Gleanings — §308

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 308 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

مثلاً اگر سراج در تحت فانوس حدید واقع شود ابداً نور او در خارج ظاهر نه مع آنکه در مقام خود روشن بوده در آفتاب خلف سحاب ملاحظه فرمائید که در رتبهٴ خود روشن و مضیء است ولکن نظر بسحاب حائله نور او ضعیف مشاهده میشود و همین آفتاب را روح انسانی ملاحظه فرمائید و جمیع اشیاء را بدن او که جمیع بدن بافاضه و اشراق آن نور روشن و مضیء ولکن این مادامی است که اسباب مانعهٴ حائله منع ننماید و حجاب نشود و بعد از حجاب ظهور نور شمس ضعیف مشاهده میشود

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Consider the lamp which is hidden under a bushel. Though its light be shining, yet its radiance is concealed from men. Likewise, consider the sun which hath been obscured by the clouds. Observe how its splendor appeareth to have diminished, when in reality the source of that light hath remained unchanged. The soul of man should be likened unto this sun, and all things on earth should be regarded as his body. So long as no external impediment interveneth between them, the body will, in its entirety, continue to reflect the light of the soul, and to be sustained by its power. As soon as, however, a veil interposeth itself between them, the brightness of that light seemeth to lessen.

Translation Notes

مثلاً

m-th-l → “Consider”

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

سراج

s-r-j → “lamp”

literal: lamp; light; illuminator

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

تحت

t-ḥ-t → “under”

literal: under; under, beneath; beneath

فانوس

f-n-s → “bushel”

literal: lamp; lantern; light source

حدید

ḥ-d-d

literal: iron; sharp, keen, acute

واقع

w-q-ʿ → “occurred”

literal: to fall, to occur, to happen; incident, event

ابداً

ʾ-b-d

literal: in place of; instead of; to change; to alter (preposition or verb stem)

نور

n-w-r → “its light”

literal: light; illumination

او

h-w-w → “its” Distinctive

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

خارج

kh-r-j → “banished” Distinctive

literal: bringing out, taking out, expulsion, extraction

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

نه

n-h-y → “yet” Distinctive

literal: end; ended; utmost

مع

m-ʿ

literal: with; together with; alongside

آنکه

ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

مقام

q-w-m

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

خود

kh-w-d

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

روشن

r-w-sh → “illumined”

literal: light; illumination; brilliance; clarity

بوده

b-w-d

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

آفتاب

ʾ-f-t-ʾ-b → “Day-Star”

literal: horizon, direction, region; horizon; sun

خلف

kh-l-f

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

سحاب

s-ḥ-b → “by the clouds”

literal: cloud; clouds

ملاحظه

l-ḥ-ẓ → “Observe”

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

فرمائید

f-r-m → “saith” Distinctive

literal: to say; to decree; to ordain; to command

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

رتبهٴ

r-t-b

literal: rank; station; degree; time; instance

مضیء

ḍ-w-ʾ

literal: to pass, go by; have passed; past; bygone

ولکن

l-k-n → “however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

نظر

n-ẓ-r

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

حائله

ḥ-w-l → “now” Distinctive

literal: stratagem; trick; device; pretense

ضعیف

ḍ-ʿ-f → “weakness” Distinctive

literal: weak; feeble; imperfect

مشاهده

sh-h-d

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

میشود

sh-w-d → “appeareth to have” Distinctive

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

همین

h-m-n → “Help in Peril” Distinctive

literal: the same; that very

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

روح

r-w-ḥ → “soul” Distinctive

literal: to go; to depart; to rest; spirit; soul

انسانی

ʾ-n-s → “man”

literal: human; mankind; of humanity

جمیع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

اشیاء

sh-y-ʾ → “things”

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

بدن

b-d-n → “body”

literal: without; apart from; besides

بافاضه

f-y-ḍ

literal: grace; overflowing; outpourings

اشراق

sh-r-q → “radiance”

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

این

ʾ-y-n

literal: this; these

مادامی

d-w-m → “So long as”

literal: continuance; continuance/duration; everlasting

اسباب

s-b-b

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

مانعهٴ

m-n-ʿ

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

ننماید

n-m-ʾ → “will”

literal: to appear; to show; to display; to exhibit

حجاب

ḥ-j-b → “veil”

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “after”

literal: after; behind; distance

از

ʾ-z

literal: from

شمس

sh-m-s

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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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

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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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘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 ¶