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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §49

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 49 of 291.

Source (Persian)

ای کاش صدرهای عباد از نقوش اين تحديدات و کلمات مظلمه پاک و مقدّس می شد که لَعَلَّ به تجلّی انوار شمس علم و معانی و جواهر اسرار حکمت لدنّی فائز می گشت. حال ملاحظه نما، اگر اين اراضی جرزهوجود تبديل نمی شد چگونه محلّ ظهور اسرار احديّه و بروز جواهر هويّه می شد؟ اين است که می فرمايد: "يَومَ تُبَدَّلُ الاَرضُ غَيرَ الاَرضِ."

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Would that the hearts of men could be cleansed from these man-made limitations and obscure thoughts imposed upon them! haply they may be illumined by the light of the Sun of true knowledge, and comprehend the mysteries of divine wisdom. Consider now, were the parched and barren soil of these hearts to remain unchanged, how could they ever become the Recipients of the revelation of the mysteries of God, and the Revealers of the divine Essence? Thus hath He said: “On the day when the earth shall be changed into another earth.”

Translation Notes

ای
ʾ-y-y → “signs” Distinctive

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

کاش
k-ʾ-sh → “that”

literal: would that; O that; if only

صدرهای
ṣ-d-r → “hearts”

literal: to issue, emanate, proceed; issued, emanating

عباد
ʿ-b-d → “men”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

از
ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

نقوش
n-q-sh → “seal” Distinctive

literal: design; pattern; to inscribe; imprint

اين
ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

تحديدات
ḥ-d-d

literal: iron; sharp, keen, acute

کلمات
k-l-m → “words”

literal: words; utterances; locutions; word; utterance; speech; sayings; verses

مظلمه
ẓ-l-m → “obscure”

literal: wrongedness, oppression, meekness; state of being wronged or oppressed

پاک
p-ʾ-k → “cleansed”

literal: pure; clean; sanctified; holy

مقدّس
q-d-s

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

می
m-y-y → “will be made”

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

شد
sh-d → “be”

literal: to become; to be

که
k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

لَعَلَّ
l-ʿ-l → “haply”

literal: perhaps; perchance; hopefully

به
b-h → “by” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

تجلّی
j-l-w → “revelation”

literal: effulgence; manifestation; revelation

انوار
n-w-r → “light”

literal: light; illumination

شمس
sh-m-s → “Sun”

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

علم
ʿ-l-m → “knowledge”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

معانی
ʿ-n-y

literal: to concern; to mean; to turn away from; bounty; loving-kindness; grace; divine care; attention; meaning; significance; inner sense

جواهر
j-w-h-r

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

اسرار
s-r-r → “mysteries”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

حکمت
ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

لدنّی
l-d-n → “divine”

literal: from; on the part of; from before; near

فائز
f-w-z

literal: benefit, profit, advantage; usefulness; bounty; effusion; grace

گشت.
g-sh-t → “have been” Distinctive

literal: to become; to turn; to be

حال
ḥ-w-l → “Consider”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

ملاحظه
l-ḥ-ẓ → “Consider”

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

نما،
n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

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

اگر
ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

اراضی
ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

جرزهوجود
j-r-z → “barren soil”

literal: barren, arid, ruined; devastation

تبديل
b-d-l → “unchanged”

literal: in place of; instead of; to change; to alter (preposition or verb stem)

نمی
n-h-y → “forbidden”

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

چگونه
ch-g-n → “how”

literal: how; in what manner

محلّ
ḥ-l-l → “Recipients”

literal: place; location; spot

ظهور
ẓ-h-r → “revelation”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

احديّه
ʾ-ḥ-d → “of God”

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

بروز
b-r-z → “revelation”

literal: appearance; manifestation; coming forth

هويّه
h-w-y → “Essence” Distinctive

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

است
b-w-d

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

فرمايد:
f-r-m → “said”

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

"يَومَ
y-w-m → ““On the day”

literal: day; days; today

الاَرضُ
ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

غَيرَ
gh-y-r → “another”

literal: without; besides; other than; except; other; different

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

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