ʿ-r-f → “acknowledge” Distinctive

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

لحن
l-ḥ-n

literal: melody, tone, intonation; to compose music

القول
q-w-l

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

أراد
r-y-d

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

مالك
m-l-k → “Lord”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty; possessions; property; ownership

البریّة
b-r-ʾ

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

یستنشقون
n-sh-q → “inhale”

literal: discord; dissension; rebellion; strife

نفحات
n-f-ḥ → “sweet savors” Distinctive

literal: breeze; fragrance; whiff; breath; emanation

الرّحمن
r-ḥ-m → “the Merciful” Distinctive

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

قدرك
q-d-r → “power” Distinctive

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

ویحفظون
ḥ-f-ẓ → “safeguard”

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

حرمتك
ḥ-r-m → “deprived” Distinctive

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

ویراعون
r-ʿ-y → “subjects” Distinctive

literal: to guard, watch over, regard, heed, respect, maintain; care; protection; guardianship; watchfulness

شأنك
sh-ʾ-n → “station”

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

في
f-y → “at” Distinctive

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

كلّ
k-l-l → “all”

literal: for us; to us

الأحیان
ḥ-y-n → “times”

literal: greeting; salutation; tribute; to make alive; to revive

نسأل
s-ʾ-l → “implore” Distinctive

literal: question; problem; issue; matter; asking; petition; request

الله
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

بأن
ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

یفتح
f-t-ḥ → “opened”

literal: opening; opening up; conquests; revelations; disclosure

بصر
b-ṣ-r → “eyes”

literal: sight; insight; discernment; spiritual perception

الّذین
l-dh-y → “which” Distinctive

literal: for those who; to those who (preposition + definite relative pronoun)

غفلوا
gh-f-l → “heedless” Distinctive

literal: heedlessness; negligence; inattention

عنك
ʿ-n → “from thee” Distinctive

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

وما
m-ʾ → “that”

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

رفعك
r-f-ʿ → “raised thee”

literal: to be raised, elevated, exalted, lifted up

بالحقّ
ḥ-q-q → “through the power of truth”

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

إنّهم
ʾ-n-n → “they”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

قوم
q-w-m

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

عمون
ʿ-m-y → “Blind”

literal: universal; general; public; comprehensive

والیوم
y-w-m → “in this day”

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

لا
l-ʾ

literal: no; not; negation particle

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