Kitáb-i-'Ahd — §5

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 5 of 16.

Source (Persian)

ای اهل عالم مذهب الهی از برای محبّت و اتّحاد است او را سبب عداوت و اختلاف منمائيد * نزد صاحبان بصر و اهل منظر اکبر آنچه سبب حفظ و علّت راحت و آسايش عباد است از قلم اعلی نازل شده و لکن جهّال ارض چون مربّای نفس و هوسند از حکمتهای بالغه حکيم حقيقی غافلند و بظنون و اوهام ناطق و عامل *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

O ye that dwell on earth! The religion of God is for love and unity; make it not the cause of enmity or dissension. In the eyes of men of insight and the beholders of the Most Sublime Vision, whatsoever are the effective means for safeguarding and promoting the happiness and welfare of the children of men have already been revealed by the Pen of Glory. But the foolish ones of the earth, being nurtured in evil passions and desires, have remained heedless of the consummate wisdom of Him Who is, in truth, the All-Wise, while their words and deeds are prompted by idle fancies and vain imaginings.

Translation Notes

ای

ʾ-y-y → “O”

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

اهل

ʾ-h-l → “ye” Distinctive

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

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “dwell on earth” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

مذهب

dh-h-b → “religion”

literal: religion; creed; doctrine; belief; sect

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

برای

b-r-y → “for”

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

محبّت

ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: love; affection

اتّحاد

w-ḥ-d → “unity”

literal: unity; union; unification

است

b-w-d → “is”

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

او

h-w-w → “it” Distinctive

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

سبب

s-b-b → “cause”

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

عداوت

ʿ-d-w → “enmity”

literal: hostility, aggression, enmity, transgression

اختلاف

kh-l-f → “dissension” Distinctive

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

منمائيد

n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

literal: to show, display, exhibit; to grow, develop

نزد

n-z-d → “In”

literal: near; beside; with; in the presence of

صاحبان

ṣ-ḥ-b → “companions” Distinctive

literal: possessor; those who have; companion; followers

بصر

b-ṣ-r → “eyes”

literal: sight; insight; discernment; spiritual perception

منظر

n-ẓ-r → “Consider” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

اکبر

k-b-r

literal: liver; soul; essence

آنچه

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; indeed; that, to

حفظ

ḥ-f-ẓ → “safeguarding” Distinctive

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

علّت

ʿ-l-l → “cause”

literal: for us; to us