Skip to main content

Kitáb-i-Íqán — §267

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 267 of 291.

Source (Persian)

اگر چه اين بنده اراده ذکر احاديث قبل را نداشتم و ليکن نظر به محبّت آن جناب چند روايتی که مناسب اين مقام است ذکر می نمايم. با اينکه فی الحقيقه احتياج نيست زيرا که آنچه ذکر شده جميع ارض و من عليها را کافی است. و فی الحقيقه جميع کتب و اسرار آن در اين مختصر ذکر شده به قسمی که اگر کسی قدری تأمّل نمايد جميع اسرار کلمات الهی و امور ظاهره از آن سلطان حقيقی را از آنچه ذکر شده ادراک می نمايد. و ليکن چون همه ناس بر يک شأن و يک مقام نيستند لهذا چند حديثی ذکر می نمايم تا سبب استقامت انفس متزلزله شود و اطمينان عقول مضطربه گردد و همچنين حجّت الهی بر اعالی و ادانی عباد تامّ و کامل گردد.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Although We did not intend to make mention of the traditions of a bygone age, yet, because of Our love for thee, We will cite a few which are applicable to Our argument. We do not feel their necessity, however, inasmuch as the things We have already mentioned suffice the world and all that is therein. In fact, all the Scriptures and the mysteries thereof are condensed into this brief account. So much so, that were a person to ponder it a while in his heart, he would discover from all that hath been said the mysteries of the Words of God, and would apprehend the meaning of whatever hath been manifested by that ideal King. As the people differ in their understanding and station, We will accordingly make mention of a few traditions, that these may impart constancy to the wavering soul, and tranquillity to the troubled mind. Thereby, will the testimony of God unto the people, both high and low, be complete and perfect.

Translation Notes

چه
chh ch-h

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

SE rendered چه (chh)بنده (bndh)اراده (irádh)ذکر (dhkr)احاديث (iḥádíth) as “We, intend, make mention, traditions”

what 50% whatsoever 50%
روايتی
rúáytí r-w-y

literal: face; grow; tradition

SE rendered ليکن (líkn)نظر (nẓr)محبّت (mḥbbt)جناب (jnáb)چند (chnd)روايتی (rúáytí)مناسب (mnásb)مقام (mqám)ذکر (dhkr) as “yet, because, love, thee, a few, applicable to, argument, will cite”

می
m-y-y

literal: present continuous marker; continuous-marker

SE rendered مناسب (mnásb)مقام (mqám)ذکر (dhkr)می (mí)نمايم (nmáym)اينکه (iynkh)الحقيقه (al-ḥqíqh) as “applicable to, argument, will cite, may, fact”

3 occurrences in corpus

اينکه

literal: this; where; these

SE rendered مقام (mqám)ذکر (dhkr)می (mí)نمايم (nmáym)اينکه (iynkh)الحقيقه (al-ḥqíqh)احتياج (iḥtíáj)نيست (níst)زيرا (zírá) as “argument, will cite, may, fact, necessity, are, inasmuch as”

امور
imúr ʾ-m-r

literal: command; matter; cause

SE rendered نمايد (nmáyd)جميع (jmíʿ)اسرار (isrár)کلمات (klmát)الهی (al-hí)امور (imúr)ظاهره (ẓáhrh)از (iz)سلطان (slṭán)حقيقی (ḥqíqí) as “will, all, mysteries, Words, God, manifested, King, ideal”

از
iz ʾ-z

literal: from

SE rendered اسرار (isrár)کلمات (klmát)الهی (al-hí)امور (imúr)ظاهره (ẓáhrh)از (iz)سلطان (slṭán)حقيقی (ḥqíqí)از (iz)آنچه (ánchh) as “mysteries, Words, God, manifested, King, ideal, that hath been said”

23 occurrences in corpus

چون
chún ch-w-n “as”

literal: when; as

SE rendered ادراک (idrák)می (mí)نمايد (nmáyd)ليکن (líkn)چون (chún)همه (hmh)ناس (nás)بر (br)يک (yk)شأن (shʾan)يک (yk)مقام (mqám) as “apprehend, will, however, As, people, station”

“when 20% inasmuch 20% soon 20% “inasmuch 20% even 20%
همه
hmh h-m-h

literal: all; every/all

SE rendered ادراک (idrák)می (mí)نمايد (nmáyd)ليکن (líkn)چون (chún)همه (hmh)ناس (nás)بر (br)يک (yk)شأن (shʾan)يک (yk)مقام (mqám)نيستند (nístnd) as “apprehend, will, however, As, people, station, are”

all 63% every 16% each 5% whole 5% actuated 5% such 5%
بر
br b-r-r

literal: on; on, upon; upon

SE rendered نمايد (nmáyd)ليکن (líkn)چون (chún)همه (hmh)ناس (nás)بر (br)يک (yk)شأن (shʾan)يک (yk)مقام (mqám)نيستند (nístnd)لهذا (lhdhá) as “will, however, As, people, station, are, accordingly”

land 33% upon 11% piety 11% unto 11% pious 6% righteousness 6% beseech 6% good 6% against 6% indignities 6%
يک
yk y-k

literal: one; with/to-one; one-colored

SE rendered نمايد (nmáyd)ليکن (líkn)چون (chún)همه (hmh)ناس (nás)بر (br)يک (yk)شأن (shʾan)يک (yk)مقام (mqám)نيستند (nístnd)لهذا (lhdhá)چند (chnd) as “will, however, As, people, station, are, accordingly, a few”

one 83% alike 17%
شأن
shʾan sh-ʾ-n

literal: state

SE rendered نمايد (nmáyd)ليکن (líkn)چون (chún)همه (hmh)ناس (nás)بر (br)يک (yk)شأن (shʾan)يک (yk)مقام (mqám)نيستند (nístnd)لهذا (lhdhá)چند (chnd) as “will, however, As, people, station, are, accordingly, a few”

such 24% station 18% honor 12% through 12% neither 6% people 6% glory 6% dignity 6% low 6% splendor 6%
گردد
grdd g-r-d

literal: become; to become

SE rendered اطمينان (iṭmínán)عقول (ʿqúl)مضطربه (mḍṭrbh)گردد (grdd)همچنين (hmchnín)حجّت (ḥjjt)الهی (al-hí)بر (br)اعالی (iʿálí) as “tranquillity, mind, troubled, Thereby, testimony, God, high”

may 31% made 13% become 13% end 6% arise 6% set 6% shake 6% station 6% disclosed 6% exert 6%

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 ¶