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Gleanings — §391

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 391 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

و کبر سلطانه این در مقام انسان ذکر شد ولکن نعمت کلّیّهٴ حقیقیّهٴ الهیّه نفس ظهور است که جمیع نعمتهای ظاهره و باطنه طائف حول اوست در حقیقت اوّلیّه مائدهٴ سمائیّه او بوده و خواهد بود اوست حجّت اعظم و برهان اقوم و نعمت اتمّ و رحمت اسبق و عنایت اکمل و فضل اکبر هر نفسی الیوم اقبال نمود او بنعمت الهی فائز است ان اشکر ربّک بهذا الفضل

Shoghi Effendi Translation

These gifts are inherent in man himself. That which is preeminent above all other gifts, is incorruptible in nature, and pertaineth to God Himself, is the gift of Divine Revelation. Every bounty conferred by the Creator upon man, be it material or spiritual, is subservient unto this. It is, in its essence, and will ever so remain, the Bread which cometh down from Heaven. It is God’s supreme testimony, the clearest evidence of His truth, the sign of His consummate bounty, the token of His all-encompassing mercy, the proof of His most loving providence, the symbol of His most perfect grace. He hath, indeed, partaken of this highest gift of God who hath recognized His Manifestation in this Day.

Translation Notes

کبر
k-b-r

literal: great; grand; mighty; large; greatness; majesty; sovereignty; arrogance

سلطانه
s-l-ṭ

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

این
ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

در
d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

انسان
ʾ-n-s → “inherent in man himself”

literal: man; human being; mankind

ذکر
dh-k-r

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

شد
sh-d

literal: to become; to be

ولکن
l-k-n → “however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

نعمت
n-ʿ-m → “preeminent above all other gifts” Distinctive

literal: bliss; bounty; grace; comfort; felicity

کلّیّهٴ
k-l-l → “all” Distinctive

literal: all; every; whole; entirety; entire; completely

حقیقیّهٴ
ḥ-q-q → “truth” Distinctive

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

الهیّه
ʾ-l-h → “and pertaineth to God Himself”

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

ظهور
ẓ-h-r → “is the” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

است
b-w-d → “are”

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

که
k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

جمیع
j-m-ʿ → “Every”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

باطنه
b-ṭ-n → “spiritual” Distinctive

literal: inner; hidden; inward; esoteric

طائف
ṭ-w-f

literal: the letter Ṭá; refers to Ṭihrán (also spelled Ṭehran)

حول
ḥ-w-l → “now” Distinctive

literal: states; conditions; circumstances; situations; affairs

اوست
h-s-t → “hath” Distinctive

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

اوّلیّه
ʾ-w-l

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

مائدهٴ
m-w-d → “bread”

literal: table; table/banquet; table, banquet

سمائیّه
s-m-w → “from Heaven”

literal: heaven; sky

او
h-w-w → “is”

literal: he; He; he/him

خواهد
kh-w-h → “will ever so remain” Distinctive

literal: will; to wish; to want

حجّت
ḥ-j-j → “proof”

literal: path, way; clear path

اعظم
ʿ-ẓ-m → “supreme” Distinctive

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

برهان
b-r-h → “proof”

literal: proof, evidence, demonstration, argument

اقوم
q-w-m → “people” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

اتمّ
t-m-m → “all” Distinctive

literal: mother

رحمت
r-ḥ-m → “token of His all-encompassing mercy”

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

اسبق
s-b-q

literal: to precede; to surpass; to excel

عنایت
ʿ-n-y → “most loving providence” Distinctive

literal: bounty; loving-kindness; grace; divine care; attention

اکمل
k-m-l → “most perfect”

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

فضل
f-ḍ-l → “grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

اکبر
k-b-r → “grandeur” Distinctive

literal: great; grand; mighty; large; greatness; majesty; sovereignty; arrogance

هر
h-r

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

نفسی
n-f-s → “He hath” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

الیوم
y-w-m → “in this Day”

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

اقبال
q-b-l → “before” Distinctive

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

نمود
n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

literal: do; show; make

فائز
f-w-z

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

ان
ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

اشکر
sh-k-r

literal: thankfulness, gratitude; to give thanks, be grateful; manifest; evident; apparent; clear

ربّک
r-b-b

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

بهذا
h-dh-ʾ

literal: this; that

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