Gleanings — §596

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 596 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

گواه که آنی خود را ستر نکرده و حفظ ننموده امام وجوه اهل عالم قیام نمود و بما اراد امر فرمود مقصود اصلاح عالم و راحت امم بوده این اصلاح و راحت ظاهر نشود مگر باتّحاد و اتّفاق و آن حاصل نشود مگر بنصایح قلم اعلی بیانش آفاق را بنور اتّفاق منوّر فرماید

Shoghi Effendi Translation

The One true God beareth Me witness, and His creatures will testify, that not for a moment did I allow Myself to be hidden from the eyes of men, nor did I consent to shield My person from their injury. Before the face of all men I have arisen, and bidden them fulfill My pleasure. My object is none other than the betterment of the world and the tranquillity of its peoples. The well-being of mankind, its peace and security, are unattainable unless and until its unity is firmly established. This unity can never be achieved so long as the counsels which the Pen of the Most High hath revealed are suffered to pass unheeded.

Translation Notes

گواه

sh-h-d → “beareth Me witness” Distinctive

literal: witness; to testify; presence

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

آنی

ʾ-n-n → “I”

literal: I, verily; behold I

خود

kh-w-d → “their own”

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

ستر

s-t-r → “hidden” Distinctive

literal: to veil; to conceal; to cover; veil; covering

نکرده

k-r-d → “not for a moment did” Distinctive

literal: to do; to make; to perform; deed; action; conduct; behavior

حفظ

ḥ-f-ẓ → “shield” Distinctive

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

ننموده

n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

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

امام

ʾ-m-m → “Before”

literal: mother; to lead; to head; matter; affair; people; nation; community; female servant; handmaiden; umma

وجوه

w-j-h → “face”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

اهل

ʾ-h-l → “men” Distinctive

literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “world”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

قیام

q-w-m → “have arisen”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

بما

m-ʾ

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

اراد

r-y-d

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

امر

ʾ-m-r

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

فرمود

f-r-m → “saith” Distinctive

literal: to say; to decree; to ordain; to command

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “My object” Distinctive

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

اصلاح

ṣ-l-ḥ → “betterment”

literal: peace; reconciliation

راحت

r-w-ḥ → “tranquillity”

literal: rest; comfort; ease; relief

بوده

b-w-d → “is”

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

این

ʾ-y-n → “This”

literal: this; these

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “Revelation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

نشود

sh-w-d → “be”

literal: to not become; to not be

مگر

m-g-r → “save through”

literal: matter; affair; thing

باتّحاد

w-ḥ-d → “unity”

literal: Divine unity; monotheism; belief in the oneness of God

اتّفاق

w-f-q → “unity”

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