Prayers and Meditations — §356

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 356 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، أَيْ رَبِّ طَهِّرْ أُذُنِي لاسْتِماعِ آياتِكَ وَنَوِّرْ قَلْبِي بِنُورِ عِرْفانِكَ، ثُمَّ أَنْطِقْ لِسانِيْ بِذِكْرِكَ وَثَنائِكَ، فَوَعِزَّتِكَ يا إِلهِي لا أُحِبُّ سِواكَ وَلا أُرِيدُ دُونَكَ،

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Purge Thou mine ear, O my Lord, that I may hearken unto the verses sent down unto Thee, and illuminate my heart with the light of Thy knowledge, and loose my tongue that it may make mention of Thee and sing Thy praise. By Thy might, O my God! My soul is wedded to none beside Thee, and my heart seeketh none except Thine own Self.

Translation Notes

مِنْ

m-n

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

خَلْقِكَ،

kh-l-q

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

أَيْ

ʾ-y-y → “O”

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

رَبِّ

r-b-b → “my Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

طَهِّرْ

ṭ-h-r → “pure” Distinctive

literal: to purify; to cleanse

أُذُنِي

ʾ-dh-n → “ears” Distinctive

literal: ear; permission; leave; to permit; to allow; to listen

لاسْتِماعِ

s-m-ʿ → “hearken unto”

literal: heard, hearkened to, acceptable, worthy of attention

آياتِكَ

ʾ-y-y → “verses” Distinctive

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

وَنَوِّرْ

n-w-r → “illuminate” Distinctive

literal: light; illumination

قَلْبِي

q-l-b → “my heart”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

عِرْفانِكَ،

ʿ-r-f → “of Thy knowledge”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

ثُمَّ

th-m-m → “and” Distinctive

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

أَنْطِقْ

n-ṭ-q → “spoken” Distinctive

literal: to speak; to utter; to pronounce; to articulate

لِسانِيْ

l-s-n → “my tongue”

literal: tongue; language

بِذِكْرِكَ

dh-k-r → “make mention of” Distinctive

literal: remembrance; mention; memory

وَثَنائِكَ،

th-n-y → “sing Thy praise”

literal: praise; commendation; eulogy; glorification; praise, commendation, eulogy

فَوَعِزَّتِكَ

ʿ-z-z → “By Thy might”

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

يا

y-ʾ

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

إِلهِي

ʾ-l-h → “O my God”

literal: God; Allah; deity; Divinity; divine nature; godhood

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

أُحِبُّ

ḥ-b-b

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

سِواكَ

s-w-y → “beside Thee” Distinctive

literal: other than; besides; except; equal; alike

وَلا

w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

literal: friend; lord; guardian

أُرِيدُ

r-y-d → “seeketh” Distinctive

literal: to will; to intend; to wish; will, volition, intention, desire

دُونَكَ،

d-w-n → “none except Thine own Self” Distinctive

literal: below; lower than; beneath

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