Kitáb-i-Íqán — §165

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 165 of 291.

Source (Persian)

مثلاً در مادّه نحاسی ملاحظه فرمائيد که اگر در معدن خود از غلبه يبوست محفوظ بماند در مدّت هفتاد سنه به مقام ذهبی می رسد. اگر چه، بعضی خود نحاس را ذهب می دانند که به واسطه غلبه يبوست مريض شده و به مقام خود نرسيده.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

For instance, consider the substance of copper. Were it to be protected in its own mine from becoming solidified, it would, within the space of seventy years, attain to the state of gold. There are some, however, who maintain that copper itself is gold, which by becoming solidified is in a diseased condition, and hath not therefore reached its own state.

Translation Notes

مثلاً

m-th-l → “For instance” Distinctive

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مادّه

m-d-d → “substance”

literal: hopeful; hope; hoping

نحاسی

n-ḥ-s → “of copper”

literal: copper; brass; base metal

ملاحظه

l-ḥ-ẓ → “consider”

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

فرمائيد

f-r-m → “consider”

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

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

معدن

ʿ-d-n → “mine”

literal: mine; source; origin; repository

خود

kh-w-d → “their own”

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

از

ʾ-z → “from becoming”

literal: from

غلبه

gh-l-b → “ascendancy”

literal: to overcome, overpower, vanquish, prevail

يبوست

y-b-s → “solidified”

literal: to wither; dry up; desiccate

محفوظ

ḥ-f-ẓ → “protected”

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

بماند

m-n-y

literal: to remain; to stay; to be left

هفتاد

h-f-t → “seventh” Distinctive

literal: lion; wild beast

سنه

s-n-h → “years”

literal: year; way; tradition; custom

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

مقام

q-w-m → “state” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

ذهبی

dh-h-b → “of gold”

literal: religion; creed; doctrine; belief; sect

می

m-y-y → “is” Distinctive

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

چه،

ch-h

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

بعضی

b-ʿ-ḍ → “some”

literal: part; some; portion

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

دانند

d-ʾ-n → “considered” Distinctive

literal: to know, deem, consider, suppose

واسطه

w-s-ṭ

literal: mediator; intermediary; means; to mediate

مريض

m-r-ḍ → “ills” Distinctive

literal: illness, disease; sickness

شده

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

نرسيده.

r-s-d → “reached”

literal: Persian verb رسیدن (to arrive/reach), not Arabic ر-س-د

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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59 ¶