Gleanings — §457

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 457 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

علينا من دون ذنب ولا جرم مبين، أما تخافون عن الله الّذي خلقكم وسوّاكم وبلغ أشدّكم وجعلكم من المسلمين، إلى متى لا تتنبّهون في أنفسكم ولا تتعقّلون في ذواتكم ولا تقومون عن نومكم وغفلتكم وما تكوننّ من المتنبّهين، وأنت فكّر في نفسك مع كلّ ما فعلتم وعملتم

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Ye have persisted in your waywardness until ye rose up against Us, though We had committed nothing to justify your enmity. Fear ye not God Who hath created you, and fashioned you, and caused you to attain your strength, and joined you with them that have resigned themselves to Him (Muslims)? How long will ye persist in your waywardness? How long will ye refuse to reflect? How long ere ye shake off your slumber and are roused from your heedlessness? How long will ye remain unaware of the truth?

Translation Notes

علينا

ʿ-l-y → “against Us”

literal: exalted; highest; supreme; most high; upon you; on; over; Ali (name); upon

من

m-n

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

دون

d-w-n → “except Thee” Distinctive

literal: below; lower than; beneath

ذنب

literal: sin; crime; offense; fault

ولا

literal: no; not; negation particle

جرم

literal: crime; sin; boldness

مبين،

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

أما

literal: mother; to lead; to head; matter; affair; people; nation; community; female servant; handmaiden; umma

تخافون

kh-w-f → “Fear ye not”

literal: to fear; to be afraid; fear

عن

ʿ-n → “from”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

الله

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

الّذي

l-dh-y → “which”

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

خلقكم

kh-l-q → “created you”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

وسوّاكم

s-w-y → “except Thee” Distinctive

literal: level; equal; straight; upon a throne; resting upon; toward; to; direction of; other than; besides; except

وبلغ

b-l-gh → “teach” Distinctive

literal: to reach; to attain; to deliver; to proclaim

أشدّكم

sh-d-d → “tribulations” Distinctive

literal: strong; severe; intense; violent

وجعلكم

j-ʿ-l → “make” Distinctive

literal: to make; to cause; to render; to appoint

المسلمين،

literal: resignation; submission; surrender; submissiveness

إلى

ʾ-l-y → “towards”

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

لا

literal: no; not; negation particle

تتنبّهون

n-b-h → “awakening” Distinctive

literal: to awaken; to alert; to warn

في

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

أنفسكم

n-f-s → “your waywardness”

literal: self; soul; psyche

تتعقّلون

ʿ-q-l → “mind” Distinctive

literal: intellect; wise persons; to understand

ذواتكم

literal: essence; self; being

تقومون

q-w-m → “people” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

نومكم

n-w-m → “your slumber”

literal: to sleep; to slumber

وغفلتكم

gh-f-l → “your heedlessness”

literal: heedlessness; negligence; inattention

وما

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

تكوننّ

k-w-n → “remain” Distinctive

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

وأنت

literal: you (masculine singular)

فكّر

literal: thoughts; ideas; fancies; opinions

مع

m-ʿ → “notwithstanding”

literal: with; together with; alongside

كلّ

literal: for us; to us

فعلتم

f-ʿ-l → “deeds” Distinctive

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

وعملتم

ʿ-m-l → “deeds” Distinctive

literal: to work; to act; to do; to perform

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