Prayers and Meditations — §17
Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 17 of 858.
Source (Arabic)
لَمِ العَلِيلِ أَشْتَغِلُ بِذِكْرِكَ، هَلْ مِنْ ذِي بَصَرٍ يا إِلهِي لِيَراكَ بِعَيْنِكَ. وَهَلْ مِنْ ذِي ظَمَأٍ يَتَوَجَّهُ إِلى كَوْثَرِ حُبِّكَ، وَأَنَا الَّذِيْ يا إِلهِي مَحَوْتُ عَنْ قَلْبِي ذِكْرَ دُونِكَ وَكَتَبْتُ عَلَيهِ أَسْرارَ حُبِّكَ، فَوَعِزَّتِكَ لَوْلا البَلايا لَمْ يَظْهَرِ الامْتِيازُ بَيْنَ عِبادِكَ المُوْقِنِينَ وَالمُرِيبِينَ، إِنَّ الَّذِينَهُمْ سَكِرُوا مِنْ خَمْرِ مَعَارِفِكَ، أُولئِكَ يُسْرِعُونَ إِلى البَلايا شَوْقًا لِلِقائِكَ، أَسْئَلُكَ يا مَحْبُوبَ قَلْبِي وَالمَذْكورُ فِيْ صَدْرِي بِأَنْ تَحْفَظَ أَحِبَّائِي مِنْ شائِبَةِ النَّفْسِ وَالهَوی، ثُمَّ ارْزُقْهُمْ خَيْرَ الآخِرَةِ وَالأُولی، وَإِنَّكَ
Shoghi Effendi Translation
Is there any man of insight, O my God, that can behold Thee with Thine own eye, and where is the thirsty one who can direct his face towards the living waters of Thy love? I am the one, O my God, who hath blotted out from his heart the remembrance of all except Thee, and hath graven upon it the mysteries of Thy love. Thine own might beareth me witness! But for tribulations, how could the assured be distinguished from the doubters among Thy servants? They who have been inebriated with the wine of Thy knowledge, these, verily, hasten to meet every manner of adversity in their longing to pass into Thy presence. I implore Thee, O Beloved of my heart and the Object of my soul’s adoration, to shield them that love me from the faintest trace of evil and corrupt desires. Supply them, then, with the good of this world and of the next.
Translation Notes
SE rendered العَلِيلِ (al-ʿalíl), أَشْتَغِلُ (ʾashtaghil), بِذِكْرِكَ، (bidhikrika،), هَلْ (hal) as “Is there”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §252: motivegleaningsGWB §36: cannot but ensurekitab-i-ahdAhd §14: the instrumentkitab-i-iqanKIQ §140: that haplyprayers-and-meditationsP&M §622: sickthe-hidden-wordsHW §107: illsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §14: pretextgleaningsGWB §178: the essential prerequisites
SE rendered أَشْتَغِلُ (ʾashtaghil), بِذِكْرِكَ، (bidhikrika،), هَلْ (hal), ذِي (dhí) as “Is there, of”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §142: been occupiedgleaningsGWB §362: Immersedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §279: communedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §429: will keep them backthe-hidden-wordsHW §84: delightwill-and-testamentW&T §14: hath spentepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §111: engaged in spreadinggleaningsGWB §149: engaged
remembrance 25% mention 22% praise 20% mentioned 8% recorded 4% describe 4% remember 4% remembering 4% referred 4% words 3%
This form usually rendered as “"hath”, “know”, “think” (3 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §17: visiongleaningsGWB §325: the power of visionkitab-i-ahdAhd §3: hearingkitab-i-iqanKIQ §107: will ye not then beholdprayers-and-meditationsP&M §442: our eyesthe-hidden-wordsHW §107: thy very sightepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: of insightgleaningsGWB §91: all vision
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: DivinitygleaningsGWB §668: setkitab-i-iqanKIQ §123: Cause of Godprayers-and-meditationsP&M §845: of Thy Divinitythe-hidden-wordsHW §147: celestialwill-and-testamentW&T §18: of the Lordepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: GodgleaningsGWB §391: and pertaineth to God Himself
SE expanded to “that can behold Thee”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: beholdethfire-tabletFire §26: seestgleaningsGWB §611: the seenprayers-and-meditationsP&M §13: Thou beholdest methe-hidden-wordsHW §37: and to mirror forthwill-and-testamentW&T §5: behold himepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: Thou beholdestgleaningsGWB §187: may recognize
SE expanded to “with Thine own eye”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §176: appointgleaningsGWB §101: distinctkitab-i-iqanKIQ §146: sameprayers-and-meditationsP&M §462: Revelationtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: with their own eyestablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: those of all creationthe-hidden-wordsHW §3: through the eyeswill-and-testamentW&T §12: watchful eye
SE expanded to “who can direct his”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §227: of His Countenancefire-tabletFire §30: This FacegleaningsGWB §548: attuned tokitab-i-ahdAhd §10: turn your faceskitab-i-iqanKIQ §156: beforeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §531: directing his stepstablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: the light of thethe-hidden-wordsHW §41: before Our Face
living 45% kawthar 14% waters 10% river 10% stream 3% cup 3% life-giving 3% through 3% everlasting 3% plenteous 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §245: watersgleaningsGWB §60: the life-giving waters of reunionkitab-i-iqanKIQ §118: Kawtharprayers-and-meditationsP&M §508: living watersepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: the living watersgleaningsGWB §57: cupkitab-i-iqanKIQ §161: the Kawtharprayers-and-meditationsP&M §176: the waters
SE expanded to “of Thy love”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: all who adore Theefire-tabletFire §7: of Thy lovegleaningsGWB §134: Best-Belovedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §100: affectionateprayers-and-meditationsP&M §477: Thou pleasesttablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: I longtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §40: the Beloved Onethe-hidden-wordsHW §5: do thou love Me
SE expanded to “who hath blotted out”
blot 34% effaced 24% destroy 10% blotted 10% dissipate 3% obliterated 3% abolish 3% completely 3% annulment 3% thus 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §167: dissipategleaningsGWB §697: be blotted outkitab-i-ahdAhd §7: annulmentkitab-i-iqanKIQ §35: fadethprayers-and-meditationsP&M §440: and effacementwill-and-testamentW&T §5: destroyedepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §61: abolishgleaningsGWB §600: completely obliterated
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §183: fraudulentgleaningsGWB §370: his heartkitab-i-ahdAhd §4: a pure heartkitab-i-iqanKIQ §129: in the heartprayers-and-meditationsP&M §90: all his affectionsthe-hidden-wordsHW §102: human heartwill-and-testamentW&T §23: the spirit of loveepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §10: hearts
SE expanded to “of all except Thee”
SE expanded to “and hath graven”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §172: the Divine BooksgleaningsGWB §451: His unerring Bookkitab-i-ahdAhd §7: in His Bookkitab-i-iqanKIQ §224: Mímprayers-and-meditationsP&M §755: of these Booksthe-hidden-wordsHW §68: have writtenwill-and-testamentW&T §34: Thou didst revealepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §240: works
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: highgleaningsGWB §615: at your handskitab-i-iqanKIQ §132: glorified is Heprayers-and-meditationsP&M §265: was convulsedthe-hidden-wordsHW §42: reveal unto theewill-and-testamentW&T §59: upon youepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: rest upongleaningsGWB §689: the Faith of God
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §2: His mysteriesgleaningsGWB §569: inwardlykitab-i-iqanKIQ §145: thy bedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §632: Hidden Secrettablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §35: have concealedthe-hidden-wordsHW §155: fresh andwill-and-testamentW&T §4: the Land of Mysteryepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §121: heads
SE expanded to “Thine own might”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §223: exalted andfire-tabletFire §43: by Thy banishmentgleaningsGWB §134: Graciouskitab-i-iqanKIQ §130: of powerprayers-and-meditationsP&M §351: swear by Thy glorythe-hidden-wordsHW §1: realm of glorywill-and-testamentW&T §4: endearedepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: exalted and glorified be He
SE rendered أَسْرارَ (ʾasrár), حُبِّكَ، (ḥubbika،), فَوَعِزَّتِكَ (fawaʿizzatik), لَوْلا (lawlá), البَلايا (al-baláyá), يَظْهَرِ (yaẓhar), الامْتِيازُ (al-ámtíáz) as “the mysteries, of Thy love, Thine own might, But for, tribulations, be distinguished, the assured”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §39: friendsgleaningsGWB §467: Governorkitab-i-iqanKIQ §274: friends!”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §770: and Thy loved oneswill-and-testamentW&T §49: have rainedepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: chosen onesgleaningsGWB §471: and before His loved oneskitab-i-iqanKIQ §280: continuous
tribulations 38% tribulation 15% adversities 12% trials 6% afflictions 6% every 6% manifold 6% woes 6% all 3% ills 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §122: trialsfire-tabletFire §39: calamitygleaningsGWB §724: griefs and afflictionskitab-i-iqanKIQ §63: persecutionsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §198: the manifold troublesthe-hidden-wordsHW §154: triedwill-and-testamentW&T §35: in my woesepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §63: countless afflictions
This form usually rendered as “may”, “shall”, “show” (76 occurrences)
may 18% shall 16% show 11% revealed 11% manifested 11% manifest 9% reveal 7% appear 7% make 5% proceedeth 5%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §219: outerfire-tabletFire §23: springgleaningsGWB §656: of Thy Manifestationkitab-i-ahdAhd §3: streamed forthkitab-i-iqanKIQ §89: appeared?”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §114: visibly supremetablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: to assisttablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: the revelation of thy glory
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §158: a mangleaningsGWB §128: may be distinguishedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §273: measureprayers-and-meditationsP&M §389: to distinguish themselvesgleaningsGWB §78: ye burst for furykitab-i-iqanKIQ §278: discernprayers-and-meditationsP&M §24: who discernethgleaningsGWB §104: distinction
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §85: the oppressedfire-tabletFire §49: AdoredgleaningsGWB §387: serve Himkitab-i-iqanKIQ §157: the people ofprayers-and-meditationsP&M §294: Object of the adorationtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a servicethe-hidden-wordsHW §56: Our servantswill-and-testamentW&T §10: wronged servant
SE rendered الامْتِيازُ (al-ámtíáz), عِبادِكَ (ʿibádik), المُوْقِنِينَ (al-múqinín), وَالمُرِيبِينَ، (wálmuríbína،) as “the assured, Thy servants”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §155: of certitudefire-tabletFire §24: Thy certitudegleaningsGWB §18: every true believerkitab-i-iqanKIQ §137: absolute faithprayers-and-meditationsP&M §450: to be assuredtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §14: assuredepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §13: thou mayest begleaningsGWB §397: assure him
SE rendered عِبادِكَ (ʿibádik), المُوْقِنِينَ (al-múqinín), وَالمُرِيبِينَ، (wálmuríbína،), الَّذِينَهُمْ (adh-dhínahum), سَكِرُوا (sakirúá) as “Thy servants, have been, inebriated”
doubt 26% doubteth 16% doubtest 11% doubter 11% doubters 11% doubted 5% evident 5% misgivings 5% suspicious.’” 5% addresseth 5%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: doubtestgleaningsGWB §555: and misgivingskitab-i-iqanKIQ §224: addressethprayers-and-meditationsP&M §19: the suspiciousthe-hidden-wordsHW §13: thereofepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §134: that doubtestkitab-i-iqanKIQ §10: as suspicious.’”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §670: of the doubters
This form usually rendered as “such” (1 occurrences)
who 26% which 26% such 11% doubters 5% one 5% caused 5% dependents 5% generations 5% unto 5% whom 5%
inebriated 24% drunkenness 24% drunken 18% state 6% agonies 6% drunk 6% inebriating 6% all 6% burneth 6%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: inebriatedfire-tabletFire §21: drunkennessgleaningsGWB §77: are drunkenprayers-and-meditationsP&M §535: withepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §129: state of strange stuporfire-tabletFire §19: agonies of deathgleaningsGWB §65: inebriating effectprayers-and-meditationsP&M §718: burneth continually
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: with the winegleaningsGWB §73: the drunkennessprayers-and-meditationsP&M §220: of the winethe-hidden-wordsHW §139: from the celestial winegleaningsGWB §552: draughtprayers-and-meditationsP&M §673: to partake of the winegleaningsGWB §467: wineprayers-and-meditationsP&M §535: Thy manifold wisdom
SE expanded to “of Thy knowledge”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §189: insightgleaningsGWB §1: and knowledgekitab-i-ahdAhd §13: perform praiseworthy deedskitab-i-iqanKIQ §30: the want of capacityprayers-and-meditationsP&M §455: all that have recognized Theetablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: to seethe-hidden-wordsHW §4: knewepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §160: understand
This form usually rendered as “god”, “shall” (2 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §185: From the inceptiongleaningsGWB §427: this worldkitab-i-iqanKIQ §171: the former sunprayers-and-meditationsP&M §774: Through His Firstnessthe-hidden-wordsHW §119: ye that havewill-and-testamentW&T §34: the oneepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §147: the foundationgleaningsGWB §702: ere he
SE expanded to “hasten to meet”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: hastenedgleaningsGWB §275: hasten yekitab-i-iqanKIQ §120: “Swiftprayers-and-meditationsP&M §75: that they may all hastenthe-hidden-wordsHW §41: traverseepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §41: Haste yegleaningsGWB §31: Hastenprayers-and-meditationsP&M §133: rushed forth
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §89: I yearn afterfire-tabletFire §41: Thy yearninggleaningsGWB §38: bereavementkitab-i-iqanKIQ §163: yearningprayers-and-meditationsP&M §56: vehement longingthe-hidden-wordsHW §51: thy longingwill-and-testamentW&T §14: urgingepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §100: longing
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §171: concerning the Divine Presencefire-tabletFire §33: to the Divine PresencegleaningsGWB §210: beforekitab-i-iqanKIQ §3: face—theprayers-and-meditationsP&M §805: unto Thy presencetablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §20: the Kingdom of His Presencethe-hidden-wordsHW §37: to meet Mewill-and-testamentW&T §41: kindling
SE expanded to “I implore Thee”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §56: praygleaningsGWB §466: Enquire for thyselfkitab-i-iqanKIQ §285: seekprayers-and-meditationsP&M §127: I pray Theeepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §84: Ask, thatgleaningsGWB §217: I beseech Theeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §762: Godepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §152: beseecheth
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §114: We watchedgleaningsGWB §567: for the preservationkitab-i-ahdAhd §5: safeguardingkitab-i-iqanKIQ §220: shieldedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §556: metablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: Learn wellwill-and-testamentW&T §17: impregnableepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §107: protect
This form usually rendered as “own”, “self”, “soul” (324 occurrences)
SE expanded to “and corrupt desires”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: desiresfire-tabletFire §21: passiongleaningsGWB §124: Hiskitab-i-iqanKIQ §174: realmprayers-and-meditationsP&M §838: their desiresthe-hidden-wordsHW §39: thou desirestwill-and-testamentW&T §36: my spiritepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: by their own caprices
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §205: attaingleaningsGWB §581: suffice to enrichkitab-i-iqanKIQ §140: partake of theprayers-and-meditationsP&M §182: Supply themwill-and-testamentW&T §36: Vouchsafe unto themgleaningsGWB §195: nourishedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §137: treasuredprayers-and-meditationsP&M §764: and to supply me
SE expanded to “with the good”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §56: blessinggleaningsGWB §594: virtuekitab-i-iqanKIQ §270: hath the authorityprayers-and-meditationsP&M §518: of the universethe-hidden-wordsHW §101: Ponderwill-and-testamentW&T §36: Thy goodly giftsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §267: bettergleaningsGWB §476: highest good
SE expanded to “of this world”
world 42% next 32% concluding 3% culmination 3% can 3% another 3% “life 3% other 3% others 3% end 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §28: nextgleaningsGWB §691: otherkitab-i-iqanKIQ §125: again.”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §623: latter generationsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §56: the worldgleaningsGWB §116: can have no endprayers-and-meditationsP&M §675: and the world to comeepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §182: concluding
This form usually rendered as “world”, “life”, “fitting” (27 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §205: firstfire-tabletFire §31: the peoplegleaningsGWB §295: from firstkitab-i-iqanKIQ §16: the meaning thereofprayers-and-meditationsP&M §17: and of the nextthe-hidden-wordsHW §97: Ye that haveepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: the firstgleaningsGWB §279: those gone before you
SE rendered خَيْرَ (khayr), الآخِرَةِ (al-ákhirah), وَالأُولی، (wálʾúlí،), وَإِنَّكَ (waʾinnak) as “with the good, of this world, and of the next”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §216: nowgleaningsGWB §235: “Verilyprayers-and-meditationsP&M §534: for Thouwill-and-testamentW&T §36: I call upon TheegleaningsGWB §2: to recognize thatprayers-and-meditationsP&M §378: likewise, recognizewill-and-testamentW&T §36: for they aregleaningsGWB §698: They
