Prayers and Meditations — §269

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 269 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

الأَعْظَمِ بِأَنْ تَفْتَحَ أَبْصارَ عِبادِكَ لِيَرَوْكَ مُشْرِقَاً عَنْ أُفُقِ عَظَمَتِكَ وَكِبْرِيائِكَ وَلا يَمْنَعُهُمْ نَعِيبُ الغُرابِ عَنْ هَدِيرِ وَرْقآءِ عِزِّ أَحَدِيَّتِكَ وَلا مَاءُ الآسِنِ عَنْ زُلالِ خَمْرِ أَلْطافِكَ وَكَوْثَرِ مَواهِبِكَ، ثُمَّ اجْتَمِعْهُمْ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

I beseech Thee, by Thy Most Great Name, to open the eyes of Thy servants, that they may behold Thee shining above the horizon of Thy majesty and glory, and that they may not be hindered by the croaking of the raven from hearkening to the voice of the Dove of Thy sublime oneness, nor be prevented by the corrupt waters from partaking of the pure wine of Thy bounty and the everlasting streams of Thy gifts.

Translation Notes

الأَعْظَمِ

ʿ-ẓ-m → “Most Great”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

بِأَنْ

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

تَفْتَحَ

f-t-ḥ

literal: opening; opening up; conquests; revelations; disclosure

أَبْصارَ

b-ṣ-r → “eyes”

literal: sight; insight; eyes

عِبادِكَ

ʿ-b-d → “servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

لِيَرَوْكَ

r-ʾ-y → “that they may behold Thee”

literal: see; to see; see/behold

مُشْرِقَاً

sh-r-q → “shining”

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

عَنْ

ʿ-n → “from”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

أُفُقِ

ʾ-f-q → “horizon”

literal: horizon; sphere; realm; quarter

وَكِبْرِيائِكَ

k-b-r → “glory”

literal: greatest; greater; grandeur

وَلا

w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

literal: no; not; negation particle

يَمْنَعُهُمْ

m-n-ʿ → “hindered”

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

نَعِيبُ

n-ʿ-b → “croaking”

literal: croaking; cawing; cry of a raven

الغُرابِ

gh-r-b → “West” Distinctive

literal: west; stranger; exile

هَدِيرِ

h-d-r → “cooing”

literal: to waste; to squander; vain; futile

وَرْقآءِ

w-r-q → “Dove”

literal: leaf, page, sheet, parchment, document

عِزِّ

ʿ-z-z → “glory”

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

أَحَدِيَّتِكَ

ʾ-ḥ-d → “oneness”

literal: oneness; unity; absolute unicity; singleness of divine essence

مَاءُ

m-w-h → “waters”

literal: water; shelter; refuge; dwelling; abode; essence

الآسِنِ

ʾ-s-n → “the incorruptible waters”

literal: stagnant; stagnant / corrupt

زُلالِ

z-l-l → “crystal waters”

literal: to slip; to stumble; to fall

خَمْرِ

kh-m-r → “wine”

literal: wine; intoxicating drink

أَلْطافِكَ

l-ṭ-f → “bounty” Distinctive

literal: kindness; grace; gentleness; benevolence

وَكَوْثَرِ

k-w-th-r → “living waters”

literal: abundance; river of paradise; the Kawthar

مَواهِبِكَ،

w-h-b → “gifts”

literal: gift; grant; bestowal

ثُمَّ

th-m-m

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

اجْتَمِعْهُمْ

j-m-ʿ

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

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