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Gleanings — §350

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 350 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

چه غیره و هم‌چنین انقلابات بسیار شده که سبب محو بعضی امور محدثه گشته و از این مراتب گذشته در کتب تواریخ موجودهٴ در ارض اختلاف مشهود است و نزد هر ملّتی از ملل مختلفه از عمر دنیا ذکری مذکور و وقایعی مسطور بعضی از هشت‌هزار سال تاریخ دارند و بعضی بیشتر و بعضی دوازده‌هزار سال و اگر کسی کتاب جوک دیده باشد مطّلع میشود که چه مقدار اختلاف مابین کتب است انشآءالله

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Mention hath been made in certain books of a deluge which caused all that existed on earth, historical records as well as other things, to be destroyed. Moreover, many cataclysms have occurred which have effaced the traces of many events. Furthermore, among existing historical records differences are to be found, and each of the various peoples of the world hath its own account of the age of the earth and of its history. Some trace their history as far back as eight thousand years, others as far as twelve thousand years. To anyone that hath read the book of Júk it is clear and evident how much the accounts given by the various books have differed.

Translation Notes

چه
ch-h → “For”

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

غیره
gh-y-r

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

هم‌چنین
ch-n-n → “likewise”

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

انقلابات
q-l-b → “hearts” Distinctive

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

بسیار
b-s-r

literal: much; many; very; greatly

شده
sh-d → “have occurred” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

که
k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

سبب
s-b-b → “caused”

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

محو
m-ḥ-w → “effaced”

literal: to efface; to obliterate; to blot out; to cause to disappear

بعضی
b-ʿ-ḍ → “many” Distinctive

literal: part; some; portion

امور
ʾ-m-r → “events”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

محدثه
ḥ-d-th → “traditions” Distinctive

literal: events, occurrences, accidents, changes and chances

گشته
g-sh-t → “hath been”

literal: become; became; to become

از
ʾ-z

literal: from

این
ʾ-y-n

literal: this; these

مراتب
r-t-b → “station”

literal: to pass; to pass by; to go

گذشته
g-dh-r → “renounced”

literal: to leave; to pass; to abandon

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

کتب
k-t-b → “Book”

literal: book; scripture; writing

تواریخ
ʾ-r-kh → “historical records”

literal: history; historical record; to date

موجودهٴ
w-j-d → “all that existed”

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

ارض
ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

اختلاف
kh-l-f → “differences”

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

مشهود
sh-h-d → “are to be found” Distinctive

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

نزد
n-z-d

literal: near; beside; with; in the presence of

هر
h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

ملل
m-l-l → “peoples”

literal: for us; to us

عمر
ʿ-m-r → “By My 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

ذکری
dh-k-r → “account”

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

مذکور
dh-k-r → “mentioned”

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

وقایعی
w-q-ʿ

literal: to protect, safeguard, shield

مسطور
s-ṭ-r

literal: written; inscribed; recorded

سال
s-n-h → “years”

literal: most beautiful; finest; highest

تاریخ
t-r-kh → “history”

literal: history; historical record; to date

دارند
d-ʾ-r → “repository” Distinctive

literal: to hold, keep, maintain, possess

بیشتر
b-y-sh

literal: increase; abundance; more; greater; excess

اگر
ʾ-g-r

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

کسی
k-s → “him”

literal: someone; anyone; a person

دیده
d-y-d → “seen”

literal: to give; to grant; to present; justice; judgment; to see; sight; eye; seen

باشد
b-w-d → “hath” Distinctive

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

مطّلع
ṭ-l-ʿ

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

میشود
sh-w-d

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

مقدار
q-d-r → “how much” Distinctive

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

مابین
b-y-n → “utterance” Distinctive

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

انشآءالله
sh-y-ʾ

literal: creation; bringing into existence; establishment; God willing; if God wishes; please God

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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