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Gleanings — §368

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 368 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

کلّ اشیاء در مقامی آیات الهی بوده و خواهند بود علی قدر مراتبها در مقام تجلّی سلطان مجلّی در ملکوت اسماء و صفات از برای کلّ اثبات آیتیّت میشود در اینصورت غیر آیات چیزی مشهود نه تا قرب و بعد تصوّر شود.... و اگر دست قدرت الهیّه آیتیّت اشیاء را اخذ نماید لا تری فی الملک من شیء چه ‌قدر پاک و مقدّس است پروردگار تو و چه ‌قدر عظیم است

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Know thou that every created thing is a sign of the revelation of God. Each, according to its capacity, is, and will ever remain, a token of the Almighty. Inasmuch as He, the sovereign Lord of all, hath willed to reveal His sovereignty in the kingdom of names and attributes, each and every created thing hath, through the act of the Divine Will, been made a sign of His glory. So pervasive and general is this revelation that nothing whatsoever in the whole universe can be discovered that doth not reflect His splendor. Under such conditions every consideration of proximity and remoteness is obliterated.… Were the Hand of Divine power to divest of this high endowment all created things, the entire universe would become desolate and void.

Translation Notes

کلّ
k-l-l → “every”

literal: for us; to us

اشیاء
sh-y-ʾ → “created thing”

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

در
d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مقامی
q-w-m

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

آیات
ʾ-y-y → “sign”

literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof

الهی
ʾ-l-h → “of God”

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

بوده
b-w-d → “is”

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

خواهند
kh-w-ʾ-h → “will ever remain”

literal: to will; to want; shall; will (future auxiliary)

علی
ʿ-l-w → “exalted”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

قدر
q-d-r → “to” Distinctive

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

مراتبها
r-t-b → “station” Distinctive

literal: rank; station; degree; time; instance

تجلّی
j-l-w → “revelation”

literal: effulgence; manifestation; revelation

سلطان
s-l-ṭ → “sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

ملکوت
m-l-k → “kingdom”

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

اسماء
s-m-w → “names”

literal: name

صفات
w-ṣ-f → “attributes”

literal: attribute; quality; characteristic

از
ʾ-z

literal: from

برای
b-r-y

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

اثبات
th-b-t → “established” Distinctive

literal: firm; steadfast; established; fixed

اینصورت
ṣ-w-r → “trumpet-call” Distinctive

literal: to imagine; to conceive; to suppose

غیر
gh-y-r → “other”

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

چیزی
ch-y-z → “something”

literal: thing; thing, something; that which

مشهود
sh-h-d → “be discovered” Distinctive

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

نه
n-h-y

literal: end; ended; utmost

تا
t-y-y

literal: so that/until

قرب
q-r-b → “proximity”

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

بعد
b-ʿ-d → “remoteness”

literal: after; behind; distance

شود....
sh-w-d → “be”

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

اگر
ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

دست
d-s-t → “Hand”

literal: hand; control, power, authority

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

اخذ
ʾ-kh-dh → “arrested”

literal: to take; to seize; to affect; to grasp

نماید
n-m-ʾ → “Will” Distinctive

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

لا
l-ʾ

literal: no; not; negation particle

تری
r-ʾ-y

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

فی
f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

من
m-n

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

چه
ch-h

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

پاک
p-ʾ-k

literal: pure; clean; sanctified; holy

مقدّس
q-d-s

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

پروردگار
r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: Lord; Sustainer; Provider; Creator

تو
t-w-w → “thou”

literal: you

عظیم
ʿ-ẓ-m

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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