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Gleanings — §603

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 603 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

شما کلمه‌ئی و یا جوهری است که دون شما از آن محروم بلسان محبّت و شفقت القا نمائید اگر قبول شد و اثر نمود مقصد حاصل والّا او را باو گذارید و در بارهٴ او دعا نمائید نه جفا لسان شفقت جذّاب قلوب است و مائدهٴ روح و بمثابهٴ معانی است از برای الفاظ و مانند افق است از برای اشراق آفتاب حکمت و دانائی...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Consort with all men, O people of Bahá, in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. If ye be aware of a certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and goodwill. If it be accepted, if it fulfill its purpose, your object is attained. If anyone should refuse it, leave him unto himself, and beseech God to guide him. Beware lest ye deal unkindly with him. A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding.…

Translation Notes

شما
sh-m-ʾ → “ye possess”

literal: you (plural); your

کلمه‌ئی
k-l-m → “words”

literal: words; utterances; locutions; word; utterance; speech; sayings; verses

یا
y-ʾ → “O ye”

literal: O; or

جوهری
j-w-h-r → “Essences” Distinctive

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

است
b-w-d → “is”

literal: to be; are (third person plural present copula)

که
k-h → “of which”

literal: that; who; who, that

دون
d-w-n → “others are deprived”

literal: below; lower than; beneath

از
ʾ-z

literal: from

آن
ʾ-n → “it with them”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

محروم
ḥ-r-m → “deprived”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

بلسان
l-s-n → “in a language” Distinctive

literal: tongue; language

محبّت
ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: love; affection

شفقت
sh-f-q

literal: tenderness; compassion; mercy; pity

القا
l-q-y → “share”

literal: to cast, throw, utter; to impart

نمائید
n-m-ʾ

literal: to show, to display, to manifest, to exhibit; to manifest; to display; to show

اگر
ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

قبول
q-b-l

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

شد
sh-d

literal: to become; to be

اثر
ʾ-th-r → “signs” Distinctive

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint

مقصد
q-ṣ-d

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

حاصل
ḥ-ṣ-l → “attained”

literal: obtained; result; sum

والّا
w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

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

او
h-w-w → “is”

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

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

باو
ʾ-w-w → “him”

literal: sale; to sell; to swear allegiance; to pledge; to make covenant

گذارید
g-dh-r → “leave”

literal: to place, leave; to set

در
d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

بارهٴ
b-r-h

literal: outside; out; forth

دعا
d-ʿ-w → “beseech God to guide”

literal: to let, allow, leave

نه
n-h-y → “forbidden”

literal: end; ended; utmost

جفا
j-f-w

literal: cruelty, harshness, wrong

جذّاب
j-dh-b → “attract” Distinctive

literal: to draw, attract, pull; to be enraptured

قلوب
q-l-b → “hearts”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

مائدهٴ
m-w-d → “bread”

literal: table; table/banquet; table, banquet

روح
r-w-ḥ → “spirit”

literal: to go; to depart; to rest; spirit; soul

بمثابهٴ
m-th-l

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

معانی
ʿ-n-y → “meaning”

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

برای
b-r-y

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

الفاظ
l-f-ẓ → “the words”

literal: word; utterance; expression

مانند
m-ʾ-n → “remain”

literal: to remain; to stay; to be left

افق
ʾ-f-q → “is” Distinctive

literal: horizon; sphere; realm; quarter

اشراق
sh-r-q → “light” Distinctive

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

آفتاب
ʾ-f-t-ʾ-b

literal: horizon, direction, region; horizon; sun

حکمت
ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

دانائی...
d-ʾ-n → “understanding.…”

literal: knowledge; wisdom; understanding

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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268 ¶
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Fire Tablet

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Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶
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Kitáb-i-’Ahd

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The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

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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Prayers and Meditations

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Published in 1938, this companion volume to Gleanings contains 184 prayers and meditations selected by Shoghi Effendi from Bahá’u’lláh’s devotional writings revealed across successive exiles from Baghdad to ‘Akká. Shoghi Effendi described it as a volume whose perusal would deepen the spirit of devotion and faith.

858 ¶
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Tablet of Aḥmad

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Revealed in Adrianople and addressed to a believer named Aḥmad, this Tablet has been invested by Bahá’u’lláh with a special potency and significance. Its central imagery draws on the metaphor of fire and water: “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones.”

17 ¶
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5 ¶
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Tablet of the Holy Mariner

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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 ¶