Prayers and Meditations — §524

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 524 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

حْيِكَ عَلَى الأَشْطارِ وَعَرْفَ قَمِيصِ رَحْمانِيَّتِكَ إِلى الأَقْطَارِ، لَعَلَّ يَجِدُونَهُ عِبادُكَ وَيَتَوَجَّهُونَ بِهِ إلَيْكَ، أَسْئَلُكَ يا إِلهِي بِأَنْوارِ أَحَدِيَّتِكَ وَمَهابِطِ وَحْيِكَ بِأَنْ تُنَزِّلَ م

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou art well aware, O my God, that I have not failed in my duty towards Thy Cause. At all times and under all conditions I have wafted, in every direction, the breezes of Thine inspiration, and shed abroad the sweet smell of the raiment of Thy mercy, that haply Thy servants may discover its fragrance, and through it be enabled to turn towards Thee.

Translation Notes

حْيِكَ

w-ḥ-y → “Thine inspiration” Distinctive

literal: revelation; inspiration; divine communication

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “exalted”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

الأَشْطارِ

sh-ṭ-r → “in every direction”

literal: side, direction; half; to split

وَعَرْفَ

ʿ-r-f → “knowledge” Distinctive

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

قَمِيصِ

q-m-ṣ → “raiment”

literal: garment; shirt; tunic

رَحْمانِيَّتِكَ

r-ḥ-m → “of Thy mercy”

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

إِلى

ʾ-l-y

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

الأَقْطَارِ،

q-ṭ-r

literal: drop; region; country; rainfall

لَعَلَّ

l-ʿ-l → “that haply”

literal: perhaps; perchance; hopefully

يَجِدُونَهُ

w-j-d → “may discover” Distinctive

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

عِبادُكَ

ʿ-b-d → “Thy servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

وَيَتَوَجَّهُونَ

w-j-h → “to turn towards Thee”

literal: face; attention; turning

بِهِ

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

أَسْئَلُكَ

s-ʾ-l

literal: ask; ask/request; ask/beseech

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

إِلهِي

ʾ-l-h → “my God”

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

بِأَنْوارِ

n-w-r

literal: light; illumination

أَحَدِيَّتِكَ

ʾ-ḥ-d

literal: oneness; unity; absolute unicity; singleness of divine essence

وَمَهابِطِ

h-b-ṭ

literal: landing place; descent; alighting place

بِأَنْ

ʾ-n-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

تُنَزِّلَ

n-z-l

literal: to descend, to be revealed

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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291 ¶

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17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel

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5 ¶

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57 ¶

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160 ¶

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‘Abdu’l-Bahá

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59 ¶