Gleanings — §387

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 387 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

وإنّه لم یزل ولا یزال کان متوحّدًا في ذاته ومتفرّدا في صفاته وواحدًا في أفعاله وإنّ الشّبیه وصف خلقه والشّریک نعت عباده سبحان نفسه من أن یوصف بوصف خلقه وإنّه کان وحده في علوّ الارتفاع وسموّ الامتناع ولن یطرأ إلی هوآء قدس عرفانه أطیار أفئدة العالمین مجموعًا وإنّه قد خلق الممکنات وذرأ الموجودات بکلمة أمره وما خلق بکلمة الّتي ظهرت من قلم الّذي حرّکه أنامل إرادته کیف یکون شریکًا أو دلیلاً علیه سبحانه من أن یشار بإشارة أحد أو یعرف بعرفان نفس وما دونه فقرآء لدی بابه وعجزآء عند ظهور عزّه وأرقّآء في ملکه وإنّه کان عن العالمین غنیًّا

Shoghi Effendi Translation

He, in truth, hath, throughout eternity, been one in His Essence, one in His attributes, one in His works. Any and every comparison is applicable only to His creatures, and all conceptions of association are conceptions that belong solely to those that serve Him. Immeasurably exalted is His Essence above the descriptions of His creatures. He, alone, occupieth the Seat of transcendent majesty, of supreme and inaccessible glory. The birds of men’s hearts, however high they soar, can never hope to attain the heights of His unknowable Essence. It is He Who hath called into being the whole of creation, Who hath caused every created thing to spring forth at His behest. Shall, then, the thing that was born by virtue of the word which His Pen hath revealed, and which the finger of His Will hath directed, be regarded as partner with Him, or an embodiment of His Self? Far be it from His glory that human pen or tongue should hint at His mystery, or that human heart conceive His Essence. All else besides Him stand poor and desolate at His door, all are powerless before the greatness of His might, all are but slaves in His Kingdom. He is rich enough to dispense with all creatures.

Translation Notes

وإنّه

h-w → “is” Distinctive

literal: deviation; divergence; straying from the path; to be weak, to flag, to show reluctance

لم

l-y-s

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

ولا

w-l-y → “and”

literal: no; not; negation particle

یزال

z-w-l → “throughout eternity”

literal: cease; to cease; decline

کان

k-w-n → “been”

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

متوحّدًا

w-ḥ-d → “one”

literal: Divine unity; monotheism; belief in the oneness of God

في

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

ذاته

dh-w-t → “His Essence”

literal: self; essence; being

ومتفرّدا

f-r-d → “one”

literal: oneness; unique; singleness

صفاته

w-ṣ-f → “His attributes”

literal: attribute; quality; characteristic

أفعاله

f-ʿ-l → “His works”

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

وإنّ

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

الشّبیه

sh-b-h → “comparison”

literal: doubt; uncertainty; suspicion; resemblance; semblance

خلقه

kh-l-q → “His creatures”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

والشّریک

sh-r-k → “infidels” Distinctive

literal: partner; associate; sharer; companion

نعت

n-ʿ-t

literal: grace; bounty; divine favor

عباده

ʿ-b-d → “serve Him” Distinctive

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

سبحان

s-b-ḥ → “Immeasurably exalted” Distinctive

literal: glorified; the All-Praised; exalted; dawn; daybreak; morning

نفسه

n-f-s → “souls”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

من

m-n → “of”

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

أن

ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

علوّ

ʿ-l-w → “supreme” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

الارتفاع

r-f-ʿ → “raised” Distinctive

literal: to be raised, elevated, exalted, lifted up

وسموّ

s-m-w → “and inaccessible glory” Distinctive

literal: heaven; sky

الامتناع

m-n-ʿ

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

ولن

l-n → “neither”

literal: will not (negation of future)

یطرأ

ṭ-r-ʾ → “hope”

literal: reach/arrive

إلی

ʾ-l-y → “towards”

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

هوآء

h-w-y → “heights”

literal: air; atmosphere; void

قدس

q-d-s → “holy”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

أطیار

ṭ-y-r → “birds”

literal: bird; birds; flying creature; flying; flight

أفئدة

f-ʾ-d → “men’s hearts”

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

العالمین

ʿ-l-m → “whole” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

مجموعًا

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: all; all, entire; group

قد

q-d → “We have been”

literal: verily; indeed; certainly (particle of emphasis)

الممکنات

m-k-n → “creation”

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

وذرأ

dh-r-ʾ → “caused”

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

الموجودات

w-j-d → “every created thing” Distinctive

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

بکلمة

k-l-m → “word”

literal: words; utterances; locutions; word; utterance; speech; sayings; verses

أمره

ʾ-m-r → “His behest” Distinctive

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

وما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

الّتي

ʾ-l-l → “which”

literal: who; which/that; which

ظهرت

ẓ-h-r → “hath revealed”

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

قلم

q-l-m → “His Pen”

literal: pen; writing instrument

الّذي

l-dh-y → “which”

literal: who; which; that which; the one who

حرّکه

ḥ-r-k → “move”

literal: movement; motion; trembling; activity; حراک is unusual; possible typo or dialectal. Standard Arabic would be حرك or اهتزاز for ‘trembling’

أنامل

n-m-l → “ant” Distinctive

literal: people; mankind; human beings

إرادته

r-w-d → “His Will”

literal: to will; to intend; to wish; will, volition, intention, desire

کیف

k-y-f → “how”

literal: how; in what manner

أو

h-w-w → “or” Distinctive

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

دلیلاً

d-l-l → “proof”

literal: to argue; to demonstrate; proof

علیه

ʿ-l-y → “upon”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

بإشارة

sh-y-r → “hint”

literal: to point to; to indicate; to gesture

أحد

ʾ-ḥ-d → “human” Distinctive

literal: one; anyone; oneness

یعرف

ʿ-r-f → “knowledge” Distinctive

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

دونه

d-w-n → “besides Him” Distinctive

literal: below; lower than; beneath

فقرآء

f-q-r → “poor and desolate”

literal: poor; needy; the poor one; pauper

لدی

l-d-y → “at”

literal: with; in the presence of; from; by

بابه

b-w-b → “His door”

literal: door; gate; chapter; way; manner

وعجزآء

ʿ-j-z → “powerless”

literal: to be unable; to fail; to be exhausted; impotence; أعجاز (roots of trees/extremities) is Pattern II plural, distinct from ‘inability’ forms

عند

ʿ-n-d → “before”

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

عزّه

ʿ-z-z → “His might” Distinctive

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

وأرقّآء

r-q-q → “Thy slaves” Distinctive

literal: slave; subtle things, delicate things; fine

ملکه

m-l-k → “His Kingdom”

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

عن

ʿ-n

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

غنیًّا

gh-n-y → “rich enough to dispense”

literal: to be independent of; to be in no need of; to dispense with

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 ¶