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Gleanings — §337

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 337 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

و أمّا ما سألت من الأرواح و اطّلاع بعضها علی بعض بعد صعودها فاعلم أنّ اهل البهآء الّذین استقرّوا علی السّفینة الحمرآء أولئک یعاشرون و یؤانسون و یجالسون و یطیرون و یقصدون و یصعدون کأنّهم نفس واحدة أَلَا إنّهم هم المطّلعون و هم النّاظرون و هم العارفون کذلک قضي الأمر من لدن علیم حکیم

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And now concerning thy question whether human souls continue to be conscious one of another after their separation from the body. Know thou that the souls of the people of Bahá, who have entered and been established within the Crimson Ark, shall associate and commune intimately one with another, and shall be so closely associated in their lives, their aspirations, their aims and strivings as to be even as one soul. They are indeed the ones who are well-informed, who are keen-sighted, and who are endued with understanding. Thus hath it been decreed by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the All-Wise.

Translation Notes

أمّا
ʾ-m-m → “nations” Distinctive

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

ما
m-ʾ

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

سألت
s-ʾ-l → “question”

literal: resignation; submission; surrender; submissiveness

من
m-n → “by Him Who is” Distinctive

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

الأرواح
r-w-ḥ → “human souls”

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

اطّلاع
ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

بعضها
b-ʿ-ḍ → “one of another”

literal: part; some; portion

علی
ʿ-l-w → “within” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

بعد
b-ʿ-d → “after”

literal: after; behind; distance

صعودها
ṣ-ʿ-d → “ascend” Distinctive

literal: ascent; ascension; rising; elevation

فاعلم
ʿ-l-m → “Know thou”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

أنّ
ʾ-n → “that the souls of”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

اهل
ʾ-h-l → “people”

literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin

البهآء
b-h-w → “the All-Glorious” Distinctive

literal: splendor; glory; magnificence; Bahá (Proper Name in Bahá’í texts)

الّذین
l-dh-y → “which” Distinctive

literal: those who; the ones who (relative pronoun)

استقرّوا
q-r-r → “been established”

literal: to settle, to be established, to remain fixed

السّفینة
s-f-n

literal: ship; ship/ark; ship, ark

الحمرآء
ḥ-m-r → “Crimson Ark”

literal: to be red; to redden

أولئک
ʾ-w-l → “first” Distinctive

literal: first; beginning; at first; the first; former; possessors of; those who have; masters of

یعاشرون
ʿ-sh-r → “associate”

literal: association; companionship; social interaction; عشرين (twenty) is from numeral root ع-ش-ر, distinct from ‘association’ meaning

یؤانسون
ʾ-n-s → “commune”

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

یجالسون
j-l-s → “seated” Distinctive

literal: council; assembly; gathering; session

یطیرون
ṭ-y-r

literal: bird; birds; flying creature; flying; flight

یقصدون
q-ṣ-d

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

کأنّهم
ʾ-n-n → “that”

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

نفس
n-f-s → “soul”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

واحدة
w-ḥ-d → “one”

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

أَلَا
ʾ-kh-r

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

هم
h-m-m → “endeavor” Distinctive

literal: endeavor; effort; also

النّاظرون
n-ẓ-r → “keen-sighted”

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

العارفون
ʿ-r-f → “endued with understanding”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

کذلک
dh-l-k → “Thus”

literal: thus; likewise; also

قضي
q-ḍ-y → “decreed”

literal: requirement; exigency; what demands or calls for; to require; to necessitate; to demand

الأمر
ʾ-m-r

literal: command; matter; cause

لدن
l-d-n → “by”

literal: from; on the part of; from before; near

حکیم
ḥ-k-m → “All-Wise”

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

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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59 ¶