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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §140

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 140 of 291.

Source (Persian)

ديگر اگر بخواهم رشحی از اسرار شهادت و ثمرهای آن را ذکر نمايم البتّه اين الواح کفايت نکند و به انتها نرساند. انشاءاللّه اميدواريم که نسيم رحمتی بوزد و شجره وجود از ربيع الهی خلعت جديد پوشد تا به اسرار حکمت ربّانی پی بريم و به عنايت او از عرفان کلّ شیء بی نياز گرديم. تا حال نفسی مشهود نگشت که به اين مقام فائز آيد مگر معدودی قليل که هيچ معروف نيستند تا بعد قضای الهی چه اقتضا نمايد و ازخلف سرادق امضا چه ظاهر شود. کَذلِکَ نَذکُرُ لَکُم مِن بَدائعِ امراللّه وَ نُلقی عَلَيکُم من نَغَماتِ الفِردوسِ لَعَلَّکُم بِمواقع العِلمِ تَصِلُونَ و مِن ثَمَراتِ العِلمِ تُرزَقُونَ. پس به يقين بايددانست که اين شموس عظمت اگر چه بر نقطه تراب جالس باشند بر عرش اعظم ساکن اند و اگر فلسی نزدشان موجود نباشد بر رفرف غنا طائراند و در حينی که در دست دشمنان مبتلايند بر يمين قدرت و غلبه ساکن و در کمال ذلّت ظاهره بر عرش عزّت صمدانی جالس و متّکأ و در نهايت عجز ظاهری بر کرسيّ سلطنت و اقتدار قائم.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Should We wish to impart unto thee a glimmer of the mysteries of Husayn’s martyrdom, and reveal unto thee the fruits thereof, these pages could never suffice, nor exhaust their meaning. Our hope is that, God willing, the breeze of mercy may blow, and the divine Springtime clothe the tree of being with the robe of a new life; so that we may discover the mysteries of divine Wisdom, and, through His providence, be made independent of the knowledge of all things. We have, as yet, descried none but a handful of souls, destitute of all renown, who have attained unto this station. Let the future disclose what the Judgment of God will ordain, and the Tabernacle of His decree reveal. In such wise We recount unto thee the wonders of the Cause of God, and pour out into thine ears the strains of heavenly melody, that haply thou mayest attain unto the station of true knowledge, and partake of the fruit thereof. Therefore, know thou of a certainty that these Luminaries of heavenly majesty, though their dwelling be in the dust, yet their true habitation is the seat of glory in the realms above. Though bereft of all earthly possessions, yet they soar in the realms of immeasurable riches. And whilst sore tried in the grip of the enemy, they are seated on the right hand of power and celestial dominion. Amidst the darkness of their abasement there shineth upon them the light of unfading glory, and upon their helplessness are showered the tokens of an invincible sovereignty.

Translation Notes

ديگر
dígr d-g-r

literal: other; other, another; other/another

SE rendered ديگر (dígr)بخواهم (bkhúáhm)رشحی (rshḥí)از (iz)اسرار (isrár)شهادت (shhádt) as “Should We wish, glimmer, of, mysteries, martyrdom”

another 44% other 16% different 16% again 6% else 6% hand 3% furthermore 3% passage 3% once 3%
البتّه
al-btth b-t-t

literal: certainly; certainly, definitely

SE rendered ثمرهای (thmrháy)ذکر (dhkr)نمايم (nmáym)البتّه (al-btth)الواح (al-wáḥ)کفايت (kfáyt)نکند (nknd) as “fruits, reveal, to impart unto thee, pages, suffice, could never”

بی

literal: without; is; to

5 occurrences in corpus

نياز
níáz n-y-ʾ-z

literal: self-sufficient; need

SE rendered عنايت (ʿnáyt)از (iz)عرفان (ʿrfán)شیء (shíʾ)بی (bí)نياز (níáz)گرديم (grdím)حال (ḥál)نفسی (nfsí)مشهود (mshhúd) as “providence, of, knowledge, things, independent, be made, souls, descried”

2 occurrences in corpus

حال
ḥál ḥ-w-l

literal: state; now

SE rendered شیء (shíʾ)بی (bí)نياز (níáz)گرديم (grdím)حال (ḥál)نفسی (nfsí)مشهود (mshhúd)نگشت (ngsht)مقام (mqám) as “things, independent, be made, souls, descried, station”

now 57% consider 11% present 8% reflect 5% behold 5% state 4% how 3% today 3% what 3% ponder 3%
نگشت
ngsht g-sh-t

literal: become; became; to become

SE rendered گرديم (grdím)حال (ḥál)نفسی (nfsí)مشهود (mshhúd)نگشت (ngsht)مقام (mqám)فائز (fáʾz)آيد (áyd)مگر (mgr) as “be made, souls, descried, station, attained, but”

آيد
áyd ʾ-y-d

literal: may aid

SE rendered مشهود (mshhúd)نگشت (ngsht)مقام (mqám)فائز (fáʾz)آيد (áyd)مگر (mgr)معدودی (mʿdúdí)قليل (qlíl)هيچ (hích)معروف (mʿrúf) as “descried, station, attained, but, handful, none, renown”

assist 50% may 17% aid 17% “seal.” 17%
مگر
mgr m-g-r “but”

literal: except; except/unless

SE rendered مقام (mqám)فائز (fáʾz)آيد (áyd)مگر (mgr)معدودی (mʿdúdí)قليل (qlíl)هيچ (hích)معروف (mʿrúf)نيستند (nístnd) as “station, attained, but, handful, none, renown, destitute of all”

save 50% other 50%
قليل
qlíl q-l-l

literal: few; little

SE rendered مقام (mqám)فائز (fáʾz)آيد (áyd)مگر (mgr)معدودی (mʿdúdí)قليل (qlíl)هيچ (hích)معروف (mʿrúf)نيستند (nístnd) as “station, attained, but, handful, none, renown, destitute of all”

few 38% little 25% numbered 13% some 13% least 13%
هيچ
hích h-y-ch “any”

literal: any

5 occurrences in corpus

ازخلف
izkhlf kh-l-f

literal: different; behind; difference

SE rendered قضای (qḍáy)الهی (al-hí)چه (chh)اقتضا (iqtḍá)نمايد (nmáyd)ازخلف (izkhlf)سرادق (srádq)امضا (imḍá)چه (chh)ظاهر (ẓáhr) as “Judgment, God, what, ordain, disclose, Tabernacle, decree, reveal”

امضا
imḍá m-ḍ-y “decree”

literal: past; signature

2 occurrences in corpus

لَکُم

literal: to you; for-you

2 occurrences in corpus

بايددانست
báyddánst d-n-s-t “interpreted” Distinctive

literal: to know, to consider, to deem; know

This form usually rendered as “know” (1 occurrences)

interpreted 50% know 50%
نقطه
nqṭh n-q-ṭ

literal: point; point, dot; points

SE rendered شموس (shmús)عظمت (ʿẓmt)چه (chh)بر (br)نقطه (nqṭh)تراب (tráb)جالس (jáls)باشند (báshnd)بر (br)عرش (ʿrsh)اعظم (iʿẓm) as “Luminaries, majesty, upon, dust, seated, are, seat, of glory”

ساکن
sákn s-k-n “is”

literal: dwelling; dwell

SE rendered تراب (tráb)جالس (jáls)باشند (báshnd)بر (br)عرش (ʿrsh)اعظم (iʿẓm)ساکن (sákn)اند (ind)فلسی (flsí)نزدشان (nzdshán) as “dust, seated, are, upon, seat, of glory, is, unto”

abide 29% abiding 14% silenced 7% still 7% muteness 7% now 7% have 7% occupy 7% dwelling 7% tranquil 7%
فلسی
flsí f-l-s

literal: coin

SE rendered بر (br)عرش (ʿrsh)اعظم (iʿẓm)ساکن (sákn)اند (ind)فلسی (flsí)نزدشان (nzdshán)موجود (mújúd)نباشد (nbáshd)بر (br) as “in, seat, of glory, is, are, unto, bereft of”

2 occurrences in corpus

رفرف
rfrf r-f-r

literal: canopy; highest place; heights

SE rendered نزدشان (nzdshán)موجود (mújúd)نباشد (nbáshd)بر (br)رفرف (rfrf)غنا (ghná)طائراند (ṭáʾránd)حينی (ḥíní) as “unto, bereft of, in, riches, they soar”

retreats 50% loftiest 25% lofty 25%
حينی
ḥíní ḥ-y-n

literal: time; time/moment

SE rendered نباشد (nbáshd)بر (br)رفرف (rfrf)غنا (ghná)طائراند (ṭáʾránd)حينی (ḥíní)دست (dst)دشمنان (dshmnán)مبتلايند (mbtláynd)بر (br) as “bereft of, on, riches, they soar, grip, enemy, sore tried”

moment 35% times 14% time 12% hour 11% continually 7% day 5% when 5% now 5% while 4% soon 2%
کمال
kmál k-m-l

literal: perfection; complete; with perfection

SE rendered بر (br)يمين (ymín)قدرت (qdrt)غلبه (ghlbh)ساکن (sákn)کمال (kmál)ذلّت (dhllt)ظاهره (ẓáhrh)بر (br)عرش (ʿrsh)عزّت (ʿzzt) as “in, right hand, power, celestial, abasement, glory”

صمدانی
ṣmdání ṣ-m-d

literal: eternal; eternal, absolute; eternal, everlasting

SE rendered ذلّت (dhllt)ظاهره (ẓáhrh)بر (br)عرش (ʿrsh)عزّت (ʿzzt)صمدانی (ṣmdání)جالس (jáls)متّکأ (mttkʾ)نهايت (nháyt)عجز (ʿjz) as “abasement, in, glory, darkness, helplessness”

متّکأ
mttkʾ w-k-ʾ

literal: reclining, leaning

SE rendered بر (br)عرش (ʿrsh)عزّت (ʿzzt)صمدانی (ṣmdání)جالس (jáls)متّکأ (mttkʾ)نهايت (nháyt)عجز (ʿjz) as “in, glory, darkness, helplessness”

1 occurrence in corpus

کرسيّ
krsís k-r-s

literal: seat; throne, seat; throne/seat

SE rendered نهايت (nháyt)عجز (ʿjz)ظاهری (ẓáhrí)بر (br)کرسيّ (krsís)سلطنت (slṭnt)اقتدار (iqtdár)قائم (qáʾm) as “darkness, helplessness, sovereignty, showered”

seat 50% throne 40% before 10%

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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268 ¶

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50 ¶

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729 ¶

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16 ¶

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858 ¶

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17 ¶

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5 ¶

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57 ¶

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160 ¶

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59 ¶