Gleanings — §312

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 312 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

به لسان پارسی بشنو، يا عبدالوهاب عليك بهائى اينكه سؤال از بقاى روح نمودى اين مظلوم شهادت مى دهد بر بقاى آن و اينكه سؤال از كيفيّت آن نمودى انّه لا یوصف و لا ینبغی ان یذکر الّا علی قدر معلوم انبیا و مرسلین محض هدایت خلق بصراط مستقیم حقّ آمده‌اند و مقصود آنکه عباد تربیت شوند تا در حین صعود با کمال تقدیس و تنزیه و انقطاع قصد رفیق اعلی نمایند لعمر الله اشراقات آن ارواح سبب ترقّیات عالم و مقامات امم است ایشانند مایهٴ وجود و علّت عظمی از برای ظهورات و صنایع عالم بهم تمطر السّحاب و تنبت الأرض هیچ شیء از اشیاء بی ‌سبب و علّت و مبدء موجود نه و سبب اعظم ارواح مجرّده بوده و خواهد بود و فرق این عالم با آن عالم مثل فرق عالم جنین و این عالم است باری بعد از صعود بین یدی الله حاضر میشود بهیکلی که لایق بقا و قابل آن عالم است این بقا بقاء زمانیست نه بقاء ذاتی چه که مسبوقست بعلّت و بقاء ذاتی غیر مسبوق و آن مخصوص است بحقّ جلّ جلاله طوبی للعارفین اگر در اعمال انبیا تفکّر نمائی بیقین مبین شهادت میدهی که غیر این عالم عالمهاست حکمای ارض چنانچه در لوح حکمت از قلم اعلی نازل اکثری بآنچه در کتب الهی نازل قائل و معترفند ولکن طبیعیّین که بطبیعت قائلند در بارهٴ انبیا نوشته‌اند که ایشان حکیم بوده‌اند و نظر بتربیت عباد ذکر مراتب جنّت و نار و ثواب و عذاب نموده‌اند حال ملاحظه نمائید جمیع در هر عالمی که بوده و هستند انبیا را مقدّم بر کل میدانند بعضی آن جواهر مجرّده را حکیم میگویند و برخی من قبل الله میدانند حال امثال این نفوس اگر عوالم الهی را منحصر باین عالم میدانستند هرگز خود را بدست اعدا نمیدادند و عذاب و مشقّاتی که شبه و مثل نداشته تحمّل نمی فرمودند...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Through them the clouds rain their bounty upon men, and the earth bringeth forth its fruits. All things must needs have a cause, a motive power, an animating principle. These souls and symbols of detachment have provided, and will continue to provide, the supreme moving impulse in the world of being. The world beyond is as different from this world as this world is different from that of the child while still in the womb of its mother. When the soul attaineth the Presence of God, it will assume the form that best befitteth its immortality and is worthy of its celestial habitation. Such an existence is a contingent and not an absolute existence, inasmuch as the former is preceded by a cause, whilst the latter is independent thereof. Absolute existence is strictly confined to God, exalted be His glory. Well is it with them that apprehend this truth. Wert thou to ponder in thine heart the behavior of the Prophets of God thou wouldst assuredly and readily testify that there must needs be other worlds besides this world. The majority of the truly wise and learned have, throughout the ages, as it hath been recorded by the Pen of Glory in the Tablet of Wisdom, borne witness to the truth of that which the holy Writ of God hath revealed. Even the materialists have testified in their writings to the wisdom of these divinely appointed Messengers, and have regarded the references made by the Prophets to Paradise, to hell fire, to future reward and punishment, to have been actuated by a desire to educate and uplift the souls of men. Consider, therefore, how the generality of mankind, whatever their beliefs or theories, have recognized the excellence, and admitted the superiority, of these Prophets of God. These Gems of Detachment are acclaimed by some as the embodiments of wisdom, while others believe them to be the mouthpiece of God Himself. How could such Souls have consented to surrender themselves unto their enemies if they believed all the worlds of God to have been reduced to this earthly life? Would they have willingly suffered such afflictions and torments as no man hath ever experienced or witnessed?

Translation Notes

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

لسان

l-s-n

literal: tongue; language

پارسی

p-ʾ-r-s

literal: to will; to intend; to desire; to display; to show; to present

بشنو،

sh-n-w

literal: most ugly; most abominable; most heinous

يا

y-ʾ

literal: O; or

عبدالوهاب

ʿ-b-d → “men”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

عليك

ʿ-l-y → “upon”

literal: upon; on; exalted

بهائى

b-h-w

literal: Bahá’í; of Bahá; splendor; glory; splendor, glory, radiance, majesty; Bahá (the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh)

سؤال

s-ʾ-l

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

از

ʾ-z

literal: from

روح

r-w-ḥ → “souls” Distinctive

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

نمودى

n-m-ود → “hath” Distinctive

literal: do; to do; do/make

این

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: that, the fact that, this (demonstrative particle)

مظلوم

ẓ-l-m

literal: wrongedness, oppression, meekness; state of being wronged or oppressed

شهادت

sh-h-d → “witness” Distinctive

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

مى

m-y-y

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

دهد

d-h

literal: to give; to grant; to yield

بر

b-r-r

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

آن

ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

كيفيّت

k-y-f → “How” Distinctive

literal: how; in what manner

انّه

ʾ-n-n

literal: I, verily; behold I

لا

l-ʾ

literal: no; not; negation particle

یوصف

w-ṣ-f

literal: to describe, characterize; description

ینبغی

n-b-gh

literal: it is proper; it is fitting; it is necessary; it behooves

الّا

ʾ-kh-r

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

قدر

q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

معلوم

ʿ-l-m → “world” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

انبیا

n-b-ʾ → “Prophets”

literal: prophet; prophets

مرسلین

r-s-l → “Messengers”

literal: to send; dispatch; transmission

محض

m-ḥ-ḍ

literal: pure; unmixed; absolute; sheer

هدایت

h-d-y

literal: guidance; to guide; direction; leading rightly; this; this one

خلق

kh-l-q → “men” Distinctive

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

بصراط

ṣ-r-ṭ

literal: path, way, straight path

مستقیم

q-w-m

literal: rising; standing; resurrection; uprising; establishment

حقّ

ḥ-q-q → “truth”

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

آمده‌اند

ʾ-m-d

literal: extended; outstretched; sustained

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “desire”

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

تربیت

r-b-y → “education”

literal: education; upbringing; training; cultivation

تا

t-y-y

literal: so that/until

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

حین

ḥ-y-n

literal: time; moment; while; season

صعود

ṣ-ʿ-d → “ascend”

literal: ascent; ascension; rising; elevation

با

b-ʾ-ʾ

literal: to; with; by

کمال

k-m-l → “absolute”

literal: perfection; completeness; fully; with full; in complete; to complete, perfect, fulfill

تقدیس

q-d-s → “exalted” Distinctive

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

تنزیه

n-z-h

literal: exalted; sanctified; free from; removed from

انقطاع

q-ṭ-ʿ → “detachment”

literal: to be severed; to be cut off; to detach oneself; to abstain

رفیق

r-f-q

literal: companion; friend; associate; the Exalted Companion

اعلی

ʿ-l-w → “exalted”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

نمایند

n-m-ʾ → “will” Distinctive

literal: to show, to display, to manifest, to exhibit; to manifest; to display; to show

لعمر

ʿ-m-r

literal: life; age; duration; by the life of (oath)

الله

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

اشراقات

sh-r-q

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

سبب

s-b-b → “cause”

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

ترقّیات

r-q-y

literal: raise them; promote them; heal them; ascension; elevation; rise

امم

ʾ-m-m → “before” Distinctive

literal: mother; to lead; to head; matter; affair; people; nation; community; female servant; handmaiden; umma

ایشانند

h-s-t → “is” Distinctive

literal: familiar; intimate; companionship; to be acquainted with; companion; intimate friend; to be intimate with; to keep company; to console

مایهٴ

m-y-h

literal: water; waters

وجود

w-j-d → “existence is” Distinctive

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

علّت

ʿ-l-l → “cause”

literal: for us; to us

عظمی

ʿ-ẓ-m

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

برای

b-r-y

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

ظهورات

ẓ-h-r → “Revelation”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

صنایع

ṣ-n-ʿ

literal: fashioning; making; creation; artifice

بهم

h-m → “all”

literal: them (feminine or general); by them; through them

تمطر

m-ṭ-r → “rain”

literal: rain

السّحاب

s-ḥ-b → “clouds”

literal: cloud; clouds

تنبت

n-b-t → “bringeth forth”

literal: to grow, to spring forth, to produce; plant, growth

الأرض

ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

هیچ

h-y-ch

literal: nothing; any; not a single

شیء

sh-y-ʾ → “things”

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

بی

b-y

literal: without; is; to

مبدء

b-d-ʾ

literal: beginning; primacy; originality; origin; principle; starting point; commencement; start; inception; creation

نه

n-h-y → “not” Distinctive

literal: end; ended; utmost

مجرّده

j-r-d → “Detachment”

literal: neck; throat

خواهد

kh-w-h

literal: will; to wish; to want

فرق

f-r-q → “separation” Distinctive

literal: faction; sect; group; company

جنین

j-n-n → “Paradise” Distinctive

literal: garden; paradise; heaven

باری

b-r-y → “Such” Distinctive

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

بعد

b-ʿ-d

literal: after; behind; distance

بین

b-y-n

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

یدی

y-d-y

literal: hand; power; action; possession

حاضر

ḥ-ḍ-r

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

میشود

sh-w-d → “be” Distinctive

literal: perhaps, perchance, haply, maybe, possibly; to become; to be; to happen; to occur

بهیکلی

h-y-k-l → “form”

literal: temple; body; edifice; structure

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

لایق

l-y-q

literal: worthy, befitting, appropriate, suitable

بقا

b-q-y → “immortality”

literal: remaining; everlasting; eternal; immortal; permanence; duration; continuance

قابل

q-b-l → “worthy”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

زمانیست

z-m-n → “earth”

literal: time; age; era; period

ذاتی

dh-w-t → “Essence” Distinctive

literal: essence; self; being

چه

ch-h

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

مسبوقست

s-b-q → “preceded”

literal: to precede; to surpass; to excel

غیر

gh-y-r → “other”

literal: without; besides; other than; except; other; different

مخصوص

kh-ṣ-ṣ → “confined to” Distinctive

literal: specific matter; particularity; especially; in this matter

جلاله

j-l-l → “glory”

literal: majesty; glory; exaltation; magnificence

طوبی

ṭ-w-b → “Well is it with”

literal: happiness; blessedness; felicity

للعارفین

ʿ-r-f → “knowledge”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

اعمال

ʿ-m-l → “behavior” Distinctive

literal: to work; to act; to do; to perform

تفکّر

f-k-r → “ponder”

literal: thoughts; ideas; fancies; opinions; to think; to reflect; to contemplate

بیقین

y-q-n → “certitude”

literal: certainty; certitude; conviction; faith

میدهی

d-h-d → “wouldst bear witness”

literal: to give; to grant; to yield

حکمای

ḥ-k-m → “wise”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

ارض

ʾ-r-ḍ

literal: earth; land; ground; country

چنانچه

ch-n-n

literal: thus; in such manner; as

لوح

l-w-ḥ → “Tablet”

literal: tablet; panel; divine decree; revelation

قلم

q-l-m → “Pen”

literal: pen; writing instrument

نازل

n-z-l → “revealed”

literal: to descend, to be revealed

اکثری

k-th-r → “most”

literal: majority; multitude; abundance; multiplicity

بآنچه

b-ch-h

literal: building, structure, edifice; to build, construct; structure, edifice

کتب

k-t-b → “Book”

literal: book; scripture; writing

ولکن

l-k-n → “however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

بطبیعت

ṭ-b-ʿ → “stamped” Distinctive

literal: nature; disposition; to seal; to imprint

قائلند

q-w-l → “have testified”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

بارهٴ

b-r-h

literal: outside; out; forth

نوشته‌اند

n-w-sh-t → “have written”

literal: to write; written

ایشان

ʾ-y-sh

literal: that; it (object pronoun with suffix)

بوده‌اند

b-w-d → “are” Distinctive

literal: to be; are (third person plural present copula)

نظر

n-ẓ-r

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

ذکر

dh-k-r → “references made” Distinctive

literal: remembrance; mention; memory; invocation; reminders; commemorations

مراتب

r-t-b

literal: rank; station; degree; time; instance

نار

n-ʾ-r → “hell fire”

literal: fire; blaze; flame

ثواب

th-w-b → “raiment” Distinctive

literal: reward, recompense

عذاب

ʿ-dh-b → “punishment”

literal: torment, punishment, chastisement

نموده‌اند

n-m-w → “have”

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

حال

ḥ-w-l → “Consider”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

ملاحظه

l-ḥ-ẓ

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

جمیع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

هر

h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

مقدّم

q-d-m → “Ancient of Days” Distinctive

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

کل

k-l-l → “All”

literal: all; every; all, every

میدانند

d-ʾ-n → “considered” Distinctive

literal: to know; to understand

بعضی

b-ʿ-ḍ → “some”

literal: part; some; portion

جواهر

j-w-h-r → “Gems”

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

میگویند

g-w-y → “as the” Distinctive

literal: utterance; speaking; the one who speaks

برخی

b-r-kh → “others”

literal: to rise; to stand up; to arise; to rebel

من

m-n

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

امثال

m-th-l → “as” Distinctive

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

نفوس

n-f-s → “Souls”

literal: self; soul; psyche

منحصر

ḥ-ṣ-r → “confined”

literal: confined; restricted; limited to; concentrated

باین

b-y-n

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

هرگز

h-r-g

literal: never; at no time; never ever

خود

kh-w-d → “their own”

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

بدست

d-s-t → “unto their”

literal: hand; control, power, authority

اعدا

ʿ-d-w → “enemies”

literal: when; if; whenever; at that time

نمیدادند

d-ʾ-d → “of equity”

literal: to give; to grant; to issue

مشقّاتی

sh-q-q

literal: split; hardship; discord

شبه

sh-b-h

literal: doubt; uncertainty; suspicion; resemblance; semblance

نداشته

d-ʾ-sh-t → “have”

literal: to have; to possess; to hold

تحمّل

ḥ-m-l → “suffered”

literal: to bear; to endure; to carry; to tolerate

فرمودند...

f-r-m

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

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶