Gleanings — §353

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 353 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

فاعلم بأنّک کما أیقنت بأنّ لا نفاد لکلماته تعالی أیقن بأنّ لمعانیها لا نفاد أیضًا ولکن عند مبیّنها وخزنة أسرارها والّذین ینظرون الکتب ویتّخذون منها ما یعترضون به علی مطلع الولایة إنّهم أموات غیر أحیآء ولو یمشون ویتکلّمون ویأکلون ویشربون فآه آه لو یظهر

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Know assuredly that just as thou firmly believest that the Word of God, exalted be His glory, endureth forever, thou must, likewise, believe with undoubting faith that its meaning can never be exhausted. They who are its appointed interpreters, they whose hearts are the repositories of its secrets, are, however, the only ones who can comprehend its manifold wisdom. Whoso, while reading the Sacred Scriptures, is tempted to choose therefrom whatever may suit him with which to challenge the authority of the Representative of God among men, is, indeed, as one dead, though to outward seeming he may walk and converse with his neighbors, and share with them their food and their drink.

Translation Notes

فاعلم

ʿ-l-m → “Know”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

بأنّک

ʾ-n-n → “that just as thou”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

کما

k-m

literal: as; like; how much; lane; street; quarter; abode

أیقنت

y-q-n → “certitude” Distinctive

literal: certainty; certitude; conviction; faith

بأنّ

ʾ-n-n → “that its”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

نفاد

n-f-d → “exhausted”

literal: exhaustion; depletion; coming to an end

لکلماته

k-l-m → “Word”

literal: words; utterances; locutions

تعالی

ʿ-l-w → “exalted be His glory”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

لمعانیها

ʿ-n-y → “meaning”

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

ولکن

l-k-n → “however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

عند

ʿ-n-d

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

مبیّنها

b-y-n → “utterance” Distinctive

literal: manifest; evident; apparent; clear

وخزنة

kh-z-n → “repositories”

literal: to store, to treasure; storehouse, depository, treasury

أسرارها

s-r-r → “secrets”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

والّذین

l-dh-y → “which” Distinctive

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

ینظرون

n-ẓ-r → “Consider” Distinctive

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

الکتب

k-t-b → “the Sacred Scriptures”

literal: book; scripture; writing

ویتّخذون

ʾ-kh-dh → “laid hold” Distinctive

literal: take; take/seize; seize

منها

m-n → “therefrom” Distinctive

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

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

یعترضون

ʿ-r-ḍ → “turned away” Distinctive

literal: objection, protest, denial; cavil

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

مطلع

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring”

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

الولایة

w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

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

إنّهم

ʾ-n-n → “that” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

أموات

m-w-t

literal: death; dead; to die

غیر

gh-y-r

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

أحیآء

ḥ-y-y

literal: greeting; salutation; tribute

ولو

l-w → “If”

literal: were it not for; if not for; save for

یمشون

m-sh-y → “walk”

literal: walk; walking; walks

ویأکلون

ʾ-k-l → “share with them their food”

literal: eat; to eat

ویشربون

sh-r-b → “and their drink”

literal: to drink; to imbibe

فآه

ʾ-w-h

literal: alas; woe; oh

آه

ʾ-h

literal: alas

یظهر

ẓ-h-r

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