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Gleanings — §473

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 473 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

، إيّاك يا أيّها الملك لا تجمع في حولك من هؤلاء الوكلاء الّذين لا يتّبعون إلّا هواهم ونبذوا أماناتهم وراء ظهورهم وكانوا على خيانة مبين، فأحسن على العباد كما أحسن الله لك ولا تدع النّاس وأمورهم بين يدي هؤلاء، اتّق الله وكن من المتّقين، فاجتمع من الوكلاء الّذين تجد منهم روايح الإيمان والعدل ثمّ شاورهم في الأمور وخذ أحسنها وكن من المحسنين، فاعلم

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Beware, O King, that thou gather not around thee such ministers as follow the desires of a corrupt inclination, as have cast behind their backs that which hath been committed into their hands and manifestly betrayed their trust. Be bounteous to others as God hath been bounteous to thee, and abandon not the interests of thy people to the mercy of such ministers as these. Lay not aside the fear of God, and be thou of them that act uprightly. Gather around thee those ministers from whom thou canst perceive the fragrance of faith and of justice, and take thou counsel with them, and choose whatever is best in thy sight, and be of them that act generously.

Translation Notes

إيّاك
ʾ-y-y → “Beware”

literal: beware (imperative); you; would that, I wish, if only (optative particle)

يا
y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

أيّها
ʾ-y-y → “O”

literal: beware (imperative); you; would that, I wish, if only (optative particle)

الملك
m-l-k → “King”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty; possessions; property; ownership

لا
l-ʾ → “not”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تجمع
j-m-ʿ → “gather”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

في
f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

حولك
ḥ-w-l → “around thee”

literal: states; conditions; circumstances; situations; affairs

من
m-n → “thou of them”

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

هؤلاء
h-ʾ-l → “these”

literal: these

الوكلاء
w-k-l → “ministers”

literal: agency; representation; trusteeship; delegated authority

الّذين
l-dh-y

literal: those who; the ones who (relative pronoun)

يتّبعون
t-b-ʿ → “follow”

literal: to follow; to obey; to pursue

إلّا
ʾ-kh-r

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

هواهم
h-w-y → “desires of a corrupt inclination” Distinctive

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

ونبذوا
n-b-dh → “cast”

literal: to cast; to reject; to abandon; to throw away

أماناتهم
ʾ-m-n → “that which hath been committed”

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

وراء
w-r-ʾ → “behind”

literal: behind; beyond; after

ظهورهم
ẓ-h-r → “Revelation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

على
ʿ-l-w → “to others” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

خيانة
kh-w-n → “disloyalty” Distinctive

literal: betrayal, treachery, disloyalty; betraying; treachery; betrayal; unfaithfulness

مبين،
b-y-n → “manifestly” Distinctive

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

فأحسن
ḥ-s-n → “most excellent”

literal: goodness; beauty; excellence; good deed

العباد
ʿ-b-d

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

كما
k-m → “as”

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

الله
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

لك
l → “His is”

literal: for; for you; for him

ولا
w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

literal: friend; lord; guardian

تدع
w-d-ʿ

literal: call, invocation, summons; to call, invite, summon

النّاس
n-ʾ-s → “the interests of thy people”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

وأمورهم
ʾ-m-r

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

يدي
y-d-y → “hands”

literal: hand; power; action; possession

اتّق
w-q-y → “Lay not aside the fear”

literal: abstinence; piety; temperance; God-fearing

وكن
k-w-n → “and be”

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

تجد
w-j-d → “thou canst perceive” Distinctive

literal: monarch; crowned ruler; king

روايح
r-w-ḥ → “fragrance”

literal: narration; tradition; fragrance; to grow; to spring forth; to sprout

والعدل
ʿ-d-l → “and of justice”

literal: justice; equity

ثمّ
th-m-m

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

شاورهم
sh-w-r → “take thou counsel with them”

literal: to consult, deliberate; to advise

وخذ
ʾ-kh-dh

literal: to take; to seize; to affect; to grasp

فاعلم
ʿ-l-m

literal: world; universe; the worlds

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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