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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §32

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 32 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و اينکه در مقام بيان و ذکر، تخصيص داده می شوند به بعضی از اسماء و صفات چنانچه شنيده ايد و می شنويد، نيست مگر برای ادراک عقول ناقصه ضعيفه و إلّا لم يزل و لايزال مقدّس بودهاند از هر اسمی و منزّه خواهند بود از هر وصفی. جواهر اسماء را به ساحت قدسشان راهی نه و لطائف صفات را در ملکوت عزّشان سبيلی نه. فَسُبحانَ اللّه مِن اَن يُعرَفَ اَصفياؤُه بِغَيرِ ذواتِهِم اَو يُوصَفَ اَولِياؤهُ بِغَيرِ اَنفُسِهِم. فَتَعالَی عَمّا يَذکُرُ العِبادُ فی وَصفِهِم و تعالَی عَمّا هُم يَعرِفُونَ.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

That these divine Luminaries seem to be confined at times to specific designations and attributes, as you have observed and are now observing, is due solely to the imperfect and limited comprehension of certain minds. Otherwise, they have been at all times, and will through eternity continue to be, exalted above every praising name, and sanctified from every descriptive attribute. The quintessence of every name can hope for no access unto their court of holiness, and the highest and purest of all attributes can never approach their kingdom of glory. Immeasurably high are the Prophets of God exalted above the comprehension of men, who can never know them except by their own Selves. Far be it from His glory that His chosen Ones should be magnified by any other than their own persons. Glorified are they above the praise of men; exalted are they above human understanding!

Translation Notes

داده
dádh d-ʾ-d

literal: give; to give; given

SE rendered بيان (bíán)ذکر، (dhkr،)تخصيص (tkhṣíṣ)داده (dádh)می (mí)شوند (shúnd)بعضی (bʿḍí)از (iz)اسماء (ismáʾ) as “designations, confined, be, specific”

hath 29% equity 14% have 14% applicable 14% imparted 14% had 14%
می
m-y-y “will”

literal: present continuous marker; continuous-marker

3 occurrences in corpus

شوند
shúnd sh-w-d “be”

literal: become; to become; became

SE rendered بيان (bíán)ذکر، (dhkr،)تخصيص (tkhṣíṣ)داده (dádh)می (mí)شوند (shúnd)بعضی (bʿḍí)از (iz)اسماء (ismáʾ)صفات (ṣfát)چنانچه (chnánchh) as “designations, confined, be, specific, attributes, as”

again 14% would 14% feed 14% unraveling 14% will 14% therein 14% intervening 14%
از
iz ʾ-z

literal: from

SE rendered تخصيص (tkhṣíṣ)داده (dádh)می (mí)شوند (shúnd)بعضی (bʿḍí)از (iz)اسماء (ismáʾ)صفات (ṣfát)چنانچه (chnánchh)شنيده (shnídh) as “confined, be, specific, attributes, as, observed”

23 occurrences in corpus

ايد
iyd ʾ-y-d

literal: may aid

SE rendered صفات (ṣfát)چنانچه (chnánchh)شنيده (shnídh)ايد (iyd)می (mí)شنويد، (shnúyd،)نيست (níst)مگر (mgr)برای (bráy)ادراک (idrák) as “attributes, as, observed, now, observing, is, due solely, to, comprehension”

assist 50% may 17% aid 17% “seal.” 17%
برای
bráy b-r-y “to”

literal: for

SE rendered شنيده (shnídh)ايد (iyd)می (mí)شنويد، (shnúyd،)نيست (níst)مگر (mgr)برای (bráy)ادراک (idrák)عقول (ʿqúl)ناقصه (náqṣh)ضعيفه (ḍʿífh) as “observed, now, observing, is, due solely, to, comprehension, minds, imperfect, limited”

wherefore 50% light 50%
خواهند
khúáhnd kh-w-ʾ-h

literal: will; to want, will

SE rendered بودهاند (búdhánd)از (iz)هر (hr)اسمی (ismí)منزّه (mnzzh)خواهند (khúáhnd)از (iz)هر (hr)وصفی (wṣfí)جواهر (júáhr)اسماء (ismáʾ) as “have been, every, name, sanctified, attribute, quintessence”

will 80% must 20%
نه
nh n-h-y

literal: end; ended; utmost

SE rendered اسماء (ismáʾ)ساحت (sáḥt)قدسشان (qdsshán)راهی (ráhí)نه (nh)لطائف (lṭáʾf)صفات (ṣfát)ملکوت (mlkút)عزّشان (ʿzzshán) as “name, court, holiness, no access, highest and purest, attributes, kingdom, glory”

end 16% forbidden 12% ended 12% infinite 12% highest 12% forbiddeth 8% most 8% utmost 8% last 8% unnumbered 4%

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

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