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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §2

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 2 of 291.

Source (Persian)

جوهر اين باب آنکه سالکين سبيل ايمان و طالبين کؤوس ايقان بايد نفوس خود را از جميع شئونات عرضيّه پاک ومقدّس نمايند، يعنی گوش را از استماع اقوال و قلب را ازظنونات متعلّقه به سُبُحات جلال و روح را از تعلّق به اسباب ظاهره و چشم را از ملاحظه کلمات فانيه و متوکّلين علی اللّه و متوسّلين اليه سالک شوند تا آنکه قابل تجلّيات اشراقات شموس علم و عرفان الهی و محلّ ظهورات فيوضات غيب نامتناهی گردند . زيرا اگر عبد بخواهد اقوال و اعمال وافعال عباد را از عالِم و جاهل ميزان معرفت حقّ و اوليای اوقرار دهد هرگز به رضوان معرفت ربّ العزّه داخل نشود و به سر منزل بقا نرسد و از جام قُرب و رضا مرزوق نگردد.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

The essence of these words is this: they that tread the path of faith, they that thirst for the wine of certitude, must cleanse themselves of all that is earthly—their ears from idle talk, their minds from vain imaginings, their hearts from worldly affections, their eyes from that which perisheth. They should put their trust in God, and, holding fast unto Him, follow in His way. Then will they be made worthy of the effulgent glories of the sun of divine knowledge and understanding, and become the recipients of a grace that is infinite and unseen, inasmuch as man can never hope to attain unto the knowledge of the All-Glorious, can never quaff from the stream of divine knowledge and wisdom, can never enter the abode of immortality, nor partake of the cup of divine nearness and favour, unless and until he ceases to regard the words and deeds of mortal men as a standard for the true understanding and recognition of God and His Prophets.

Translation Notes

سبيل
sbíl s-b-l

literal: path; way; path/way

SE rendered جوهر (júhr)باب (báb)آنکه (ánkh)سالکين (sálkín)سبيل (sbíl)ايمان (iymán)طالبين (ṭálbín)کؤوس (kʾús)ايقان (iyqán) as “The essence, words, this: they that, tread, the path of faith, they that thirst, the wine, of certitude”

path 72% way 12% straight 3% sake 3% road 2% means 2% state 2% door 2% self 2% path!” 2%
جميع
jmíʿ j-m-ʿ

literal: all; all, entire

SE rendered ايقان (iyqán)بايد (báyd)نفوس (nfús)از (iz)جميع (jmíʿ)شئونات (shʾúnát)عرضيّه (ʿrḍíḍh)پاک (pák) as “of certitude, must, themselves, of all, that, earthly—their, cleanse”

all 81% every 8% whole 3% each 2% whatsoever 1% one 1% concourse 1% under 1% divers 1% any 1%
شئونات
shʾúnát sh-ʾ-n “that”

literal: manner; affair; state

SE rendered بايد (báyd)نفوس (nfús)از (iz)جميع (jmíʿ)شئونات (shʾúnát)عرضيّه (ʿrḍíḍh)پاک (pák)ومقدّس (wmqdds)نمايند، (nmáynd،) as “must, themselves, of all, that, earthly—their, cleanse, will”

ومقدّس
wmqdds q-d-s

literal: holy; sanctified

SE rendered از (iz)جميع (jmíʿ)شئونات (shʾúnát)عرضيّه (ʿrḍíḍh)پاک (pák)ومقدّس (wmqdds)نمايند، (nmáynd،)يعنی (yʿní)گوش (gúsh)از (iz) as “from, that, earthly—their, cleanse, will, ears”

يعنی
yʿní ʿ-n-y

literal: meaning

SE rendered عرضيّه (ʿrḍíḍh)پاک (pák)ومقدّس (wmqdds)نمايند، (nmáynd،)يعنی (yʿní)گوش (gúsh)از (iz)استماع (istmáʿ)اقوال (iqúál)قلب (qlb) as “earthly—their, cleanse, will, ears, from, idle talk, their minds”

who 40% meant 40% meaneth 20%
استماع
istmáʿ s-m-ʿ

literal: hear; hearing; heard

SE rendered نمايند، (nmáynd،)يعنی (yʿní)گوش (gúsh)از (iz)استماع (istmáʿ)اقوال (iqúál)قلب (qlb)ازظنونات (izẓnúnát) as “will, ears, from, idle talk, their minds, from vain imaginings”

hearken 20% bear 13% acquainted 13% heard 13% known 7% purged 7% hearkening 7% hear 7% had 7% have 7%
سُبُحات
subuḥát s-b-ḥ

literal: glory; glory, praise; glory/praise

SE rendered قلب (qlb)ازظنونات (izẓnúnát)متعلّقه (mtʿllqh)سُبُحات (subuḥát)جلال (jlál)روح (rúḥ)از (iz)تعلّق (tʿllq) as “their minds, from vain imaginings, from, worldly affections”

جلال
jlál j-l-l

literal: exalted; glory; majesty

SE rendered ازظنونات (izẓnúnát)متعلّقه (mtʿllqh)سُبُحات (subuḥát)جلال (jlál)روح (rúḥ)از (iz)تعلّق (tʿllq) as “from vain imaginings, from, worldly affections”

روح
rúḥ r-w-ḥ

literal: spirit; spiritual; soul

SE rendered ازظنونات (izẓnúnát)متعلّقه (mtʿllqh)سُبُحات (subuḥát)جلال (jlál)روح (rúḥ)از (iz)تعلّق (tʿllq)اسباب (isbáb)ظاهره (ẓáhrh) as “from vain imaginings, from, worldly affections”

spirit 67% soul 9% holy 5% breath 4% souls 4% life 4% joy 2% faithful 2% divine 2% most 2%
اسباب
isbáb s-b-b

literal: cause; cause, reason; means

SE rendered روح (rúḥ)از (iz)تعلّق (tʿllq)اسباب (isbáb)ظاهره (ẓáhrh)چشم (chshm)از (iz) as “from, worldly affections, their eyes”

means 23% through 15% nothing 8% all 8% cause 8% agencies 8% such 8% hindrances 8% external 8% causes 8%
ظاهره
ẓáhrh ẓ-h-r

literal: manifestation; manifest; appear

SE rendered روح (rúḥ)از (iz)تعلّق (tʿllq)اسباب (isbáb)ظاهره (ẓáhrh)چشم (chshm)از (iz)ملاحظه (mláḥẓh)کلمات (klmát) as “from, worldly affections, their eyes, that which”

ملاحظه
mláḥẓh l-ḥ-ẓ

literal: observation; observe; observation, consideration

SE rendered چشم (chshm)از (iz)ملاحظه (mláḥẓh)کلمات (klmát)فانيه (fáníh)متوکّلين (mtúkklín) as “their eyes, from, that which, perisheth, They should put”

اليه
al-yh ʾ-l-y

literal: to; to him; besmirch

SE rendered متوکّلين (mtúkklín)اللّه (al-lh)متوسّلين (mtússlín)اليه (al-yh)سالک (sálk)شوند (shúnd)آنکه (ánkh)قابل (qábl)تجلّيات (tjllíát) as “They should put, God, holding fast unto Him, follow in His way, he, be made worthy, the effulgent glories”

besmirch 33% inception 33% until 33%
شوند
shúnd sh-w-d

literal: become; to become; became

SE rendered اللّه (al-lh)متوسّلين (mtússlín)اليه (al-yh)سالک (sálk)شوند (shúnd)آنکه (ánkh)قابل (qábl)تجلّيات (tjllíát) as “God, holding fast unto Him, follow in His way, he, be made worthy, the effulgent glories”

again 14% would 14% feed 14% unraveling 14% will 14% therein 14% intervening 14%
اشراقات
ishráqát sh-r-q

literal: shining; east; shine

SE rendered آنکه (ánkh)قابل (qábl)تجلّيات (tjllíát)اشراقات (ishráqát)شموس (shmús)علم (ʿlm)عرفان (ʿrfán)الهی (al-hí)محلّ (mḥll) as “he, be made worthy, the effulgent glories, the sun, of divine knowledge, and understanding, divine, become the recipients”

گردند
grdnd g-r-d

literal: become; to become

SE rendered فيوضات (fíwḍát)غيب (ghíb)نامتناهی (námtnáhí)گردند (grdnd)زيرا (zírá)عبد (ʿbd)بخواهد (bkhúáhd)اقوال (iqúál) as “a grace, unseen, infinite, inasmuch as, the words”

become 29% wouldst 14% may 14% thou 14% themselves 14% repent 14%
بخواهد
bkhúáhd kh-w-h

literal: will; to want/will

SE rendered نامتناهی (námtnáhí)گردند (grdnd)زيرا (zírá)عبد (ʿbd)بخواهد (bkhúáhd)اقوال (iqúál)اعمال (iʿmál)وافعال (wáfʿál)عباد (ʿbád) as “infinite, inasmuch as, the words, deeds, mortal men”

will 55% shall 18% such 9% desireth 9% wishing 9%
جاهل
jáhl j-h-l

literal: ignorance; ignorant; ignorant ones

SE rendered اعمال (iʿmál)وافعال (wáfʿál)عباد (ʿbád)از (iz)عالِم (ʿálim)جاهل (jáhl)ميزان (mízán)معرفت (mʿrft)حقّ (ḥqq)اوليای (iwlíáy) as “deeds, mortal men, from, knowledge, as a standard, true understanding, His Prophets”

foolish 38% ignorant 38% empty 25%
حقّ
ḥqq ḥ-q-q

literal: truth; true; right

SE rendered از (iz)عالِم (ʿálim)جاهل (jáhl)ميزان (mízán)معرفت (mʿrft)حقّ (ḥqq)اوليای (iwlíáy)اوقرار (iwqrár)دهد (dhd)هرگز (hrgz) as “from, knowledge, as a standard, true understanding, His Prophets, never”

truth 50% god 14% true 10% one 9% eternal 7% through 3% right 2% righteousness 2% unto 1% who 1%
اوقرار
iwqrár q-r-r

literal: abode; place; established

SE rendered ميزان (mízán)معرفت (mʿrft)حقّ (ḥqq)اوليای (iwlíáy)اوقرار (iwqrár)دهد (dhd)هرگز (hrgz)رضوان (rḍúán)معرفت (mʿrft) as “as a standard, the knowledge, His Prophets, never”

دهد
dhd d-h

literal: give; to give; given

SE rendered ميزان (mízán)معرفت (mʿrft)حقّ (ḥqq)اوليای (iwlíáy)اوقرار (iwqrár)دهد (dhd)هرگز (hrgz)رضوان (rḍúán)معرفت (mʿrft)ربّ (rbb)العزّه (al-ʿzzh) as “as a standard, the knowledge, His Prophets, never, the All-Glorious”

رضوان
rḍúán r-ḍ-w

literal: paradise; pleasure; paradise, divine pleasure

SE rendered اوليای (iwlíáy)اوقرار (iwqrár)دهد (dhd)هرگز (hrgz)رضوان (rḍúán)معرفت (mʿrft)ربّ (rbb)العزّه (al-ʿzzh)داخل (dákhl)نشود (nshúd) as “His Prophets, never, the knowledge, the All-Glorious, enter”

ربّ
rbb r-b-b

literal: Lord; lord

SE rendered هرگز (hrgz)رضوان (rḍúán)معرفت (mʿrft)ربّ (rbb)العزّه (al-ʿzzh)داخل (dákhl)نشود (nshúd)سر (sr)منزل (mnzl) as “never, the knowledge, the All-Glorious, enter, the abode”

lord 93% god 3% creator 1% one 1% art 1% none 1% ruler 1% thou 1% ‘lord 1%
سر
sr s-r-r

literal: secret; secrets; secret, mystery

SE rendered معرفت (mʿrft)ربّ (rbb)العزّه (al-ʿzzh)داخل (dákhl)نشود (nshúd)سر (sr)منزل (mnzl)بقا (bqá)نرسد (nrsd)از (iz)جام (jám)قُرب (qurb) as “the knowledge, the All-Glorious, enter, the abode, immortality, the cup, divine nearness”

نرسد
nrsd r-s-d

literal: reach; to reach; arrive

SE rendered داخل (dákhl)نشود (nshúd)سر (sr)منزل (mnzl)بقا (bqá)نرسد (nrsd)از (iz)جام (jám)قُرب (qurb)رضا (rḍá)مرزوق (mrzúq) as “enter, the abode, immortality, the cup, divine nearness, and favour, partake”

reached 21% have 16% how 16% attaineth 11% now 11% transmit 5% waxed 5% hath 5% ended 5% ceased 5%

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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