Kitáb-i-Íqán — §145

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 145 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و همچنين در انجيل لوقا مذکور است که روزی ديگر آن حضرت بر يکی از يهود گذشت که به مرض فلج مبتلا شده بود و بر سرير افتاده. چون آن حضرت را ديد به قرائن شناخت آن حضرت را و استغاثه نمود و آن حضرت فرمودند: "قُم عَن سَريرِکَ فإنَّکَ مَغفُورَةٌ خَطاياکَ." چند يهود که در آن مکان حضور داشتند اعتراض نمودند که " هَل يُمکِنُ لاَحَدٍ اَن يَغفِرَ الخَطايا إلّا اللّه." فَالتَفَتَ المَسيحُ إلَيهم وَقالَ: "اَيّما اَسهَلُ اَنْ اَقُولَ لَهُ قُمْ فَاحمِل سَريرَکَ اَم اَقُول لَه مَغْفُورَةٌ خَطاياکَ لِتَعْلَموا بِاَنَّ لابنِ الإنسان سُلطاناً عَلی الاَرضِ لِمَغْفِرَةِ الخَطايا" که ترجمه آن به فارسی اين است: چون آن حضرت به آن عاجز مسکين فرمودند که برخيز، بدرستی که معاصی تو آمرزيده شد، جمعی از يهود اعتراض نمودند که آيا جز پروردگار غالب قادر کسی قادر بر غفران عباد هست؟ آن حضرت ملتفت به ايشان شده فرمودند که آيا کدام اسهل است نزد شما از اينکه بگويم به اين عاجز فالج برخيز و بروو يا آنکه بگويم آمرزيده است گناهان تو، تا آنکه بدانيد که از برای پسر انسان سلطانی است در ارض برای آمرزش ذنوب مذنبان. اين است سلطنت حقيقی و اقتدار اوليای الهی.همه اين تفاصيل که مکرّر ذکر می شود از همه مقام و همه جا، مقصود اين است که بر تلويحات کلمات اصفيای الهی مطّلع شويد که شايد از بعضی عبارات قدم نلغزد و قلب مضطرب نشود.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

It is also recorded in the Gospel according to St. Luke, that on a certain day Jesus passed by a Jew who was sick of the palsy, and lay upon a couch. When the Jew saw Him, he recognized Him, and cried out for His help. Jesus said unto him: “Arise from thy bed; thy sins are forgiven thee.” Certain of the Jews, standing by, protested saying: “Who can forgive sins, but God alone?” And immediately He perceived their thoughts, Jesus answering said unto them: “Whether is it easier to say to the sick of the palsy, arise, and take up thy bed, and walk; or to say, thy sins are forgiven thee? that ye may know that the Son of Man hath power on earth to forgive sins.” This is the real sovereignty, and such is the power of God’s chosen Ones! All these things which We have repeatedly mentioned, and the details which We have cited from divers sources, have no other purpose but to enable thee to grasp the meaning of the allusions in the utterances of the chosen Ones of God, lest certain of these utterances cause thy feet to falter and thy heart to be dismayed.

Translation Notes

همچنين

ch-n-n → “is also” Distinctive

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

انجيل

n-j-l → “Gospel”

literal: Gospel; the Good Tidings

لوقا

sh-w-q → “longing”

literal: longing; yearning; longing, yearning

مذکور

dh-k-r → “recorded”

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

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

روزی

r-w-z → “on a certain day”

literal: narration; tradition; fragrance; to grow; to spring forth; to sprout

ديگر

d-g-r → “other”

literal: home; place; land; abode

آن

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

حضرت

ḥ-ḍ-r → “Jesus” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

بر

b-r-r → “righteous” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

يکی

w-ḥ-d → “a”

literal: one; any; each

از

ʾ-z → “by” Distinctive

literal: from

يهود

y-h-d → “Jews”

literal: Jews; Jew; Judea

گذشت

g-dh-r

literal: to leave; to pass; to abandon

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

مرض

m-r-ḍ → “of the” Distinctive

literal: illness, disease; sickness

فلج

f-l-j → “palsy”

literal: palsy; paralysis

مبتلا

b-l-w

literal: affliction; trial; calamity; trial, tribulation, affliction, calamity; yes; indeed; verily

شده

sh-d → “was”

literal: to become; to be

بود

b-w-d → “was”

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

سرير

s-r-r → “mysteries” Distinctive

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

افتاده.

f-t-d

literal: to fall, drop, befall, happen, come to pass

چون

ch-w-n → “As”

literal: since; when; as

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

ديد

d-y-d → “saw” Distinctive

literal: to give; to grant; to present; justice; judgment; to see; sight; eye; seen

قرائن

q-r-n → “centuries” Distinctive

literal: conjunction; union; coupling; association

شناخت

sh-n-kh → “recognized” Distinctive

literal: to know, recognize, acquaint oneself with

استغاثه

gh-w-th → “asked His help”

literal: helper; sought-help; Mustaghath

نمود

n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

literal: do; show; make

فرمودند:

f-r-m → “said unto him”

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

"قُم

q-w-m → ““Arise”

literal: station; rank; standing place

عَن

ʿ-n → “from”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

فإنَّکَ

ʾ-n-n → “he” Distinctive

literal: that; indeed; verily

مَغفُورَةٌ

gh-f-r → “forgiven”

literal: to forgive; forgiveness

خَطاياکَ."

kh-ṭ-y → “thy sins”

literal: sin; transgression; error; errors; sins; faults

چند

ch-n-d → “while” Distinctive

literal: some; several; a few; how many

مکان

m-k-n

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

داشتند

d-ʾ-sh

literal: to have; to hold; to keep

اعتراض

ʿ-r-ḍ → “protested”

literal: objection, protest, denial; cavil

نمودند

n-m-ود → “hath” Distinctive

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

هَل

h-l

literal: interrogative particle; whether; is it that

يُمکِنُ

m-k-n

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

لاَحَدٍ

ʾ-ḥ-d → “of God” Distinctive

literal: Divine unity; monotheism; belief in the oneness of God

الخَطايا

kh-ṭ-ʾ → “sins”

literal: sin; transgression; error; errors; sins; faults

إلّا

ʾ-kh-r → “but” Distinctive

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

اللّه."

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

فَالتَفَتَ

l-f-t → “turn”

literal: to turn; to attend; to heed

المَسيحُ

m-s-ḥ → “rubbeth”

literal: to wipe, anoint, touch lightly; to pass over

إلَيهم

ʾ-l-y → “towards”

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

وَقالَ:

q-w-l → “answering said”

literal: to say; to speak; saying

اَسهَلُ

s-h-l → “belittle” Distinctive

literal: easy; easier; easy/trivial

لَهُ

h-w

literal: for them both; to both of them (dual pronoun)

فَاحمِل

ḥ-m-l → “bear”

literal: to bear; to endure; to carry; to tolerate

اَم

ʾ-m-m → “or” Distinctive

literal: mother

لِتَعْلَموا

ʿ-l-m → “that ye may know”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

بِاَنَّ

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; indeed; verily

لابنِ

b-n-y

literal: brick; son (construct form ‘ibn’)

الإنسان

ʾ-n-s → “Son of Man”

literal: familiar; intimate; companionship; to be acquainted with; companion; intimate friend; to be intimate with; to keep company; to console

سُلطاناً

s-l-ṭ → “power” Distinctive

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

عَلی

ʿ-l-w → “on” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

الاَرضِ

ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

ترجمه

t-r-j-m

literal: translation

فارسی

f-r-s

literal: to will; to intend; to desire; to display; to show; to present

اين

ʾ-y-n → “This”

literal: this; these

عاجز

ʿ-j-z

literal: to be unable; to fail; to be exhausted; impotence; أعجاز (roots of trees/extremities) is Pattern II plural, distinct from ‘inability’ forms

مسکين

m-s-k

literal: stillness, rest, quietude, tranquility

برخيز،

kh-y-z

literal: arise; arose; arisen

بدرستی

r-s-t

literal: correctness; straightness; uprightness; rectitude

معاصی

ʿ-ṣ-y

literal: disobedience; disobeyed; sins

تو

t-w-w → “thy” Distinctive

literal: you

آمرزيده

ʾ-m-r

literal: forgiven; forgiveness

جمعی

j-m-ʿ

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

آيا

ʾ-y-y

literal: does; is it that (interrogative particle); sign; verse; O! (vocative particle); him; them (object pronoun)

جز

j-z → “apart from”

literal: except

پروردگار

r-b-b

literal: Lord; Sustainer; Provider; Creator

غالب

gh-l-b → “ascendancy” Distinctive

literal: to overcome, overpower, vanquish, prevail

کسی

k-s

literal: someone; anyone; a person

عباد

ʿ-b-d

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

هست؟

h-s-t → “are”

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

ايشان

ʾ-y-sh → “Prophets”

literal: that; it (object pronoun with suffix)

کدام

k-d-m

literal: which; what; whoever; any

نزد

n-z-d

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

شما

sh-m-ʾ

literal: you (plural); your

بگويم

g-w-y

literal: say; to say; said

بروو

r-w → “progress”

literal: go; face; face, direction

يا

y-ʾ

literal: O; or

گناهان

g-n-h

literal: sin; transgression; fault

تا

t-y-y

literal: so that/until

بدانيد

d-ʾ-n

literal: to know; to be aware

برای

b-r-y → “to”

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

پسر

b-s-r

literal: building, structure, edifice; to build, construct; structure, edifice

انسان

ʾ-n-s

literal: familiar; intimate; companionship; to be acquainted with; companion; intimate friend; to be intimate with; to keep company; to console

ارض

ʾ-r-ḍ

literal: earth; land; ground; country

ذنوب

dh-n-b → “forgive sins.””

literal: sin; crime; offense; fault

حقيقی

ḥ-q-q → “truth”

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

اقتدار

q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

اوليای

w-l-y → “chosen Ones”

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally; lord; helper; first; primary; original

تفاصيل

f-ṣ-l → “details”

literal: detail; separated; separation

مکرّر

k-r-r → “repeatedly”

literal: to repeat; to reiterate

ذکر

dh-k-r → “mentioned”

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

می

m-y-y

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

شود

sh-w-d

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

همه

h-m-h

literal: all; every/all

جا،

j-ʾ-y → “unto” Distinctive

literal: place

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

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

تلويحات

l-w-ḥ → “allusions”

literal: tablet; panel; divine decree; revelation

کلمات

k-l-m → “utterances”

literal: words; utterances; locutions

اصفيای

ṣ-f-w → “chosen Ones”

literal: pure one; chosen one; selected one; elite; purity; clarity; sincerity; pure; sincere

مطّلع

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring”

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

شايد

sh-y-d → “haply”

literal: perhaps, perchance, haply, maybe, possibly; to become; to be; to happen; to occur

بعضی

b-ʿ-ḍ → “certain”

literal: part; some; portion

عبارات

ʿ-b-r → “utterances”

literal: expression; phrase; utterance; statement; passage; wording

قدم

q-d-m → “feet” Distinctive

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

نلغزد

l-gh-z → “falter”

literal: slip; stumble; error

قلب

q-l-b → “heart”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

مضطرب

ḍ-r-b → “tremble”

literal: to be troubled, shaken, agitated; to tremble

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

Gleanings

Bahá’u’lláh

A compilation of 166 selections from Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablets, spanning the Baghdad, Adrianople, and ‘Akká periods (1853–1892). George Townshend assisted with English refinement. Shoghi Effendi wrote that it gives the friends a splendid opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of the Faith.

729 ¶

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

Published in 1938, this companion volume to Gleanings contains 184 prayers and meditations selected by Shoghi Effendi from Bahá’u’lláh’s devotional writings revealed across successive exiles from Baghdad to ‘Akká. Shoghi Effendi described it as a volume whose perusal would deepen the spirit of devotion and faith.

858 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in Adrianople and addressed to a believer named Aḥmad, this Tablet has been invested by Bahá’u’lláh with a special potency and significance. Its central imagery draws on the metaphor of fire and water: “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones.”

17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed during a visit to Mount Carmel, this Tablet addresses the mountain directly and prophesies its future as the world spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi designated it one of three foundational Charters. Its imagery of the Ark and the dwellers therein prefigures the Universal House of Justice.

5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

160 ¶

Will and Testament

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

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 ¶