Gleanings — §37

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 37 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

چون ايّام موسی گذشت و انوار عيسی از فجر روح عالم را احاطه نمود جميع يهود اعتراض نمودند که آن نفس که در توراة موعود است بايد مروّج و مکمّل شرايع توراة باشد و اين جوان ناصری که خود را مسيح اللّه مينامد حکم طلاق و سبت را که از حکمهای اعظم موسی است نسخ نموده و ديگر آنکه علائم ظهور هنوز ظاهر نشده چنانچه يهود هنوز منتظر آن ظهورند که در توراة مذکور است چه قدر از مظاهر قدس احديّه و مطالع نور ازليّه که بعد از موسی در ابداع ظاهر شده و هنوز يهود بحجبات نفسيّه شيطانيّه و ظنونات افکيّه نفسانيّه محتجب بوده و هستند و منتظرند که هيکل مجعول با علامات مذکوره که خود ادراک نموده‌اند کی ظاهر خواهد شد کذلک أخذهم اللّه بذنبهم و أخذ عنهم روح الإيمان و عذّبهم بنار کانت في هاوية الجحيم موقودًا و اين نبود مگر از عدم عرفان يهود عبارات مسطوره در توراة را که در علائم ظهور بعد نوشته شده چون بحقيقت آن پی نبردند و بظاهر هم چنين امور ظاهر نشد لهذا از جمال عيسوی محروم شدند و بلقاء اللّه فائز نگشتند "وَکَانُوا مِنَ المُنْتَظِرِينَ" و لم يزل و لا يزال جميع امم بهمين جعليّات افکار نالايقه تمسّک جسته و از عيونهای لطيفه رقيقه جاريه خود را بی بهره و بی نصيب نمودند ...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And when the days of Moses were ended, and the light of Jesus, shining forth from the Dayspring of the Spirit, encompassed the world, all the people of Israel arose in protest against Him. They clamored that He Whose advent the Bible had foretold must needs promulgate and fulfill the laws of Moses, whereas this youthful Nazarene, who laid claim to the station of the divine Messiah, had annulled the laws of divorce and of the sabbath day — the most weighty of all the laws of Moses. Moreover, what of the signs of the Manifestation yet to come? These people of Israel are even unto the present day still expecting that Manifestation which the Bible hath foretold! How many Manifestations of Holiness, how many Revealers of the light everlasting, have appeared since the time of Moses, and yet Israel, wrapt in the densest veils of satanic fancy and false imaginings, is still expectant that the idol of her own handiwork will appear with such signs as she herself hath conceived! Thus hath God laid hold of them for their sins, hath extinguished in them the spirit of faith, and tormented them with the flames of the nethermost fire. And this for no other reason except that Israel refused to apprehend the meaning of such words as have been revealed in the Bible concerning the signs of the coming Revelation. As she never grasped their true significance, and, to outward seeming, such events never came to pass, she, therefore, remained deprived of recognizing the beauty of Jesus and of beholding the Face of God. And they still await His coming! From time immemorial even unto this day, all the kindreds and peoples of the earth have clung to such fanciful and unseemly thoughts, and thus have deprived themselves of the clear waters streaming from the springs of purity and holiness.…

Translation Notes

چون

ch-w-n → “As”

literal: since; when; as

ايّام

y-w-m → “days”

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

گذشت

g-dh-r → “renounced”

literal: to leave; to pass; to abandon

انوار

n-w-r → “light”

literal: light; illumination

از

ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

فجر

f-j-r → “Dayspring”

literal: dawn; dayspring; to break (of dawn)

روح

r-w-ḥ → “Spirit”

literal: to go; to depart; to rest; spirit; soul

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “world”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

احاطه

ḥ-w-ṭ → “encompassed”

literal: to encompass, surround, envelop, embrace

نمود

n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

يهود

y-h-d → “Jews”

literal: Jews; Jew; Judea

اعتراض

ʿ-r-ḍ → “arose in protest”

literal: objection, protest, denial; cavil

نمودند

n-m-ود → “hath” Distinctive

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

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

آن

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

نفس

n-f-s → “He” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

توراة

t-w-r → “second”

literal: Torah; time; Torah, Pentateuch

موعود

w-ʿ-d → “foretold”

literal: promised; the Promised One

بايد

b-y-d → “must needs”

literal: by hand; with hands; eternal; perpetual; everlasting

مروّج

r-w-j → “promulgate”

literal: promotion; promoter; promoting

مکمّل

k-m-l → “fulfill”

literal: perfection; completeness; fully; with full; in complete; to complete, perfect, fulfill

شرايع

sh-r-ʿ → “laws”

literal: law; legislation; religious law; canon; ordinance

باشد

b-w-d → “are” Distinctive

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

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

جوان

j-w-n → “youthful”

literal: young, youthful, youth

ناصری

n-ṣ-r → “Nazarene”

literal: aid, help, succor, victory, support

خود

kh-w-d → “their own”

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

مسيح

m-s-ḥ → “rubbeth”

literal: to wipe, anoint, touch lightly; to pass over

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “divine”

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

مينامد

n-ʾ-m → “name” Distinctive

literal: to show, to display, to manifest, to exhibit; to manifest; to display; to show

حکم

ḥ-k-m → “laws”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

طلاق

ṭ-l-q → “divorce”

literal: divorce; release; freeing

سبت

s-б-t → “Sabbath”

literal: Sabbath

اعظم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “most weighty” Distinctive

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

نسخ

n-s-kh → “annulled”

literal: abrogator; repealer; one who abrogates or abrogates the law

ديگر

d-g-r → “other”

literal: home; place; land; abode

ظهور

ẓ-h-r → “Manifestation”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

هنوز

h-n-w → “yet”

literal: still; yet; hitherto

نشده

sh-d → “have been” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

چنانچه

ch-n-n

literal: thus; in such manner; as

منتظر

n-ẓ-r → “expecting” Distinctive

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

مذکور

dh-k-r → “mentioned”

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

چه

ch-h → “For”

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

قدر

q-d-r → “many” Distinctive

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

قدس

q-d-s → “holiness”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

احديّه

ʾ-ḥ-d

literal: oneness; uniqueness; absolute unity; singularity of God

مطالع

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Revealers of” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

ازليّه

ʾ-z-l → “everlasting”

literal: eternity; pre-eternity; without beginning; eternal; everlasting; from eternity

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “after”

literal: after; behind; distance

ابداع

b-d-ʿ

literal: to create; most wondrous; excel

بحجبات

ḥ-j-b → “veils”

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

شيطانيّه

sh-ṭ-n → “satanic”

literal: Satan; devil; evil one; accursed one

ظنونات

ẓ-n-n → “fancy”

literal: fancy; supposition; vain imagination; idle conjecture

افکيّه

ʾ-f-k → “shed”

literal: cast; false, mendacious; liar

هستند

h-s-t → “is”

literal: to be; to exist

هيکل

h-y-k-l → “form”

literal: temple; structure; form; body

مجعول

j-ʿ-l

literal: to make; to cause; to render; to appoint

با

b-ʾ-ʾ

literal: to; with; by

ادراک

d-r-k → “conceived” Distinctive

literal: to overtake; to catch; to reach; to attain; to perceive; to comprehend

نموده‌اند

n-m-w → “hath” Distinctive

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

کی

k-w

literal: street

خواهد

kh-w-h → “will”

literal: will; to wish; to want

کذلک

dh-l-k → “Thus”

literal: thus; likewise; also

أخذهم

ʾ-kh-dh → “hath God laid hold”

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

بذنبهم

dh-n-b → “for their sins”

literal: sin; crime; offense; fault

أخذ

ʾ-kh-dh → “arrested”

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

عنهم

ʿ-n-d → “possess”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

الإيمان

ʾ-m-n → “faith”

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure; trust; trustworthiness; covenant; deposit; believer, faithful

عذّبهم

ʿ-dh-b → “tormented”

literal: torment, punishment, chastisement

بنار

n-ʾ-r → “flames”

literal: fire; blaze; flame

کانت

k-w-n

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

في

f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

هاوية

h-w-y

literal: desire; air; passion

الجحيم

j-ḥ-m → “nethermost”

literal: hell; hellfire; hellfire, inferno

موقودًا

w-q-d → “kindled”

literal: kindle; kindled; kindled, burning

مگر

m-g-r

literal: matter; affair; thing

عدم

ʿ-d-m

literal: nonexistent; void; nullified

عرفان

ʿ-r-f

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

عبارات

ʿ-b-r → “words”

literal: expression; phrase; utterance; statement; passage; wording

مسطوره

s-ṭ-r

literal: written; inscribed; recorded

نوشته

n-w-sh

literal: to write; written

بحقيقت

ḥ-q-q → “true” Distinctive

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

پی

p-y

literal: trace; pursuit; trace, awareness

نبردند

b-r-d → “brother” Distinctive

literal: pulpit; elevated platform for preaching

هم

h-m-m

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

امور

ʾ-m-r → “events”

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

لهذا

l-dh-ʾ → “therefore”

literal: therefore; for this reason; hence; so

جمال

j-m-l → “beauty”

literal: beauty; comeliness

محروم

ḥ-r-m → “deprived”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

بلقاء

l-q-y → “Presence”

literal: opposite; facing; in front of; towards

فائز

f-w-z

literal: benefit, profit, advantage; usefulness; bounty; effusion; grace

نگشتند

g-sh-t

literal: to become; to happen; to come to pass

مِنَ

m-n

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

لم

l-y-s

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

يزل

z-w-l

literal: cease; to cease; decline

لا

l-ʾ

literal: no; not; negation particle

امم

ʾ-m-m → “kindreds and peoples”

literal: mother; to lead; to head; matter; affair; people; nation; community; female servant; handmaiden; umma

بهمين

h-m-n

literal: the same; that very

افکار

f-k-r → “thoughts”

literal: thoughts; ideas; fancies; opinions; to think; to reflect; to contemplate

نالايقه

l-y-q → “unseemly”

literal: worthy; befit; befits

تمسّک

m-s-k → “clung”

literal: musk; to seize; grip; to hold fast; to cling to; to grasp

جسته

j-s-t

literal: to seek; to cling; to grasp; to strive

عيونهای

ʿ-y-n → “springs” Distinctive

literal: eye; eyes; appointed

لطيفه

l-ṭ-f

literal: kindness; grace; gentleness; benevolence

رقيقه

r-q-q

literal: slave; servant; thin; delicate

جاريه

j-r-y → “streaming”

literal: trade; commerce; business; to flow; to run; to be in effect; flowing

بی

b-y

literal: without; is; to

بهره

b-h-r

literal: portion, share; for the sake of; spring (season)

نصيب

n-ṣ-b

literal: share; portion; lot; fate

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 ¶