Prayers and Meditations — §120

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 120 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

القَدِيرُ وَذُو الأَمْرِ الشَّدِيدِ، خُذْ أَعْدَائَكَ بِسُلْطانِكَ، ثُمَّ اجْمَعْ أَحِبَّائَكَ فِيْ ظِلِّ سِدْرَةِ فَرْدانِيَّتِكَ لِيَحْضُرُنَّ تِلْقاءَ عَرْشِكَ وَيَسْتَمِعُنَّ نَغَماتِكَ وَيَنْظُرُنَّ جَمالَكَ وَيَعْرِفُنَّ اقْتِدارَكَ، إِنَّكَ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou, O my Lord, art He whose strength is immense, Whose decree is terrible. Lay hold on Thine adversaries by the power of Thy sovereignty, and assemble Thy loved ones beneath the shadow of the tree of Thy oneness, that they may stand before Thy throne, and catch the accents of Thy voice, and gaze on Thy beauty, and discover the power of Thy might.

Translation Notes

القَدِيرُ

al-qadír q-d-r → “strength is immense”

literal: power; powerful

SE expanded to “strength is immense”

almighty 38% most 29% strength 6% all-powerful 6% might 6% power 4% potent 4% art 2% god 2% all-subduing 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §167: the aid fire-tabletFire §48: Ordainer gleaningsGWB §358: according to kitab-i-ahdAhd §9: consummate power kitab-i-iqanKIQ §85: Little perception prayers-and-meditationsP&M §310: power is immense tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §3: the Powerful tablet-of-carmelCarmel §5: the Mighty, the All-Powerful

وَذُو

wadhú dh-w → “girded”

literal: possessor; possessor of

3 occurrences in corpus

gleaningsGWB §66: girded with

الأَمْرِ

al-ʾamr ʾ-m-r

literal: command; cause

SE rendered القَدِيرُ (al-qadír), وَذُو (wadhú), الأَمْرِ (al-ʾamr), الشَّدِيدِ، (ash-shadídi،), خُذْ (khudh), أَعْدَائَكَ (ʾaʿdáʾak) as “strength is immense, Whose decree is terrible, Lay hold, Thine adversaries”

cause 53% revelation 22% command 5% bidding 4% faith 4% decree 4% ordainer 3% message 2% behest 2% all 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §245: act fire-tabletFire §17: Command gleaningsGWB §566: Our Revelation kitab-i-ahdAhd §7: a decree kitab-i-iqanKIQ §57: take counsel prayers-and-meditationsP&M §112: to Thy Cause tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §12: to its dwellers the-hidden-wordsHW §52: My command unto thee

الشَّدِيدِ،

ash-shadídi، sh-d-d

literal: severe

SE rendered القَدِيرُ (al-qadír), وَذُو (wadhú), الأَمْرِ (al-ʾamr), الشَّدِيدِ، (ash-shadídi،), خُذْ (khudh), أَعْدَائَكَ (ʾaʿdáʾak), بِسُلْطانِكَ، (bisulṭánika،) as “strength is immense, Whose decree is terrible, Lay hold, Thine adversaries, sovereignty”

severe 40% deeds 20% grievous 20% intense 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §53: We have gleaningsGWB §306: severe kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: woes kitab-i-iqanKIQ §134: will it be prayers-and-meditationsP&M §165: by trials tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §16: affliction the-hidden-wordsHW §122: ye are will-and-testamentW&T §5: hath

خُذْ

khudh ʾ-kh-dh → “lay hold” Distinctive

literal: take; take/seize

This form usually rendered as “take”, “rein”, “draw” (8 occurrences)

take 29% rein 14% draw 14% lay 14% hold 14% god 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §134: clung fire-tabletFire §7: gripped gleaningsGWB §75: quickened kitab-i-iqanKIQ §162: amass prayers-and-meditationsP&M §32: fallen tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: choose tablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: Seize thou the-hidden-wordsHW §38: lest

أَعْدَائَكَ

ʾaʿdáʾak ʿ-d-w → “thine adversaries”

literal: enemy; enemies

enemies 62% adversaries 31% foes 4% against 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §92: of the transgressors fire-tabletFire §33: Thy foes gleaningsGWB §318: incapable of apprehending kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: enmity kitab-i-iqanKIQ §278: enemy prayers-and-meditationsP&M §617: all mine adversaries the-hidden-wordsHW §25: Transgress will-and-testamentW&T §52: enemies of God

بِسُلْطانِكَ،

bisulṭánika، s-l-ṭ → “sovereignty”

literal: sovereignty

sovereignty 72% power 12% sovereign 7% almighty 2% most 2% whose 2% before 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §2: His sovereignty gleaningsGWB §592: by virtue of His sovereignty kitab-i-iqanKIQ §131: of the earth prayers-and-meditationsP&M §218: the power of Thy sovereignty tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §1: is the King the-hidden-wordsHW §98: chief will-and-testamentW&T §8: unto a just king epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §93: through the power of

اجْمَعْ

ijmaʿ j-m-ʿ → “assemble”

literal: all; all, entire; group

assemble 50% gather 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §122: laying up gleaningsGWB §163: into the kitab-i-ahdAhd §2: layeth up kitab-i-iqanKIQ §31: world prayers-and-meditationsP&M §109: have united tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §56: They all gathered the-hidden-wordsHW §104: every atom will-and-testamentW&T §15: all earthly things

أَحِبَّائَكَ

ʾaḥibbáʾak ḥ-b-b → “thy loved ones”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

SE expanded to “Thy loved ones”

loved 61% dear 13% who 10% friends 3% love 3% servants 3% upon 3% thee 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §163: grain fire-tabletFire §7: of Thy love gleaningsGWB §656: I cherish kitab-i-iqanKIQ §100: affectionate prayers-and-meditationsP&M §67: for them who love Thee tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: I long tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §40: the Beloved One the-hidden-wordsHW §6: thou lovest Me not

ظِلِّ

ẓill ẓ-l-l → “shadow”

literal: shadow; shade; shadow/shade

shadow 63% shelter 11% beneath 7% shade 7% through 2% sheltered 2% unto 2% overshadowed 2% most 2% under 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: overshadowed gleaningsGWB §490: beneath thy shadow kitab-i-iqanKIQ §117: shelter of His shadow prayers-and-meditationsP&M §313: Thy shadow the-hidden-wordsHW §104: shade will-and-testamentW&T §5: under the shadow epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §79: the clouds gleaningsGWB §87: clouds

سِدْرَةِ

sidrah s-d-r → “tree”

literal: lote-tree; tree; lote tree, bush

tree 44% lote-tree 17% divine 11% burning 11% bush 5% sadrih 5% sacred 3% sadratu’l-muntaha 2% upon 2% blessed 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: Divine Lote-Tree gleaningsGWB §310: the tree kitab-i-iqanKIQ §12: that sacred prayers-and-meditationsP&M §309: of the Tree tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §8: deathless tree will-and-testamentW&T §16: Sacred Lote-Tree epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: fruits of the tree of Thy justice gleaningsGWB §193: Trees

فَرْدانِيَّتِكَ

fardánínatik f-r-d → “of thy oneness”

literal: oneness; singleness

SE expanded to “of Thy oneness”

oneness 38% unity 33% singleness 8% transcendent 8% own 4% sovereignty 4% recognize 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §134: Incomparable fire-tabletFire §17: lonely gleaningsGWB §386: of His oneness kitab-i-iqanKIQ §161: unity prayers-and-meditationsP&M §242: Thy sovereignty tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §2: Peerless tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §51: forlorn will-and-testamentW&T §49: alone

لِيَحْضُرُنَّ

líaḥḍurunn ḥ-ḍ-r → “that they may stand”

literal: presence; present; presence, majesty

SE expanded to “that they may stand”

may 50% appear 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §123: honor gleaningsGWB §490: to thee kitab-i-iqanKIQ §114: Muhammad prayers-and-meditationsP&M §195: may stand the-hidden-wordsHW §122: His holy will-and-testamentW&T §4: His Holiness the epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §230: Him Who was gleaningsGWB §355: suited to the capacity

تِلْقاءَ

tilqáʾ l-q-y → “before”

literal: meeting; cast; meeting, encounter

before 63% brought 11% when 11% set 5% face 5% faced 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: have spoken fire-tabletFire §1: of Thy Countenance gleaningsGWB §233: of reunion kitab-i-iqanKIQ §149: “attainment unto the Presence prayers-and-meditationsP&M §438: when face to face with tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §16: of eternal reunion the-hidden-wordsHW §72: We have revealed unto thee will-and-testamentW&T §41: sowing the seeds

عَرْشِكَ

ʿarshik ʿ-r-sh → “thy throne”

literal: throne; the Throne

throne 90% mighty 10%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §262: the Throne gleaningsGWB §210: of My presence kitab-i-iqanKIQ §86: Throne.”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §120: Thy throne the-hidden-wordsHW §120: OF MY epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §158: its mighty throne gleaningsGWB §707: of the Throne above kitab-i-iqanKIQ §161: the Celestial Throne

وَيَسْتَمِعُنَّ

wayastamiʿunn s-m-ʿ

literal: hear; hearing; heard

SE rendered تِلْقاءَ (tilqáʾ), عَرْشِكَ (ʿarshik), وَيَسْتَمِعُنَّ (wayastamiʿunn), نَغَماتِكَ (naghamátik), وَيَنْظُرُنَّ (wayanẓurunn) as “before, Thy throne, the accents, gaze on”

heard 20% hearken 18% hear 18% incline 10% hearing 8% ears 7% hearest 7% have 4% give 4% thou 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §110: Thine ears fire-tabletFire §48: I have heard gleaningsGWB §192: bear witness kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: sight kitab-i-iqanKIQ §283: make prayers-and-meditationsP&M §481: crieth out tablet-of-carmelCarmel §2: hearken to Thy call tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §21: And they heard

نَغَماتِكَ

naghamátik n-gh-m → “accents”

literal: melody; melodies

accents 50% melodies 17% sweetness 17% sweet 17%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §205: melodies fire-tabletFire §23: Thy melodies gleaningsGWB §618: sweetness of thy melody kitab-i-iqanKIQ §141: strain prayers-and-meditationsP&M §371: Thy sweet melodies tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: His Melody epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §209: song gleaningsGWB §210: ceaseless strains the melody

وَيَنْظُرُنَّ

wayanẓurunn n-ẓ-r → “gaze on”

literal: look; looking; view

gaze 50% recognize 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §162: fix My gaze fire-tabletFire §48: looking toward gleaningsGWB §216: the eyes kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: to turn kitab-i-iqanKIQ §152: expect prayers-and-meditationsP&M §158: such as have set tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §3: Most Great Beauty the-hidden-wordsHW §60: My place of revelation

جَمالَكَ

jamálak j-m-l → “thy beauty”

literal: beauty; beautiful

beauty 86% countenance 3% radiant 1% revelation 1% glory 1% whose 1% most 1% through 1% exalted 1% meditating 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: Beneficent gleaningsGWB §103: Beauty kitab-i-ahdAhd §14: Gracious kitab-i-iqanKIQ §74: the divine Beauty prayers-and-meditationsP&M §855: or from meditating tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §28: her beauty the-hidden-wordsHW §68: and by My beauty will-and-testamentW&T §5: the most holy Abhá Beauty

وَيَعْرِفُنَّ

wayaʿrifunn ʿ-r-f

literal: knowledge; know; knower

SE rendered وَيَنْظُرُنَّ (wayanẓurunn), جَمالَكَ (jamálak), وَيَعْرِفُنَّ (wayaʿrifunn), اقْتِدارَكَ، (iqtidáraka،) as “gaze on, Thy beauty, the power”