Prayers and Meditations — §341
Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 341 of 858.
Source (Arabic)
يَمْطُرُ عَلَينا مِنْ سَحابِ القَضآءِ سِهَامُ البَلآءِ ما نَجْزَعُ فِي حُبِّكَ وَنَشْكرُكَ فِي ذلِكَ لأنَّا عَرَفْنا وَأَيْقَنَّا بِأَنَّكَ ما قَدَّرْتَ لَنا إِلاَّ ما هُو خَيْرٌ لَنا، وَلَوْ تَجْزَعُ بِها فِي بَعْضِ الأَحْيانِ أَجْسامُنا تَسْتَبْشِرُ بِها أَرْواحُنا، فَوَعِزَّتِكَ يا مُنْيَةَ قُلُوبِنا وَفَرَحَ صُدُورِنا، كُلُّ نِقْمَةٍ فِي حُبِّكَ رَحْمَةٌ وَكُلُّ نارٍ نُورٌ وَكُلُّ عَذابٍ عَذْبٌ وَكُلُّ تَعَبٍ راحَةٌ وَكُلُّ حُزْنٍ فَرَحٌ، أَيْ رَبِّ مَنْ يَجْزَعُ مِنَ البَلايا فِي سَبِيلِكَ إِنَّهُ ما شَرِبَ كَأْسَ حُبِّكَ وَما ذاقَ حَلاوَةَ ذِكْرِكَ، أَسْئَلُكَ بِسُلْطانِ الأَسْمآءِ وَمَلِيكِها وَمَظْهَر
Shoghi Effendi Translation
As these tribulations, however, were sustained in Thy path and for love of Thee, they who were afflicted by them render thanks, under all conditions, unto Thee, and say: “O Thou Who art the Delight of our hearts and the Object of our adoration! Were the clouds of Thy decree to rain down upon us the darts of affliction, we would, in our love for Thee, refuse to be impatient. We would yield Thee praise and thanksgiving, for we have recognized and are persuaded that Thou hast ordained only that which will be best for us. If our bodies be, at times, weighed down by our troubles, yet our souls rejoice with exceeding gladness. We swear by Thy might, O Thou Who art the Desire of our hearts and the Exultation of our souls! Every trouble that toucheth us in our love for Thee is an evidence of Thy tender mercy, every fiery ordeal a sign of the brightness of Thy light, every woeful tribulation a cooling draught, every toil a blissful repose, every anguish a fountain of gladness.”
Translation Notes
وَنَشْكرُكَ
literal: thankfulness, gratitude; to give thanks, be grateful; manifest; evident; apparent; clear
مُنْيَةَ
literal: from me; mine; by me; sustenance; benefaction; refuge
وَمَظْهَر
literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation
