Gleanings — §492

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 492 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

عمّا ورد وندعوك باللّيل والنّهار وفي كلّ بكور وأصيل، ليوفّقك الله على طاعته وإجراء حكمه ويحفظك من جنود الشّياطين، إذا فافعل ما شئت وما ينبغي لحضرتك ويليق لسلطنتك ولا تنس حكم الله في كلّ ما أردت أو تريد، وقل الحمد لله ربّ العالمين...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In the day time and in the night season, at even and at morn, We pray to God on thy behalf, that He may graciously aid thee to be obedient unto Him and to observe His commandment, that He may shield thee from the hosts of the evil ones. Do, therefore, as it pleaseth thee, and treat Us as befitteth thy station and beseemeth thy sovereignty. Be not forgetful of the law of God in whatever thou desirest to achieve, now or in the days to come. Say: Praise be to God, the Lord of all worlds!

Translation Notes

عمّا

literal: with them; in their company

ورد

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

وندعوك

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

باللّيل

l-y-l → “in the night season”

literal: night; darkness

والنّهار

n-h-r → “streams” Distinctive

literal: river; to flow

وفي

f-y → “and” Distinctive

literal: faithfulness; loyalty; fulfillment; fidelity; to be faithful; faithful, loyal

كلّ

k-l-l → “whatever” Distinctive

literal: for us; to us

بكور

b-k-r → “at morn”

literal: repetition; repeatedly; time and again; pulley; virgin; early morning

وأصيل،

ʾ-ṣ-l → “essence” Distinctive

literal: evening; afternoon; noble; ancient; nightfall; genesis

ليوفّقك

w-f-q → “aid” Distinctive

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

الله

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

على

ʿ-l-w → “to be obedient unto Him”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

طاعته

ṭ-w-ʿ → “obey”

literal: the letter Ṭá; refers to Ṭihrán (also spelled Ṭehran)

وإجراء

j-r-y → “flow” Distinctive

literal: trade; commerce; business; to flow; to run; to be in effect; flowing

حكمه

ḥ-k-m → “and to observe His commandment” Distinctive

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

ويحفظك

ḥ-f-ẓ → “that He may shield thee”

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

من

m-n → “from”

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

جنود

j-n-d → “hosts”

literal: hosts, armies, troops

الشّياطين،

sh-ṭ-n → “of the evil ones”

literal: satanic; devilish; of or pertaining to Satan

إذا

ʾ-dh-n → “ears”

literal: when; if; whenever; then suddenly

فافعل

f-ʿ-l → “deeds” Distinctive

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

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

شئت

sh-y-ʾ → “as it pleaseth thee”

literal: thing; will; things

ينبغي

n-b-gh → “as befitteth thy station” Distinctive

literal: it is proper; it is fitting; it is necessary; it behooves

لحضرتك

ḥ-ḍ-r → “His Majesty” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

ويليق

l-y-q → “and beseemeth thy sovereignty”

literal: worthy, befitting, appropriate, suitable

لسلطنتك

s-l-ṭ → “and beseemeth thy sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

ولا

w-l-y → “Be not”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تنس

n-s-y → “forgetful”

literal: forget; forgot; forgetfulness

أردت

r-w-d → “thou desirest to achieve” Distinctive

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

أو

h-w-w → “or” Distinctive

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

تريد،

r-y-d → “desire” Distinctive

literal: want; desire; will

وقل

q-w-l → “Say”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

الحمد

ḥ-m-d → “Praise be”

literal: praise; to praise

ربّ

r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

العالمين...

ʿ-l-m → “of all worlds”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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