Gleanings — §36

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 36 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

نوبت بموسی رسيد و آن حضرت بعصای امر و بيضای معرفت از فاران محبّت الهيّه با ثعبان قدرت و شوکت صمدانيّه از سينای نور بعرصه ظهور ظاهر شد و جميع من فی الملک را بملکوت بقا و اثمار شجره وفا دعوت نمود و شنيده شد که فرعون و ملأ او چه اعتراضها نمودند و چه مقدار احجار ظنونات از انفس مشرکه بر آن شجره طيّبه وارد آمد تا بحدّی که فرعون و ملأ او همّت گماشتند که آن نار سدره ربّانيّه را از ماء تکذيب و اعراض افسرده و مخمود نمايند و غافل از اينکه نار حکمت الهيّه از آب عنصری افسرده نشود و سراج قدرت ربّانيه از بادهای مخالف خاموشی نپذيرد بلکه در اين مقام ماء سبب اشتعال شود و باد علّت حفظ لو انتم بالبصر الحديد تنظرون و فی رضی اللّه تسلکون ...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Consider Moses! Armed with the rod of celestial dominion, adorned with the white hand of Divine knowledge, and proceeding from the Párán of the love of God, and wielding the serpent of power and everlasting majesty, He shone forth from the Sinai of light upon the world. He summoned all the peoples and kindreds of the earth to the kingdom of eternity, and invited them to partake of the fruit of the tree of faithfulness. Surely you are aware of the fierce opposition of Pharaoh and his people, and of the stones of idle fancy which the hands of infidels cast upon that blessed Tree. So much so that Pharaoh and his people finally arose and exerted their utmost endeavor to extinguish with the waters of falsehood and denial the fire of that sacred Tree, oblivious of the truth that no earthly water can quench the flames of Divine wisdom, nor mortal blasts extinguish the lamp of everlasting dominion. Nay, rather, such water cannot but intensify the burning of the flame, and such blasts cannot but ensure the preservation of the lamp, were ye to observe with the eye of discernment, and walk in the way of God’s holy will and pleasure.…

Translation Notes

نوبت

n-w-b → “repent” Distinctive

literal: deputy; representative; vicegerent; substitute

رسيد

r-s-d → “reached”

literal: Persian verb رسیدن (to arrive/reach), not Arabic ر-س-د

آن

ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

حضرت

ḥ-ḍ-r

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

بعصای

ʿ-ṣ-w → “rod”

literal: disobey; transgress; rebel

امر

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

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

بيضای

b-y-ḍ → “with the white hand”

literal: white; pure; bright; radiant; clear

معرفت

ʿ-r-f → “Divine knowledge”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

از

ʾ-z → “proceeding from”

literal: from

محبّت

ḥ-b-b → “of the love”

literal: love; affection

الهيّه

ʾ-l-h → “of God”

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

با

b-ʾ-ʾ

literal: to; with; by

ثعبان

th-ʿ-b → “serpent”

literal: serpent; snake

قدرت

q-d-r → “of power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

شوکت

sh-w-k → “majesty”

literal: majesty; glory; might; splendor

صمدانيّه

ṣ-m-d

literal: eternal, self-sufficient, divine, the Eternal

سينای

s-y-n → ““sin”

literal: tooth; years; future; breast; chest; bosom

نور

n-w-r → “of light”

literal: light; illumination

بعرصه

ʿ-r-ṣ

literal: arena; domain; arena/realm

ظهور

ẓ-h-r → “Revelation”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

شد

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

من

m-n

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

فی

f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

الملک

m-l-k → “of the earth” Distinctive

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty; possessions; property; ownership

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

بقا

b-q-y → “of eternity”

literal: remaining; everlasting; eternal; immortal; permanence; duration; continuance

اثمار

th-m-r → “of the fruit”

literal: fruit; the fruit

شجره

sh-j-r → “of the tree”

literal: tree

وفا

w-f-y → “of faithfulness”

literal: faithfulness; covenant-keeping; loyalty

دعوت

d-ʿ-w → “He summoned”

literal: call; invitation; claim

نمود

n-m-ʾ → “will” Distinctive

literal: do; show; make

شنيده

sh-n-w → “heard”

literal: did not hear; has not heard

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

فرعون

f-r-ʿ → “offshoots”

literal: branch; offshoot; to branch off

ملأ

m-l-ʾ → “and his people” Distinctive

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

او

h-w-w

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

چه

ch-h

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

اعتراضها

ʿ-r-ḍ → “of the fierce opposition”

literal: objection, protest, denial; cavil

نمودند

n-m-ود

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

احجار

ḥ-j-r → “of the stones”

literal: stones; stone; stone/rock

ظنونات

ẓ-n-n → “of idle fancy”

literal: fancy; supposition; vain imagination; idle conjecture

انفس

n-f-s → “souls”

literal: self; soul; souls

مشرکه

sh-r-k → “misbelief” Distinctive

literal: partner; associate; sharer; companion

بر

b-r-r → “cast upon”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

طيّبه

ṭ-y-b

literal: good; pure; sweet; fragrant; virtuous

وارد

w-r-d

literal: to enter, to come, to befall, to arrive

آمد

ʾ-m-d

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

تا

t-y-y

literal: so that/until

همّت

h-m-m → “endeavor”

literal: them (feminine or general); by them; through them

گماشتند

g-m-ʾ-sh

literal: appointed

نار

n-ʾ-r → “of” Distinctive

literal: fire; blaze; flame

سدره

s-d-r → “that sacred Tree”

literal: lote-tree; divine tree

ربّانيّه

r-b-b

literal: divine; of God; lordly

ماء

m-w-h → “with the waters”

literal: water; shelter; refuge; dwelling; abode; essence

تکذيب

k-dh-b → “of falsehood”

literal: denial; belying; falsification; rejection; liar; lying; false

افسرده

f-s-r-d → “extinguish”

literal: broken-hearted; melancholy; sorrowful

مخمود

kh-m-d → “quench” Distinctive

literal: extinguish; extinguished; extinguishing

غافل

gh-f-l → “oblivious of”

literal: heedlessness; negligence; inattention

اينکه

ʾ-y-n

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

حکمت

ḥ-k-m → “of Divine wisdom”

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

عنصری

ʿ-n-ṣ-r → “its elements” Distinctive

literal: element; essence; nature; lineage

نشود

sh-w-d

literal: to not become; to not be

سراج

s-r-j → “lamp”

literal: lamp; light; illuminator

بادهای

b-ʾ-d → “must needs” Distinctive

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

مخالف

kh-l-f

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

خاموشی

kh-m-sh → “extinguish”

literal: to extinguish; to quench; to silence; silent

نپذيرد

p-dh-r

literal: accept; to accept

بلکه

b-l-k → “Nay, rather”

literal: nay; but rather; on the contrary; but

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مقام

q-w-m

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

سبب

s-b-b → “cause”

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

اشتعال

sh-ʿ-l → “kindled” Distinctive

literal: to burn; to be inflamed; to kindle; burning; blazing

علّت

ʿ-l-l → “cause”

literal: for us; to us

حفظ

ḥ-f-ẓ → “protect”

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

لو

l-w → “If”

literal: if; would that; O that

انتم

n-t-m → “you”

literal: you

بالبصر

b-ṣ-r → “with the eye” Distinctive

literal: sight; insight; discernment; spiritual perception

الحديد

ḥ-d-d → “limitations” Distinctive

literal: iron; sharp, keen, acute

تنظرون

n-ẓ-r → “to observe”

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

رضی

r-ḍ-y → “good-pleasure” Distinctive

literal: good-pleasure, consent, satisfaction; satisfaction; pleasure; approval; contentment

تسلکون

s-l-k → “Deal”

literal: conduct; behavior; way; path; spiritual wayfaring

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶