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Gleanings — §462

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 462 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

والعشيّ يريدون وجهه وأنت خالفت حكم الكتاب بعد الّذي حسبت نفسك من المؤمنين، ومع ذلك فوالله لم يكن في قلبي بغضك ولا بغض أحد من النّاس ولو وردتم علينا ما لا يطيقه أحد من الموحّدين، وما أمري إلّا بالله وتوكّلي إلّا عليه فسوف يمضي أيّامكم وأيّام الّذين هم كانوا اليوم على غرور مبين، وتجتمعون ف

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Despite what thou hast done I entertain — and to this God is My witness — no ill-will against thee, nor against anyone, though from thee and others We receive such hurt as no believer in the unity of God can sustain. My cause is in the hand of none except God, and My trust is in no one else but Him. Erelong shall your days pass away, as shall pass away the days of those who now, with flagrant pride, vaunt themselves over their neighbor. Soon shall ye be gathered together in the presence of God, and shall be asked of your doings, and shall be repaid for what your hands have wrought, and wretched the abode of the wicked doers!

Translation Notes

والعشيّ

literal: evening; daytime; afternoon

يريدون

literal: to will, to intend, to wish, to desire; to want; to intend; to desire

وجهه

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

وأنت

literal: you (masculine singular)

خالفت
kh-l-f “contrary” Distinctive

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

حكم

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

الكتاب

literal: book; scripture; writing

بعد

literal: after; behind; distance

حسبت

literal: according to; in accordance with; as regards

نفسك

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

من

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

المؤمنين،

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure

ومع

literal: with; together with; alongside

ذلك
dh-l-k “Thus” Distinctive

literal: abasement; humiliation; lowliness; to be abased

فوالله
w-l-h “Rapture” Distinctive

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

لم

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

يكن

literal: is; to be (third person singular present); to be one; oneness; unity

في
f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

قلبي

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

بغضك
b-gh-ḍ “hate” Distinctive

literal: hatred; enmity; animosity

ولا
w-l-y “Lord” Distinctive

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

أحد

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

النّاس

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

ولو

literal: were it not for; if not for; save for

وردتم
w-r-d “hath befallen” Distinctive

literal: to enter, to come, to befall, to arrive

علينا

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

ما

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

لا

literal: no; not; negation particle

يطيقه

literal: endure; capacity; power/capacity

الموحّدين،

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

أمري

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

إلّا

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

بالله

literal: supplication; earnest entreaty; imploring

وتوكّلي

literal: agency; representation; trusteeship; delegated authority; to rely; to trust; to place trust in

فسوف

literal: shall; will (future marker)

يمضي

literal: pass; execution; past

أيّامكم

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

وأيّام

literal: days; day/days

الّذين
l-dh-y “which” Distinctive

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

هم

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

على
ʿ-l-w “with” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

غرور

literal: delusion, deceit; deluded, deceived

مبين،

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

وتجتمعون

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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59 ¶