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Gleanings — §591

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 591 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

و‌السّماء تاللّه الحقّ إنّي لحوريّة خلقني البهاء في قصر اسمه الأبهى وزيّن نفسي بطراز الأسماء في الملأ الأعلى وإنّي لقد كنت محفوظة خلف حجبات العصمة و‌مستورة عن أَنْظُرِ البريّة اذا سمعت أبدع الألحان عن شطر أيمن الرّحمن شهدت بأنّ الجنان تحرّكت في نفسها شوقا لإستماعها و‌طلبا للقائها كذلك نزّلنا في قيّوم الأسماء علی لحن البقاء و‌علی لحن الأحلی في هذا اللّوح المبين قل إنّه

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Cry out before the gaze of the dwellers of heaven and of earth: I am the Maid of Heaven, the Offspring begotten by the Spirit of Bahá. My habitation is the Mansion of His Name, the All-Glorious. Before the Concourse on high I was adorned with the ornament of His names. I was wrapt within the veil of an inviolable security, and lay hidden from the eyes of men. Methinks that I heard a Voice of divine and incomparable sweetness, proceeding from the right hand of the God of Mercy, and lo, the whole Paradise stirred and trembled before Me, in its longing to hear its accents, and gaze on the beauty of Him that uttered them. Thus have We revealed in this luminous Tablet, and in the sweetest of languages, the verses which the Tongue of Eternity was moved to utter in the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’.

Translation Notes

الحقّ
al-ḥqq ḥ-q-q

literal: truth; true; right

SE rendered و‌السّماء (w‌álssmáʾ)تاللّه (tálllh)الحقّ (al-ḥqq)إنّي (ʾinní)لحوريّة (lḥúrírh)خلقني (khlqní)البهاء (al-bháʾ) as “heaven and of earth, divine, I am, the Maid of Heaven, begotten, the Spirit of Bahá”

truth 50% god 14% true 10% one 9% eternal 7% through 3% right 2% righteousness 2% unto 1% who 1%
لقد
lqd q-d

literal: already/indeed; indeed/already; already

SE rendered الأسماء (as-smáʾ)الملأ (al-mlʾ)الأعلى (al-ʾaʿlى)وإنّي (wʾinní)لقد (lqd)محفوظة (mḥfúẓh)خلف (khlf)حجبات (ḥjbát)العصمة (al-ʿṣmh) as “His names, the Concourse, on high, I, wrapt, within, the veil, an inviolable security”

have 33% god 17% hast 17% “more 17% then 17%
و‌طلبا
w‌ṭlbá ṭ-l-b

literal: seeking; seek; seeker

SE rendered نفسها (nfshá)شوقا (shúqá)لإستماعها (lʾistmáʿhá)و‌طلبا (w‌ṭlbá)للقائها (llqáʾhá)كذلك (kdhlk)نزّلنا (nzzlná)قيّوم (qíqúm) as “before Me,, in its longing, to hear its accents, before, Thus, have We revealed, the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’”

search 19% seeking 15% eagerness 15% asked 8% ask 8% pursue 8% quest 8% pray 8% seek 8% forgive 4%
البقاء
al-bqáʾ b-q-y

literal: remaining; permanence; remain

SE rendered قيّوم (qíqúm)الأسماء (as-smáʾ)لحن (lḥn)البقاء (al-bqáʾ)و‌علی (w‌ʿlí)لحن (lḥn)الأحلی (al-ʾaḥlí) as “the Qayyúmu’l-Asmá’, the verses, in the sweetest of languages”

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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268 ¶

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50 ¶

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16 ¶

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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 ¶

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858 ¶

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17 ¶

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5 ¶

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57 ¶

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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 ¶

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59 ¶