Gleanings — §463

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 463 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

ي محضر الله وتسئلون عمّا اكتسبتم بأيديكم وتجزون بها فبئس مثوى الظّالمين، فوالله لو تطّلع بما فعلت لتبكي على نفسك وتفرّ إلى الله وتضجّ في أيّامك إلى أن يغفر الله لك وإنّه لجوّاد كريم، ولكن أنت لن توفّق بذلك لما اشتغلت بذاتك ونفسك وجسمك إلى زخارف الدّنيا إلى أن يفارق الرّوح عنك إذا تعرف ما ألقيناك وتجد أعمالك في كتاب الّذي ما ترك فيه ذرّة من أعمال الخلائق أجمعين، إذا فاستنصح بنصحي ثمّ اسمع قولي بسمع فؤادك ولا تغفل عن كلماتي ولا تكن من المعرضين، ولا تفتخر بما أوتيت فانظر إلى ما نزّل في كتاب الله المهيمن العزيز، فلمّا نسوا عمّا ذكّروا به فتحنا عليهم أبواب كلّ شيء كما فتح عليك وعلى أمثالك أبواب الدّنيا وزخرفها، إذا فانتظر ما نزّل في آخر هذه الآية المباركة وهذا وعد غير مكذوب من مقتدر حكيم، ولم أدر بأيّ صراط أنتم تقيمون وعليه تمشون

Shoghi Effendi Translation

By God! Wert thou to realize what thou hast done, thou wouldst surely weep sore over thyself, and wouldst flee for refuge to God, and wouldst pine away and mourn all the days of thy life, till God will have forgiven thee, for He, verily, is the Most Generous, the All-Bountiful. Thou wilt, however, persist, till the hour of thy death, in thy heedlessness, inasmuch as thou hast, with all thine heart, thy soul and inmost being, busied thyself with the vanities of the world. Thou shalt, after thy departure, discover what We have revealed unto thee, and shalt find all thy doings recorded in the Book wherein the works of all them that dwell on earth, be they greater or less than the weight of an atom, are noted down. Heed, therefore, My counsel, and hearken thou, with the hearing of thine heart, unto My speech, and be not careless of My words, nor be of them that reject My truth. Glory not in the things that have been given thee. Set before thine eyes what hath been revealed in the Book of God, the Help in Peril, the All-Glorious: “And when they had forgotten their warnings, We set open to them the gates of all things,” even as We did set open to thee and to thy like the gates of this earth and the ornaments thereof. Wait thou, therefore, for what hath been promised in the latter part of this holy verse, for this is a promise from Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise — a promise that will not prove untrue.

Translation Notes

محضر

ḥ-ḍ-r → “Him” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

الله

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

وتسئلون

s-ʾ-l

literal: ask; ask/request; ask/beseech

عمّا

ʿ-n

literal: with them; in their company

اكتسبتم

k-s-b

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

بأيديكم

y-d-y

literal: hand; power; strength; (plural) hands; agents; helpers; to assist, to support, to aid, to strengthen

وتجزون

j-z-y

literal: poll tax; tribute; recompense; reward; requital

بها

b-h-w

literal: glory; most glorious; most-glorious

فبئس

b-ʾ-s

literal: wretched; adversity; harm

مثوى

th-w-y

literal: abode; abode/dwelling

الظّالمين،

ẓ-l-m

literal: wrongedness, oppression, meekness; state of being wronged or oppressed

فوالله

w-l-h → “Rapture” Distinctive

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

لو

l-w → “If”

literal: if; would that; O that

تطّلع

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

بما

m-ʾ → “that” Distinctive

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

فعلت

f-ʿ-l → “thou hast done”

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

لتبكي

b-k-y → “weep”

literal: to weep; to cry; to lament

على

ʿ-l-w → “over thyself” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

وتفرّ

f-r-r → “wouldst flee”

literal: to flee, escape, run away

إلى

ʾ-l-y → “towards”

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

وتضجّ

ḍ-j-j → “sighing” Distinctive

literal: zenith; apex; summit; height

في

f-y

literal: alas; woe; oh

أيّامك

y-w-m → “days”

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

أن

ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

يغفر

gh-f-r → “forgiven”

literal: to forgive; forgiveness

لك

l → “His is”

literal: for us; to us

وإنّه

h-w → “He”

literal: deviation; divergence; straying from the path; to be weak, to flag, to show reluctance

لجوّاد

j-w-d → “bounty” Distinctive

literal: generosity; bounty; liberality

كريم،

k-r-m → “All-Bountiful”

literal: Carmel (Mount Carmel); vineyard, fruitful field; honor; generosity; nobility

ولكن

l-k-n → “Thou wilt, however, persist”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

أنت

ʾ-n-t

literal: you (masculine singular)

لن

l-n

literal: will not (negation of future)

توفّق

w-f-q

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

بذلك

dh-l-k

literal: that; this; it; by that

لما

l-m-ʾ

literal: when; certainly-not; when, since

اشتغلت

sh-gh-l → “busied”

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

بذاتك

dh-w-t → “thyself” Distinctive

literal: essence, self, being, substance; with preposition ‘by’

ونفسك

n-f-s → “thy soul” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

وجسمك

j-s-m → “My body” Distinctive

literal: body; physical form; substance

زخارف

z-kh-r-f → “vanities”

literal: ornament; adornment; decoration; falsehood

الدّنيا

d-n-w → “world”

literal: this world; earthly life; temporal realm; lowest; base; mean; of little account; to know; to be acquainted with

يفارق

f-r-q

literal: separation; criterion; difference

الرّوح

r-w-ḥ → “spirit”

literal: to go; to depart; to rest; spirit; soul

إذا

ʾ-dh-n → “ears”

literal: when; if; whenever; then suddenly

تعرف

ʿ-r-f → “discover”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

ألقيناك

l-q-y → “Presence” Distinctive

literal: suggestion; instilling; casting; throwing

وتجد

w-j-d → “shalt find” Distinctive

literal: monarch; crowned ruler; king

أعمالك

ʿ-m-l → “all thy doings”

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

كتاب

k-t-b → “Book”

literal: book; scripture; writing

الّذي

l-dh-y → “which”

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

ترك

t-r-k → “renounce”

literal: to leave; to abandon; to forsake

ذرّة

dh-r-r → “atom”

literal: atom; particle; mote

من

m-n

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

الخلائق

kh-l-q → “Thy creatures” Distinctive

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

أجمعين،

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

بنصحي

n-ṣ-ḥ → “counsel”

literal: counsel; advice; admonition

ثمّ

th-m-m

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

اسمع

s-m-ʿ → “hearken”

literal: heard, hearkened to, acceptable, worthy of attention

قولي

q-w-l → “speech”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

فؤادك

f-ʾ-d → “hearts” Distinctive

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

ولا

w-l-y

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

تغفل

gh-f-l → “careless”

literal: heedlessness; negligence; inattention

كلماتي

k-l-m → “words”

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

تكن

k-w-n → “be of”

literal: to be; existence

المعرضين،

ʿ-r-ḍ → “turned away” Distinctive

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

تفتخر

f-kh-r → “Glory not”

literal: boast; pride; glory

أوتيت

ʾ-t-y → “come” Distinctive

literal: come; came; come, bring

فانظر

n-ẓ-r → “Set before thine eyes” Distinctive

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

نزّل

n-z-l → “hath been revealed”

literal: to descend, to be revealed

المهيمن

h-m-n → “Help in Peril”

literal: the Protector; the Overseer; the Guardian; inspiration; revelation; intuition

العزيز،

ʿ-z-z → “the All-Glorious”

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

فلمّا

l-m-m → “No sooner”

literal: when; as soon as; thereupon

نسوا

n-s-y → “forgotten”

literal: man; human being; mankind

ذكّروا

dh-k-r

literal: remembrance; mention; memory; invocation; reminders; commemorations

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

فتحنا

f-t-ḥ → “set open”

literal: opening; opening up; conquests; revelations; disclosure

عليهم

ʿ-l-y → “to them” Distinctive

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

أبواب

b-w-b → “gates” Distinctive

literal: door; gate; chapter; way; manner

كلّ

k-l-l → “all”

literal: for us; to us

شيء

sh-y-ʾ → “things,””

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

كما

k-m → “loss” Distinctive

literal: as; like; how much; lane; street; quarter; abode

أمثالك

m-th-l

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

آخر

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

literal: the hereafter, the next life, the world to come; last, latter; the next life, the hereafter; delay; postponement

الآية

ʾ-y-y → “signs” Distinctive

literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof; sign, verse, miracle, token, indication; ayah; he; him; it

المباركة

b-r-k → “holy”

literal: blessed; auspicious; fruitful; blest; blessed word

وهذا

h-dh-ʾ → “this is”

literal: this; that

وعد

w-ʿ-d → “promise”

literal: promised; the Promised One

غير

gh-y-r

literal: without; besides; other than; except; other; different

مكذوب

k-dh-b → “falsehood” Distinctive

literal: denial; belying; falsification; rejection; liar; lying; false

مقتدر

q-d-r → “Almighty”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

حكيم،

ḥ-k-m → “All-Wise”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

ولم

l-m

literal: did not; has not (negative particle with past tense)

أدر

d-r-y

literal: know; in; sea

صراط

ṣ-r-ṭ

literal: path, way, straight path

أنتم

n-t-m

literal: you

تقيمون

q-w-m

literal: station; people; place

تمشون

m-sh-y

literal: walk; walking; walks

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

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.

858 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

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

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Will and Testament

‘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 ¶