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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §208

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 208 of 291.

Source (Persian)

از جمله علومی که اين مرد مدّعی به آن شده صنعت کيمياست. بسيار طالبم که سلطانی و يا نفسی که مقتدر باشد ظهور اين علم را از عالم لفظ به عالم شهود و از قول به فعل از ايشان طلب نمايد و اين بی علم فانی هم که دعوی اين گونه علوم ننموده و بلکه کون اين علوم و فقدان آن را علّت علم و جهل نمی دانم با اين مرد در همين فقره قيام نمائيم تا صدق و کذب معلوم شود. و ليکن چه فائده، از ناس اين زمان جز زخم سنان نديده ام و غير سمّ قاتل چيزی نچشيده ام. هنوز اثر حديد بر گردن باقی است و هنوز علائم جفا از تمام بدن ظاهر.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Among the sciences which this pretender hath professed is that of alchemy. We cherish the hope that either a king or a man of preeminent power may call upon him to translate this science from the realm of fancy to the domain of fact and from the plane of mere pretension to that of actual achievement. Would that this unlearned and humble Servant, who never laid any pretension to such things, nor even regarded them as the criterion of true knowledge, might undertake the same task, that thereby the truth might be known and distinguished from falsehood. But of what avail! All this generation could offer Us were wounds from its darts, and the only cup it proffered to Our lips was the cup of its venom. On our neck We still bear the scar of chains, and upon Our body are imprinted the evidences of an unyielding cruelty.

Translation Notes

صنعت
ṣnʿt ṣ-n-ʿ “of”

literal: handiwork

SE rendered مرد (mrd)مدّعی (mddʿí)صنعت (ṣnʿt)کيمياست (kímíást)بسيار (bsíár)طالبم (ṭálbm)سلطانی (slṭání) as “pretender, hath, of, alchemy, We cherish the hope, king”

کيمياست
kímíást k-y-m “alchemy”

literal: alchemy

1 occurrence in corpus

ايشان
iyshán ʾ-y-sh “prophets”

literal: they; they, them; they/them

3 occurrences in corpus

بی

literal: without; is; to

5 occurrences in corpus

گونه
gúnh g-w-n “such”

literal: kind, type; kind; manner

9 occurrences in corpus

بلکه
blkh b-l-k “nor”

literal: rather/nay

SE rendered دعوی (dʿúy)گونه (gúnh)علوم (ʿlúm)ننموده (nnmúdh)بلکه (blkh)کون (kún)علوم (ʿlúm) as “any pretension, such, them, never laid, nor, was”

nay 71% practised—nay 14% yea 14%
فقدان
fqdán f-q-d

literal: loss

SE rendered ننموده (nnmúdh)بلکه (blkh)کون (kún)علوم (ʿlúm)فقدان (fqdán)علّت (ʿllt)علم (ʿlm)جهل (jhl)نمی (nmí)دانم (dánm) as “never laid, nor, was, them, as the criterion, even regarded”

جهل
jhl j-h-l

literal: ignorance; ignorant; ignorant ones

SE rendered علوم (ʿlúm)فقدان (fqdán)علّت (ʿllt)علم (ʿlm)جهل (jhl)نمی (nmí)دانم (dánm) as “them, as the criterion, even regarded”

نمی
nmí n-h-y

literal: end; ended; utmost

SE rendered علّت (ʿllt)علم (ʿlm)جهل (jhl)نمی (nmí)دانم (dánm)مرد (mrd)همين (hmín)فقره (fqrh) as “as the criterion, even regarded, task”

end 16% forbidden 12% ended 12% infinite 12% highest 12% forbiddeth 8% most 8% utmost 8% last 8% unnumbered 4%
همين
hmín h-m-n

literal: guardian; guardian/protector; guardian, protector

SE rendered جهل (jhl)نمی (nmí)دانم (dánm)مرد (mrd)همين (hmín)فقره (fqrh)قيام (qíám)نمائيم (nmáʾím)صدق (ṣdq)کذب (kdhb) as “even regarded, task, undertake, truth, falsehood”

ليکن
líkn l-k-n “but”

literal: but; but, however; but/however

SE rendered صدق (ṣdq)کذب (kdhb)معلوم (mʿlúm)ليکن (líkn)چه (chh)فائده، (fáʾdh،)از (iz)ناس (nás)زمان (zmán)جز (jz) as “truth, falsehood, be known, But, what, avail, from, generation, only”

oh! 50% pearls 50%
زمان
zmán z-m-n

literal: time; time, era

SE rendered ليکن (líkn)چه (chh)فائده، (fáʾdh،)از (iz)ناس (nás)زمان (zmán)جز (jz)زخم (zkhm)سنان (snán)نديده (ndídh) as “But, what, avail, from, generation, only, wounds, darts, could offer”

days 24% day 19% time 19% age 10% revolution 5% life 5% cycle 5% muhammad 5% eternity 5% things 5%
غير
ghír gh-y-r

literal: other; other than

SE rendered جز (jz)زخم (zkhm)سنان (snán)نديده (ndídh)غير (ghír)سمّ (smm)قاتل (qátl)چيزی (chízí)نچشيده (nchshídh)هنوز (hnúz) as “only, wounds, darts, could offer, of its venom, it proffered, still”

other 28% without 11% another 11% none 11% any 8% others 8% different 6% unseemly 6% else 6% anyone 6%
قاتل
qátl q-t-l

literal: kill; killing; killed

SE rendered زخم (zkhm)سنان (snán)نديده (ndídh)غير (ghír)سمّ (smm)قاتل (qátl)چيزی (chízí)نچشيده (nchshídh)هنوز (hnúz)اثر (ithr) as “wounds, darts, could offer, of its venom, it proffered, still, scar”

death 22% put 20% ye 12% slain 12% slay 10% slaying 7% murder 7% massacre 5% \‘slay 2% kill 2%
چيزی
chízí ch-y-z

literal: thing; thing, something

SE rendered سنان (snán)نديده (ndídh)غير (ghír)سمّ (smm)قاتل (qátl)چيزی (chízí)نچشيده (nchshídh)هنوز (hnúz)اثر (ithr)حديد (ḥdíd)بر (br) as “darts, could offer, of its venom, it proffered, still, scar, chains, upon”

something 33% such 33% treasure 33%
هنوز
hnúz h-n-w “still”

literal: still; still, yet

still 67% yet 33%
گردن

literal: neck

2 occurrences in corpus

باقی
báqí b-q-y

literal: remaining; remain

SE rendered هنوز (hnúz)اثر (ithr)حديد (ḥdíd)بر (br)گردن (grdn)باقی (báqí)هنوز (hnúz)علائم (ʿláʾm)جفا (jfá)از (iz)تمام (tmám) as “still, scar, chains, upon, neck, evidences, cruelty, All”

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

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