Prayers and Meditations — §431

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 431 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

العِبادِ قَدْ أَعْرَضُوا عَنْكَ وَقامُوا بِالمُحَارَبَةِ عَلَى نَفْسِكَ وَلَيْسَ لَكَ عِبَادٌ لِيُطِيعَكَ إِلاَّ هؤُلآءِ وَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا بِظُهُورِكَ الَّذِيْ بِهِ انْقَلَبَتِ الوُجُودُ وَاضْطَرَبَتِ النُّفُوسُ وَتَبَلْبَلَتِ الرُّقُودُ، فَيَا إِلهِي أَنْتَ الكَرِيْمُ ذُو الفَضْلِ العَظِيمِ، فَأَنْزِلْ عَلَيْهِمْ ما يَطْمَئِنُّ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou knowest, O my God, that all Thy servants have turned back from Thee and risen up against Thee. Thou knowest that Thou hast no one to obey Thee except them and such as have believed in Thy Revelation, through which the foundations of the entire universe have been shaken, and the souls of all men have trembled, and all that lay asleep were quickened. Thou art, O my God, the God of bounty, Whose grace is immense.

Translation Notes

العِبادِ

ʿ-b-d → “servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

قَدْ

q-d → “We have been”

literal: verily; indeed; certainly (particle of emphasis)

أَعْرَضُوا

ʿ-r-ḍ → “turned back” Distinctive

literal: to turn away; to avert; to abstain; heedless

عَنْكَ

ʿ-n → “from Thee” Distinctive

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

وَقامُوا

q-w-m → “risen up”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

بِالمُحَارَبَةِ

ḥ-r-b → “contended” Distinctive

literal: warfare; combat; fighting; hostility

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “Thee” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

وَلَيْسَ

l-y-s → “is not” Distinctive

literal: is not; to be not

لَكَ

l

literal: for; for you; for him

لِيُطِيعَكَ

ṭ-w-ʿ → “to obey”

literal: obedience; obeyed; obedient

إِلاَّ

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

هؤُلآءِ

h-ʾ-l → “these”

literal: these

وَالَّذِينَ

l-dh-y → “such as” Distinctive

literal: those who; the ones who (relative pronoun)

آمَنُوا

ʾ-m-n → “have believed”

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure

بِظُهُورِكَ

ẓ-h-r → “in Thy Revelation”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

بِهِ

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

انْقَلَبَتِ

q-l-b → “hearts” Distinctive

literal: to turn; to overturn; to reverse

الوُجُودُ

w-j-d → “universe” Distinctive

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

وَاضْطَرَبَتِ

ḍ-r-b → “have trembled” Distinctive

literal: to be disturbed; to tremble; to be troubled; to be shaken

النُّفُوسُ

n-f-s → “the souls”

literal: self; soul; psyche

وَتَبَلْبَلَتِ

b-l-b-l → “nightingales” Distinctive

literal: nightingale; to be agitated/disturbed; confusion

الرُّقُودُ،

r-q-d → “all that lay asleep”

literal: sleeping; sleep; sleeping ones

فَيَا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

إِلهِي

ʾ-l-h → “my God”

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

أَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

الكَرِيْمُ

k-r-m → “the God of bounty” Distinctive

literal: Carmel (Mount Carmel); vineyard, fruitful field

ذُو

dh-w → “girded with”

literal: possessor of; one having; those having

الفَضْلِ

f-ḍ-l → “grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

العَظِيمِ،

ʿ-ẓ-m → “is immense” Distinctive

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

فَأَنْزِلْ

literal: to descend, to be revealed

عَلَيْهِمْ

literal: exalted; highest; supreme; most high; upon you; on; over; Ali (name); upon

ما

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

يَطْمَئِنُّ

literal: tranquility; confidence; tranquil

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