Prayers and Meditations — §426

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 426 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

أَيْ رَبِّ تَرَى عِبَادَكَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِكَ وَبِآياتِكَ كَيْفَ وَقَعُوا بَيْنَ مَخالِيبِ أَعْدائِكَ وَسَدُّوا عَلَى وُجُوهِهِمْ أَبْوابَ الرَّخَآءِ وَتَرَكُوهُمْ فِي هذا الحِصْنِ الَّذِيْ مُنِعَ عَنْهُ الرَّاحَةُ وَالرَّجآءُ، وَوَرَدَ عَلَيْهِمْ فِي سَبِيلِكَ ما لا وَرَدَ عَلَى أَحَدٍ مِنْ قَبلُ، وَيَشْهَدُ بِذلِكَ سُكَّانُ العَرْشِ وَالثَّرى وَأَهْلُ مَلإِ الأَعْلی،

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou seest, O my Lord, how Thy servants, who have believed on Thee and acknowledged Thy signs, have fallen into the clutches of Thine enemies, how the doors of ease and comfort have been shut against them, how they languish in the Fortress wherein neither pleasantness nor hope can be found. They have suffered in Thy path what no man before them hath suffered. To this bear witness they who abide around Thy throne, and the dwellers of the earth, and the Concourse on high.

Translation Notes

عِبَادَكَ

ʿibádak ʿ-b-d → “thy servants”

literal: servants; servant; servant/slave

servants 87% among 4% people 3% unto 1% upon 1% all 1% amidst 1% sincere 1% servants’ 1% ones 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §109: the servants of God fire-tabletFire §49: Adored gleaningsGWB §465: a servant kitab-i-iqanKIQ §224: of all mankind prayers-and-meditationsP&M §222: Thy sincere servants tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a service will-and-testamentW&T §12: trusted servants epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §140: men

آمَنُوا

ámanúá ʾ-m-n → “have believed on thee”

literal: believer; believe

SE expanded to “have believed on Thee”

have 47% believe 18% believed 12% having 6% had 6% firmly 6% who 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §228: bear Him allegiance gleaningsGWB §251: have believed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §86: A true believer prayers-and-meditationsP&M §852: Thy security tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §7: have ye believed the-hidden-wordsHW §92: abide therein will-and-testamentW&T §28: loyalty epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §117: representatives

وَبِآياتِكَ

wabiáyátik ʾ-y-y → “and acknowledged thy signs”

literal: sign; signs

SE expanded to “and acknowledged Thy signs”

signs 75% acknowledged 13% repudiated 6% most 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §206: and in His signs fire-tabletFire §26: utterance gleaningsGWB §75: the verses of God kitab-i-iqanKIQ §242: those prayers-and-meditationsP&M §774: signs and tokens tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §7: by what the-hidden-wordsHW §147: wert thou to attain thereto will-and-testamentW&T §9: sacred verse

كَيْفَ

kayf k-y-f → “how”

literal: how; how, why; how/whithersoever

how 67% why 12% wherefore 10% what 5% “how 2% into 2% whithersoever 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §172: how gleaningsGWB §374: how much less kitab-i-iqanKIQ §273: nature prayers-and-meditationsP&M §701: and how can the-hidden-wordsHW §15: why epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §13: as gleaningsGWB §197: how much more kitab-i-iqanKIQ §282: What of

وَقَعُوا

waqaʿúá w-q-ʿ → “have fallen”

literal: fall

fell 17% have 17% come 13% occurred 10% hath 10% recipients 10% brought 7% repositories 7% exponents 7% actually 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §245: was gleaningsGWB §470: at kitab-i-iqanKIQ §221: unfailing prayers-and-meditationsP&M §233: behold tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §53: fell upon the-hidden-wordsHW §148: situate will-and-testamentW&T §35: I fell a victim epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: fell

مَخالِيبِ

makhálíb kh-l-b → “clutches of”

literal: claws; claw, talon; talon

clutches 75% talons 25%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §157: clutches prayers-and-meditationsP&M §426: the clutches will-and-testamentW&T §10: the talons

أَعْدائِكَ

ʾaʿdáʾik ʿ-d-w → “thine enemies”

literal: enemy; enemies

enemies 55% adversaries 32% foes 6% among 3% against 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §92: of the transgressors fire-tabletFire §33: Thy foes gleaningsGWB §520: Our enemies kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: enmity kitab-i-iqanKIQ §278: enemy prayers-and-meditationsP&M §617: all mine adversaries the-hidden-wordsHW §25: Transgress will-and-testamentW&T §52: the enemies

وَسَدُّوا

wasaddúá s-d-d → “have been shut”

literal: closed; barrier; blocked

SE expanded to “have been shut”

closed 44% shut 11% barrier 6% rectitude 6% obstruct 6% insuperable 6% satisfy 6% barred 6% stilled 6% having 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §227: barrier gleaningsGWB §124: closed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §98: stilled prayers-and-meditationsP&M §268: shut the-hidden-wordsHW §130: mighty barrier will-and-testamentW&T §28: show your fidelity gleaningsGWB §680: Obstruct kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: closed, and

وُجُوهِهِمْ

wujúhihim w-j-h → “face”

literal: face

faces 63% against 13% whose 13% eyes 6% own 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §161: turn fire-tabletFire §30: This Face gleaningsGWB §266: set her hopes on kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: set his face kitab-i-iqanKIQ §30: to turn prayers-and-meditationsP&M §484: set your faces towards tablet-of-carmelCarmel §2: hast directed towards me Thy steps the-hidden-wordsHW §76: turned towards

أَبْوابَ

ʾabwáb b-w-b → “doors”

literal: door; doors; door, gate

doors 43% portals 33% gates 20% door 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §113: door gleaningsGWB §124: portal kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: door that prayers-and-meditationsP&M §79: the presence of epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §161: doors gleaningsGWB §34: the portals kitab-i-iqanKIQ §103: words prayers-and-meditationsP&M §760: the gate

الرَّخَآءِ

ar-rakháʾ r-kh-y → “ye” Distinctive

literal: ease; prosperity/ease

This form usually rendered as “affluence”, “ease” (2 occurrences)

affluence 50% ease 50%

gleaningsGWB §488: the affluence prayers-and-meditationsP&M §426: ease and comfort gleaningsGWB §183: that ye might prosper and flourish

وَتَرَكُوهُمْ

watarakúhum t-r-k → “have” Distinctive

literal: leave; abandon; leave/abandon

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

have 19% cast 14% abandoned 14% renounce 10% forsaken 10% thou 10% wilt 10% darkness 5% discarded 5% noted 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §239: abandoned him fire-tabletFire §18: been forsaken gleaningsGWB §541: its perversity kitab-i-iqanKIQ §234: abandon prayers-and-meditationsP&M §196: Thou abandonest them the-hidden-wordsHW §40: Neglect not epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: have put away fire-tabletFire §2: been abandoned

الحِصْنِ

al-ḥiṣn ḥ-ṣ-n → “fortress”

literal: fortress; fortified

stronghold 55% fortress-town 10% within 10% tower 7% fortress 7% captivity 3% sanctuary 3% bulwark 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §149: tower of strength gleaningsGWB §490: a stronghold kitab-i-iqanKIQ §92: married man prayers-and-meditationsP&M §426: the Fortress the-hidden-wordsHW §34: abide therein will-and-testamentW&T §12: impregnable epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §209: fortress gleaningsGWB §594: a tower of strength

مُنِعَ

muniʿ m-n-ʿ → “withhold”

literal: prevent; prevented; prevention

hindered 16% deter 11% withhold 11% hath 11% have 11% withheld 9% hinder 9% prevented 7% deprive 7% prevent 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §36: forbade them gleaningsGWB §490: Let kitab-i-iqanKIQ §277: infinite prayers-and-meditationsP&M §386: cloud tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §9: arise against thee the-hidden-wordsHW §89: no longer will-and-testamentW&T §56: hindrance epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §51: deterreth

الرَّاحَةُ

ar-ráḥah r-w-ḥ

literal: spirit; spiritual; soul

SE rendered مُنِعَ (muniʿ), عَنْهُ (ʿanh), الرَّاحَةُ (ar-ráḥah), وَالرَّجآءُ، (wálrrajáʾu،), وَوَرَدَ (wawarad) as “neither pleasantness nor hope, have suffered”

peace 25% repose 13% wine 13% blissful 13% any 13% pleasantness 13% rest 13%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §13: winds fire-tabletFire §30: the breezes gleaningsGWB §246: My soul kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: happiness kitab-i-iqanKIQ §31: myrtles prayers-and-meditationsP&M §221: from the noisome savors tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §25: of heaven the-hidden-wordsHW §98: blasts

وَالرَّجآءُ،

wálrrajáʾu، r-j-w

literal: hope; hope, desire; hope/desire

SE rendered مُنِعَ (muniʿ), عَنْهُ (ʿanh), الرَّاحَةُ (ar-ráḥah), وَالرَّجآءُ، (wálrrajáʾu،), وَوَرَدَ (wawarad), عَلَيْهِمْ (ʿalayhim) as “neither pleasantness nor hope, have suffered, them”

hope 41% desire 14% longing 9% ardent 9% may 5% suppliant 5% beholdest 5% aspiration 5% one 5% confidence 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: Desire fire-tabletFire §4: Longing gleaningsGWB §629: may obtain kitab-i-iqanKIQ §10: our hopes were fixed prayers-and-meditationsP&M §817: beseeching the-hidden-wordsHW §50: even as doth will-and-testamentW&T §32: heart’s Desire epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §171: hope

وَوَرَدَ

wawarad w-r-d → “have suffered”

literal: entering; come; came upon

hath 20% there 20% suffered 10% caused 10% have 10% endured 10% sustained 10% touched 10%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §238: befall gleaningsGWB §127: hath attained kitab-i-iqanKIQ §115: fell a victim prayers-and-meditationsP&M §797: and sustained will-and-testamentW&T §49: in the midst of my woes epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: the things which have befallen gleaningsGWB §466: did ye afflict kitab-i-iqanKIQ §217: attain and enter

سَبِيلِكَ

sabílik s-b-l → “thy path”

literal: path; way; path/way

path 88% sake 5% way 1% thee 1% path.” 1% path!” 1% ways 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §18: systems of religious belief gleaningsGWB §652: sake kitab-i-iqanKIQ §215: ways prayers-and-meditationsP&M §624: the paths tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §11: in My path the-hidden-wordsHW §46: My path will-and-testamentW&T §3: shed streams epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: in the path

أَحَدٍ

ʾaḥadin ʾ-ḥ-d → “man”

literal: anyone; one; oneness

one 27% any 22% man 18% anyone 14% none 6% others 3% neighbor 3% who 2% incomparable 2% other 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §127: none of the faithful gleaningsGWB §691: Neither kitab-i-iqanKIQ §265: Who prayers-and-meditationsP&M §315: glorifying the oneness tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §55: dweller the-hidden-wordsHW §3: thy neighbor epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §165: any gleaningsGWB §467: eleven

وَيَشْهَدُ

wayashhad sh-h-d → “bear witness” Distinctive

literal: witness; witnessed

This form usually rendered as “beareth”, “testifieth”, “testify” (57 occurrences)

beareth 25% testifieth 23% testify 19% bear 13% unto 4% will 4% confesseth 4% would 4% witnesseth 2% witness 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §77: beheld fire-tabletFire §48: the place gleaningsGWB §537: that ye may perceive kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: appeareth kitab-i-iqanKIQ §216: he will perceive prayers-and-meditationsP&M §235: is overshadowed tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: have We found them the-hidden-wordsHW §46: Seek a martyr’s death

سُكَّانُ

sukkán s-k-n

literal: dwelling; inhabitants; dwell

SE rendered وَيَشْهَدُ (wayashhad), بِذلِكَ (bidhlik), سُكَّانُ (sukkán), العَرْشِ (al-ʿarsh), وَالثَّرى (wálththarى) as “bear witness, To, throne, earth”