Skip to main content

Kitáb-i-Íqán — §230

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 230 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و در جای ديگر می فرمايد: "و إذَا عَلِمَ مِنْ آياتِنَا شَيْئاً اتَّخَذَها هُزُواً اولَئِکَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ مُهينٌ." يعنی در وقتی که عالم شود از آيات ما شيئی را، اخذ می نمايد آن را از روی استهزاء از برای ايشان است عذابی خوار کننده. از جمله استهزاء اين بود که می گفتند معجزه ديگر ظاهر نما و برهان ديگر بياور. آن يکی "فَاَسْقِطْ عَلَيْنَاکِسَفاً مِنَ السّمَاء" می گفت و ديگر " إن کانَ هَذَا هُوَ الحَقَّ مِن عِنْدِکَ فَاَمْطِرْ عَلَينَا حِجَارَةً مِنَ السّمَاء." مذکور می داشت. به مثل يهودان عهد موسی که تبديل نمودند مائده سمائيّه را به اشيای خبيثه سير و پياز، آن قوم هم طلب تبديل می نمودند آيات مُنزله را به ظنونات نجسه کثيفه. چنانچه اليوم مشاهده می شود که مائده معنويّه از سماء رحمت الهيّه و غمام مکرمت سبحانيّه نازل است و بحور حيوان در رضوان جنان به امر خالق کن فکان در موج و جريان و جميع چون کلاب بر اجساد ميّته مجتمع آمدهاند و به برکه شور که ملح اجاج است قانع گشتهاند. سبحان اللّه، کمال تحيّر حاصل است از عبادی که بعد از ارتفاع اعلام مدلول، طلب دليل می نمايند و بعد از ظهور شمس معلوم، به اشارات علم تمسّک جستهاند. مثل آن است که از آفتاب در اثبات نور او حجّت طلبند و يا از باران نيسان در اثبات فيضش برهان جويند. حجّت آفتاب نور اوست که اشراق نموده و عالم را فرا گرفته و برهان نيسان جود اوست که عالم را به ردای جديد تازه فرموده. بلی، کور از آفتاب جز گرمی حاصلی نداند و ارض جرز از رحمت نيسانی فضلی احصاء ننمايد. عجب نبود که از قرآن نصيبی نيست جز نقشی که از خورشيد جز گرمی نيابد چشم نابينا

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In yet another passage He saith: “And when he becometh acquainted with any of Our verses he turneth them to ridicule. There is a shameful punishment for them!” The people derisively observed saying: “Work thou another miracle, and give us another sign!” One would say: “Make now a part of the heaven to fall down upon us”; and another: “If this be the very truth from before Thee, rain down stones upon us from heaven.” Even as the people of Israel, in the time of Moses, bartered away the bread of heaven for the sordid things of the earth, these people, likewise, sought to exchange the divinely-revealed verses for their foul, their vile, and idle desires. In like manner, thou beholdest in this day that although spiritual sustenance hath descended from the heaven of divine mercy, and been showered from the clouds of His loving kindness, and although the seas of life, at the behest of the Lord of all being, are surging within the Ridván of the heart, yet these people, ravenous as the dogs, have gathered around carrion, and contented themselves with the stagnant waters of a briny lake. Gracious God! how strange the way of this people! They clamour for guidance, although the standards of Him Who guideth all things are already hoisted. They cleave to the obscure intricacies of knowledge, when He, Who is the Object of all knowledge, shineth as the sun. They see the sun with their own eyes, and yet question that brilliant Orb as to the proof of its light. They behold the vernal showers descending upon them, and yet seek an evidence of that bounty. The proof of the sun is the light thereof, which shineth and envelopeth all things. The evidence of the shower is the bounty thereof, which reneweth and investeth the world with the mantle of life. Yea, the blind can perceive naught from the sun except its heat, and the arid soil hath no share of the showers of mercy. “Marvel not if in the Qur’án the unbeliever perceiveth naught but the trace of letters, for in the sun, the blind findeth naught but heat.”

Translation Notes

هُزُواً
huzúáan h-z-ʾ → “of”

literal: mockery; mock; mockery, derision

SE rendered آياتِنَا (áyátiná), شَيْئاً (shayʾáan), اتَّخَذَها (ittakhadhahá), هُزُواً (huzúáan), اولَئِکَ (iwlaʾik), عَذَابٌ (ʿadhábun) as “acquainted, with, any, of, Our, he”

scorn 50% ridicule 50%
مُهينٌ
muhínun m-h-n → “sorry”

literal: despised

1 occurrence in corpus

کننده
knndh k-r-d

literal: do; doer; to do

SE rendered از (iz), برای (bráy), ايشان (iyshán), عذابی (ʿdhábí), خوار (khúár), کننده (knndh), از (iz), جمله (jmlh), استهزاء (isthzáʾ) as “of, for, them!”, punishment, shameful”

voiced 14% suffer 14% content 14% one 14% make 14% loose 14% forgotten 14%
جمله
jmlh j-m-l

literal: beauty; totality; beautiful

SE rendered عذابی (ʿdhábí), خوار (khúár), کننده (knndh), از (iz), جمله (jmlh), استهزاء (isthzáʾ), می (mí), گفتند (gftnd) as “punishment, shameful, of, saying”

among 57% while 7% one 7% partially 7% amongst 4% briefly 4% glimmer 4% came 4% all 4% none 4%
نما
nmá n-m-ʾ → “hath”

literal: do

SE rendered می (mí), گفتند (gftnd), معجزه (mʿjzh), ديگر (dígr), ظاهر (ẓáhr), نما (nmá), برهان (brhán), ديگر (dígr), بياور (bíáwr) as “saying, miracle, another, fall down upon, and, give us”

strive 21% thou 14% endeavour 14% do 7% set 7% gird 7% cut 7% shouldst 7% consider 7% nurtured 7%
فَاَسْقِطْ
fáasqiṭ s-q-ṭ

literal: fall; fallen; cause-to-fall

SE rendered برهان (brhán), ديگر (dígr), بياور (bíáwr), يکی (ykí), فَاَسْقِطْ (fáasqiṭ), عَلَيْنَاکِسَفاً (ʿalaynákisafáan) as “and, another, give us”

fallen 38% have 23% shall 15% fall 8% hath 8% falsifying 8%
عَلَيْنَاکِسَفاً
ʿalaynákisafáan k-s-f

literal: eclipse; eclipse/extinguish; pieces

SE rendered بياور (bíáwr), يکی (ykí), فَاَسْقِطْ (fáasqiṭ), عَلَيْنَاکِسَفاً (ʿalaynákisafáan), السّمَاء (as-smáʾ), می (mí), گفت (gft) as “give us, heaven, say”

eclipsed 60% eclipse 40%
داشت
dásht dáshtn

literal: have; to have

SE rendered السّمَاء (as-smáʾ), مذکور (mdhkúr), می (mí), داشت (dásht), مثل (mthl), يهودان (yhúdán), عهد (ʿhd), موسی (músí) as “heaven.”, time, Even as, Moses”

hath 50% kept 10% made 10% have 10% manifested 10% love 10%
عهد
ʿhd ʿ-h-d

literal: covenant; age

SE rendered مذکور (mdhkúr), می (mí), داشت (dásht), مثل (mthl), يهودان (yhúdán), عهد (ʿhd), موسی (músí), تبديل (tbdíl), نمودند (nmúdnd), مائده (máʾdh) as “time, Even as, Moses, bartered away, bread”

سير
sír s-y-r

literal: other; conduct; journey

SE rendered مائده (máʾdh), سمائيّه (smáʾíʾh), اشيای (ishíáy), خبيثه (khbíthh), سير (sír), پياز، (píáz،), قوم (qúm), طلب (ṭlb), تبديل (tbdíl) as “bread, heaven, things, vile, people, sought to exchange”

made 20% path 20% walk 20% concerning 20% traverse 20%
پياز،
píáz، píáz

literal: onion

SE rendered سمائيّه (smáʾíʾh), اشيای (ishíáy), خبيثه (khbíthh), سير (sír), پياز، (píáz،), قوم (qúm), طلب (ṭlb), تبديل (tbdíl), می (mí), نمودند (nmúdnd) as “heaven, things, vile, people, sought to exchange, They”

1 occurrence in corpus

نجسه
njsh n-j-s

literal: impure

SE rendered نمودند (nmúdnd), آيات (áyát), مُنزله (munzlh), ظنونات (ẓnúnát), نجسه (njsh), کثيفه (kthífh), چنانچه (chnánchh), اليوم (al-yúm), مشاهده (msháhdh) as “They, verses, divinely-revealed, idle, In like manner, day, beholdest”

corrupt 50% foul 50%
کثيفه
kthífh k-th-f

literal: filth; filthy; thick

SE rendered آيات (áyát), مُنزله (munzlh), ظنونات (ẓnúnát), نجسه (njsh), کثيفه (kthífh), چنانچه (chnánchh), اليوم (al-yúm), مشاهده (msháhdh) as “verses, divinely-revealed, idle, In like manner, day, beholdest”

vile 50% foul 50%
جنان
jnán j-n-n

literal: paradise

SE rendered بحور (bḥúr), حيوان (ḥíwán), رضوان (rḍúán), جنان (jnán), امر (imr), خالق (khálq), کن (kn), فکان (fkán), موج (múj) as “seas, life, Ridván, behest, Lord, being, surging”

paradise 44% realms 11% whole 11% heart 11% all 11% highest 11%
جريان
jríán j-r-y

literal: flowing; flow; to flow

SE rendered امر (imr), خالق (khálq), کن (kn), فکان (fkán), موج (múj), جريان (jríán), جميع (jmíʿ), چون (chún), کلاب (kláb), بر (br), اجساد (ijsád), ميّته (mímth) as “behest, Lord, being, surging, these, as, dogs, around, carrion”

آمدهاند
ámdhánd ámdn

literal: come; to come

SE rendered چون (chún), کلاب (kláb), بر (br), اجساد (ijsád), ميّته (mímth), مجتمع (mjtmʿ), آمدهاند (ámdhánd), برکه (brkh), شور (shúr), ملح (mlḥ), اجاج (ijáj) as “as, dogs, around, carrion, gathered, waters, briny”

come 50% have 50%
ملح
mlḥ m-l-ḥ

literal: salt; salt, bitter

SE rendered مجتمع (mjtmʿ), آمدهاند (ámdhánd), برکه (brkh), شور (shúr), ملح (mlḥ), اجاج (ijáj), قانع (qánʿ), گشتهاند (gshthánd), سبحان (sbḥán) as “gathered, waters, briny, contented, Gracious”

bitter 67% salt 33%
اجاج
ijáj ʾ-j-j

literal: bitter; kindled

SE rendered برکه (brkh), شور (shúr), ملح (mlḥ), اجاج (ijáj), قانع (qánʿ), گشتهاند (gshthánd), سبحان (sbḥán), اللّه، (al-lh،) as “waters, briny, contented, Gracious, God”

burneth 50% kindled 50%
گشتهاند
gshthánd gshtn

literal: become; became; to become

SE rendered برکه (brkh), شور (shúr), ملح (mlḥ), اجاج (ijáj), قانع (qánʿ), گشتهاند (gshthánd), سبحان (sbḥán), اللّه، (al-lh،) as “waters, briny, contented, Gracious, God”

have 26% hath 20% become 9% may 9% thou 9% made 9% will 7% returned 4% life-vein 4% failed 4%
کمال
kmál k-m-l

literal: perfection; perfect; complete

SE rendered قانع (qánʿ), گشتهاند (gshthánd), سبحان (sbḥán), اللّه، (al-lh،), کمال (kmál), تحيّر (tḥíḥr), حاصل (ḥáṣl), از (iz), عبادی (ʿbádí) as “contented, Gracious, God, of, people”

تحيّر
tḥíḥr ḥ-y-r

literal: perplexed

SE rendered سبحان (sbḥán), اللّه، (al-lh،), کمال (kmál), تحيّر (tḥíḥr), حاصل (ḥáṣl), از (iz), عبادی (ʿbádí), از (iz) as “Gracious, God, of, people”

wonder 18% perplexity 18% sore 18% astonished 9% strange 9% how 9% have 9% hath 9%
حاصل
ḥáṣl ḥ-ṣ-l

literal: obtained; result; acquisition

SE rendered سبحان (sbḥán), اللّه، (al-lh،), کمال (kmál), تحيّر (tḥíḥr), حاصل (ḥáṣl), از (iz), عبادی (ʿbádí), از (iz) as “Gracious, God, of, people”

attained 40% arise 20% having 10% achieved 10% impossible 10% attain 10%
ارتفاع
irtfáʿ r-f-ʿ

literal: elevation

SE rendered از (iz), عبادی (ʿbádí), از (iz), ارتفاع (irtfáʿ), اعلام (iʿlám), مدلول، (mdlúl،), طلب (ṭlb), دليل (dlíl) as “of, people, standards, proof, for”

اشارات
ishárát sh-y-r

literal: allusions; allusion

SE rendered از (iz), ظهور (ẓhúr), شمس (shms), معلوم، (mʿlúm،), اشارات (ishárát), علم (ʿlm), تمسّک (tmssk) as “of, shineth, sun, knowledge, cleave”

جستهاند
jsthánd jstn

literal: seek; sought; to seek

SE rendered معلوم، (mʿlúm،), اشارات (ishárát), علم (ʿlm), تمسّک (tmssk), جستهاند (jsthánd), مثل (mthl), از (iz), آفتاب (áftáb) as “knowledge, cleave, of, sun”

have 38% conceived 13% foolishly 13% cleave 13% cling 13% allow 13%
حجّت
ḥjjt ḥ-j-j

literal: proof; proof, testimony; argument

SE rendered از (iz), آفتاب (áftáb), اثبات (ithbát), نور (núr), حجّت (ḥjjt), طلبند (ṭlbnd), از (iz), باران (bárán) as “of, sun, light, showers”

نيسان
nísán n-y-s → “of”

literal: showers

SE rendered حجّت (ḥjjt), طلبند (ṭlbnd), از (iz), باران (bárán), نيسان (nísán), اثبات (ithbát), فيضش (fíḍsh), برهان (brhán), جويند (júynd) as “of, showers, evidence, seek”

showered 25% raining 25% bountiful 25% goodly 25%
فيضش
fíḍsh f-y-ḍ

literal: grace, bounty

SE rendered از (iz), باران (bárán), نيسان (nísán), اثبات (ithbát), فيضش (fíḍsh), برهان (brhán), جويند (júynd), حجّت (ḥjjt), آفتاب (áftáb), نور (núr) as “of, showers, evidence, seek, sun, light”

فرا
frá f-r-ʾ → “have”

literal: over

1 occurrence in corpus

نداند
ndánd dánstn

literal: know; to know; to know, consider

SE rendered کور (kúr), از (iz), آفتاب (áftáb), جز (jz), گرمی (grmí), حاصلی (ḥáṣlí), نداند (ndánd), ارض (irḍ), جرز (jrz), از (iz), رحمت (rḥmt), نيسانی (nísání) as “blind, of, sun, except its, heat, soil, mercy”

have 23% know 21% regard 15% regarded 11% considered 6% well 6% field 4% thou 4% believed 4% can 4%
جرز
jrz j-r-z

literal: barren; barren land; barren, parched

SE rendered جز (jz), گرمی (grmí), حاصلی (ḥáṣlí), نداند (ndánd), ارض (irḍ), جرز (jrz), از (iz), رحمت (rḥmt), نيسانی (nísání), فضلی (fḍlí) as “except its, heat, soil, of, mercy, bounty”

parched 50% barren 50%
احصاء
iḥṣáʾ ḥ-ṣ-y

literal: count; enumerate; counted

SE rendered ارض (irḍ), جرز (jrz), از (iz), رحمت (rḥmt), نيسانی (nísání), فضلی (fḍlí), احصاء (iḥṣáʾ), ننمايد (nnmáyd), عجب (ʿjb), نبود (nbúd) as “soil, of, mercy, bounty, “Marvel, are”

نقشی
nqshí n-q-sh → “painter” Distinctive

literal: painter; painting

This form usually rendered as “painting”, “trace” (2 occurrences)

painting 50% trace 50%
نابينا
nábíná n-ʾ-b → “blind”

literal: blind

1 occurrence in corpus

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf cover

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶

Fire Tablet cover

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

Gleanings cover

Gleanings

Bahá’u’lláh

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.

729 ¶

Kitáb-i-'Ahd cover

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Prayers and Meditations cover

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

Published in 1938, this companion volume to Gleanings contains 184 prayers and meditations selected by Shoghi Effendi from Bahá’u’lláh’s devotional writings revealed across successive exiles from Baghdad to ‘Akká. Shoghi Effendi described it as a volume whose perusal would deepen the spirit of devotion and faith.

858 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad cover

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in Adrianople and addressed to a believer named Aḥmad, this Tablet has been invested by Bahá’u’lláh with a special potency and significance. Its central imagery draws on the metaphor of fire and water: “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones.”

17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel cover

Tablet of Carmel

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed during a visit to Mount Carmel, this Tablet addresses the mountain directly and prophesies its future as the world spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi designated it one of three foundational Charters. Its imagery of the Ark and the dwellers therein prefigures the Universal House of Justice.

5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner cover

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words cover

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

160 ¶

Will and Testament cover

Will and Testament

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in three parts between 1901 and 1908, opened and read after His passing on 28 November 1921. Shoghi Effendi designated it the Charter of the New World Order — the mightiest instrument forged to ensure the continuity of the three ages of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

59 ¶