Gleanings — §322

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 322 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

ثابت و محقّق و اینکه از افلاک سؤال نمودید اوّلاً باید معلوم شود که مقصود از ذکر افلاک و سماء که در کتب قبل و بعد مذکور چیست و هم‌چنین ربط و اثر آن بعالم ظاهر بچه نحو جمیع عقول و افئده در این مقام متحیّر و مبهوت ما اطّلع بها الّا الله وحده حکما که عمر دنیا را بچندین هزار سال تعبیر نموده‌اند در این مدّت سیّارات را احصا ننموده‌اند چه مقدار اختلاف در اقوال قبل و بعد ظاهر و م

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou hast, moreover, asked Me concerning the nature of the celestial spheres. To comprehend their nature, it would be necessary to inquire into the meaning of the allusions that have been made in the Books of old to the celestial spheres and the heavens, and to discover the character of their relationship to this physical world, and the influence which they exert upon it. Every heart is filled with wonder at so bewildering a theme, and every mind is perplexed by its mystery. God, alone, can fathom its import. The learned men, that have fixed at several thousand years the life of this earth, have failed, throughout the long period of their observation, to consider either the number or the age of the other planets. Consider, moreover, the manifold divergencies that have resulted from the theories propounded by these men. Know thou that every fixed star hath its own planets, and every planet its own creatures, whose number no man can compute.

Translation Notes

ثابت

th-b-t → “established”

literal: firm; steadfast; established; fixed

محقّق

ḥ-q-q

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

اینکه

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter” Distinctive

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

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

افلاک

f-l-k → “celestial spheres”

literal: ship; ark; orbit; sphere; heaven

سؤال

s-ʾ-l → “I implore Thee” Distinctive

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

نمودید

n-m-ʾ → “hath” Distinctive

literal: do; show; make

اوّلاً

ʾ-w-l → “To” Distinctive

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally; lord; helper; first; primary; original

باید

b-y-d → “must”

literal: by hand; with hands; eternal; perpetual; everlasting

معلوم

ʿ-l-m → “knowledge” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

شود

sh-w-d

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

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

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

ذکر

dh-k-r → “mention”

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

سماء

s-m-w → “heavens”

literal: heaven; sky

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

کتب

k-t-b → “Books”

literal: book; scripture; writing

قبل

q-b-l → “of old”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

بعد

b-ʿ-d

literal: after; behind; distance

مذکور

dh-k-r → “have been made” Distinctive

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

هم‌چنین

ch-n-n → “likewise”

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

ربط

r-b-ṭ → “firm” Distinctive

literal: connection; attachment; link; bond

اثر

ʾ-th-r → “influence” Distinctive

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint; sign; mark; vestige

آن

ʾ-n → “they”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “have resulted” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

بچه

ch-h

literal: how; by what means; with what

نحو

n-ḥ-w

literal: manner; way; direction; towards

جمیع

j-m-ʿ → “Every”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

عقول

ʿ-q-l → “every mind”

literal: intellect; wise persons; to understand

افئده

f-ʾ-d → “heart”

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

مقام

q-w-m

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

متحیّر

ḥ-y-r → “perplexed”

literal: bewildered; perplexed; confused; astounded; amazed; bewilderment; perplexity; wonder; amazement

مبهوت

b-h-t

literal: slander; bewildered, amazed; astonished, amazed

ما

m-ʾ

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

اطّلع

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

بها

b-h-w → “All-Glorious” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

الّا

ʾ-kh-r

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

الله

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

وحده

w-ḥ-d → “alone”

literal: Divine unity; monotheism; belief in the oneness of God

حکما

ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

عمر

ʿ-m-r → “life” Distinctive

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

دنیا

d-n-w → “world”

literal: this world; earthly life; temporal realm; lowest; base; mean; of little account; to know; to be acquainted with

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

هزار

h-z-r → “thousand”

literal: thousand

سال

s-n-h → “years”

literal: most beautiful; finest; highest

تعبیر

ʿ-b-r

literal: expression; phrase; utterance; statement; passage; wording

نموده‌اند

n-m-w → “have fixed”

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

مدّت

m-d-d → “period”

literal: hopeful; hope; hoping

سیّارات

s-y-r → “journeying”

literal: to veil; to conceal; to cover; veil; covering

احصا

ḥ-ṣ-y

literal: counted; enumeration; enumeration/counting

مقدار

q-d-r → “power” Distinctive

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

اختلاف

kh-l-f → “divergencies” Distinctive

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

اقوال

q-w-l → “Say”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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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 ¶

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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

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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

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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 ¶

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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

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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

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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

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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 ¶

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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 ¶