Prayers and Meditations — §20

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 20 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

، أَيْ رَبِّ أَنَا الَّذِيْ تَمَسَّكْتُ بِحَبْلِ عِنايَتِكَ وَتَشَبَّثْتُ بِذَيْلِ رَحْمَتِكَ وَأَلْطافِكَ، قَدِّرْ لِي وَلأَحِبَّتِي خَيْرَ الدُّنْيا وَالآخِرَةِ، ثُمَّ ارْزُقْهُمْ مِنَ النِّعْمَةِ المَكْنُونَةِ الَّتِيْ قَدَّرْتَها لِخِيرَةِ البَريَّةِ، أَيْ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

I am the one, O my Lord, who hath held fast the cord of Thy loving-kindness, and clung to the hem of Thy mercy and favors. Do Thou ordain for me and for my loved ones the good of this world and of the world to come. Supply them, then, with the Hidden Gift Thou didst ordain for the choicest among Thy creatures.

Translation Notes

أَيْ

ʾ-y-y → “O”

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

رَبِّ

r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

أَنَا

ʾ-n → “I am the one”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

الَّذِيْ

l-dh-y → “which”

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

تَمَسَّكْتُ

m-s-k → “hath held fast”

literal: hold fast; clinging; cling

بِحَبْلِ

ḥ-b-l → “cord”

literal: cord; rope; bond; connection

عِنايَتِكَ

ʿ-n-y → “of Thy loving-kindness”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

وَتَشَبَّثْتُ

sh-b-th → “clung”

literal: cling; clinging; clinging/holding fast

بِذَيْلِ

dh-y-l → “hem”

literal: hem; skirt; tail; border

رَحْمَتِكَ

r-ḥ-m → “Thy mercy”

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

وَأَلْطافِكَ،

l-ṭ-f → “and favors”

literal: kindness; grace; gentleness; benevolence

قَدِّرْ

q-d-r → “Do Thou ordain”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

لِي

ʿ-l-y → “upon”

literal: for us; to us

وَلأَحِبَّتِي

ḥ-b-b → “and for my loved ones”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

خَيْرَ

kh-y-r → “good”

literal: goodwill; benevolence; kindness; good; goodness; benefit; better; best

الدُّنْيا

d-n-w → “of this world”

literal: this world; earthly life; temporal realm; lowest; base; mean; of little account; to know; to be acquainted with

وَالآخِرَةِ،

ʾ-kh-r → “world to come”

literal: the hereafter, the next life, the world to come; last, latter; the next life, the hereafter; delay; postponement

ثُمَّ

th-m-m → “then”

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

ارْزُقْهُمْ

r-z-q → “Supply them”

literal: provide; sustenance; provided

مِنَ

m-n → “with” Distinctive

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

النِّعْمَةِ

n-ʿ-m → “the Hidden Gift” Distinctive

literal: bliss; bounty; grace; comfort; felicity

المَكْنُونَةِ

k-n-n

literal: to do; to make; to perform

الَّتِيْ

ʾ-l-l

literal: who; which/that; which

البَريَّةِ،

b-r-ʾ → “among Thy creatures” Distinctive

literal: high; exalted; upper

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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59 ¶