Gleanings — §656

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 656 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

عطائک و نزلت امطار جودک علی حقایق خلقک ای ربّ انا الّذی اقررت بکلّ العصیان و اعترفت بما لا اعترف به اهل الامکان سرعت الی شاطئ غفرانک و سکنت فی ظلّ خیام مکرمتک اسألک یا مالک القدم و المهیمن علی العالم بأن تظهر منّی ما تطیر به الأرواح فی هوآء حبّک و النّفوس فی فضآء انسک ثمّ قدّر لی قوّة بسلطانک لأقلّب بها الممکنات الی مطلع ظهورک و مشرق وحیک ای ربّ فاجعلنی بکلّی فانیاً فی رضائک و قائماً علی خدمتک لأنّی احبّ الحیوة لأطوف حول سرادق امرک و خیام عظمتک ترانی یا الهی منقطعاً الیک و خاضعاً لدیک فافعل بی ما انت اهله و ینبغی لجلالک و یلیق

Shoghi Effendi Translation

I am he, O my Lord, that hath confessed to Thee the multitude of his evil doings, that hath acknowledged what no man hath acknowledged. I have made haste to attain unto the ocean of Thy forgiveness, and have sought shelter beneath the shadow of Thy most gracious favor. Grant, I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the Everlasting King and the Sovereign Protector of all men, that I may be enabled to manifest that which shall cause the hearts and souls of men to soar in the limitless immensity of Thy love, and to commune with Thy Spirit. Strengthen me through the power of Thy sovereignty, that I may turn all created things towards the Dayspring of Thy Manifestation and the Source of Thy Revelation. Aid me, O my Lord, to surrender myself wholly to Thy Will, and to arise and serve Thee, for I cherish this earthly life for no other purpose than to compass the Tabernacle of Thy Revelation and the Seat of Thy Glory. Thou seest me, O my God, detached from all else but Thee, and humble and subservient to Thy Will. Deal with me as it beseemeth Thee, and as it befitteth Thy highness and great glory.

Translation Notes

عطائک

ʿ-ṭ-w

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

نزلت

n-z-l

literal: to descend, to be revealed

امطار

m-ṭ-r

literal: rain

جودک

j-w-d

literal: generosity; bounty; liberality

علی

ʿ-l-w → “of” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

حقایق

ḥ-q-q

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

خلقک

kh-l-q

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

ای

ʾ-y-y → “signs” Distinctive

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

ربّ

r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

انا

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

الّذی

l-dh-y

literal: who; which; that which; the one who

اقررت

q-r-r → “confessed to Thee”

literal: stability; firmness; establishment

بکلّ

k-l-l → “multitude” Distinctive

literal: all; every; whole; entirety; entire; completely

العصیان

ʿ-ṣ-y → “sinner”

literal: disobey; transgress; rebel

اعترفت

ʿ-r-f → “acknowledged what”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

لا

l-ʾ → “no”

literal: no; not; negation particle

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

اهل

ʾ-h-l → “people”

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

الامکان

m-k-n → “all created things”

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

سرعت

s-r-ʿ → “I have made haste”

literal: speed; swiftness; haste

الی

ʾ-l-y → “towards”

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

شاطئ

sh-ṭ-ʾ → “shores”

literal: fitting; suitable; becoming

غفرانک

gh-f-r → “Thy forgiveness”

literal: to forgive; forgiveness

سکنت

s-k-n → “inmates” Distinctive

literal: stillness, rest, quietude, tranquility

فی

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

ظلّ

ẓ-l-l → “shadow”

literal: to take shelter; to dwell in shadow

خیام

kh-y-m → “tabernacle”

literal: tent; encampment

مکرمتک

k-r-m → “most gracious favor”

literal: Carmel (Mount Carmel); vineyard, fruitful field; honor; generosity; nobility

اسألک

s-ʾ-l → “Grant, I beseech Thee”

literal: question; problem; issue; matter; asking; petition; request

یا

y-ʾ → “O ye”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

مالک

m-l-k → “King”

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

القدم

q-d-m → “Ancient of Days”

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

المهیمن

h-m-n → “Sovereign Protector” Distinctive

literal: the Protector; the Overseer; the Guardian; inspiration; revelation; intuition

العالم

ʿ-l-m → “all men” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

بأن

ʾ-n-n → “that I may be enabled to”

literal: that; indeed; moment

تظهر

ẓ-h-r → “manifest”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

منّی

m-n

literal: from me; mine; by me; sustenance; benefaction; refuge

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

تطیر

ṭ-y-r → “soar”

literal: bird; fly; flight

الأرواح

r-w-ḥ → “spirit”

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

هوآء

h-w-y → “desires” Distinctive

literal: air; atmosphere; void

حبّک

ḥ-b-b → “Thy love”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

النّفوس

n-f-s → “souls”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

فضآء

f-ḍ-w

literal: space; expanse; void

انسک

ʾ-n-s → “commune” Distinctive

literal: familiar; intimate; companionship; to be acquainted with; companion; intimate friend; to be intimate with; to keep company; to console

ثمّ

th-m-m → “Strengthen”

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

قدّر

q-d-r

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

لی

ʿ-l-y

literal: for us; to us

قوّة

q-w-y → “power”

literal: power; strength; force

بسلطانک

s-l-ṭ → “sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

لأقلّب

q-l-b → “that I may turn”

literal: heart; hearts; turn

بها

b-h-w

literal: glory; most glorious; most-glorious

مطلع

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring”

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

مشرق

sh-r-q → “Source” Distinctive

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

وحیک

w-ḥ-y → “of Thy Revelation”

literal: revelation; inspiration; divine communication

فاجعلنی

j-ʿ-l → “Aid me” Distinctive

literal: to make; to cause; to render; to appoint

فانیاً

f-n-y → “shall perish” Distinctive

literal: annihilation; perishing; extinction; cessation; the threshold

رضائک

r-ḍ-y → “Thy pleasure”

literal: good-pleasure, consent, satisfaction

قائماً

q-w-m → “to arise” Distinctive

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

خدمتک

kh-d-m → “serve Thee”

literal: service; servitude; to serve

لأنّی

ʾ-n-n → “for” Distinctive

literal: that; indeed; moment

الحیوة

ḥ-y-w → “this earthly life”

literal: life; life, living; animal

لأطوف

ṭ-w-f → “circle”

literal: circle; circling; circumambulate

حول

ḥ-w-l → “the”

literal: states; conditions; circumstances; situations; affairs

سرادق

s-r-d-q → “Tabernacle”

literal: pavilion; tabernacle; canopy; tent

امرک

ʾ-m-r → “of Thy Revelation” Distinctive

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

عظمتک

ʿ-ẓ-m → “of Thy Glory” Distinctive

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

ترانی

r-ʾ-y → “Thou seest me”

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

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “my God”

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

منقطعاً

q-ṭ-ʿ → “detached from”

literal: to be severed; to be cut off; to detach oneself; to abstain

خاضعاً

kh-ḍ-ʿ → “submissiveness”

literal: humility; submissiveness; lowliness

لدیک

d-y-k → “Bird”

literal: rooster; cock; dominion; sovereignty

فافعل

f-ʿ-l → “Deal with me” Distinctive

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

بی

b-y

literal: without; is; to

انت

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

ینبغی

n-b-gh → “as it befitteth” Distinctive

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

لجلالک

j-l-l → “glory”

literal: majesty; glory; exaltation; magnificence

یلیق

l-y-q → “worthy”

literal: worthy, befitting, appropriate, suitable

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Tablet of Carmel

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed during a visit to Mount Carmel, this Tablet addresses the mountain directly and prophesies its future as the world spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi designated it one of three foundational Charters. Its imagery of the Ark and the dwellers therein prefigures the Universal House of Justice.

5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

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 ¶

Will and Testament

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in three parts between 1901 and 1908, opened and read after His passing on 28 November 1921. Shoghi Effendi designated it the Charter of the New World Order — the mightiest instrument forged to ensure the continuity of the three ages of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

59 ¶