Gleanings — §408

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 408 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

چه که شأن صابرین از فقرا عندالله عظیم بوده وعمری لا یعادله شأن الّا ما شآء الله طوبی لفقیر صبر و ستر و لغنیّ انفق و آثر انشآءالله باید فقرا همّت نمایند و بکسب مشغول شوند و این امری است که بر هر نفسی در

Shoghi Effendi Translation

They who are possessed of riches, however, must have the utmost regard for the poor, for great is the honor destined by God for those poor who are steadfast in patience. By My life! There is no honor, except what God may please to bestow, that can compare to this honor. Great is the blessedness awaiting the poor that endure patiently and conceal their sufferings, and well is it with the rich who bestow their riches on the needy and prefer them before themselves.

Translation Notes

چه

ch-h → “For”

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

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

شأن

sh-ʾ-n → “in such wise”

literal: affair; concern; matter; aspect; quality; state; affairs; matters; conditions; circumstances; affair, matter, station, rank, dignity; station; rank; importance; matter, affair, concern, dignity, rank

صابرین

ṣ-b-r → “steadfast in patience” Distinctive

literal: patience; forbearance; endurance; to be patient

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

فقرا

f-q-r → “poor who”

literal: poor; needy; the poor one; pauper

عندالله

ʿ-n-d → “by God”

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

عظیم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “great is”

literal: strong; severe; intense; violent

بوده

b-w-d

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

وعمری

ʿ-m-r → “By My life”

literal: life; age; duration; by the life of (oath)

لا

l-ʾ → “no”

literal: no; not; negation particle

یعادله

ʿ-d-l → “justice” Distinctive

literal: justice; equity

الّا

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

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

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

شآء

sh-y-ʾ → “may please” Distinctive

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

الله

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

طوبی

ṭ-w-b → “Great is the blessedness”

literal: happiness; blessedness; felicity

ستر

s-t-r → “conceal”

literal: to veil; to conceal; to cover; veil; covering

لغنیّ

gh-n-y → “rich who”

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

انفق

n-f-q → “bestow”

literal: hypocrisy; sedition; discord; betrayal

آثر

ʾ-th-r → “signs” Distinctive

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint

باید

b-y-d → “must”

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

همّت

h-m-m

literal: them (feminine or general); by them; through them

نمایند

n-m-ʾ

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

بکسب

k-s-b

literal: to acquire, earn, gain; to bring upon (oneself); to gain; to acquire; earning; livelihood

مشغول

sh-gh-l

literal: to occupy; to engage; to busy; occupation

شوند

sh-w-d

literal: become; to become; became

این

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

امری

ʾ-m-r

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

بر

b-r-r

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

هر

h-r

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

نفسی

n-f-s

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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160 ¶

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59 ¶