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Gleanings — §480

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 480 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

ولا تفرّط في الأمور فاعمل بين خدّامك بالعدل ثمّ أنفق عليهم على قدر ما يحتاجون به لا على قدر الّذي يكنزونه ويجعلونه زينة لأنفسهم وبيوتهم ويصرفونه في أمور الّتي لن يحتاجوا بها ويكوننّ من المسرفين، فاعدل بينهم على الخطّ الاستواء بحيث لن يحتاج بعضهم ولن يكنز بعضهم وإنّ هذا لعدل مبين،

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Overstep not the bounds of moderation, and deal justly with them that serve thee. Bestow upon them according to their needs, and not to the extent that will enable them to lay up riches for themselves, to deck their persons, to embellish their homes, to acquire the things that are of no benefit unto them, and to be numbered with the extravagant. Deal with them with undeviating justice, so that none among them may either suffer want, or be pampered with luxuries. This is but manifest justice.

Translation Notes

تفرّط
tfrrṭ f-r-ṭ

literal: neglect; exceed, go beyond; excess

SE rendered تفرّط (tfrrṭ), الأمور (al-ʾamúr), فاعمل (fáʿml), خدّامك (khddámk) as “moderation, deal justly, that serve thee”

failure 29% hath 14% might 14% having 14% overstep 14% failures 14%
ويجعلونه
wíjʿlúnh j-ʿ-l

literal: make; made; to make

SE rendered قدر (qdr), يكنزونه (yknzúnh), ويجعلونه (wíjʿlúnh), زينة (zính), لأنفسهم (lʾanfshm), وبيوتهم (wbíwthm), ويصرفونه (wíṣrfúnh) as “to the extent, lay up riches, deck their persons, themselves, homes, embellish their”

deck 50% thrust 50%
الخطّ
al-khṭṭ kh-ṭ-ṭ

literal: handwriting; script

SE rendered المسرفين، (al-msrfín،), فاعدل (fáʿdl), بينهم (bínhm), الخطّ (al-khṭṭ), الاستواء (as-stúáʾ), بحيث (bḥíth), يحتاج (yḥtáj), بعضهم (bʿḍhm) as “extravagant, among them, so that, none”

الاستواء
as-stúáʾ s-w-y

literal: other than; other-than; other than, except

SE rendered بينهم (bínhm), الخطّ (al-khṭṭ), الاستواء (as-stúáʾ), بحيث (bḥíth), يحتاج (yḥtáj), بعضهم (bʿḍhm) as “among them, so that, none”

seat 50% full 50%
بحيث
bḥíth ḥ-y-th → “so that”

literal: such that; where, such that

SE rendered بينهم (bínhm), الخطّ (al-khṭṭ), الاستواء (as-stúáʾ), بحيث (bḥíth), يحتاج (yḥtáj), بعضهم (bʿḍhm), ولن (wln), يكنز (yknz), بعضهم (bʿḍhm) as “among them, so that, be”

such 88% wait 13%

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