Prayers and Meditations — §490

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 490 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

أَسْئَلُكَ يا مَنْ بِيَدِكَ زِمامُ الاخْتِيارِ بِأَنْ تَنْصُرَهُمْ بِبَدائِعِ نُصْرَتِكَ، أَيْ رَبِّ قَدْ أَخَذَتْهُمُ الذِّلَّةُ فِي سَبِيلِكَ عَزِّزْهُمْ بِسُلْطانِكَ، وَقَدْ أَخَذَهُمُ الضَّعْفُ فِي حُبِّكَ فَأَغْلِبْهُمْ عَلَى الأَعْدآءِ بِقُدْرَتِكَ وَاقْتِدارِكَ، وَلَوْ أَنِّيْ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

I implore Thee, O Thou Who holdest in Thy hands the reins of unconstrained power, to succor them through the wondrous potency of Thy might. Misery, O my Lord, hath taken hold on them in Thy path, exalt them by the power of Thy sovereignty; and weariness hath afflicted them in their love for Thee, render them victorious, through Thy strength and Thine omnipotence, over Thine enemies.

Translation Notes

أَسْئَلُكَ

s-ʾ-l → “implore”

literal: ask; ask/request; ask/beseech

يا

y-ʾ → “O ye”

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

مَنْ

m-n → “Who” Distinctive

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

بِيَدِكَ

y-d-y → “Thy hands”

literal: it is necessary; it behooves; one must

زِمامُ

z-m-m → “reins”

literal: reins; bridle; control; governance

الاخْتِيارِ

kh-y-r → “unconstrained power” Distinctive

literal: goodwill; benevolence; kindness

بِأَنْ

ʾ-n-n → “to” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

تَنْصُرَهُمْ

n-ṣ-r → “succor”

literal: aid, help, succor, victory, support

بِبَدائِعِ

b-d-ʿ → “wondrous”

literal: to create; most wondrous; excel

أَيْ

ʾ-y-y → “O”

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

رَبِّ

r-b-b → “my Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

قَدْ

q-d → “We have been”

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

أَخَذَتْهُمُ

ʾ-kh-dh → “taken hold on”

literal: to take; to seize; to affect; to grasp

الذِّلَّةُ

dh-l-l → “abasement”

literal: abasement; humiliation; lowliness; to be abased

فِي

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

سَبِيلِكَ

s-b-l → “Thy path”

literal: path; way; road; cause; means

عَزِّزْهُمْ

ʿ-z-z → “exalt”

literal: glory; mighty; might

بِسُلْطانِكَ،

s-l-ṭ → “power of Thy sovereignty”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

الضَّعْفُ

ḍ-ʿ-f → “weakness”

literal: weak; feeble; imperfect

حُبِّكَ

ḥ-b-b → “their love for Thee”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

فَأَغْلِبْهُمْ

gh-l-b → “ascendancy” Distinctive

literal: dominance; overcome; victorious

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “over” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

الأَعْدآءِ

ʿ-d-w → “Thine enemies”

literal: hostility, aggression, enmity, transgression

بِقُدْرَتِكَ

q-d-r → “Thy strength” Distinctive

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

وَلَوْ

l-w

literal: were it not for; if not for; save for

أَنِّيْ

ʾ-n-n → “Thee”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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59 ¶