Gleanings — §441

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 441 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

سالها است نه ارض ساکن است و نه اهل آن گاهی بحرب مشغول و هنگامی ببلاهای ناگهانی معذّب بأساء و ضرّاء ارض را احاطه نموده مع‌ذلک احدی آگاه نه که سبب آن چیست و علّت آن چه اگر ناصح حقیقی کلمه‌ئی فرمود آن را بر فساد حمل نموده‌اند و از او نپذیرفته‌اند انسان متحیّر که چه گوید و چه عرض نماید دو نفس دیده نمیشود که فی‌الحقیقه در ظاهر و باطن متّحد باشند آثار نفاق در آفاق موجود و مشهود مع آنکه کلّ از برای اتّحاد و اتّفاق خلق شده‌اند

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Behold the disturbances which, for many a long year, have afflicted the earth, and the perturbation that hath seized its peoples. It hath either been ravaged by war, or tormented by sudden and unforeseen calamities. Though the world is encompassed with misery and distress, yet no man hath paused to reflect what the cause or source of that may be. Whenever the True Counselor uttered a word in admonishment, lo, they all denounced Him as a mover of mischief and rejected His claim. How bewildering, how confusing is such behavior! No two men can be found who may be said to be outwardly and inwardly united. The evidences of discord and malice are apparent everywhere, though all were made for harmony and union. The Great Being saith: O well-beloved ones! The tabernacle of unity hath been raised; regard ye not one another as strangers.

Translation Notes

سالها

s-n-h → “for many a long year”

literal: most beautiful; finest; highest

است

b-w-d → “have afflicted” Distinctive

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

نه

n-h-y

literal: end; ended; utmost

ارض

ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

ساکن

s-k-n

literal: stillness, rest, quietude, tranquility

اهل

ʾ-h-l → “its peoples”

literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin

آن

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

گاهی

g-ʾ-h → “At one time”

literal: sometimes; at times; occasionally

بحرب

ḥ-r-b → “ravaged by war”

literal: warfare; combat; fighting; hostility

مشغول

sh-gh-l → “busied”

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

هنگامی

h-n-g → “or” Distinctive

literal: time; when; occasion

ببلاهای

b-l-w → “tribulations” Distinctive

literal: affliction; trial; calamity; trial, tribulation, affliction, calamity; yes; indeed; verily

ناگهانی

g-h-n → “suddenly” Distinctive

literal: to look; to regard; to keep

معذّب

ʿ-dh-b

literal: punishment; torment; tormented

بأساء

b-ʾ-s → “Wretched” Distinctive

literal: worst; evil; bad; other than; besides; save; except

ضرّاء

ḍ-r-r → “harm” Distinctive

literal: harm; damage; injury; detriment

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

احاطه

ḥ-w-ṭ → “encompassed”

literal: to encompass, surround, envelop, embrace

نموده

n-m-ود → “hath”

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

مع‌ذلک

dh-l-k → “yet” Distinctive

literal: nevertheless; despite this; yet; however

احدی

ʾ-ḥ-d → “no man” Distinctive

literal: oneness; unity; absolute unicity; singleness of divine essence

آگاه

ʾ-g-h → “cognizant”

literal: aware; cognizant; informed; apprised; awareness; knowledge; consciousness

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

سبب

s-b-b → “cause”

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

علّت

ʿ-l-l → “cause”

literal: for us; to us

چه

ch-h

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

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

ناصح

n-ṣ-ḥ → “True Counselor” Distinctive

literal: counsel; advice; admonition

حقیقی

ḥ-q-q

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

کلمه‌ئی

k-l-m → “word”

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

فرمود

f-r-m → “saith” Distinctive

literal: to say; to decree; to ordain; to command

بر

b-r-r → “righteous” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

فساد

f-s-d → “of mischief”

literal: corruption; ruin; discord; mischief; decay

حمل

ḥ-m-l → “bear” Distinctive

literal: to bear; to endure; to carry; to tolerate

نموده‌اند

n-m-w → “have”

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

از

ʾ-z

literal: from

او

h-w-w → “is”

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

انسان

ʾ-n-s → “No two men” Distinctive

literal: man; human being; mankind

متحیّر

ḥ-y-r → “perplexed”

literal: bewildered; perplexed; confused; astounded; amazed; bewilderment; perplexity; wonder; amazement

گوید

q-w-l → “said”

literal: say; said; saying

عرض

ʿ-r-ḍ

literal: to turn away; to avert; to abstain; heedless

نماید

n-m-ʾ → “may”

literal: do; show; make

دو

d-w

literal: two; run; running

نفس

n-f-s

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

دیده

d-y-d → “seen”

literal: to give; to grant; to present; justice; judgment; to see; sight; eye; seen

نمیشود

sh-w-d → “be” Distinctive

literal: to not become; to not be

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “outwardly” Distinctive

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

باطن

b-ṭ-n → “inwardly”

literal: inner; hidden; inward; esoteric

متّحد

w-ḥ-d → “united”

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

آثار

ʾ-th-r → “signs”

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint; sign; mark; vestige

نفاق

n-f-q → “sacrificed” Distinctive

literal: hypocrisy; sedition; discord; betrayal

آفاق

ʾ-f-q → “horizon” Distinctive

literal: horizons; regions; quarters; skylines

موجود

w-j-d → “being”

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

مشهود

sh-h-d

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

مع

m-ʿ → “notwithstanding”

literal: with; together with; alongside

کلّ

k-l-l → “all”

literal: all; every; all, every

برای

b-r-y → “for”

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

اتّفاق

w-f-q → “aid” Distinctive

literal: accord, agreement, harmony; to agree, accord with

خلق

kh-l-q → “were made” Distinctive

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

شده‌اند

sh-d → “were made” Distinctive

literal: become; turned into; has become; to become; to be

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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268 ¶

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Kitáb-i-Íqán

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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 ¶

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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.

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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

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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

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57 ¶

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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 ¶

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‘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 ¶