Prayers and Meditations — §15

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 15 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

سُبُحاتِ الجَلالِ بِيَدِ القُدْرَةِ وَالإِجْلالِ لِيَرَوْكَ المُخْلِصُونَ عَلَى عَرْشِ عَظَمَتِكَ، وَتَقَرَّ عُيُونُ المُوَحِّدِينَ مِنْ بَوَارِقِ أَنْوارِ وَجْهِكَ، أَيْ رَبِّ قَدْ غُلِقَتْ أَبْوابُ الرَّجآءِ عَلَى قُلُوبِ المُشْتَاقِينَ وَعِنْدَكَ مَفاتِيحُها، أَنِ افْتَحْ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَسُلْطانِكَ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ المُقْتَدِرُ عَلَى ما تَشآءُ، وَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ العَزِيزُ المَنَّانُ.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Tear asunder with the hand of Thy transcendent power, O my Lord, the veil of vain imaginings, that they who are wholly devoted to Thee may see Thee seated on the throne of Thy majesty, and the eyes of such as adore Thy unity may rejoice at the splendors of the glory of Thy face. The doors of hope have been shut against the hearts that long for Thee, O my Lord! Their keys are in Thy hands; open them by the power of Thy might and Thy sovereignty. Potent art Thou to do as Thou pleasest. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Beneficent.

Translation Notes

سُبُحاتِ

s-b-ḥ → “Glorified” Distinctive

literal: glorified; the All-Praised; exalted

الجَلالِ

j-l-l → “glory”

literal: majesty; glory; exaltation; magnificence

بِيَدِ

y-d-y → “with the hand”

literal: it is necessary; it behooves; one must

القُدْرَةِ

q-d-r → “transcendent power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

لِيَرَوْكَ

r-ʾ-y → “may see Thee”

literal: see; to see; see/behold

المُخْلِصُونَ

kh-l-ṣ → “wholly” Distinctive

literal: sincere; devoted; pure one

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “on” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

عَرْشِ

ʿ-r-sh → “throne”

literal: of the Throne; companion of the Throne

عَظَمَتِكَ،

ʿ-ẓ-m → “of Thy majesty”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

وَتَقَرَّ

q-r-r → “acknowledged” Distinctive

literal: abode; place; established

عُيُونُ

ʿ-y-n → “eyes”

literal: eye; fountain; spring; essence; to appoint; to designate; to specify; to determine

المُوَحِّدِينَ

w-ḥ-d → “such as adore Thy unity” Distinctive

literal: Divine unity; monotheism; belief in the oneness of God

مِنْ

m-n → “at” Distinctive

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

بَوَارِقِ

b-r-q → “splendors”

literal: lightning; flashes; flashes, lightning

أَنْوارِ

literal: light; illumination

وَجْهِكَ،

w-j-h → “of Thy face”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

أَيْ

ʾ-y-y → “O my” Distinctive

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

رَبِّ

r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

قَدْ

q-d

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

غُلِقَتْ

gh-l-q → “locked” Distinctive

literal: close; to lock/close; to be shut, closed

أَبْوابُ

b-w-b → “doors”

literal: door; gate; chapter; way; manner

الرَّجآءِ

r-j-w → “of hope”

literal: hope; expectation

قُلُوبِ

q-l-b → “hearts”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

المُشْتَاقِينَ

sh-w-q → “that long for Thee”

literal: to encourage; to incite; yearning; enthusiasm

وَعِنْدَكَ

ʿ-n-d → “possess”

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

مَفاتِيحُها،

f-t-ḥ → “Their keys”

literal: open; opened; keys

أَنِ

ʾ-n → “that they who are”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

وَسُلْطانِكَ،

s-l-ṭ → “and Thy sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

إِنَّكَ

literal: that; indeed; verily

أَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

ما

m-ʾ → “as” Distinctive

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

تَشآءُ،

sh-y-ʾ → “Thou pleasest”

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

وَإِنَّكَ

literal: that; indeed; verily

العَزِيزُ

ʿ-z-z → “the Almighty”

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

المَنَّانُ.

m-n-n → “the Beneficent”

literal: to grant, bestow favor; grace, bounty, kindness

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