Kitáb-i-Íqán — §254

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 254 of 291.

Source (Persian)

حال ملاحظه فرمائيد که چگونه محک الهی به نصّ کتاب تفصيل نمود و خالص را از غشّ تميز داده و مع ذلک هنوز شاعر نشدهاند و در نوم غفلت به کسب دنيای فانيه و رياست ظاهريّه مشغول شدهاند.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Behold how the divine Touchstone hath, according to the explicit text of the Book, separated and distinguished the true from the false. Notwithstanding, they are still oblivious of this truth, and in the sleep of heedlessness, are pursuing the vanities of the world, and are occupied with thoughts of vain and earthly leadership.

Translation Notes

حال

ḥ-w-l → “Behold” Distinctive

literal: state; condition; circumstance

ملاحظه

l-ḥ-ẓ → “Behold” Distinctive

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

فرمائيد

f-r-m → “Behold”

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

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

چگونه

ch-g-n → “how”

literal: how; in what manner

محک

m-ḥ-k → “Touchstone”

literal: touchstone; touchstone, test

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “divine”

literal: God; Allah

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

نصّ

n-ṣ-ṣ → “explicit text”

literal: explicit text; clear statement

کتاب

k-t-b → “Book”

literal: book; scripture; writing

تفصيل

f-ṣ-l → “separated and distinguished” Distinctive

literal: detail; distinction; differentiation; to detail; to separate

نمود

n-m-ʾ → “hath”

literal: to become; to be

خالص

kh-l-ṣ → “true” Distinctive

literal: sincere; devoted; pure one

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

از

ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

غشّ

gh-sh-sh → “are enwrapped” Distinctive

literal: cover/envelop; turmoil, tumult; fraud, impurity

تميز

m-y-z

literal: to distinguish; to differentiate; to discern

داده

d-ʾ-d

literal: below; lower than; beneath

مع

m-ʿ → “Notwithstanding”

literal: with; together with; alongside

ذلک

dh-l-k → “Thus” Distinctive

literal: abasement; humiliation; lowliness; to be abased

هنوز

h-n-w → “still”

literal: still; yet; hitherto

شاعر

sh-ʿ-r → “consciousness” Distinctive

literal: hair

نشدهاند

sh-w-d → “they are” Distinctive

literal: become; to become; became

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

نوم

n-w-m → “sleep”

literal: to sleep; to slumber

غفلت

gh-f-l → “heedlessness”

literal: heedlessness; negligence; inattention

کسب

k-s-b → “have wrought” Distinctive

literal: to acquire, earn, gain; to bring upon (oneself); to gain; to acquire; earning; livelihood

دنيای

d-n-w → “of the world”

literal: this world; earthly life; temporal realm; lowest; base; mean; of little account; to know; to be acquainted with

فانيه

f-n-y → “shall perish” Distinctive

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

رياست

r-ʾ-s → “leadership”

literal: ostentation; hypocrisy; vainglory; ruin

ظاهريّه

ẓ-h-r → “earthly”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

مشغول

sh-gh-l → “are occupied”

literal: to occupy; to engage; to busy; occupation

شدهاند.

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

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