Prayers and Meditations — §260

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 260 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

وَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ المُقْتَدِرُ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ وَالظَّاهِرُ فَوقَ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ، كُلُّ غالِبٍ مَغْلُوبٌ بِيَدِكَ وَكُلُّ غَنِيٍّ فَقِيرٌ عِنْدَ غَنائِكَ وَكُلُّ ذِيْ عِزَّةٍ ذَلِيلٌ لَدَى ظُهُوراتِ عِزِّكَ وَكُلُّ ذِي قُدْرَةٍ عاجِزٌ عِنْدَ شُئُوناتِ قُدْرَتِكَ، أَيْ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Every conqueror is but a serf whom Thy hand hath subjected, and the richest of the rich is as destitute before the immensity of Thy wealth. The noblest of nobles is humbled when faced with the manifestations of Thy glory, and the mightiest of potentates is a mere abject one when confronted with the compelling evidences of Thine authority.

Translation Notes

وَإِنَّكَ

ʾ-n-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

أَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t

literal: you (masculine singular)

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w

literal: highest; most high; supreme

كُلُّ

k-l-l → “Every conqueror”

literal: for us; to us

شَيْءٍ

sh-y-ʾ

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

فَوقَ

f-w-q

literal: above; over; beyond

مَغْلُوبٌ

gh-l-b → “ascendancy”

literal: to overcome, overpower, vanquish, prevail

بِيَدِكَ

y-d-y → “whom Thy hand hath”

literal: it is necessary; it behooves; one must

غَنِيٍّ

gh-n-y → “richest of the rich”

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

فَقِيرٌ

f-q-r → “as destitute”

literal: poor; needy; the poor one; pauper

عِنْدَ

ʿ-n-d → “before the immensity”

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

ذِيْ

dh-w-y

literal: possessor; possessor of; possessor/owner

عِزَّةٍ

ʿ-z-z → “Thy glory”

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

ذَلِيلٌ

dh-l-l → “abasement” Distinctive

literal: abasement; humiliation; lowliness; to be abased

لَدَى

l-d-y → “at”

literal: with; in the presence of; from; by

ظُهُوراتِ

ẓ-h-r → “manifestations”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

عاجِزٌ

ʿ-j-z → “powerlessness”

literal: to be unable; to fail; to be exhausted; impotence

شُئُوناتِ

sh-ʾ-n → “in such wise” Distinctive

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

قُدْرَتِكَ،

q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

أَيْ

ʾ-y-y

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

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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17 ¶

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160 ¶

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59 ¶