Prayers and Meditations — §296

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 296 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

فَيا إِلهِي تَرَى طَرْفَ هؤلآءِ الفُقَرآءِ إِلى أُفُقِ غَنَائِكَ وَأَفْئِدَةَ هؤُلآءِ الضُّعَفآءِ إِلى شَطْرِ قُدْرَتِكَ، أَسْئَلُكَ يا مَقْصُودَ العارِفِينَ وَإِلهَ العالَمِينَ لَمَّا اجْتَذَبْتَهُمْ بِكَلِمَتِكَ العُلْيا لا تُبْعِدْهُمْ عَنْ سُرَادِقِ الَّذِيْ رَفَعْتَهُ بِاسْمِكَ الأَبْهی،

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou seest, O my God, how the eyes of these poor creatures are bent upon the horizon of Thy riches, how the hearts of these helpless ones are set in the direction of Thy might. I beseech Thee, O Thou Who art the sole Desire of them that have recognized Thee, and the Object of the adoration of the entire creation, not to suffer them, now that Thou hast attracted them by Thy most exalted Word, to be far removed from the Tabernacle which Thou hast reared up by Thy name, the All-Glorious.

Translation Notes

وَإِلهَ

waʾilh ʾ-l-h → “god”

literal: god; o god

god 75% object 13% lord 13%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §265: except in God fire-tabletFire §41: after God gleaningsGWB §628: the sovereign Lord kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: the divine Testator kitab-i-iqanKIQ §1: Providence prayers-and-meditationsP&M §738: name tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §31: “By the Lord the-hidden-wordsHW §147: celestial

تَرَى

tará r-ʾ-y

literal: see; to see

SE rendered فَيا (fayá), إِلهِي (ʾilhí), تَرَى (tará), طَرْفَ (ṭarf), هؤلآءِ (hʾláʾ), الفُقَرآءِ (al-fuqaráʾ) as “seest, O my God, eyes, these, poor creatures”

thou 63% seest 19% beholdest 8% canst 3% behold 3% wert 1% lo 1% gaze 1% wouldst 1% now 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: perceived fire-tabletFire §26: seest gleaningsGWB §187: recognize kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: hypocrite prayers-and-meditationsP&M §168: seest him the-hidden-wordsHW §37: and to mirror forth will-and-testamentW&T §32: seest me epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §181: His advice

طَرْفَ

ṭarf ṭ-r-f → “eyes”

literal: eye

eyes 50% mine 8% some 8% inward 8% gaze 8% brow 8% parts 8%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §162: Mine adversaries gleaningsGWB §135: with thine inward eye kitab-i-iqanKIQ §138: uttermost corners prayers-and-meditationsP&M §371: mine eye tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §26: with her brow will-and-testamentW&T §38: those parts epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §104: eyes gleaningsGWB §70: in the daytime

الفُقَرآءِ

al-fuqaráʾ f-q-r → “poor creatures”

literal: poor

poor 71% paupers 29%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: this gleaningsGWB §148: these words kitab-i-iqanKIQ §22: one of these instances prayers-and-meditationsP&M §843: the poor and wretched the-hidden-wordsHW §14: why dost thou bring thyself down to poverty?epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §214: These passages gleaningsGWB §268: paupers kitab-i-iqanKIQ §143: the lack

أُفُقِ

ʾufuq ʾ-f-q → “horizon”

literal: horizon; horizons; horizons/regions

horizon 67% dayspring 10% above 8% heaven 3% realm 3% towards 3% orient 2% fountain 1% source 1% dawning-place 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: horizons fire-tabletFire §19: men gleaningsGWB §23: earth kitab-i-ahdAhd §1: the Realm kitab-i-iqanKIQ §216: universe prayers-and-meditationsP&M §258: of the Dayspring tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §41: above will-and-testamentW&T §34: all regions

غَنَائِكَ

ghanáʾik gh-n-y → “thy riches”

literal: rich; wealth; riches

riches 45% wealth 45% self-sufficiency 3% plenteousness 3% immensity 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: shall profit thee gleaningsGWB §581: enrich kitab-i-iqanKIQ §143: ‘riches’prayers-and-meditationsP&M §438: rich enough tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §2: singeth tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §37: the eternal wealth the-hidden-wordsHW §130: his riches will-and-testamentW&T §27: independent of

وَأَفْئِدَةَ

waʾafʾidah f-ʾ-d → “hearts”

literal: heart; hearts; heart/mind

hearts 46% souls 18% heart 15% minds 8% men’s 4% human 3% men’s 1% true 1% quickened 1% into 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §111: hearts gleaningsGWB §1: the human heart kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: conscience prayers-and-meditationsP&M §790: thoughts the-hidden-wordsHW §60: Thy heart will-and-testamentW&T §48: They have epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §101: in the hearts of men gleaningsGWB §506: your souls

الضُّعَفآءِ

aḍ-ḍuʿafáʾ ḍ-ʿ-f → “weakness”

literal: weak; weakness; weaken

weak 30% all 20% impotent 10% destitute 10% helpless 10% frailty 10% feeble 10%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §140: faint-hearted gleaningsGWB §578: doubly kitab-i-iqanKIQ §155: were brought low prayers-and-meditationsP&M §401: frailty epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §137: unnerve Me gleaningsGWB §35: limited prayers-and-meditationsP&M §706: and from all weakness epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: the weak

شَطْرِ

shaṭr sh-ṭ-r → “direction”

literal: direction; direction/side; direction, side

direction 36% towards 30% court 8% toward 7% capital 3% proceeding 3% upon 3% land 3% turning 3% source 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §243: to Persia gleaningsGWB §282: the presence kitab-i-iqanKIQ §155: land prayers-and-meditationsP&M §217: in the direction of epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §130: the direction gleaningsGWB §109: from place to place prayers-and-meditationsP&M §127: the court epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §137: from

قُدْرَتِكَ،

qudratika، q-d-r → “thy might”

literal: power; powerful

power 44% might 24% through 13% almighty 5% strength 4% omnipotence 3% whose 3% authority 2% greatness 1% transcendent 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §67: of His power fire-tabletFire §48: Ordainer gleaningsGWB §171: Divine power kitab-i-ahdAhd §12: granted kitab-i-iqanKIQ §189: measure and capacity prayers-and-meditationsP&M §651: to Whose power tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §3: the Powerful the-hidden-wordsHW §22: I have hung

أَسْئَلُكَ

ʾasʾaluk s-ʾ-l → “i beseech thee”

literal: ask; ask/beseech

SE expanded to “I beseech Thee”

beseech 47% implore 28% entreat 15% beg 4% pray 3% ask 1% moreover 1% nevertheless 1% deal 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: I implore gleaningsGWB §214: implore kitab-i-iqanKIQ §285: seek enlightenment prayers-and-meditationsP&M §707: suppliant epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §152: beseecheth gleaningsGWB §157: shall not be asked kitab-i-iqanKIQ §195: the questions prayers-and-meditationsP&M §657: hath sought

مَقْصُودَ

maqṣúd q-ṣ-d → “sole desire”

literal: intended; purpose; desired

purpose 28% desire 26% meant 20% goal 5% meaning 4% desired 3% who 3% object 3% intended 3% thou 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §215: unto the Supreme Goal gleaningsGWB §426: Him Who is the Desire of all nations kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: The object kitab-i-iqanKIQ §33: signify prayers-and-meditationsP&M §698: the Goal of my desire the-hidden-wordsHW §76: seeketh will-and-testamentW&T §47: my heart’s Desire epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §77: their hearts’ Desire

العارِفِينَ

al-ʿárifín ʿ-r-f → “them that have recognized”

literal: knowledge; know; knower

SE expanded to “them that have recognized”

all 22% have 17% comprehend 13% every 10% such 8% who 8% know 8% understand 5% perceive 5% initiated 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §189: failed to recognize gleaningsGWB §127: know his kitab-i-ahdAhd §13: perform praiseworthy deeds kitab-i-iqanKIQ §125: true knowledge prayers-and-meditationsP&M §171: having confessed tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: to see the-hidden-wordsHW §3: shalt know epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §144: of Thy knowledge

العالَمِينَ

al-ʿálamín ʿ-l-m → “entire creation” Distinctive

literal: world; worlds

This form usually rendered as “worlds”, “all”, “world” (214 occurrences)

worlds 52% all 31% world 6% whole 3% entire 2% earth 2% men 2% creatures 1% creation 1% people 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §43: understand fire-tabletFire §13: ensigns gleaningsGWB §435: an ever-advancing civilization kitab-i-ahdAhd §2: recognized kitab-i-iqanKIQ §161: is evident prayers-and-meditationsP&M §716: endued with understanding tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §17: of all the worlds tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §13: which we have taught

اجْتَذَبْتَهُمْ

ijtadhabtahum j-dh-b → “attracted them” Distinctive

literal: attract; attraction; attract, draw

This form usually rendered as “hast” (1 occurrences)

attract 21% enrapture 12% attracted 12% carried 10% have 10% draw 10% rapture 7% enraptured 7% may 7% ecstasies 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §133: enraptured fire-tabletFire §3: O Enchanter gleaningsGWB §618: kindle kitab-i-iqanKIQ §163: transports prayers-and-meditationsP&M §711: my Joy epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §22: lodestone gleaningsGWB §654: the Lode Star of my soul prayers-and-meditationsP&M §725: I have been so carried away

بِكَلِمَتِكَ

bikalimatik k-l-m → “most exalted word”

literal: word; words

SE expanded to “most exalted Word”

word 78% most 14% shining 3% through 3% message 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §177: pronounce fire-tabletFire §48: Thy shining word gleaningsGWB §48: through Thy most exalted Word kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: utter kitab-i-iqanKIQ §122: those verses of the Book prayers-and-meditationsP&M §719: by Thy word tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §48: one mystic word the-hidden-wordsHW §95: faith

العُلْيا

al-ʿulyá ʿ-l-w

literal: highest; exalted; high

SE rendered اجْتَذَبْتَهُمْ (ijtadhabtahum), بِكَلِمَتِكَ (bikalimatik), العُلْيا (al-ʿulyá), تُبْعِدْهُمْ (tubʿidhum), سُرَادِقِ (surádiq) as “attracted them, most exalted Word, be far removed, the Tabernacle”