Kitáb-i-Íqán — §206

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 206 of 291.

Source (Persian)

باری، بسيار متعجّب شدم، از اين بيانات نديدم مگر اينکه می خواهد بر مردم برساند که جميع اين علوم نزد ايشان است با وجود اينکه قسم به خدا نسيمی از رياض علم الهی نشنيده و بر حرفی از اسرار حکمت ربّانی اطّلاع نيافته. بلکه اگر معنی علم گفته شود البتّه مضطرب شود و جبل وجود او مندکّ گردد. با وجود اين اقوال سخيفه بی معنی چه دعوی های زياده از حدّ نموده.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

We were surprised exceedingly when We observed that his one purpose was to make the people realize that all these learnings were possessed by him. And yet, I swear by God that not one breath, blowing from the meads of divine knowledge, hath ever been wafted upon his soul, nor hath he ever unravelled a single mystery of ancient wisdom. Nay, were the meaning of Knowledge ever to be expounded unto him, dismay would fill his heart, and his whole being would shake to its foundation. Notwithstanding his base and senseless statements, behold to what heights of extravagance his claims have reached!

Translation Notes

باری،

b-r-y → “We”

literal: well; cistern; pit

بسيار

b-s-r → “SON” Distinctive

literal: much; many; very; greatly

متعجّب

ʿ-j-b → “surprised”

literal: wonder; amazement; marvelous; strange

شدم،

sh-d → “was”

literal: to become; to be

از

ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

بيانات

b-y-n

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

نديدم

d-y-d → “seen” Distinctive

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

مگر

m-g-r → “that” Distinctive

literal: matter; affair; thing

می

m-y-y

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

خواهد

kh-w-h → “will”

literal: will; to wish; to want

بر

b-r-r → “upon”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

مردم

m-r-d → “people”

literal: rebellion; mutiny; revolt

برساند

r-s-n → “attain”

literal: to reach; to convey; to cause to arrive; to deliver

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

جميع

j-m-ʿ

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

علوم

ʿ-l-m → “learnings”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

نزد

n-z-d → “unto”

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

ايشان

ʾ-y-sh → “Prophets”

literal: that; it (object pronoun with suffix)

است

b-w-d → “were possessed” Distinctive

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

با

b-ʾ-ʾ → “And” Distinctive

literal: to; with; by

وجود

w-j-d → “being”

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

قسم

q-s-m → “swear”

literal: oath; division; kind; type

به

b-h → “by” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

خدا

kh-d-ʾ → “God”

literal: God; the Divine

نسيمی

n-s-m → “one breath”

literal: breeze; gentle wind; fragrance

رياض

r-w-ḍ → “meads”

literal: garden; meadow; enclosed garden

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “divine”

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

نشنيده

sh-n-w → “heard”

literal: most ugly; most abominable; most heinous

حرفی

ḥ-r-f → “single” Distinctive

literal: letter; character; edge

اسرار

s-r-r → “mystery” Distinctive

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

حکمت

ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

ربّانی

r-b-b → “ancient” Distinctive

literal: education; upbringing; training; cultivation

اطّلاع

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

نيافته.

y-ʾ-f-t → “found” Distinctive

literal: to find, discover; to obtain, acquire; to find; to obtain; to discover

بلکه

b-l-k → “Nay”

literal: nay; but rather; on the contrary; but

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

معنی

ʿ-n-y → “meaning”

literal: meaning; sense; significance

گفته

g-f-t → “said”

literal: utterance; speech; word; discourse

شود

sh-w-d → “to be”

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

البتّه

b-t-t

literal: certainly; certainly, definitely; absolute

مضطرب

ḍ-r-b → “tremble”

literal: to shake, quiver, vibrate, tremble with emotion

جبل

j-b-l

literal: mountain; nature, constitution; to create, to form

او

h-w-w

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

مندکّ

d-k-k → “would”

literal: crushed, shaken

گردد.

g-r-d → “become”

literal: become; to become; make

اقوال

q-w-l → “statements” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

سخيفه

s-kh-f → “base”

literal: vile; trivial; worthless; base

بی

b-y

literal: without; is; to

چه

ch-h

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

دعوی

d-ʿ-w → “claims”

literal: to claim; to allege

های

null

literal: and; that; in

زياده

z-y-d → “increase” Distinctive

literal: increase; excess; more; additional; to increase; to grow; to be added

حدّ

ḥ-d-d

literal: iron; sharp, keen, acute

نموده.

n-m-ود → “hath”

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

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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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.

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Tablet of Carmel

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160 ¶

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59 ¶