Prayers and Meditations — §168

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 168 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

بِاسْمِكَ فِيْ مَلَكُوتِ أَسْمائِكَ وَرَبَّيْتَهُ تَحْتَ جَناحِ فَضْلِكَ وَأَلْطافِكَ، إِذًا تَراهُ مُسْرِعًا إِلى شَطْرِ مَواهِبِكَ وَراكِضًا إِلَيكَ طَلَبًا لِعَطائِكَ، زَيِّنْهُ يا إِلهِي بِرِدآءِ مَكْرُمَتِكَ وَثَوْبِ جُودِكَ وَكَرَمِكَ لِيَجِدَنَّ مِنْهُ الأَشْيآءُ تَضَوُّعاتِ قَمِيصِ حُبِّكَ، ثُمَّ زَيِّنْ رَأْسَهُ بِإِكْلِيلِ ذِكْرِكَ عَلَى شَأْنٍ يَكُونُ مَعْرُوفًا بَيْنَ العِبادِ بِحُبِّكَ وَالاسْتِقامَةِ فِيْ أَمْرِكَ، ثُمَّ أَيِّدْهُ فِيْ كُلِّ الأَحْوالِ عَلَى نُصْرَتِكَ وَذِكْرِكَ وَثَنَائِكَ بَيْنَ خَلْقِكَ، وَعِزَّتِكَ يا

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! This is Thy servant whom Thou hast in the kingdom of Thy names called by Thine own name, and whom Thou hast reared under the wings of Thy grace and favors. Thou seest him, therefore, hastening in the direction of Thy gifts, and rushing forth towards Thee seeking after Thy bounty. Attire him, O my God, with the mantle of Thy favor and the robe of Thy munificence and generosity, that all created things may perceive from him the sweet smell of the raiment of Thy love. Adorn, then, his head with the crown of Thy remembrance, in such wise that his fame may be noised abroad among Thy servants as one who loveth Thee and cleaveth steadfastly to Thy Cause. Assist him, moreover, at all times and under all conditions to help Thee and to remember Thee, and to extol Thy virtues amidst Thy creatures.

Translation Notes

بِاسْمِكَ

s-m-w → “called by Thine own name” Distinctive

literal: to name, to nominate, to designate, to appoint; name; noun; to name, to appoint, to designate

فِيْ

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

مَلَكُوتِ

m-l-k → “kingdom”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty

وَرَبَّيْتَهُ

r-b-y → “education” Distinctive

literal: connection; attachment; link; bond

تَحْتَ

t-ḥ-t → “under”

literal: under; under, beneath; beneath

جَناحِ

j-n-ḥ → “wings”

literal: wing; side; shelter; protection

فَضْلِكَ

f-ḍ-l → “grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

وَأَلْطافِكَ،

l-ṭ-f → “favors”

literal: kindness; grace; gentleness; benevolence

إِذًا

ʾ-dh-n → “ears”

literal: when; if; whenever; then suddenly

تَراهُ

r-ʾ-y → “seest him”

literal: way; path; road

مُسْرِعًا

s-r-ʿ → “hastening”

literal: hasten; hastened; hasten/hurry

شَطْرِ

sh-ṭ-r → “direction”

literal: side, direction; half; to split

مَواهِبِكَ

w-h-b → “gifts”

literal: gift; grant; bestowal

وَراكِضًا

r-k-ḍ → “rush forth” Distinctive

literal: running, rushing; rushing/running; run

إِلَيكَ

ʾ-l-y → “towards Thee” Distinctive

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

طَلَبًا

ṭ-l-b → “seeking after”

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

لِعَطائِكَ،

ʿ-ṭ-y → “bounty”

literal: the letter Ṭá; refers to Ṭihrán (also spelled Ṭehran)

زَيِّنْهُ

z-y-n → “Attire”

literal: to adorn; ornament; beauty

يا

y-ʾ → “O ye”

literal: O; or

إِلهِي

ʾ-l-h → “O my God”

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

بِرِدآءِ

r-d-y → “mantle”

literal: brother

مَكْرُمَتِكَ

k-r-m → “favor”

literal: Carmel (Mount Carmel); vineyard, fruitful field; honor; generosity; nobility

وَثَوْبِ

th-w-b → “raiment”

literal: garment; dress; attire; clothing

جُودِكَ

j-w-d → “munificence” Distinctive

literal: generosity; bounty; liberality

لِيَجِدَنَّ

w-j-d → “may perceive” Distinctive

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

مِنْهُ

m-n → “from him”

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

الأَشْيآءُ

sh-y-ʾ → “all created things”

literal: thing; something

تَضَوُّعاتِ

ḍ-w-ʿ → “diffuse”

literal: emitting fragrance; diffusing; exuding

قَمِيصِ

q-m-ṣ → “raiment”

literal: garment; shirt; tunic

حُبِّكَ،

ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: love; affection

ثُمَّ

th-m-m → “then”

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

رَأْسَهُ

r-ʾ-s → “head”

literal: chief; leader; head; president; beginning

بِإِكْلِيلِ

k-l-l → “crown”

literal: کلیل (feeble/dull) is from ك-ل-ل but باکلیل appears to be a distinct quadrilateral or Persian compound

ذِكْرِكَ

dh-k-r → “remembrance”

literal: remembrance; mention; memory

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w

literal: highest; most high; supreme

شَأْنٍ

sh-ʾ-n → “in such wise”

literal: affair; concern; matter; aspect; quality; state; affairs; matters; conditions; circumstances; affair, matter, station, rank, dignity; station; rank; importance; matter, affair, concern, dignity, rank

يَكُونُ

k-w-n → “be”

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

مَعْرُوفًا

ʿ-r-f → “knowledge” Distinctive

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

بَيْنَ

b-y-n → “among”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

العِبادِ

ʿ-b-d → “servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

وَالاسْتِقامَةِ

q-w-m → “cleaveth steadfastly” Distinctive

literal: stability; firmness; establishment

أَمْرِكَ،

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

أَيِّدْهُ

ʾ-y-d → “Assist”

literal: hand; power; strength; (plural) hands; agents; helpers; to assist, to support, to aid, to strengthen

الأَحْوالِ

ḥ-w-l → “times and under all conditions”

literal: states; conditions; circumstances; situations; affairs

نُصْرَتِكَ

n-ṣ-r → “help Thee”

literal: aid, help, succor, victory, support

وَثَنَائِكَ

th-n-y → “extol Thy virtues”

literal: praise; commendation; eulogy; glorification; praise, commendation, eulogy

خَلْقِكَ،

kh-l-q → “creatures”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

وَعِزَّتِكَ

ʿ-z-z

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

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