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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §238

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 238 of 291.

Source (Persian)

آيا پند نمی گيريد؟ در معنی"وَاَضلَّهُ اللّه عَلی عِلمٍ"، اگر چه در ظاهر آن است که ذکر شده و ليکن نزد اين فانی، مقصود از آيه علمای عصراند که اعراض از جمال حقّ نمودند و به علوم خود که از نفس و هوی ناشی گشته متمسّک شده برنبأ الهی و امر او احتجاج می نمودند. " قُلْ هُوَ نَبَأٌ عَظِيمٌ اَنتُمْ عَنْهُ مُعرِضُونَ." و همچنين می فرمايد: "وَ إذَا تُتْلی عَلَيْهمْ آياتُنا بَيِّنَاتٍ قَالُوا ما هَذَا إلّا رَجُلٌ يُريدُ اَنْ يَصُدَّکُمْ عَمّا کَانَ يَعْبُدُ آباؤُکُمْ و قَالُوا ما هَذا إلّا إفکٌ مُفْتَریً."و الحقّ يقول : و چون خوانده شود بر ايشان، يعنی بر آن کفره فجره، آيات قدسيّه احديّه، گويند آن مشرکانِ از حقّ بی خبران، نيست اين رسول پروردگار مگر مردی که می خواهد منع کند شما را از آنچه که می پرستيدند آن را پدرهای شما و ديگر گفتند نيست اين مگر کذبی افترا کرده شده.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Although the outward meaning of “Whom God causeth to err through a knowledge” is what hath been revealed, yet to Us it signifieth those divines of the age who have turned away from the Beauty of God, and who, clinging unto their own learning, as fashioned by their own fancies and desires, have denounced God’s divine Message and Revelation. “Say: it is a weighty Message, from which ye turn aside!” Likewise, He saith: “And when Our clear verses are recited to them, they say, ‘This is merely a man who would fain pervert you from your father’s worship.’ And they say, ‘This is none other than a forged falsehood.’”

Translation Notes

پند

literal: counsel; admonition; advice

نمی

literal: to show, to display, to manifest, to exhibit; to manifest; to display; to show

گيريد؟

literal: to take; to seize; to grasp; to hold; to seek

در

literal: in; in, at; radiant

معنی"وَاَضلَّهُ

literal: that is; meaning; i.e.

اللّه

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

عَلی

literal: highest; most high; supreme

عِلمٍ"،

literal: world; universe; the worlds

اگر

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

چه

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

ظاهر
ẓ-h-r “outward” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

آن

literal: that; those; he; she; it

است

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

که

literal: that; who; who, that

ذکر

literal: remembrance; mention; memory; invocation; reminders; commemorations

شده

literal: to become; to be

ليکن
l-k-n “yet” Distinctive

literal: is; to be (third person singular present); to be one; oneness; unity

نزد

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

اين

literal: this; these

فانی،
f-n-y “shall perish” Distinctive

literal: annihilation; perishing; extinction; cessation; the threshold

مقصود

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

از

literal: from

آيه

literal: does; is it that (interrogative particle); sign; verse; O! (vocative particle); him; them (object pronoun)

عصراند

literal: age; era; century; period of time

اعراض

literal: to turn away; to avert; to abstain; heedless

جمال

literal: beauty; comeliness

حقّ

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

نمودند
n-m-ود “hath” Distinctive

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

به

literal: by it; by him; with it

خود

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

نفس

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

هوی

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

ناشی
n-sh-ʾ “of creation” Distinctive

literal: creation; bringing into existence; establishment; God willing; if God wishes; please God

گشته

literal: become; became; to become

متمسّک

literal: musk; to seize; grip

برنبأ
n-b-ʾ “Prophets” Distinctive

literal: prophet; messenger

امر

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

او

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

احتجاج
ḥ-j-j “testimony” Distinctive

literal: proof; proof, testimony; argument

می

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

قُلْ

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

هُوَ
h-w “it” Distinctive

literal: He; He is

عَظِيمٌ

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

اَنتُمْ

literal: you

عَنْهُ

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

همچنين

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

فرمايد:

literal: to say; to decree; to ordain; to command

"وَ

literal: and; quotation mark

إذَا

literal: when; if; whenever; then suddenly

تُتْلی

literal: to recite; to read; to follow

عَلَيْهمْ
ʿ-l-y “to them” Distinctive

literal: exalted; highest; supreme; most high; upon you; on; over; Ali (name); upon

بَيِّنَاتٍ

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

ما

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

هَذَا

literal: this; that

إلّا

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

رَجُلٌ

literal: man; men; person

يُريدُ

literal: will; intention; to will; to intend; to wish

يَصُدَّکُمْ

literal: pursuit; hundred; intent

کَانَ

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

يَعْبُدُ

literal: servants; servant; servant/slave

آباؤُکُمْ

literal: father; fathers; Abi

إفکٌ
ʾ-f-k “shed” Distinctive

literal: creation; creation act

مُفْتَریً."و

literal: creation; creation act

چون

literal: since; when; as

خوانده

literal: to read; unread; illiterate

شود

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

بر

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

ايشان،

literal: that; it (object pronoun with suffix)

کفره

literal: to disbelieve, reject; unbelief, ingratitude; to deny, to disbelieve, to reject

فجره،

literal: dawn; dayspring; to break (of dawn)

قدسيّه

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

احديّه،

literal: oneness; uniqueness; absolute unity; singularity of God

گويند

literal: say; to say; as-if

مشرکانِ

literal: partner; associate; sharer; companion

بی
b-y

literal: without; is; to

خبران،

literal: all-knowing; aware; well-informed; omniscient

رسول

literal: to send; dispatch; transmission

پروردگار

literal: Lord; Sustainer; Provider; Creator

مگر

literal: matter; affair; thing

مردی

literal: rebellion; mutiny; revolt

خواهد

literal: will; to wish; to want

منع

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

کند

literal: to do; to make; to act; to dig, excavate; slow

شما

literal: you (plural); your

را

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

پرستيدند

literal: worshipped

پدرهای

literal: father; paternal

ديگر

literal: home; place; land; abode

گفتند

literal: say; to say; said

کذبی

literal: denial; belying; falsification; rejection; liar; lying; false

افترا

literal: creation; creation act

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

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