Prayers and Meditations — §455

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 455 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

عَمَّا قَدَّرْتَةُ لأصْفِيَائِكَ، وَيا إِلهِي إِنِّي حَبَّةٌ قَدْ زَرَعْتَهَا فِي أَرْضِ حُبِّكَ وَأَنْبَتْتَها بِيَدِ إِحْسَانِكَ، إِذًا تَطْلُبُ بِكيْنُونَتِهَا مَاءَ رَحْمَتِكَ وَكَوْثَرَ فَضْلِكَ، فَأَنْزِلْ عَلَيْهَا مِنْ سَمَاءِ عنَايَتِكَ ما يُرَبِّيهَا فِي ظِلِّكَ وَجِوارِكَ، وَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ ساقِي قُلُوبِ العارِفِينَ مَاءَ الكَوْثَرِ وَالتَّسْنِيمِ وَالحَمْدُ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

I am, O my God, but a tiny seed which Thou hast sown in the soil of Thy love, and caused to spring forth by the hand of Thy bounty. This seed craveth, therefore, in its inmost being, for the waters of Thy mercy and the living fountain of Thy grace. Send down upon it, from the heaven of Thy loving-kindness, that which will enable it to flourish beneath Thy shadow and within the borders of Thy court. Thou art He Who watereth the hearts of all that have recognized Thee from Thy plenteous stream and the fountain of Thy living waters.

Translation Notes

قَدَّرْتَةُ

qaddartah q-d-r

literal: power; powerful

SE rendered قَدَّرْتَةُ (qaddartah), لأصْفِيَائِكَ، (lʾaṣfíáʾika،), وَيا (wayá), إِلهِي (ʾilhí) as “O my, God”

power 49% thou 18% might 8% decreed 5% didst 4% ordain 4% ordained 4% omnipotence 3% divine 2% have 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §160: Potent fire-tabletFire §48: Ordainer gleaningsGWB §348: numerous and far-reaching kitab-i-ahdAhd §12: granted kitab-i-iqanKIQ §1: God hath destined prayers-and-meditationsP&M §491: Thy hand tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: are not tablet-of-carmelCarmel §5: the Mighty, the All-Powerful

لأصْفِيَائِكَ،

lʾaṣfíáʾika، ṣ-f-w

literal: chosen ones; chosen-ones

SE rendered لأصْفِيَائِكَ، (lʾaṣfíáʾika،), وَيا (wayá), إِلهِي (ʾilhí), إِنِّي (ʾinní), حَبَّةٌ (ḥabbahun) as “O my, God, I, tiny seed”

chosen 92% ones 3% thou 3% holy 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §25: clear fire-tabletFire §27: and gleaningsGWB §435: crystal kitab-i-iqanKIQ §264: pure prayers-and-meditationsP&M §250: and didst choose Him the-hidden-wordsHW §100: crystal pure will-and-testamentW&T §45: Thy Holy Ones epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: chosen ones

وَيا

wayá y-ʾ → “o my”

literal: O; or

SE rendered وَيا (wayá), إِلهِي (ʾilhí), إِنِّي (ʾinní), حَبَّةٌ (ḥabbahun) as “O my, God, I, tiny seed”

ye 50% sought 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §88: O kitab-i-iqanKIQ §42: sought epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §157: O ye

إِلهِي

ʾilhí ʾ-l-h → “god”

literal: God; divine; god

god 64% divine 22% god’s 5% lord 4% holy 2% mystic 1% heavenly 1% grace 1% god-given 1% pertaineth 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §206: Godhead gleaningsGWB §668: set kitab-i-iqanKIQ §198: the realm of Divinity prayers-and-meditationsP&M §119: my God the-hidden-wordsHW §147: celestial will-and-testamentW&T §23: is of God epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: God is gleaningsGWB §191: God’s

إِنِّي

ʾinní ʾ-n-n → “i” Distinctive

literal: indeed/verily; indeed

This form usually rendered as “call” (6 occurrences)

thee 21% verily 14% thou 14% now 7% moment 7% admit 7% recognize 7% “there 7% “verily 7% such 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §216: now gleaningsGWB §161: were prayers-and-meditationsP&M §837: Since Thou hast will-and-testamentW&T §36: for they are gleaningsGWB §161: Were it prayers-and-meditationsP&M §722: to sigh will-and-testamentW&T §36: I call upon Thee gleaningsGWB §2: to admit that

حَبَّةٌ

ḥabbahun ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

love 83% loving 5% grain 2% “love 2% love!” 2% devotion 2% fervid 2% token 2% beauty’s 2% lust 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §144: their love for Thee fire-tabletFire §7: of Thy love gleaningsGWB §451: His Well-Beloved One kitab-i-iqanKIQ §100: affectionate prayers-and-meditationsP&M §20: and for my loved ones tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: I long tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §40: the Beloved One the-hidden-wordsHW §6: Love Me

زَرَعْتَهَا

zaraʿtahá z-r-ʿ → “sown”

literal: sow, plant

1 occurrence in corpus

prayers-and-meditationsP&M §455: sown

أَرْضِ

ʾarḍ ʾ-r-ḍ → “soil” Distinctive

literal: earth; land; earth, land

This form usually rendered as “earth”, “land”, “world” (211 occurrences)

earth 68% land 14% world 7% soil 2% city 2% holy 1% upon 1% peoples 1% all 1% mankind 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §118: the land gleaningsGWB §372: “Earth kitab-i-iqanKIQ §114: on prayers-and-meditationsP&M §470: the dwellers the-hidden-wordsHW §44: My earth epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §122: world gleaningsGWB §547: From the kitab-i-iqanKIQ §224: them that fear God.”

وَأَنْبَتْتَها

waʾanbattahá n-b-t → “caused to spring forth”

literal: sprouting; plant/herb; growth

SE expanded to “caused to spring forth”

may 14% plants 14% spring 14% grow 14% bringeth 7% tender 7% produced 7% germinate 7% hast 7% flourished 7%

gleaningsGWB §312: bringeth forth kitab-i-iqanKIQ §211: plants prayers-and-meditationsP&M §516: grow the-hidden-wordsHW §155: spring up gleaningsGWB §82: may spring forth kitab-i-iqanKIQ §51: spring forth prayers-and-meditationsP&M §295: flourished gleaningsGWB §82: tender herbs

بِيَدِ

bíad y-d-y → “by the hand”

literal: hand; hands; by-hand

SE expanded to “by the hand”

hand 61% hands 21% allowed 4% right 4% all 4% care 4% whose 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §106: the hands gleaningsGWB §63: all his might kitab-i-iqanKIQ §95: with their own hands prayers-and-meditationsP&M §165: Thee tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: in Whose hand is tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §57: with their hands epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: hand of Thy loving-kindness gleaningsGWB §448: thine own hands

إِحْسَانِكَ،

ʾiḥsánika، ḥ-s-n → “thy bounty”

literal: best; Husayn; beautiful

bounty 29% bountiful 21% through 14% favor 14% favors 7% providence 7% gracious 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §265: good deeds gleaningsGWB §257: do good kitab-i-iqanKIQ §120: righteousness prayers-and-meditationsP&M §561: that which is good the-hidden-wordsHW §2: kindly will-and-testamentW&T §21: improve epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §198: the beauty thereof gleaningsGWB §227: most comely

تَطْلُبُ

taṭlub ṭ-l-b → “seeker”

literal: seeking; seek; seeker

craveth 25% seekest 25% seek 25% ask 25%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §11: still seek gleaningsGWB §130: principle kitab-i-iqanKIQ §78: object prayers-and-meditationsP&M §359: eagerness the-hidden-wordsHW §78: his heart’s desire epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §240: requesteth gleaningsGWB §461: views kitab-i-iqanKIQ §261: yearned

بِكيْنُونَتِهَا

bikynúnatihá k-w-n → “its inmost being”

literal: be; to be

SE expanded to “its inmost being”

thou 28% ye 15% hath 11% all 8% have 8% will 6% may 6% essence 6% lay 6% had 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: Thou wast fire-tabletFire §35: universe gleaningsGWB §167: been in Mine hands kitab-i-iqanKIQ §255: art thou to prayers-and-meditationsP&M §793: essence hath been tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: they combine tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: thou hesitate tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §31: whose heart hath

مَاءَ

máʾ m-w-h → “waters”

literal: water; what

waters 43% water 38% such 5% rivers 5% what 5% foul 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §264: their waters gleaningsGWB §395: the soft-flowing waters kitab-i-iqanKIQ §12: the waters prayers-and-meditationsP&M §792: by reason of the-hidden-wordsHW §138: foul and mortal epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §264: its waters gleaningsGWB §12: waters prayers-and-meditationsP&M §377: by water

رَحْمَتِكَ

raḥmatik r-ḥ-m → “thy mercy”

literal: mercy; merciful

mercy 90% all-encompassing 2% transcendent 2% heaven 1% court 1% canopy 1% compassion 1% wondrous 1% mercies 1% tender 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §192: great mercy fire-tabletFire §30: Thy compassion gleaningsGWB §35: loving providence kitab-i-ahdAhd §8: blessings kitab-i-iqanKIQ §160: divine prayers-and-meditationsP&M §695: will show mercy tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a mercy the-hidden-wordsHW §109: My tender grace

وَكَوْثَرَ

wakawthar k-w-th-r → “living fountain”

literal: Kawthar; abundance/fountain

living 45% kawthar 14% waters 10% river 10% stream 3% cup 3% life-giving 3% through 3% everlasting 3% plenteous 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: the living waters gleaningsGWB §60: the life-giving waters of reunion kitab-i-iqanKIQ §118: Kawthar prayers-and-meditationsP&M §89: fountain epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: the living waters of Thy pardon gleaningsGWB §57: cup kitab-i-iqanKIQ §161: the Kawthar prayers-and-meditationsP&M §176: the waters

فَضْلِكَ،

faḍlika، f-ḍ-l → “thy grace”

literal: grace; grace/favor; grace, favor

grace 91% tender 2% dawning-places 1% hand 1% bounty 1% loving-kindness 1% horizon 1% bounteousness 1% favor 1% mercy 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §217: gracious favor gleaningsGWB §101: have caused to excel kitab-i-ahdAhd §11: Gracious kitab-i-iqanKIQ §240: so great an outpouring prayers-and-meditationsP&M §181: and the virtue tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §9: bounties the-hidden-wordsHW §1: the garment will-and-testamentW&T §23: virtues

فَأَنْزِلْ

faʾanzil n-z-l → “send down”

literal: send down

send 53% hath 20% sent 10% rain 8% pour 4% revealed 2% caused 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §134: hath revealed gleaningsGWB §428: the very eye kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: have already been revealed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §230: hath descended prayers-and-meditationsP&M §521: are sent down tablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: ‘Haste thee tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §18: grades the-hidden-wordsHW §97: thy goal

عَلَيْهَا

ʿalayhá ʿ-l-y → “upon it” Distinctive

literal: upon; on

This form usually rendered as “aid”, “convulsed” (5 occurrences)

aid 50% convulsed 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §157: overshadoweth gleaningsGWB §217: Thy tribulation kitab-i-iqanKIQ §223: of prayers-and-meditationsP&M §271: to do the-hidden-wordsHW §42: reveal unto thee will-and-testamentW&T §59: upon you epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §36: the esteemed gleaningsGWB §532: of My words

عنَايَتِكَ

ʿnáyatik ʿ-n-y → “thy loving-kindness”

literal: care; meaning; meanings

loving-kindness 65% bounty 7% grace 7% gracious 5% tender 4% mercy 4% through 2% mercies 2% favor 2% love 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §14: for perversity fire-tabletFire §15: Thy bounty gleaningsGWB §555: the Mystic Herald kitab-i-ahdAhd §6: invested kitab-i-iqanKIQ §86: interpretations prayers-and-meditationsP&M §763: hidden meanings the-hidden-wordsHW §68: by My favor will-and-testamentW&T §6: in the aforementioned manner

يُرَبِّيهَا

yurabbíhá r-b-y → “education” Distinctive

literal: education

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

education 29% educator 14% nurtured 7% hath 7% trained 7% disciplined 7% fostereth 7% enlightened 7% development 7% educative 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §228: nurtured gleaningsGWB §44: trained kitab-i-iqanKIQ §31: educative influence prayers-and-meditationsP&M §168: reared the-hidden-wordsHW §104: training will-and-testamentW&T §21: edify epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §207: Educator gleaningsGWB §44: disciplined

ظِلِّكَ

ẓillik ẓ-l-l → “thy shadow”

literal: shadow; shade; shadow/shade

shadow 86% beneath 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §79: the clouds gleaningsGWB §533: sheltered beneath the shadow kitab-i-iqanKIQ §101: the shelter of the shadow prayers-and-meditationsP&M §827: his most exalted home the-hidden-wordsHW §104: shade will-and-testamentW&T §2: shelter epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: shadow of the court of Thy bounty gleaningsGWB §87: clouds

وَجِوارِكَ،

wajiwárika، j-w-r

literal: essence; vicinity; proximity

SE rendered يُرَبِّيهَا (yurabbíhá), ظِلِّكَ (ẓillik), وَجِوارِكَ، (wajiwárika،), وَإِنَّكَ (waʾinnak), ساقِي (sáqí) as “enable it to flourish, Thy shadow, art, watereth”

precincts 43% court 29% within 14% shelter 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §149: the fugitive gleaningsGWB §129: Essence kitab-i-iqanKIQ §193: Essences prayers-and-meditationsP&M §313: and within tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §2: the nearness the-hidden-wordsHW §1: in the realm will-and-testamentW&T §2: pearl gleaningsGWB §331: The essence

ساقِي

sáqí s-q-y → “made” Distinctive

literal: cupbearer; gave-drink

This form usually rendered as “cup-bearer” (2 occurrences)

made 50% cup-bearer 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §161: made me to drink the-hidden-wordsHW §135: Cup-bearer

قُلُوبِ

qulúb q-l-b → “hearts”

literal: heart; hearts

hearts 79% souls 5% heart 4% men’s 3% breasts 2% whole 2% human 2% “hearts 2% radiant 1% fearful 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §64: their hearts gleaningsGWB §350: many cataclysms kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: a pure heart kitab-i-iqanKIQ §279: disturbance prayers-and-meditationsP&M §827: Whom the-hidden-wordsHW §102: human heart will-and-testamentW&T §48: with a heart epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §66: transformed

العارِفِينَ

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

literal: knowledge; know; knower

SE expanded to “all that have recognized Thee”

have 17% comprehend 15% all 15% know 12% such 10% understanding 7% understand 7% perceive 7% who 5% every 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §82: discovered their fragrance gleaningsGWB §546: the knowledge kitab-i-ahdAhd §13: perform praiseworthy deeds kitab-i-iqanKIQ §29: knowledge of God prayers-and-meditationsP&M §84: for them tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: to see the-hidden-wordsHW §143: knoweth others epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: recognize

وَالتَّسْنِيمِ

wálttasním s-n-m

literal: fountain

SE rendered العارِفِينَ (al-ʿárifín), مَاءَ (máʾ), الكَوْثَرِ (al-kawthar), وَالتَّسْنِيمِ (wálttasním) as “all that have recognized Thee, waters, Thy plenteous stream”