Prayers and Meditations — §158

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 158 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

وَلا تُبْعِدَنِي عَنْ شَاطِئِ قُرْبِكَ، أَيْ رَبِّ دُونُكَ لا يَنْفَعُنِي وَقُرْبُ غَيْرِكَ لا يُغْنِينِي، أَسْئَلُكَ بِغَنائِكَ الَّذِيْ بِهِ اسْتَغْنَيْتُ عَمَّا سِواكَ بِأَنْ تَجْعَلَنِي مِنَ النَّاظِرِينَ إِلَيْكَ وَالقائِمِينَ عَلَى

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Aught else except Thee, O my Lord, profiteth me not, and near access to anyone save Thyself availeth me nothing. I entreat Thee by the plenteousness of Thy riches, whereby Thou didst dispense with all else except Thyself, to number me with such as have set their faces towards Thee, and arisen to serve Thee.

Translation Notes

وَلا

w-l-y → “not”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تُبْعِدَنِي

b-ʿ-d

literal: after; distance; far

عَنْ

ʿ-n → “from”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

شَاطِئِ

sh-ṭ-ʾ → “shores”

literal: shore; bank; coast

قُرْبِكَ،

q-r-b → “O”

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

أَيْ

ʾ-y-y → “my” Distinctive

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

رَبِّ

r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

دُونُكَ

d-w-n → “except Thee”

literal: to know; to understand

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

يَنْفَعُنِي

n-f-ʿ → “me”

literal: benefits; profits; advantages

غَيْرِكَ

gh-y-r → “to anyone” Distinctive

literal: without; besides; other than; except

يُغْنِينِي،

gh-n-y → “wealth” Distinctive

literal: to be independent of; to be in no need of; to dispense with; rich; wealthy; needless

أَسْئَلُكَ

s-ʾ-l → “entreat” Distinctive

literal: ask; ask/request; ask/beseech

الَّذِيْ

l-dh-y → “which”

literal: who; which; that which; the one who

بِهِ

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

سِواكَ

s-w-y → “except Thyself”

literal: other than; besides; except; equal; alike

بِأَنْ

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

تَجْعَلَنِي

j-ʿ-l → “me”

literal: to make; to cause; to render; to appoint

مِنَ

m-n → “with” Distinctive

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

النَّاظِرِينَ

n-ẓ-r → “Consider” Distinctive

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

إِلَيْكَ

ʾ-l-y → “their faces towards” Distinctive

literal: one; a single

وَالقائِمِينَ

q-w-m → “arisen to serve”

literal: station; people; place

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w

literal: highest; most high; supreme

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