Kitáb-i-Íqán — §70

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 70 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و کانوا قائلين: "اَينَ هُوَ المولُود مَلِکُ اليَهود؟ لاَنّا قَد رَاَينا نَجمَهُ فِی المَشرِقِ وَوافَينا لِنَسجُدَ لَه." و بعد از تفحّص معلوم نمودند که در بيت اللّحم يهودا آن طفل متولّد شد. اين علامت در سماء ظاهره. و علامت در سماء باطنه که سماء علم و معانی باشد ظهور يحيی بن زکريّا بود که مردم را بشارت می داد به ظهور آن حضرت. چنانچه می فرمايد: "انَّ اللّهَ يُبَشِّرُکَ بِيَحيی مُصَدِّقاً بِکَلِمَةٍ مِنَ اللّه و سَيِّداً و حَصُوراً." مقصود از کلمه، حضرت عيسی است که يحيی مبشّر به ظهور او بود. و در الواح سماوی هم مسطور است: "کانَ يُوحَنّا يَکرزُ فی بَرِّيَّةِ يَهودا قائِلاً تُوبُوا فَقَدِ اقتَرَبَ مَلَکُوتُ السّمواتِ." و مقصود از يوحنّا، يحيی است.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

These Magi said: “Where is He that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen His star in the east and are come to worship Him!” When they had searched, they found out that in Bethlehem, in the land of Judea, the Child had been born. This was the sign that was manifested in the visible heaven. As to the sign in the invisible heaven—the heaven of divine knowledge and understanding—it was Yahyá, son of Zachariah, who gave unto the people the tidings of the Manifestation of Jesus. Even as He hath revealed: “God announceth Yahyá to thee, who shall bear witness unto the Word from God, and a great one and chaste.” By the term “Word” is meant Jesus, Whose coming Yahyá foretold. Moreover, in the heavenly Scriptures it is written: “John the Baptist was preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, Repent ye: for the Kingdom of heaven is at hand.” By John is meant Yahyá.

Translation Notes

کانوا

k-w-n → “be” Distinctive

literal: be; was; to be

قائلين:

q-w-l → “said”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

"اَينَ

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter” Distinctive

literal: this; these

هُوَ

h-w → “He that is”

literal: He; He is

المولُود

w-l-d → “born”

literal: born; child; be born

مَلِکُ

m-l-k → “King”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty; possessions; property; ownership

اليَهود؟

y-h-d → “people of Israel”

literal: Jews; the Jews

لاَنّا

ʾ-n → “for” Distinctive

literal: because, for

قَد

q-d

literal: verily; indeed; certainly (particle of emphasis)

رَاَينا

r-ʾ-y → “we have seen” Distinctive

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

نَجمَهُ

n-j-m → “His star”

literal: star

فِی

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

المَشرِقِ

sh-r-q → “the east” Distinctive

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

وَوافَينا

w-f-y → “faithfulness” Distinctive

literal: clear; evident; manifest; obvious

لِنَسجُدَ

s-j-d → “to worship”

literal: prostrate; mosque; prostrated

بعد

b-ʿ-d

literal: after; behind; distance

از

ʾ-z

literal: from

تفحّص

f-ḥ-ṣ → “investigation”

literal: examination; investigation; scrutiny

معلوم

ʿ-l-m → “knowledge” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

نمودند

n-m-ود → “they”

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

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

بيت

b-y-t

literal: house; household; family; verse

اللّحم

l-ḥ-m → “flesh”

literal: flesh; meat

يهودا

y-h-d → “Jews”

literal: Jews; the Jews

طفل

ṭ-f-l → “Child”

literal: childhood; infancy

شد.

sh-d → “was”

literal: to become; to be

سماء

s-m-w → “visible” Distinctive

literal: heaven; sky

ظاهره.

ẓ-h-r → “manifested”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

باطنه

b-ṭ-n → “invisible”

literal: inner; hidden; inward; esoteric

معانی

ʿ-n-y → “loving-kindness” Distinctive

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

باشد

b-w-d → “was” Distinctive

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

يحيی

ḥ-y-y → “life” Distinctive

literal: life; living; shame

بن

b-n-y → “son”

literal: that; in that; because

مردم

m-r-d → “people”

literal: rebellion; mutiny; revolt

را

r-ʾ-ʾ → “unto”

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

بشارت

b-sh-r → “tidings” Distinctive

literal: human; mankind; human nature

می

m-y-y

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

داد

d-ʾ-d → “of equity”

literal: to give; to grant; to present; justice; judgment; to see; sight; eye; seen

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

حضرت.

ḥ-ḍ-r → “Jesus” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

چنانچه

ch-n-n → “Even as”

literal: thus; in such manner; as

فرمايد:

f-r-m → “He hath revealed”

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

اللّهَ

ʾ-l-h → ““God”

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

بِيَحيی

ḥ-y-y → “life” Distinctive

literal: life; living; shame

مُصَدِّقاً

ṣ-d-q → “truth” Distinctive

literal: to confirm; to verify; to acknowledge; to testify to truth

بِکَلِمَةٍ

k-l-m → “Word”

literal: word; utterance; speech

مِنَ

m-n → “from”

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

سَيِّداً

s-y-d → “Siyyid”

literal: master; lord; chief; my master

حَصُوراً."

ḥ-ṣ-r → “confined” Distinctive

literal: limited; confined; confined, besieged

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

او

h-w-w → “is”

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

الواح

l-w-ḥ → “the heavenly Scriptures” Distinctive

literal: tablet; panel; divine decree; revelation

هم

h-m-m

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

مسطور

s-ṭ-r → “is written” Distinctive

literal: written; inscribed; recorded

يَکرزُ

k-r-z → “was preaching”

literal: preach

بَرِّيَّةِ

b-r-ʾ → “Thy people” Distinctive

literal: to create; to create anew; to be free from; innocent; free from; clear of; to cure; to heal; to clear

تُوبُوا

t-w-b → “Repent ye”

literal: to repent; to turn back; to return

فَقَدِ

q-d-d

literal: then-indeed; already; indeed

اقتَرَبَ

q-r-b → “nearness” Distinctive

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

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