Gleanings — §400

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 400 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

يا معشر العلمآء هل يقدر أحد منكم أن يستنّ معي في ميدان المكاشفة والعرفان أو يجول في مضمار الحكمة والتّبيان لا وربّي الرّحمن كلّ من عليها فان وهذا وجه ربّكم العزيز المحبوب

Shoghi Effendi Translation

O ye leaders of religion! Who is the man amongst you that can rival Me in vision or insight? Where is he to be found that dareth to claim to be My equal in utterance or wisdom? No, by My Lord, the All-Merciful! All on the earth shall pass away; and this is the face of your Lord, the Almighty, the Well-Beloved.

Translation Notes

معشر

mʿshr ʿ-sh-r → “leaders”

literal: assembly; association; associate

concourse 28% leaders 22% congregation 17% kings 11% company 6% people 6% ye 6% members 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §107: associated gleaningsGWB §260: ye congregation kitab-i-iqanKIQ §115: intercourse prayers-and-meditationsP&M §448: have communed the-hidden-wordsHW §145: commune will-and-testamentW&T §43: company epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §22: Consort gleaningsGWB §507: Twenty

العلمآء

al-ʿlmáʾ ʿ-l-m → “leaders”

literal: world; knowledge; worlds

divines 62% learned 18% leaders 9% doctors 2% priests 2% jewish 2% clerics 2% exalted 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §109: every fire-tabletFire §49: all the worlds gleaningsGWB §259: certain sciences kitab-i-iqanKIQ §198: domain of prayers-and-meditationsP&M §744: and the knowledge tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §17: of all the worlds tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §13: we have taught thee the-hidden-wordsHW §49: a sign

هل

hl h-l → “people” Distinctive

literal: people

This form usually rendered as “"hath”, “know”, “think” (3 occurrences)

“hath 33% know 33% think 33%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §157: “Hath gleaningsGWB §282: Know kitab-i-iqanKIQ §15: people gleaningsGWB §282: Think

يقدر

yqdr q-d-r → “can”

literal: power; powerful

can 61% have 9% cannot 4% claim 4% transgress 4% aspire 4% hath 4% able 4% powerless 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §90: strength fire-tabletFire §48: Ordainer gleaningsGWB §583: hath it been foreordained kitab-i-ahdAhd §2: measure kitab-i-iqanKIQ §58: able prayers-and-meditationsP&M §811: to Thy wealth tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §3: the Powerful tablet-of-carmelCarmel §5: the Mighty, the All-Powerful

أحد

ʾaḥd ʾ-ḥ-d → “man” Distinctive

literal: one; anyone; oneness

This form usually rendered as “one”, “any”, “anyone” (82 occurrences)

one 28% any 17% anyone 15% none 13% man 13% neighbor 4% incomparable 2% alone 2% another’s 2% king 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §114: one gleaningsGWB §584: of no one kitab-i-iqanKIQ §73: the divine prayers-and-meditationsP&M §83: of Thy unity tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §55: dweller the-hidden-wordsHW §69: himself over the other epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §166: any one gleaningsGWB §485: another’s

منكم

mnkm m-n → “amongst you”

literal: from; who; from/of

whosoever 20% above 14% all 14% others 11% who 9% such 9% man 6% amongst 6% whoso 6% unto 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §149: the feet of the erring fire-tabletFire §45: with hate gleaningsGWB §698: their kitab-i-ahdAhd §11: unto kitab-i-iqanKIQ §284: these prayers-and-meditationsP&M §753: all the denizens will-and-testamentW&T §2: after my epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §157: all

يستنّ

ystnn s-n-n → “rival”

literal: year; years; spear

early 15% laws 15% years 10% rival 10% method 10% spears 10% god’s 10% precepts 10% year 5% yet 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §63: spear gleaningsGWB §361: spears kitab-i-iqanKIQ §53: way prayers-and-meditationsP&M §781: Thy laws will-and-testamentW&T §49: arrows epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §142: yet another gleaningsGWB §460: God’s method kitab-i-iqanKIQ §208: darts

معي

mʿí m-ʿ → “notwithstanding”

literal: with; with/notwithstanding

notwithstanding 40% yet 20% although 7% though 7% associated 7% besides 7% view 7% nevertheless 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §189: Me gleaningsGWB §311: With them kitab-i-iqanKIQ §16: And yet epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §122: notwithstanding gleaningsGWB §277: with you kitab-i-iqanKIQ §280: Nevertheless epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: with it gleaningsGWB §265: are associated with thee

ميدان

mídán m-y-d → “in”

literal: table; field; arena

SE rendered يقدر (yqdr), أحد (ʾaḥd), منكم (mnkm), يستنّ (ystnn), معي (mʿí), ميدان (mídán), المكاشفة (al-mkáshfh), والعرفان (wálʿrfán), يجول (yjúl) as “can, the man, amongst you, rival, Me, in, vision, insight, dareth to claim”

food 33% table 17% heavenly 17% immensities 17% expanse 17%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: the food gleaningsGWB §400: in kitab-i-iqanKIQ §23: food prayers-and-meditationsP&M §857: the immensities the-hidden-wordsHW §41: the expanse epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §79: Table prayers-and-meditationsP&M §624: the heavenly table

المكاشفة

al-mkáshfh k-sh-f → “revelation”

literal: unveiling; uncover; unveiled

revelation 67% vision 33%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §115: dispel gleaningsGWB §509: that ye might take kitab-i-iqanKIQ §128: discover prayers-and-meditationsP&M §133: Revelation tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §16: solve gleaningsGWB §139: uncovered prayers-and-meditationsP&M §511: Clear away gleaningsGWB §469: lighten

والعرفان

wálʿrfán ʿ-r-f → “insight” Distinctive

literal: knowledge; know; knower

This form usually rendered as “knowledge”, “understanding”, “recognition” (144 occurrences)

knowledge 34% understanding 26% recognition 8% recognize 8% comprehension 7% know 6% recognizing 4% insight 3% wisdom 2% visualize 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §112: recognizeth gleaningsGWB §161: of human understanding kitab-i-ahdAhd §13: perform praiseworthy deeds kitab-i-iqanKIQ §2: and understanding prayers-and-meditationsP&M §769: make known unto me tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: to see the-hidden-wordsHW §4: knew epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §253: will make thee known

يجول

yjúl j-w-l → “dareth”

literal: roam; opportunity; space

dareth 25% right 25% shells 25% may 25%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §189: dareth to claim gleaningsGWB §406: the right kitab-i-iqanKIQ §224: shells will-and-testamentW&T §54: may advance

مضمار

mḍmár ḍ-m-r → “in”

literal: arena/racecourse

SE rendered المكاشفة (al-mkáshfh), والعرفان (wálʿrfán), يجول (yjúl), مضمار (mḍmár), الحكمة (al-ḥkmh), والتّبيان (wálttbíán), وربّي (wrbbí) as “vision, insight, dareth to claim, in, wisdom, utterance, by My Lord”

3 occurrences in corpus

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §119: the arena gleaningsGWB §400: in

الحكمة

al-ḥkmh ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: wisdom; judgment

wisdom 46% law 20% hath 6% divine 6% all 4% commandment 4% commandments 4% authority 4% judgment 4% injunction 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §67: judge gleaningsGWB §10: decree kitab-i-ahdAhd §6: rulership kitab-i-iqanKIQ §217: mysteries prayers-and-meditationsP&M §675: Supreme Ordainer tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §3: shall be tested the-hidden-wordsHW §13: My command will-and-testamentW&T §25: regulations

والتّبيان

wálttbíán b-y-n → “utterance”

literal: utterance

utterance 56% understanding 11% sayings 11% testimony 11% wisdom 11%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §14: the force of thy utterance fire-tabletFire §41: the Covenant gleaningsGWB §163: amidst Thy people kitab-i-ahdAhd §8: among My kitab-i-iqanKIQ §233: the utterances prayers-and-meditationsP&M §279: testimony the-hidden-wordsHW §155: of wisdom will-and-testamentW&T §1: clear and manifest

وربّي

wrbbí r-b-b → “by my lord”

literal: Lord; lord

SE expanded to “by My Lord”

lord 94% exalted 3% all-glorious 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §80: of its Lord gleaningsGWB §612: of your Lord kitab-i-iqanKIQ §148: ancient prayers-and-meditationsP&M §521: of Thy sovereignty tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §11: the All-Glorious the-hidden-wordsHW §25: of thy God will-and-testamentW&T §9: ‘Lord epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §229: I have nurtured

الرّحمن

ar-rḥmn r-ḥ-m → “the all-merciful”

literal: mercy; merciful; the Merciful

merciful 40% mercy 20% compassionate 20% all-merciful 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §81: Merciful fire-tabletFire §30: Thy compassion gleaningsGWB §519: Have mercy kitab-i-ahdAhd §8: blessings kitab-i-iqanKIQ §240: mercy of the All-Bountiful prayers-and-meditationsP&M §81: of mercy tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a mercy the-hidden-wordsHW §109: My tender grace

عليها

ʿlíhá ʿ-l-y → “upon” Distinctive

literal: upon; on

This form usually rendered as “aid”, “convulsed” (5 occurrences)

aid 50% convulsed 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: that gleaningsGWB §729: with him kitab-i-iqanKIQ §223: of prayers-and-meditationsP&M §251: the world the-hidden-wordsHW §42: reveal unto thee will-and-testamentW&T §59: upon you epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: against gleaningsGWB §167: on

وهذا

whdhá h-dh-ʾ → “and this”

literal: this; this (masculine); this (feminine)

SE rendered وربّي (wrbbí), الرّحمن (ar-rḥmn), عليها (ʿlíhá), وهذا (whdhá), وجه (wjh), ربّكم (rbbkm), العزيز (al-ʿzíz), المحبوب (al-mḥbúb) as “by My Lord, the All-Merciful, the earth, and this, face, your Lord, Almighty, Well-Beloved”