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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §37

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 37 of 291.

Source (Persian)

پس ای سائل، بايد به عروة الوثقی متمسّک شويم که شايد از شام ضلالت به نور هدايت راجع گرديم و از ظلّ نفی فرار نموده در ظلّ اثبات درآئيم و از نار حسبان آزاد شده به نور جمال حضرت منّان منوّر گرديم والسّلام. کَذلِکَ نُعطيکُم مِن اَثمارِ شَجَرةِ العِلمِ لِتَکُونُنَّ فی رِضوانِ حِکمةِ اللّه لَمِن المُحبرينَ.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And now, O seeker, it behooveth us firmly to cling unto the Urvatu’l-Vuthqá, that perchance we may leave behind the darksome night of error, and embrace the dawning light of divine guidance. Shall we not flee from the face of denial, and seek the sheltering shadow of certitude? Shall we not free ourselves from the horror of satanic gloom, and hasten towards the rising light of the heavenly Beauty? In such wise, we bestow upon you the fruit of the Tree of divine knowledge, that ye may gladly and joyously abide in the Ridván of divine wisdom.

Translation Notes

پس
p-s → “From”

literal: then; then, therefore; therefore

ای
ʾ-y-y → “O”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

سائل،
s-ʾ-l → “seeker”

literal: question; problem; issue; matter; asking; petition; request

بايد
b-y-d → “must”

literal: by hand; with hands; eternal; perpetual; everlasting

به
b-h → “unto”

literal: by it; by him; with it

عروة
ʿ-r-w

literal: handle; rope; firm bond; connection

الوثقی
w-th-q → “Covenant” Distinctive

literal: covenant; testament; bond

متمسّک
m-s-k → “to cling”

literal: musk; to seize; grip; to hold fast; to cling to; to grasp

شويم
sh-w

literal: to become; to be

که
k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

شايد
sh-y-d → “perchance”

literal: perhaps, perchance, haply, maybe, possibly; to become; to be; to happen; to occur

از
ʾ-z

literal: from

شام
sh-ʾ-m → “night”

literal: evening/night; evening, night

ضلالت
ḍ-l-l → “error”

literal: error; straying; misguidance; delusion; falsehood

نور
n-w-r → “light”

literal: light; illumination

هدايت
h-d-y → “guidance”

literal: guidance; to guide; direction; leading rightly; this; this one

راجع
r-j-ʿ → “return”

literal: return; reference; place of return; resort

گرديم
g-r-d

literal: become; to become; make

ظلّ
ẓ-l-l → “shadow”

literal: to take shelter; to dwell in shadow

نفی
n-f-y → “denial”

literal: is not; not to be; does not exist; negation, denial, banishment; to negate, deny, banish; contradiction; opposition; contrariety

فرار
f-r-r → “flee from”

literal: to flee, escape, run away

نموده
n-m-ود

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

در
d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

اثبات
th-b-t → “established” Distinctive

literal: firm; steadfast; established; fixed

درآئيم
ʾ-y

literal: to come; come

نار
n-ʾ-r

literal: fire; blaze; flame

حسبان
ḥ-s-b → “accounted” Distinctive

literal: according to; in accordance with; as regards

آزاد
ʾ-z-d → “freed”

literal: free; liberated; at liberty; freedom

شده
sh-d

literal: to become; to be

جمال
j-m-l → “Beauty”

literal: beauty; comeliness

حضرت
ḥ-ḍ-r

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

منّان
m-n-n

literal: from; out of; than (preposition and particle)

والسّلام.
s-l-m

literal: resignation; submission; surrender; submissiveness

کَذلِکَ
dh-l-k → “In such wise”

literal: thus; likewise; also

نُعطيکُم
ʿ-ṭ-y → “of Thy bounty” Distinctive

literal: giver; give; bounty

مِن
m-n

literal: from; out of; than (preposition and particle)

اَثمارِ
th-m-r → “fruit”

literal: fruit; the fruit

شَجَرةِ
sh-j-r → “Tree”

literal: tree

العِلمِ
ʿ-l-m → “knowledge”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

لِتَکُونُنَّ
k-w-n → “that ye may” Distinctive

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

فی
f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

رِضوانِ
r-ḍ-w → “Ridván”

literal: good-pleasure, consent, satisfaction; satisfaction; pleasure; approval; contentment

حِکمةِ
ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

اللّه
ʾ-l-h → “divine”

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

المُحبرينَ.
ḥ-b-r → “Revelation”

literal: delighted; rejoicing, joyous; explore, study deeply

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

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