Prayers and Meditations — §487

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 487 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

يا إِلهِي تَرَى بِأَنَّ السُّكرَ أَخَذَ عِبادَكَ الَّذِينَ أَعْرَضُوا عَنْ جَمَالِكَ وَاعْتَرَضُوا عَلَى ما نُزِّلَ عَنْ يَمِينِ عَرْشِ عَظَمَتِكَ، قَدْ أَتَيْتُ يا إِلهِي عَلَى ظُلَلِ المَعَانِي وَالبَيَانِ، إِذًا اضْطَرَبَتْ أَهْلُ الأَكْوانِ وَتَزَلْزَلَتْ أَرْكانُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِبُرْهانِكَ، يا مَنْ فِي قَبْضَتِكَ مَنْ فِي الإِمْكانِ،

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou beholdest, O my God, how bewildered in their drunkenness are Thy servants who have turned back from Thy beauty and caviled at what hath been sent down from the right hand of the throne of Thy majesty. Thou didst come, O my God, in the clouds of Thy spirit and Thine utterance, and lo, the entire creation shook and trembled, and the limbs of them who repudiated Thy testimonies were made to quiver, O Thou in Whose grasp is the lordship of all things!

Translation Notes

إِلهِي

ʾilhí ʾ-l-h → “thou beholdest” Distinctive

literal: god; divine; o god

This form usually rendered as “god”, “divine”, “lord” (900 occurrences)

god 82% divine 10% lord 3% god’s 2% holy 1% heavenly 1% god’s 0% sacred 0% divinely 0% thou 0%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §73: uttered by God fire-tabletFire §41: after God gleaningsGWB §462: and to this God is My witness kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: the divine Testator kitab-i-iqanKIQ §229: these prayers-and-meditationsP&M §815: are God’s tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §50: By the Lord the-hidden-wordsHW §154: heaven

تَرَى

tará r-ʾ-y

literal: see; to see

SE rendered إِلهِي (ʾilhí), تَرَى (tará), السُّكرَ (as-sukr), أَخَذَ (ʾakhadh), عِبادَكَ (ʿibádak) as “Thou beholdest, drunkenness, bewildered, servants”

thou 63% seest 19% beholdest 8% canst 3% behold 3% wert 1% lo 1% gaze 1% wouldst 1% now 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §228: the mirrors fire-tabletFire §26: seest gleaningsGWB §668: doth see kitab-i-iqanKIQ §92: the Mirrors reflecting the sun of prayers-and-meditationsP&M §377: I recognize the-hidden-wordsHW §37: and to mirror forth will-and-testamentW&T §5: behold him epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §129: found

السُّكرَ

as-sukr s-k-r → “drunkenness”

literal: drunkenness; agony/stupor

drunkenness 31% inebriated 31% drunk 15% stupor 8% inebriation 8% inebriating 8%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §129: stupor fire-tabletFire §19: The agonies gleaningsGWB §75: have stared up with terror kitab-i-iqanKIQ §146: frenzy prayers-and-meditationsP&M §719: and so inebriated epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: drunk fire-tabletFire §21: drunkenness gleaningsGWB §77: in their drunkenness

أَخَذَ

ʾakhadh ʾ-kh-dh → “bewildered” Distinctive

literal: take; taking; seize

This form usually rendered as “arrested”, “hath”, “seek” (81 occurrences)

arrested 19% hath 15% seek 12% seized 8% have 8% seize 8% usurp 8% clung 8% receive 8% bewildered 8%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §227: seize on them fire-tabletFire §13: hath befallen gleaningsGWB §520: fail to safeguard kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: Grasp ye kitab-i-iqanKIQ §111: take it prayers-and-meditationsP&M §535: been so inebriated tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: let him choose tablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: Seize thou

عِبادَكَ

ʿibádak ʿ-b-d → “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 §66: others fire-tabletFire §49: Adored gleaningsGWB §668: your neighbor kitab-i-iqanKIQ §196: of servitude prayers-and-meditationsP&M §601: This servant of Thine tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a service will-and-testamentW&T §10: servant of Thine epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §40: the servants

أَعْرَضُوا

ʾaʿraḍúá ʿ-r-ḍ → “have turned back”

literal: turn away; turning away

SE expanded to “have turned back”

have 36% turned 32% repudiated 11% turneth 4% given 4% turn 4% having 4% however 4% broken 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §232: by turning aside from Him gleaningsGWB §689: too critical kitab-i-iqanKIQ §148: pronouncing their censure prayers-and-meditationsP&M §463: they cavil at tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §14: he who turns away the-hidden-wordsHW §9: by renouncing will-and-testamentW&T §3: exposed epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: O thou who hast withdrawn thyself from

جَمَالِكَ

jamálik j-m-l → “beauty”

literal: beauty; beautiful

beauty 85% gaze 2% face 2% whose 2% countenance 1% glory 1% contemplation 1% swear 1% most 1% through 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §33: briefly gleaningsGWB §421: By My beauty kitab-i-ahdAhd §14: Gracious kitab-i-iqanKIQ §74: the divine Beauty prayers-and-meditationsP&M §248: my glory tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §28: her beauty the-hidden-wordsHW §58: a more glorious thing will-and-testamentW&T §4: His

نُزِّلَ

nuzzil n-z-l → “hath been sent down”

literal: send down; descending; descend

SE expanded to “hath been sent down”

hath 42% sent 31% revealed 11% have 6% which 3% messages 2% book 2% inflicted 2% indignities 2% recorded 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §40: were revealed gleaningsGWB §583: shall also descend kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: that which We have revealed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §74: descending prayers-and-meditationsP&M §835: sent down by Thee tablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: Haste thee tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §34: “Descend the-hidden-wordsHW §54: visit

يَمِينِ

yamín y-m-n → “right hand”

literal: right; right hand; right-hand

right 86% right-hand 6% draw 3% towards 3% into 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §67: the right-hand gleaningsGWB §192: my right hand kitab-i-iqanKIQ §275: the right hand side prayers-and-meditationsP&M §702: into the right hand will-and-testamentW&T §5: the right epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §171: right side gleaningsGWB §198: the right side kitab-i-iqanKIQ §144: on the right hand

عَرْشِ

ʿarsh ʿ-r-sh → “of the throne”

literal: throne

SE expanded to “of the throne”

throne 86% seat 4% pillar 2% mighty 2% presence 1% thrones 1% throne.” 1% exalted 1% mercy 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §149: pillar of gleaningsGWB §585: the Throne of glory kitab-i-iqanKIQ §140: seat prayers-and-meditationsP&M §837: the mercy seat the-hidden-wordsHW §120: OF MY THRONE epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §262: the Throne gleaningsGWB §210: of My presence kitab-i-iqanKIQ §86: Throne.”

عَظَمَتِكَ،

ʿaẓamatika، ʿ-ẓ-m → “of thy majesty”

literal: greatest; great; greatness

SE expanded to “of Thy majesty”

majesty 58% greatness 19% glory 13% grandeur 3% great 3% whose 3% before 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §56: highly-honored gleaningsGWB §721: glorious kitab-i-ahdAhd §7: categorically kitab-i-iqanKIQ §181: more exalted prayers-and-meditationsP&M §137: How the-hidden-wordsHW §21: plenteous will-and-testamentW&T §5: bitter epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: most great

أَتَيْتُ

ʾatayt ʾ-t-y → “thou didst come”

literal: come

SE expanded to “Thou didst come”

come 38% hath 14% came 13% produce 7% appeared 6% bring 5% gave 5% coming 5% shall 5% will 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §231: cometh gleaningsGWB §691: be the author kitab-i-iqanKIQ §84: shall give out prayers-and-meditationsP&M §106: came down the-hidden-wordsHW §32: shall come epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: produce then gleaningsGWB §506: and come again unto kitab-i-iqanKIQ §231: ‘Bring back

ظُلَلِ

ẓulal ẓ-l-l → “clouds”

literal: shade; shadow; shadow/shade

clouds 50% overshadowed 25% shadows 8% cloud 8% overshadow 8%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §104: shadow gleaningsGWB §517: beneath your shadow kitab-i-iqanKIQ §117: shelter of His shadow prayers-and-meditationsP&M §617: shelter me the-hidden-wordsHW §104: shade will-and-testamentW&T §2: seeketh the shelter epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: overshadowed gleaningsGWB §524: your dependents

المَعَانِي

al-maʿání ʿ-n-y → “spirit” Distinctive

literal: meaning; meanings

This form usually rendered as “meaning”, “inner”, “divine” (79 occurrences)

meaning 21% inner 19% divine 13% mystic 11% understanding 9% mysteries 6% truth 6% spirit 6% ma’ani 4% revelation 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §17: Mystic fire-tabletFire §15: Thy bounty gleaningsGWB §34: of grace kitab-i-ahdAhd §6: invested kitab-i-iqanKIQ §229: disdainfully ignore prayers-and-meditationsP&M §385: of Thy grace the-hidden-wordsHW §155: divine mystery will-and-testamentW&T §6: in the aforementioned manner

وَالبَيَانِ،

wálbayáni، b-y-n → “thine utterance”

literal: utterance

utterance 65% divine 7% eloquence 5% tongue 5% through 5% glorification 5% unto 2% ornament 2% articulate 2% book 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §88: glaring fire-tabletFire §23: to speak forth gleaningsGWB §703: depths of kitab-i-ahdAhd §8: among My kitab-i-iqanKIQ §78: all that hath been said prayers-and-meditationsP&M §105: at the mercy of tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §16: absolute the-hidden-wordsHW §155: of wisdom

اضْطَرَبَتْ

iḍṭarabat ḍ-r-b → “tremble”

literal: disturbed; be disturbed; agitation

tremble 18% have 18% trembling 9% hath 9% feared 9% shook 9% foundations 9% troubled 9% perturbed 9%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §140: perturbed gleaningsGWB §161: Dismayed and overpowered kitab-i-iqanKIQ §206: dismay prayers-and-meditationsP&M §617: fear and trembling tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §11: be not thou troubled tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §57: smote the-hidden-wordsHW §15: dost thou dread will-and-testamentW&T §53: sunk into

أَهْلُ

ʾahl ʾ-h-l → “people”

literal: people; people/folk; people/inhabitants

people 40% peoples 20% dwellers 12% inmates 5% men 5% dwell 4% all 3% mankind 3% denizens 3% inhabitants 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §87: they that dwell fire-tabletFire §41: the stirrers gleaningsGWB §355: those who hear it.”kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: beholders kitab-i-iqanKIQ §60: that are in prayers-and-meditationsP&M §128: the stirrers of tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §5: dwellers therein the-hidden-wordsHW §92: children

الأَكْوانِ

al-ʾakwán k-w-n → “the entire” Distinctive

literal: be; was; to be

This form usually rendered as “all”, “creation”, “earth” (22 occurrences)

all 25% creation 20% earth 15% entire 15% universe 10% created 5% world 5% creatures 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §235: should ever bear gleaningsGWB §649: things kitab-i-iqanKIQ §188: that the seal thereof prayers-and-meditationsP&M §788: have spent tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: withhold not thyself tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: lest thou tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §31: whose heart hath the-hidden-wordsHW §4: Veiled

وَتَزَلْزَلَتْ

watazalzalat z-l-z-l → “trembled”

literal: shake; wavering; earthquakes

made 33% have 33% trembled 17% convulsed 17%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §129: made the earth to tremble gleaningsGWB §86: hath quaked with a great quaking kitab-i-iqanKIQ §267: wavering prayers-and-meditationsP&M §624: have been made to tremble will-and-testamentW&T §34: were convulsed epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §79: have trembled gleaningsGWB §102: dismayed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §198: perplex the mind

أَرْكانُ

ʾarkán r-k-n → “limbs”

literal: pillar; pillars

foundations 44% pillars 19% limbs 13% member 6% members 6% every 6% whole 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §79: the foundations gleaningsGWB §476: with thy whole being kitab-i-iqanKIQ §77: Pillar prayers-and-meditationsP&M §559: limb of my body epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §236: member gleaningsGWB §70: every pillar kitab-i-iqanKIQ §271: whole character prayers-and-meditationsP&M §558: My very limbs

كَفَرُوا

kafarúá k-f-r → “repudiated” Distinctive

literal: disbelieve; disbelieved; disbelief

This form usually rendered as “have”, “disbelieved”, “who” (59 occurrences)

have 33% disbelieved 17% who 13% repudiated 13% believe 7% infidels 7% denied 4% unbelievers 2% rejected 2% refused 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §171: infidels gleaningsGWB §270: have repudiated the truth of kitab-i-iqanKIQ §29: iniquity prayers-and-meditationsP&M §858: Cancel Thou tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §7: if ye deny epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §79: ye deny not gleaningsGWB §612: ye have rejected kitab-i-iqanKIQ §159: disbelieved in

بِبُرْهانِكَ،

biburhánika، b-r-h-n → “thy testimonies”

literal: proof; evidence; proven

infallible 25% testimony 25% testimonies 25% most 25%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §69: fully persuaded gleaningsGWB §63: His proof kitab-i-iqanKIQ §73: clear and manifest prayers-and-meditationsP&M §461: Thy testimony epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §33: bared gleaningsGWB §391: evidence kitab-i-iqanKIQ §103: demonstrate prayers-and-meditationsP&M §288: Thy proof

قَبْضَتِكَ

qabḍatik q-b-ḍ → “whose grasp”

literal: grasp; grasp/grip; grasped

grasp 50% whose 35% hollow 5% within 5% hands 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §134: in Whose grasp gleaningsGWB §627: Whose grasp kitab-i-iqanKIQ §182: the hollow prayers-and-meditationsP&M §110: were made to expire epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §162: grasp gleaningsGWB §657: the mighty grasp kitab-i-iqanKIQ §127: the contract prayers-and-meditationsP&M §257: in His grasp

الإِمْكانِ،

al-ʾimkáni، m-k-n → “lordship of all things”

literal: possibility; possible; possible things

SE expanded to “lordship of all things”

all 32% world 12% entire 12% created 7% whole 7% placeless 7% contingent 7% peoples 5% possibly 5% creation 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §26: Placeless fire-tabletFire §20: every creature gleaningsGWB §122: contingent kitab-i-iqanKIQ §271: being prayers-and-meditationsP&M §501: of all things the-hidden-wordsHW §75: realm of the infinite will-and-testamentW&T §23: earthly epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §52: its peoples

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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