Kitáb-i-Íqán — §52

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 52 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و همچنين ملاحظه کن که سماوات اديان مرتفعه در قبل چگونه در يمين قدرت پيچيده شد و سماء بيان به امراللّه مرتفع گشت و به شمس و قمر و نجوم اوامر بديعه جديده تزيين يافت. اين است اسرار کلمات که بی حجاب کشف و ظاهر گشته تا ادراک صبح معانی فرمائی و سراج های ظنون و وهم و شکّ و ريب را به قوّت توکّل و انقطاع خاموش نمائی و مصباح جديد علم و يقين در مشکات قلب و دل برافروزی.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In like manner, reflect how the elevated heavens of the Dispensations of the past have, in the right hand of power, been folded together, how the heavens of divine Revelation have been raised by the command of God, and been adorned by the sun, the moon, and stars of His wondrous commandments. Such are the mysteries of the Word of God, which have been unveiled and made manifest, that haply thou mayest apprehend the morning light of divine guidance, mayest quench, by the power of reliance and renunciation, the lamp of idle fancy, of vain imaginings, of hesitation, and doubt, and mayest kindle, in the inmost chamber of thine heart, the new-born light of divine knowledge and certitude.

Translation Notes

همچنين

ch-n-n → “like manner,” Distinctive

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

ملاحظه

l-ḥ-ẓ → “reflect” Distinctive

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

کن

k-w-n → “be”

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

که

k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

سماوات

s-m-w → “heavens”

literal: heaven; sky

اديان

d-y-n → “religions”

literal: religion; faith; creed; belief

مرتفعه

r-f-ʿ → “elevated” Distinctive

literal: to be raised, elevated, exalted, lifted up

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

قبل

q-b-l → “of the past have” Distinctive

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

چگونه

ch-g-n → “how”

literal: how; in what manner

يمين

y-m-n → “right hand”

literal: right hand; oath; right side

قدرت

q-d-r → “of power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

پيچيده

p-ch-y → “folded”

literal: folded

شد

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

بيان

b-y-n → “utterance”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident

به

b-h → “by” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

امراللّه

ʾ-m-r → “command of God”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

گشت

g-sh-t → “have been” Distinctive

literal: to become; to turn; to be

شمس

sh-m-s → “sun”

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

قمر

q-m-r → “moon”

literal: moon

نجوم

n-j-m → “stars”

literal: star

بديعه

b-d-ʿ → “wondrous”

literal: to create; most wondrous; excel

تزيين

z-y-n → “adorned”

literal: to adorn; ornament; beauty; adornment; embellishment; decoration

يافت.

y-f-t

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

است

b-w-d → “are”

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

اسرار

s-r-r → “mysteries”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

کلمات

k-l-m → “Word of God” Distinctive

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

بی

b-y

literal: without; is; to

حجاب

ḥ-j-b

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

کشف

k-sh-f → “unveiled” Distinctive

literal: unveiling; disclosure; revelation

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “manifest”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

تا

t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

ادراک

d-r-k → “apprehend”

literal: to overtake; to catch; to reach; to attain; to perceive; to comprehend

صبح

ṣ-b-ḥ → “morning”

literal: morning, dawn; daybreak

معانی

ʿ-n-y → “loving-kindness” Distinctive

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

فرمائی

f-r-m → “saith” Distinctive

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

سراج

s-r-j → “lamp”

literal: lamp; light; illuminator

های

null → ““death””

literal: and; that; in

ظنون

ẓ-n-n → “fancy”

literal: fancy; supposition; vain imagination; idle conjecture

وهم

w-h-m → “imaginings”

literal: to imagine, suppose; fancy, idle imagination

شکّ

sh-k-k → “doubt”

literal: doubt; doubting

ريب

r-y-b → “doubt”

literal: doubt, suspicion, uncertainty; doubt; suspicion

را

r-ʾ-ʾ → “the”

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

قوّت

q-w-t → “power”

literal: strength; power; might

توکّل

w-k-l → “trust”

literal: agency; representation; trusteeship; delegated authority

انقطاع

q-ṭ-ʿ → “renunciation”

literal: to be severed; to be cut off; to detach oneself; to abstain

خاموش

kh-m-sh → “quench”

literal: to extinguish; to quench; to silence; silent

نمائی

n-m-ʾ

literal: do; show; make

جديد

j-d-d → “new-born light”

literal: new, novel, renewed; novelty, innovation

علم

ʿ-l-m → “knowledge and”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

يقين

y-q-n → “certitude”

literal: certainty; certitude; conviction; faith

مشکات

sh-k-w → “complained” Distinctive

literal: niche; chamber; recess

قلب

q-l-b → “heart”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

دل

d-l

literal: to argue; to demonstrate; proof

برافروزی.

f-r-w-z → “kindle”

literal: kindle; kindle/light

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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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.

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16 ¶

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17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel

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160 ¶

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59 ¶