Gleanings — §700

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 700 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

اشتعل بنار الحبّ وزیّن بطراز الانقطاع یشتعل بذکره العباد إنّ ربّک لهو العلیم الخبیر طوبی لمن سمع النّدآء وأجاب إنّه من المقرّبین...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

If he be kindled with the fire of His love, if he forgoeth all created things, the words he uttereth shall set on fire them that hear him. Verily, thy Lord is the Omniscient, the All-Informed. Happy is the man that hath heard Our voice, and answered Our call. He, in truth, is of them that shall be brought nigh unto Us.

Translation Notes

اشتعل

sh-ʿ-l → “be kindled”

literal: to kindle, burn, be inflamed; to blaze

بنار

n-ʾ-r → “fire”

literal: fire; blaze; flame

الحبّ

ḥ-b-b → “His love”

literal: love; affection

وزیّن

z-y-n → “adorn”

literal: to adorn; ornament; beauty; adornment; embellishment; decoration

بطراز

ṭ-r-z

literal: ornament; adornment; embroidery; stripe

الانقطاع

q-ṭ-ʿ → “all created things” Distinctive

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

بذکره

dh-k-r

literal: remembrance; mention; memory

العباد

ʿ-b-d → “them that hear” Distinctive

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

إنّ

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

ربّک

r-b-b → “thy Lord”

literal: Lord; lord; divine

لهو

h-w → “is”

literal: to distract; to divert; to amuse

العلیم

ʿ-l-m → “the Omniscient”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

الخبیر

kh-b-r → “the All-Informed”

literal: all-knowing; aware; well-informed; omniscient

طوبی

ṭ-w-b → “Happy”

literal: happiness; blessedness; felicity

لمن

m-n → “man that” Distinctive

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

سمع

s-m-ʿ → “hath heard”

literal: heard, hearkened to, acceptable, worthy of attention

النّدآء

n-d-y → “Our voice”

literal: call; voice; proclamation; forty; forty years

وأجاب

j-w-b → “and answered”

literal: answer, reply, response

إنّه

ʾ-n-n → “He”

literal: I, verily; behold I

المقرّبین...

q-r-b → “nigh” Distinctive

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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291 ¶

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17 ¶

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5 ¶

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160 ¶

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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 ¶