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Gleanings — §352

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 352 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

..فاعلموا بأنّ أصل العدل ومبدأه هو ما یأمر به مظهر نفس الله في یوم ظهوره لو أنتم من العارفین قل إنّه لمیزان العدل بین السّموات والأرضین وإنّه لو یأتي بأمر یفزع من في السّموات والأرض إنّه لعدل مبین وإنّ فزع الخلق لم یکن إلّا کفزع الرّضیع من الفطام لو أنتم من النّاظرین لو اطّلع النّاس بأصل الأمر لم یجزعوا بل استبشروا وکانوا من الشّاکرین...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Know verily that the essence of justice and the source thereof are both embodied in the ordinances prescribed by Him Who is the Manifestation of the Self of God amongst men, if ye be of them that recognize this truth. He doth verily incarnate the highest, the infallible standard of justice unto all creation. Were His law to be such as to strike terror into the hearts of all that are in heaven and on earth, that law is naught but manifest justice. The fears and agitation which the revelation of this law provokes in men’s hearts should indeed be likened to the cries of the suckling babe weaned from his mother’s milk, if ye be of them that perceive. Were men to discover the motivating purpose of God’s Revelation, they would assuredly cast away their fears, and, with hearts filled with gratitude, rejoice with exceeding gladness.

Translation Notes

..فاعلموا
ʿ-l-m → “Know”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

بأنّ
ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

أصل
ʾ-ṣ-l → “essence of”

literal: evening; afternoon; noble; ancient; nightfall; genesis

العدل
ʿ-d-l → “justice”

literal: justice; equity

ومبدأه
b-d-ʾ → “begin” Distinctive

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

هو
h-w → “is”

literal: He; He is

ما
m-ʾ → “that”

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

یأمر
ʾ-m-r → “prescribed”

literal: to do, act, make; deed, action

به
b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

مظهر
ẓ-h-r → “Manifestation”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

نفس
n-f-s → “Self”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

الله
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

في
f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

یوم
y-w-m

literal: day; age; period; era; a day

لو
l-w → “If”

literal: if; would that; O that

أنتم
n-t-m → “you”

literal: you

من
m-n → “of”

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

العارفین
ʿ-r-f → “them that recognize” Distinctive

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

قل
q-w-l → “Say”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

إنّه
ʾ-n-n → “He doth verily incarnate”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

لمیزان
w-z-n → “standard”

literal: weight; measure; to weigh

بین
b-y-n → “unto” Distinctive

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

السّموات
s-m-w → “heaven”

literal: heaven; sky

والأرضین
ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

یأتي
ʾ-t-y

literal: to come; to arrive; to approach; verse; sign; miracle

یفزع
f-z-ʿ → “caused” Distinctive

literal: to fear; to be terrified; terror, fright

وإنّ
ʾ-n-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

الخلق
kh-l-q → “men’s hearts” Distinctive

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

لم
l-y-s

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

یکن
k-w-n

literal: is; to be (third person singular present); to be one; oneness; unity

إلّا
ʾ-kh-r

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

الرّضیع
r-ḍ-ʿ → “suckling babe”

literal: suckling/infant; suckling

الفطام
f-ṭ-m → “his mother’s milk”

literal: Fatimah; weaning

النّاظرین
n-ẓ-r → “Consider” Distinctive

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

اطّلع
ṭ-l-ʿ → “discover” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

النّاس
n-ʾ-s → “men”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

یجزعوا
j-z-ʿ → “impatient” Distinctive

literal: to grieve; to be dismayed; grief, dismay

بل
b-l

literal: rather; but; rather/nay

استبشروا
b-sh-r → “rejoice with exceeding gladness”

literal: human; glad-tidings; herald

الشّاکرین...
sh-k-r → “Render thanks” Distinctive

literal: thank; thankful; thanks

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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