Kitáb-i-Íqán — §207

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 207 of 291.

Source (Persian)

سبحان اللّه، چقدر متعجّبم از مردمی که به او گرويدهاند و تابع چنين شخصی گشتهاند. به تراب قناعت نموده و اقبال جستهاند و از ربّ الارباب معرض گشتهاند و از نغمه بلبل و جمال گل به نعيب زاغ و جمال کلاغ قناعت نمودهاند. و ديگر چه چيزها ملاحظه شد از کلمات مجعوله اين کتاب. فی الحقيقه حيف است که قلم به تحرير ذکر آن مطالب مشغول شود و يا اوقات مصروف به آن گردد و ليکن اگر محکی يافت می شد حقّ از باطل و نور از ظلمت و شمس از ظلّ معلوم می آمد.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Gracious God! How great is Our amazement at the way the people have gathered around him, and have borne allegiance to his person! Content with transient dust, these people have turned their face unto it, and cast behind their backs Him Who is the Lord of Lords. Satisfied with the croaking of the crow and enamoured with the visage of the raven, they have renounced the melody of the nightingale and the charm of the rose. What unspeakable fallacies the perusal of this pretentious book hath revealed! They are too unworthy for any pen to describe, and too base for one moment’s attention. Should a touchstone be found, however, it would instantly distinguish truth from falsehood, light from darkness, and sun from shadow.

Translation Notes

سبحان

sbḥán s-b-ḥ → “gracious”

literal: glory; glory, praise; glory/praise

glorified 60% gracious 18% all-glorious 10% immeasurably 3% great 2% praise 2% \‘glorified 1% who 1% glory 1% god 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §256: Great fire-tabletFire §14: veiled gleaningsGWB §80: clouds kitab-i-iqanKIQ §16: veil prayers-and-meditationsP&M §848: immeasurably exalted art Thou, therefore,tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §54: Glorified be He that the-hidden-wordsHW §89: from on high will-and-testamentW&T §42: Gracious God

اللّه،

al-lh، ʾ-l-h → “god”

literal: god; divine; o god

god 93% god’s 2% lord 1% divine 1% almighty 1% “god 1% god.” 0% unto 0% towards 0% \‘god 0%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: Divine fire-tabletFire §41: after God gleaningsGWB §684: God is My witness!kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: the divine Testator kitab-i-iqanKIQ §280: is God prayers-and-meditationsP&M §589: towards Thee tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §31: “By the Lord the-hidden-wordsHW §147: celestial

چقدر

chqdr chqdr → “how”

literal: how much; how-much; how much/many

how 89% obviousness 11%

gleaningsGWB §40: how far kitab-i-iqanKIQ §172: obviousness gleaningsGWB §117: How kitab-i-iqanKIQ §117: how many kitab-i-iqanKIQ §117: How numerous

متعجّبم

mtʿjjbm ʿ-j-b → “strange” Distinctive

literal: strange

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

strange 28% how 22% marvellous 11% strangely 6% marvelous 6% wonder 6% thou 6% surprised 6% “marvel 6% marvelously 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §29: so strangely gleaningsGWB §523: strange, how very strange!kitab-i-iqanKIQ §121: thou dost marvel prayers-and-meditationsP&M §746: How marvelous the-hidden-wordsHW §97: behold and wonder epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §245: How strange gleaningsGWB §363: marvelous kitab-i-iqanKIQ §83: marvelously

مردمی

mrdmí m-r-d → “man” Distinctive

literal: man

This form usually rendered as “same” (2 occurrences)

man 21% dead 21% peoples 7% children 7% whole 7% men’s 7% people 7% men 7% same 7% foul 7%

gleaningsGWB §147: men’s kitab-i-iqanKIQ §159: the same people will-and-testamentW&T §20: disobey gleaningsGWB §333: people kitab-i-iqanKIQ §126: the dead will-and-testamentW&T §8: transgression gleaningsGWB §144: to the peoples of the earth kitab-i-iqanKIQ §261: foul carcasses

گرويدهاند

grúydhánd grúydhánd → “gathered”

literal: adhere

1 occurrence in corpus

kitab-i-iqanKIQ §207: gathered around

تابع

tábʿ t-b-ʿ → “follow”

literal: follow; following; to follow

followed 25% borne 25% bear 25% rallied 25%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §94: walk not gleaningsGWB §696: they must be faithfully obeyed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §246: who have followed Thee prayers-and-meditationsP&M §846: and the successive tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §5: be obedient will-and-testamentW&T §49: have compassed me round epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: by reason of my having followed gleaningsGWB §226: walked in the way of

چنين

chnín chnín

literal: such

SE rendered گرويدهاند (grúydhánd), تابع (tábʿ), چنين (chnín), شخصی (shkhṣí), گشتهاند (gshthánd), تراب (tráb), قناعت (qnáʿt) as “gathered around, borne allegiance, his person, dust, Content”

such 50% also 25% way 25%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §245: so kitab-i-iqanKIQ §224: this or that way will-and-testamentW&T §8: such kitab-i-iqanKIQ §159: also

شخصی

shkhṣí sh-kh-ṣ → “man”

literal: person; personality/identity; persons

man 44% one 11% needy 11% certain 11% person 11% herald 11%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §111: man gleaningsGWB §41: generation kitab-i-iqanKIQ §40: a will-and-testamentW&T §42: man (Muḥammad-‘Alí)gleaningsGWB §70: when all eyes shall stare up kitab-i-iqanKIQ §142: one will-and-testamentW&T §17: him gleaningsGWB §306: personality

گشتهاند

gshthánd gshtn

literal: become; became; to become

SE rendered گرويدهاند (grúydhánd), تابع (tábʿ), چنين (chnín), شخصی (shkhṣí), گشتهاند (gshthánd), تراب (tráb), قناعت (qnáʿt), نموده (nmúdh), اقبال (iqbál) as “gathered around, borne allegiance, his person, dust, Content, hath, turned their face unto it”

have 26% hath 20% become 9% may 9% thou 9% made 9% will 7% returned 4% life-vein 4% failed 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §219: hath gleaningsGWB §25: is illumined kitab-i-iqanKIQ §3: did the-hidden-wordsHW §97: failed will-and-testamentW&T §28: to be epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §141: enable thee gleaningsGWB §123: will advance and develop kitab-i-iqanKIQ §153: nor do they seem to have

تراب

tráb t-r-b → “dust”

literal: dust; dust, earth; dust/earth

dust 75% earth 12% clay 8% upon 2% lowly 2% ground 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §213: dust gleaningsGWB §488: the dust kitab-i-iqanKIQ §72: their resting-place prayers-and-meditationsP&M §497: ground the-hidden-wordsHW §104: the clay epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §138: the dust thereof gleaningsGWB §665: that lieth in the dust kitab-i-iqanKIQ §131: the lowly dust

قناعت

qnáʿt q-n-ʿ → “content”

literal: content; contentment; be-content

content 33% satisfied 33% contentment 33%

gleaningsGWB §552: content kitab-i-iqanKIQ §207: Satisfied the-hidden-wordsHW §127: seek gleaningsGWB §607: contentment kitab-i-iqanKIQ §230: contented

نموده

nmúdh nmúdn → “hath”

literal: do; to do; show

hath 44% have 26% had 12% made 3% caused 3% laid 2% chose 2% fulfill 2% hast 2% make 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §69: Let gleaningsGWB §673: is calling kitab-i-ahdAhd §16: Give kitab-i-iqanKIQ §267: We will prayers-and-meditationsP&M §648: wilt the-hidden-wordsHW §104: didst will-and-testamentW&T §15: forsook epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §101: show them

اقبال

iqbál q-b-l → “turned their face unto it”

literal: acceptance

SE expanded to “turned their face unto it”

turn 23% turned 23% turning 12% conversion 8% faith 8% setting 8% recognizing 8% having 4% return 4% acknowledged 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §182: turn fire-tabletFire §46: go forward gleaningsGWB §406: was accepted kitab-i-ahdAhd §15: time and again kitab-i-iqanKIQ §183: turned their face toward prayers-and-meditationsP&M §445: and turned towards tablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: been lifted upon tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §39: “And kiss

جستهاند

jsthánd jstn

literal: seek; sought; to seek

SE rendered تراب (tráb), قناعت (qnáʿt), نموده (nmúdh), اقبال (iqbál), جستهاند (jsthánd), از (iz), ربّ (rbb), الارباب (ar-rbáb), معرض (mʿrḍ) as “dust, Content, hath, turned their face unto it, Lord, Lords, cast behind their backs”

have 38% conceived 13% foolishly 13% cleave 13% cling 13% allow 13%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §184: to gleaningsGWB §148: to shun kitab-i-iqanKIQ §124: conceived will-and-testamentW&T §42: plotted epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §179: cling gleaningsGWB §130: eschewed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §182: foolishly clung epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §238: have ascended

نغمه

nghmh n-gh-m → “melody”

literal: melody; melodies; melodies, tunes

melody 73% song 7% voice 7% songs 7% any 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §209: song fire-tabletFire §23: Thy melodies gleaningsGWB §103: accents kitab-i-iqanKIQ §18: language prayers-and-meditationsP&M §234: voice tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: His Melody epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §205: melodies gleaningsGWB §199: the sweet melodies of His

بلبل

blbl blbl → “nightingale”

literal: nightingale

nightingales 60% nightingale 40%

gleaningsGWB §559: Nightingale gleaningsGWB §558: nightingales

جمال

jmál j-m-l → “charm” Distinctive

literal: beauty; beautiful

This form usually rendered as “beauty”, “ancient”, “ornament” (151 occurrences)

beauty 89% ancient 2% ornament 1% divine 1% countenance 1% charm 1% fairest 1% whose 1% glory 1% image 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §122: Among gleaningsGWB §3: Thy Beauty kitab-i-ahdAhd §14: Gracious kitab-i-iqanKIQ §204: All prayers-and-meditationsP&M §716: face tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §55: upon whose countenances the-hidden-wordsHW §88: a beauty will-and-testamentW&T §38: of the Ancient Beauty

گل

gl gl → “rose”

literal: rose; flower; clay

rose 37% clay 16% flower 11% roses 11% lilies 5% blossoms 5% flowers 5% things 5% mire 5%

gleaningsGWB §674: Flower kitab-i-iqanKIQ §99: the things of the world the-hidden-wordsHW §121: a flower gleaningsGWB §550: clay kitab-i-iqanKIQ §169: the rose the-hidden-wordsHW §111: mire and clay gleaningsGWB §674: every other flower kitab-i-iqanKIQ §23: of the rose

نعيب

nʿíb n-ʿ-b → “croaking”

literal: croaking; croaking / cawing

3 occurrences in corpus

gleaningsGWB §713: the croaking of the Raven kitab-i-iqanKIQ §207: croaking

زاغ

zágh z-y-gh

literal: deviated

SE rendered نغمه (nghmh), بلبل (blbl), جمال (jmál), گل (gl), نعيب (nʿíb), زاغ (zágh), جمال (jmál), کلاغ (klágh), قناعت (qnáʿt), نمودهاند (nmúdhánd) as “melody, nightingale, visage, rose, croaking, crow, Satisfied, have renounced”

1 occurrence in corpus

gleaningsGWB §376: have become deluded

ديگر

dígr dígr

literal: other; other, another; other/another

SE rendered جمال (jmál), کلاغ (klágh), قناعت (qnáʿt), نمودهاند (nmúdhánd), ديگر (dígr), چه (chh), چيزها (chízhá) as “visage, crow, Satisfied, have renounced, fallacies”

another 31% other 15% moreover 15% different 13% yet 6% furthermore 6% again 4% else 4% now 4% following 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §112: following gleaningsGWB §39: specific kitab-i-iqanKIQ §230: yet another the-hidden-wordsHW §160: now will-and-testamentW&T §3: the rest epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §245: therefore gleaningsGWB §429: can never be the same as kitab-i-iqanKIQ §274: why then

چيزها

chízhá chíz → “fallacies”

literal: thing

1 occurrence in corpus

ملاحظه

mláḥẓh l-ḥ-ẓ

literal: observation; observe; observation, consideration

SE rendered نمودهاند (nmúdhánd), ديگر (dígr), چه (chh), چيزها (chízhá), ملاحظه (mláḥẓh), از (iz), کلمات (klmát), مجعوله (mjʿúlh), کتاب (ktáb) as “have renounced, fallacies, pretentious, book”

consider 44% behold 14% observe 11% reflect 9% discover 8% regard 4% witness 3% witnessed 3% carefully 2% eye 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: high regard gleaningsGWB §381: recognize kitab-i-iqanKIQ §62: take heed prayers-and-meditationsP&M §330: with the eye of the-hidden-wordsHW §154: I beheld, and lo!will-and-testamentW&T §30: observed epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §32: recognized gleaningsGWB §44: observing

کلمات

klmát k-l-m

literal: word; words

SE rendered ديگر (dígr), چه (chh), چيزها (chízhá), ملاحظه (mláḥẓh), از (iz), کلمات (klmát), مجعوله (mjʿúlh), کتاب (ktáb) as “fallacies, pretentious, book”