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Gleanings — §297

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 297 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

شهدوا أنفسهم عجزآء عن ذلک قاموا علی المکر ویأتون في کلّ حین بمکر جدید لیضیع به أمر الله قل فویل لکم تالله بذلک یضیع أنفسکم وإنّ ربّکم الرّحمن لغنيّ عن العالمین ولن یزیده شيء ولن ینقصه أمر إن آمنتم فلأنفسکم وإن کفرتم یرجع إلیکم وکان ذیله مقدّسًا عن دنس المشرکین أن یا عبد المؤمن بالله

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And when they realized their powerlessness to achieve their purpose, they arose to plot against Him. Witness how every moment they devise a fresh device to harm Him, that they may injure and dishonor the cause of God. Say: Woe be to you! By God! Your schemings cover you with shame. Your Lord, the God of mercy, can well dispense with all creatures. Nothing whatever can either increase or diminish the things He doth possess. If ye believe, to your own behoof will ye believe; and if ye believe not, ye yourselves will suffer. At no time can the hand of the infidel profane the hem of His Robe.

Translation Notes

شهدوا
sh-h-d → “witness” Distinctive

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

أنفسهم
n-f-s → “their”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

عجزآء
ʿ-j-z → “powerlessness”

literal: to be unable; to fail; to be exhausted; impotence

عن
ʿ-n → “from”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

قاموا
q-w-m → “arose” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

علی
ʿ-l-w → “exalted”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

ویأتون
ʾ-t-y → “come” Distinctive

literal: to come; to bring; to produce

في
f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

کلّ
k-l-l → “every”

literal: for us; to us

حین
ḥ-y-n → “moment”

literal: time; moment; while; season

بمکر
m-k-r → “device”

literal: to scheme; to plot; deceit

جدید
j-d-d → “fresh”

literal: new, novel, renewed; novelty, innovation

لیضیع
ḍ-y-ʿ → “wasteth” Distinctive

literal: wasting; squandering; loss; harm

به
b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

أمر
ʾ-m-r → “cause of”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

الله
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

قل
q-w-l → “Say”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

فویل
w-y-l → “Woe”

literal: woe; alas; grief

لکم
l-k-m → “you”

literal: for you, to you, your (dative pronoun)

بذلک
dh-l-k → “Thus” Distinctive

literal: abasement; humiliation; lowliness; to be abased

وإن
ʾ-n-n → “if”

literal: that; indeed/verily; indeed

ربّکم
r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: Lord; Master; Sustainer; Cherisher

الرّحمن
r-ḥ-m → “God of mercy”

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

لغنيّ
gh-n-y → “wealth” Distinctive

literal: to be independent of; to be in no need of; to dispense with

العالمین
ʿ-l-m → “all creatures” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

ولن
l-n

literal: will not (negation of future)

یزیده
z-y-d → “increase”

literal: increase; excess; more; additional; to increase; to grow; to be added

شيء
sh-y-ʾ → “Nothing whatever” Distinctive

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

ینقصه
n-q-ṣ → “imperfect” Distinctive

literal: deficiency; lack; diminution

إن
ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

آمنتم
ʾ-m-n → “ye believe”

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure; trust; trustworthiness; covenant; deposit; believer, faithful

کفرتم
k-f-r → “ye believe not”

literal: to disbelieve, reject; unbelief, ingratitude; to deny, to disbelieve, to reject

یرجع
r-j-ʿ → “return”

literal: return; reference; place of return; resort

إلیکم
ʾ-l-y

literal: to; to, toward; to, until

وکان
k-w-n

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

ذیله
dh-y-l → “hem”

literal: hem; skirt; tail; border

مقدّسًا
q-d-s → “holy”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

دنس
d-n-s

literal: to know; to consider; to suppose; known

المشرکین
sh-r-k → “infidel”

literal: partner; associate; sharer; companion

یا
y-ʾ

literal: O; or

عبد
ʿ-b-d

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

المؤمن
ʾ-m-n → “believe”

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure; trust; trustworthiness; covenant; deposit; believer, faithful

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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