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Gleanings — §618

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 618 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

العزيز القدير أن أقرأ يا عبد ما وصل إليك من آثار الله بربوات المقرّبين لتستجذب بها نفسك وتستجذب من نغماتك أفئدة الخلائق أجمعين ومن يقرأ آيات الله من بيته وحدة لينشر نفحاتها ملائكة النّاشرات إلى كلّ الجهات وينقلب بها كلّ نفس سليم ولو لن يستشعر في نفسه ولكن يظهر عليه هذا الفضل في يوم من الأيّام كذلك قدّر خفيّ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee, as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the Source of power and wisdom.

Translation Notes

العزيز
ʿ-z-z → “Almighty”

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

القدير
q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

أن
ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

أقرأ
q-r-ʾ → “read” Distinctive

literal: Qur’an; recitation; to read, recite; to read; to recite

يا
y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

عبد
ʿ-b-d → “servant”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

ما
m-ʾ → “that”

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

وصل
w-ṣ-l → “and” Distinctive

literal: reunion; union; meeting; connection

إليك
ʾ-l-y → “towards” Distinctive

literal: one; a single

من
m-n → “of”

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

آثار
ʾ-th-r

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint; sign; mark; vestige

الله
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

بربوات
r-b-w → “my Lord” Distinctive

literal: divine; of God; lordly

المقرّبين
q-r-b → “them who have drawn nigh” Distinctive

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

لتستجذب
j-dh-b → “attract”

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

بها
b-h-w

literal: by it; by him; with it

نفسك
n-f-s → “thine own soul” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

نغماتك
n-gh-m → “sweetness of thy melody”

literal: melody; tone; note

أفئدة
f-ʾ-d → “hearts”

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

الخلائق
kh-l-q → “all men” Distinctive

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

أجمعين
j-m-ʿ

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

يقرأ
q-r-ʾ → “reciteth”

literal: Qur’an; recitation; to read, recite; to read; to recite

آيات
ʾ-y-y → “verses”

literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof; sign, verse, miracle, token, indication; ayah; he; him; it

بيته
b-y-t → “House”

literal: house; household; family; verse

وحدة
w-ḥ-d

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

لينشر
n-sh-r → “spreading” Distinctive

literal: to scatter; to spread; to unfold; to disseminate

نفحاتها
n-f-ḥ → “fragrance”

literal: breeze; fragrance; whiff; breath; emanation

ملائكة
m-l-k → “scattering angels”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty; possessions; property; ownership

كلّ
k-l-l → “every”

literal: for us; to us

الجهات
j-h-h

literal: direction; aspect; side; regard

وينقلب
q-l-b → “hearts” Distinctive

literal: heart; hearts; turn

سليم
s-l-m → “resignation” Distinctive

literal: resignation; submission; surrender; submissiveness

ولو
l-w → “If”

literal: were it not for; if not for; save for

لن
l-n

literal: will not (negation of future)

يستشعر
sh-ʿ-r → “consciousness” Distinctive

literal: indicating; hair; perceive

في
f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

ولكن
l-k-n → “yet” Distinctive

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

يظهر
ẓ-h-r → “Revelation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

عليه
ʿ-l-y

literal: highest; most high; supreme

هذا
h-dh-ʾ

literal: this; that

الفضل
f-ḍ-l → “the virtue of the grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

الأيّام
y-w-m → “Day”

literal: day; age; period; era; a day

كذلك
dh-l-k → “Thus”

literal: thus; likewise; also

خفيّ
kh-f-y

literal: hiddenness, concealment, obscurity

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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16 ¶
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291 ¶
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59 ¶