Kitáb-i-Íqán — §131

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 131 of 291.

Source (Persian)

باری، مقصود از اين بيانات واضحه اثبات سلطنت آن سلطان السّلاطين بود. حال انصاف دهيد که اين سلطنت که به يک حرف و بيان اين همه تصرّف و غلبه و هيمنه داشته باشد اکبر و اعظم است يا سلطنت اين سلاطين که بعد از اعانت رعايا و فقرا، ايشان را چند صباحی مردم به حسب ظاهر تمکين می نمايند و ليکن به قلب همه معرض و مدبرند؟ و اين سلطنت به حرفی عالم را مسخّر نموده و حيات بخشيده و وجود افاضه فرموده. ما لِلتُّرابِ و رَبِّ الاَربابِ. چه می توان ذکر نسبت نمود که همه نسبت ها منقطع است از ساحت قدس سلطنت او. و اگر خوب ملاحظه شود خدّام درگه او سلطنت می نمايند بر همه مخلوقات و موجودات. چنانچه ظاهر شده و می شود.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

To resume: Our purpose in setting forth these truths hath been to demonstrate the sovereignty of Him Who is the King of kings. Be fair: Is this sovereignty which, through the utterance of one Word, hath manifested such pervading influence, ascendancy, and awful majesty, is this sovereignty superior, or is the worldly dominion of these kings of the earth who, despite their solicitude for their subjects and their help of the poor, are assured only of an outward and fleeting allegiance, while in the hearts of men they inspire neither affection nor respect? Hath not that sovereignty, through the potency of one word, subdued, quickened, and revitalized the whole world? What! Can the lowly dust compare with Him Who is the Lord of Lords? What tongue dare utter the immensity of difference that lieth between them? Nay, all comparison falleth short in attaining the hallowed sanctuary of His sovereignty. Were man to reflect, he would surely perceive that even the servant of His threshold ruleth over all created things! This hath already been witnessed, and will in future be made manifest.

Translation Notes

باری،

b-r-y → “Briefly”

literal: well; cistern; pit

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

از

ʾ-z

literal: from

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

بيانات

b-y-n → “utterance”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident

واضحه

w-ḍ-ḥ

literal: clear; evident; manifest; obvious

اثبات

th-b-t → “demonstrate”

literal: firm; steadfast; established; fixed

سلطنت

s-l-ṭ → “sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

آن

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

بود.

b-w-d → “hath been” Distinctive

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

حال

ḥ-w-l

literal: state; condition; circumstance

انصاف

n-ṣ-f → “Be fair” Distinctive

literal: justice; fairness; equity

دهيد

d-h

literal: to give; to provide; to yield; to grant; to bestow

که

k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

يک

y-k → “one”

literal: one; a single

حرف

ḥ-r-f → “Word” Distinctive

literal: letter; character; edge

همه

h-m-h → “Nay, all”

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

تصرّف

ṣ-r-f → “treatment”

literal: to turn; to dispose; to manage affairs

غلبه

gh-l-b → “ascendancy”

literal: to overcome, overpower, vanquish, prevail

هيمنه

h-y-m-n → “Help in Peril” Distinctive

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

داشته

d-sh-t → “without” Distinctive

literal: to have; to possess; to hold

اکبر

k-b-r → “grandeur” Distinctive

literal: liver; soul; essence

اعظم

ʿ-ẓ-m

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

يا

y-ʾ → “or”

literal: O; or

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “after”

literal: after; behind; distance

اعانت

ʿ-w-n → “help” Distinctive

literal: help; aid; helper; supporter

رعايا

r-ʿ-y → “subjects”

literal: subjects; shepherd; observe

فقرا،

f-q-r → “poor”

literal: poor; needy; the poor one; pauper

ايشان

ʾ-y-sh → “Prophets”

literal: that; it (object pronoun with suffix)

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

چند

ch-n-d

literal: some; several; a few; how many

صباحی

ṣ-b-ḥ

literal: morning, dawn; daybreak

مردم

m-r-d → “men”

literal: rebellion; mutiny; revolt

حسب

ḥ-s-b

literal: according to; in accordance with; as regards

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “outward” Distinctive

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

تمکين

m-k-n → “all created things” Distinctive

literal: establishment; confirmation; empowerment; firm settlement; place; possibility; being (negated as ‘non-being’)

می

m-y-y

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

نمايند

n-m-ʾ → “will” Distinctive

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

ليکن

l-k-n

literal: is; to be (third person singular present); to be one; oneness; unity

قلب

q-l-b → “hearts”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

معرض

ʿ-r-ḍ

literal: to turn away; to avert; to abstain; heedless

مدبرند؟

d-b-r

literal: management; scheme; reflect

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “whole world”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

مسخّر

s-kh-r → “subdued”

literal: subdue; mockery; to mock

نموده

n-m-ود → “hath”

literal: do; to do; do/make

حيات

ḥ-y-y → “quickened” Distinctive

literal: life; vitality; living

بخشيده

b-kh-sh

literal: to grant; to give; to forgive; to bestow

وجود

w-j-d

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

افاضه

f-y-ḍ → “grace” Distinctive

literal: grace; overflowing; outpourings

فرموده.

f-r-m → “he” Distinctive

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

ما

m-ʾ

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

لِلتُّرابِ

t-r-b → “lowly dust”

literal: dust; earth; soil

رَبِّ

r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

چه

ch-h → “For”

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

توان

t-w-n → “can” Distinctive

literal: to be able, can; power, strength

ذکر

dh-k-r

literal: remembrance; mention; memory; invocation; reminders; commemorations

نسبت

n-s-b → “relationship”

literal: relation; relationship; connection; attribution; proportion

ها

w-j-h

literal: He; He is

منقطع

q-ṭ-ʿ → “detachment” Distinctive

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

ساحت

s-w-ḥ → “court”

literal: court; presence; domain; vicinity

قدس

q-d-s

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

او.

h-w-w → “of His” Distinctive

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

خوب

kh-w-b → “fast asleep” Distinctive

literal: ill-wisher; malevolent; those who wish harm

ملاحظه

l-ḥ-ẓ → “to reflect” Distinctive

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

شود.

sh-w-d → “be made manifest”

literal: to come; to go; to arrive; came

خدّام

kh-d-m → “serve” Distinctive

literal: service; servitude; to serve

بر

b-r-r → “righteous” Distinctive

literal: on; on, upon; upon

مخلوقات

kh-l-q

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

چنانچه

ch-n-n

literal: thus; in such manner; as

شده

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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