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Gleanings — §673

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 673 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

و حبیبان از پی محبوب روان در این ایّام فضل سبحانی از غمام رحمانی چنان احاطه فرموده که معشوق طلب عشّاق مینماید و محبوب جویای احباب گشته این فضل را غنیمت شمرند و این نعمت را کم نشمرند نعمتهای باقیه را نگذارید و باشیای فانیه قانع نشوید برقع از چشم قلب بردارید و پرده از بصر دل بردرید تا جمال دوست بی‌حجاب ببینید و ندیده بینید و نشنیده بشنوید

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Behold how the manifold grace of God, which is being showered from the clouds of Divine glory, hath, in this day, encompassed the world. For whereas in days past every lover besought and searched after his Beloved, it is the Beloved Himself Who now is calling His lovers and is inviting them to attain His presence. Take heed lest ye forfeit so precious a favor; beware lest ye belittle so remarkable a token of His grace. Abandon not the incorruptible benefits, and be not content with that which perisheth. Lift up the veil that obscureth your vision, and dispel the darkness with which it is enveloped, that ye may gaze on the naked beauty of the Beloved’s face, may behold that which no eye hath beheld, and hear that which no ear hath heard.

Translation Notes

از
ʾ-z → “from the”

literal: from

پی
p-y → “discover”

literal: trace; pursuit; trace, awareness

محبوب
ḥ-b-b → “Beloved”

literal: love; affection

روان
r-w-ḥ → “spirit” Distinctive

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

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

این
ʾ-y-n

literal: this; these

ایّام
y-w-m → “days past”

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

فضل
f-ḍ-l → “grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

سبحانی
s-b-ḥ → “Divine”

literal: glorified; the All-Praised; exalted; dawn; daybreak; morning

غمام
gh-m-m → “clouds”

literal: cloud; clouds

رحمانی
r-ḥ-m → “mercy” Distinctive

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

چنان
ch-n-ʾ → “how” Distinctive

literal: thus; in such manner; as

احاطه
ḥ-w-ṭ → “encompassed”

literal: to encompass, surround, envelop, embrace

فرموده
f-r-m → “hath” Distinctive

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

که
k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

معشوق
ʿ-sh-q → “Beloved”

literal: love, passion, ardor

طلب
ṭ-l-b → “theme” Distinctive

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

مینماید
n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

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

جویای
j-s-t → “have clung” Distinctive

literal: to seek; to quest; to look for; to search for

گشته
g-sh-t → “have been” Distinctive

literal: become; became; to become

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

غنیمت
gh-n-m → “flock” Distinctive

literal: booty; spoil; gain; treasure; advantage

شمرند
sh-m-r → “regard”

literal: to count; to regard; to esteem; to consider

نعمت
n-ʿ-m → “favor” Distinctive

literal: bliss; bounty; grace; comfort; felicity

کم
k-m-m

literal: how many

باقیه
b-q-y → “incorruptible”

literal: remaining; everlasting; eternal; immortal

نگذارید
g-dh-r → “Abandon not”

literal: to leave; to allow; to permit

باشیای
sh-y-ʾ

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

فانیه
f-n-y → “perisheth” Distinctive

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

قانع
q-n-ʿ → “content”

literal: Canaan; the biblical figure

نشوید
sh-w-d → “be not”

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

چشم
ch-sh-m → “eye”

literal: eye; vision; sight

قلب
q-l-b

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

بردارید
b-r-d-ʾ-r → “lift not” Distinctive

literal: brother

پرده
p-r-d

literal: to engage in; to undertake; to deal with

بصر
b-ṣ-r → “vision” Distinctive

literal: sight; insight; discernment; spiritual perception

دل
d-l

literal: to argue; to demonstrate; proof

بردرید
d-r-y → “in” Distinctive

literal: to tear; to rend; to tear asunder

تا
t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

جمال
j-m-l → “beauty”

literal: beauty; comeliness

دوست
d-w-s-t → “Beloved’s”

literal: friend; beloved; to befriend

بی‌حجاب
ḥ-j-b → “veils” Distinctive

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

ببینید
d-y-d → “seen” Distinctive

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

بینید
d-y-d → “seen” Distinctive

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

نشنیده
sh-n-w → “heard”

literal: most ugly; most abominable; most heinous

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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59 ¶