Kitáb-i-Íqán — §119

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 119 of 291.

Source (Persian)

اين است معنی حديث مشهور که فرموده گرگ و ميش از يک محلّ می خورند و می آشامند. وحال نظر به عدم معرفت اين جهّال فرمائيد، به مثل امم سابقه هنوز منتظرند که کی اين حيوانات بر يک خوان مجتمع می شوند. اين است رتبه ناس. گويا هرگز از جام انصاف ننوشيدهاند و هرگز در سبيل عدل قدم نگذاشتهاند. از همه گذشته اين امر و قوعش چه حسنی در عالم احداث می نمايد؟ فَنِعْمَ مَا نُزِّلَ فی شأنِهم : "لَهُمْ قُلُوبٌ لا يَفقَهُونَ بهَا و لَهُمْ اَعْيُنٌ لا يُبصِرُونَ بِهَا."

Shoghi Effendi Translation

This is the significance of the well-known words: “The wolf and the lamb shall feed together.” Behold the ignorance and folly of those who, like the nations of old, are still expecting to witness the time when these beasts will feed together in one pasture! Such is their low estate. Methinks, never have their lips touched the cup of understanding, neither have their feet trodden the path of justice. Besides, of what profit would it be to the world were such a thing to take place? How well hath He spoken concerning them: “Hearts have they, with which they understand not, and eyes have they with which they see not!”

Translation Notes

اين

ʾ-y-n → “This”

literal: this; these

است

b-w-d → “is”

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

معنی

ʿ-n-y → “loving-kindness” Distinctive

literal: meaning; sense; significance

حديث

ḥ-d-th → “traditions”

literal: events, occurrences, accidents, changes and chances

مشهور

sh-h-r → “of the well-known”

literal: city; month; fame, renown

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

فرموده

f-r-m → “He” Distinctive

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

گرگ

g-r-g → “wolf”

literal: wolf

ميش

m-y-sh → “lamb”

literal: lamb; sheep

از

ʾ-z → “in” Distinctive

literal: from

يک

y-k → “one”

literal: one; a single

محلّ

ḥ-l-l

literal: place; location; spot

می

m-y-y

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

خورند

kh-w-r → “Daystar” Distinctive

literal: sun; eat; consumed

آشامند.

ʾ-sh-m

literal: to drink; to imbibe

وحال

ḥ-w-l

literal: state; condition; circumstance

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

عدم

ʿ-d-m → “nothingness”

literal: nonexistent; void; nullified

معرفت

ʿ-r-f

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

جهّال

j-h-l → “foolish”

literal: ignorant; foolish; the ignorant ones

مثل

m-th-l

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

امم

ʾ-m-m → “nations”

literal: mother; to lead; to head; matter; affair; people; nation; community; female servant; handmaiden; umma

سابقه

s-b-q → “hath surpassed” Distinctive

literal: to precede; to surpass; to excel

هنوز

h-n-w → “still”

literal: still; yet; hitherto

منتظرند

n-ẓ-r → “expecting”

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

کی

k-w → “unto Him”

literal: street

حيوانات

ḥ-y-w → “life” Distinctive

literal: greeting; salutation; tribute; to make alive; to revive

بر

b-r-r

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

خوان

kh-w-n → “disloyalty” Distinctive

literal: blood

مجتمع

j-m-ʿ → “together”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

شوند.

sh-w-d → “be”

literal: become; to become; became

رتبه

r-t-b → “estate”

literal: rank; station; degree; time; instance

ناس.

n-ʾ-s

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

گويا

g-w-y → “Methinks”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

هرگز

h-r-g → “never”

literal: never; at no time; never ever

جام

j-ʾ-m → “cup”

literal: cup; chalice; garment

انصاف

n-ṣ-f → “equity”

literal: justice; fairness; equity

ننوشيدهاند

n-w-sh → “have their lips touched”

literal: to write; written

در

d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

سبيل

s-b-l → “path”

literal: path; way; road; cause; means

عدل

ʿ-d-l → “justice”

literal: justice; equity

قدم

q-d-m → “feet” Distinctive

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

نگذاشتهاند.

g-dh-r → “renounced” Distinctive

literal: to leave; to pass; to abandon

همه

h-m-h

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

امر

ʾ-m-r

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

قوعش

w-q-ʿ → “occurred” Distinctive

literal: occurring; occurred; fall

چه

ch-h

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

حسنی

ḥ-s-n → “profit” Distinctive

literal: goodness; beauty; excellence; good deed

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “world”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

نمايد؟

n-m-ʾ → “will” Distinctive

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

فَنِعْمَ

n-ʿ-m → “How well” Distinctive

literal: bliss; bounty; grace; comfort; felicity

مَا

m-ʾ

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

نُزِّلَ

n-z-l → “sent down”

literal: to descend, to be revealed

فی

f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

شأنِهم

sh-ʾ-n → “this Cause” Distinctive

literal: affair; concern; matter; aspect; quality; state; affairs; matters; conditions; circumstances; affair, matter, station, rank, dignity; station; rank; importance; matter, affair, concern, dignity, rank

قُلُوبٌ

q-l-b → ““Hearts”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

لا

l-ʾ → “not”

literal: no; not; negation particle

يَفقَهُونَ

f-q-h → “understand”

literal: to understand; to comprehend; insight; jurisprudence

بهَا

b-h-w

literal: glory; most glorious; most-glorious

لَهُمْ

l-h-m

literal: inspiration; divine inspiration; revelation

اَعْيُنٌ

ʿ-y-n → “eyes”

literal: eye; eyes; appointed

يُبصِرُونَ

b-ṣ-r → “eyes” Distinctive

literal: sight; insight; eyes

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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