Prayers and Meditations — §559

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 559 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

بِذِكْرِكَ وَثَنائِكَ، بِحُبِّكَ لا يُجْزِعُنِيْ بُغْضُ أَعْدائِكَ وَبِذِكْرِكَ لا يُحْزِنُنِي شُئُوناتُ قَضائِكَ، فَأَثْبِتْ فِي قَلْبِيْ حُبَّكَ ثُمَّ دَعْنِي لِيَرِدَ عَلَيَّ سُيُوفُ مَنْ عَلَى الأَرْضِ كُلِّها، تَاللَّهِ كُلُّ شَعْرٍ مِنْ أَشْعارِيْ يَقُولُ لَوْلا البَلايا فِي سَبِيلِكَ ما لَذَّ لِي حُبُّكَ وَعِشْقُكَ، أَيْ رَبِّ فَأَنْزِلْ عَلَيَّ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

The power of Thy might beareth me witness, O my Well-Beloved! Every limb of my body, methinks, is endowed with a tongue that glorifieth Thee and magnifieth Thy name. Armed with the power of Thy love, the hatred which moveth them that are against Thee can never alarm me; and with Thy praise on my lips, the rulings of Thy decree can in no wise fill me with sorrow. Fortify, therefore, Thy love within my breast, and suffer me to face the assaults which all the peoples of the earth may launch against me. I swear by Thee! Every hair of my head proclaimeth: “But for the adversities that befall me in Thy path, how could I ever taste the divine sweetness of Thy tenderness and love?”

Translation Notes

بِذِكْرِكَ

bidhikrik dh-k-r → “with thy praise”

literal: mention; remembrance; mentioned

SE expanded to “with Thy praise”

remembrance 37% praise 24% remember 8% name 7% remembering 7% mention 4% glorification 4% virtues 4% whose 3% remembered 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §185: to mention gleaningsGWB §220: dare describe his kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: reckoned kitab-i-iqanKIQ §98: His most great testimony prayers-and-meditationsP&M §778: to extol tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: utter His call tablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: proclaimeth the-hidden-wordsHW §44: Make mention of Me

وَثَنائِكَ،

wathanáʾika، th-n-y → “praise”

literal: praise; praise, commendation

praise 46% celebrate 9% virtues 9% extol 9% celebrating 7% glorify 6% extolling 6% magnifying 4% muse 2% whose 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §9: glorify gleaningsGWB §321: created kitab-i-iqanKIQ §151: “Secondary prayers-and-meditationsP&M §81: and the glory epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: Secondarily gleaningsGWB §46: celebrate His praise prayers-and-meditationsP&M §470: extol epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §52: second

بِحُبِّكَ

biḥubbik ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

love 92% thou 1% loveth 1% own 1% thee 1% whose 1% tenderness 1% have 1% bear 1% woe 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §144: their love for Thee fire-tabletFire §7: of Thy love gleaningsGWB §342: highly meritorious kitab-i-iqanKIQ §219: my prayers-and-meditationsP&M §69: for the sake tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: I long tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §40: the Beloved One the-hidden-wordsHW §6: that I may love thee

يُجْزِعُنِيْ

yujziʿuní j-z-ʿ

literal: be-impatient; dismay; to be impatient/distressed

SE rendered وَثَنائِكَ، (wathanáʾika،), بِحُبِّكَ (biḥubbik), يُجْزِعُنِيْ (yujziʿuní), بُغْضُ (bughḍ), أَعْدائِكَ (ʾaʿdáʾik) as “glorifieth Thee and magnifieth, love, the hatred, them that are against Thee”

impatient 21% fear 14% lament 14% cast 7% dismay 7% feel 7% weighed 7% lamentations 7% empowereth 7% alarm 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §29: fear fire-tabletFire §40: Lament gleaningsGWB §352: cast away kitab-i-iqanKIQ §55: dismay prayers-and-meditationsP&M §341: weighed down gleaningsGWB §590: impatient prayers-and-meditationsP&M §539: alarm prayers-and-meditationsP&M §502: empowereth me to endure

بُغْضُ

bughḍ b-gh-ḍ → “hatred”

literal: hatred; hatred, enmity; hater

hate 48% hatred 17% enmity 13% animosity 9% ill-wishers 4% malice 4% rancour 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §14: and hatred fire-tabletFire §45: with hate gleaningsGWB §192: ill-wishers prayers-and-meditationsP&M §106: of hate the-hidden-wordsHW §95: abhor will-and-testamentW&T §35: their rancour epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §128: hatred gleaningsGWB §475: malicious

أَعْدائِكَ

ʾaʿdáʾik ʿ-d-w → “enemies”

literal: enemy; enemies

enemies 62% adversaries 31% foes 4% against 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §110: an enemy fire-tabletFire §33: Thy foes gleaningsGWB §567: Mine enemies kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: enmity kitab-i-iqanKIQ §132: the capacity prayers-and-meditationsP&M §229: adversaries the-hidden-wordsHW §25: Transgress will-and-testamentW&T §52: enemies of God

يُحْزِنُنِي

yuḥzinuní ḥ-z-n → “sorrow”

literal: sorrow

sorrow 30% grieve 17% sorrows 13% saddened 11% grief 11% sadness 6% put 4% anguish 4% “my 2% would 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §245: grief fire-tabletFire §12: Sorrows gleaningsGWB §207: nothing kitab-i-iqanKIQ §59: despondency prayers-and-meditationsP&M §552: put to grief tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §11: affliction the-hidden-wordsHW §35: dost thou grieve epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §247: grieve

شُئُوناتُ

shuʾúnát sh-ʾ-n → “such” Distinctive

literal: manner; affair; state

This form usually rendered as “manifold”, “assaults”, “changes” (20 occurrences)

manifold 27% assaults 9% changes 9% reach 9% evil 9% compelling 9% noise 9% evidences 9% tokens 9%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §158: the people gleaningsGWB §435: dignity kitab-i-iqanKIQ §146: concerning prayers-and-meditationsP&M §796: of the manifold tokens the-hidden-wordsHW §68: My state epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §198: My rank gleaningsGWB §567: low estate prayers-and-meditationsP&M §546: the tokens

قَضائِكَ،

qaḍáʾika، q-ḍ-y → “of thy decree”

literal: decree; decree/judgment; decreed

SE expanded to “of Thy decree”

decree 69% irrevocable 10% dispositions 3% judgment 3% purpose 3% appointments 3% ordained 3% through 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §206: elapsed fire-tabletFire §29: of destiny gleaningsGWB §569: things He hath ordained kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: is ended kitab-i-iqanKIQ §12: was prayers-and-meditationsP&M §801: wilt continue to decide the-hidden-wordsHW §49: My decree epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: passed

فَأَثْبِتْ

faʾathbit th-b-t → “fortify”

literal: established; establish; affirmation

hath 50% fortify 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §223: set down gleaningsGWB §100: firmly kitab-i-ahdAhd §7: of His confirmation kitab-i-iqanKIQ §195: fully demonstrated prayers-and-meditationsP&M §259: endow us the-hidden-wordsHW §72: may endure will-and-testamentW&T §1: established firmly epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §170: demonstrate

قَلْبِيْ

qalbí q-l-b → “within my breast”

literal: heart; hearts

SE expanded to “within my breast”

heart 83% within 10% mine 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §226: turneth gleaningsGWB §228: agitation kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: a pure heart kitab-i-iqanKIQ §279: disturbance prayers-and-meditationsP&M §241: our hearts the-hidden-wordsHW §120: mind will-and-testamentW&T §23: the spirit of love epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §92: your hearts

دَعْنِي

daʿní w-d-ʿ → “cast” Distinctive

literal: leave; deposit; deposited

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

cast 27% abandon 15% entrusted 9% trust 9% thou 9% hath 6% committed 6% leave 6% forsake 6% have 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §182: Abandon gleaningsGWB §285: placed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §64: entrusteth prayers-and-meditationsP&M §617: Leave me the-hidden-wordsHW §20: breathed will-and-testamentW&T §48: left epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §155: Cast them gleaningsGWB §635: and cast

لِيَرِدَ

líarid w-r-d → “hath” Distinctive

literal: entering; come; arrive

This form usually rendered as “must”, “exposed”, “face” (9 occurrences)

must 17% exposed 17% face 17% may 17% befalleth 17% unite 17%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: the things which have befallen gleaningsGWB §247: of Thine arrival kitab-i-iqanKIQ §273: is prayers-and-meditationsP&M §797: and sustained will-and-testamentW&T §5: dealt a epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §183: befalleth gleaningsGWB §507: have endured kitab-i-iqanKIQ §68: be led

سُيُوفُ

suyúf s-y-f → “sword”

literal: sword; swords

swords 64% sword 27% assaults 9%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §100: the swords gleaningsGWB §361: sword prayers-and-meditationsP&M §106: with the swords epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: thy sword gleaningsGWB §620: with the sword prayers-and-meditationsP&M §188: by the epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §43: the sword gleaningsGWB §636: annulled

الأَرْضِ

ar-rḍ ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; earth/land; land

earth 72% land 12% world 6% whole 2% men 2% all 2% heaven 2% upon 1% desolate 1% plain 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §92: in the land fire-tabletFire §36: a desolate land gleaningsGWB §584: the dwellers on earth prayers-and-meditationsP&M §364: Thy land the-hidden-wordsHW §98: realm epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §82: of the earth fire-tabletFire §3: on gleaningsGWB §124: soil

كُلِّها،

kullihá، k-l-l → “every”

literal: all; every; all, every

all 62% whole 5% every 5% combined 5% successive 5% one 5% over 5% days 5% wholly 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: the dumb gleaningsGWB §449: aught kitab-i-ahdAhd §12: everyone kitab-i-iqanKIQ §20: one and prayers-and-meditationsP&M §412: The will tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §12: be the-hidden-wordsHW §49: For will-and-testamentW&T §36: whomsoever

تَاللَّهِ

tálllah ʾ-l-h → “god”

literal: God; god

god 67% divine 18% god’s 4% lord 4% divinity 3% holy 1% other 1% mystic 1% heavenly 1% godhead 0%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: divine and celestial gleaningsGWB §191: God’s kitab-i-iqanKIQ §229: divinely-revealed prayers-and-meditationsP&M §371: O 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 §391: and pertaineth to God Himself

لَوْلا

lawlá w-l-y → “lord” Distinctive

literal: lord

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

lord 36% loved 25% chosen 13% guardian 11% holy 3% ones 2% viceregent 2% men 2% who 2% endowed 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: the holy ones gleaningsGWB §240: His loved ones kitab-i-iqanKIQ §282: master?”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §770: and Thy loved ones will-and-testamentW&T §49: have rained epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §52: who are endued gleaningsGWB §435: leaders kitab-i-iqanKIQ §274: provinces

البَلايا

al-baláyá b-l-w → “the adversities”

literal: tribulation; affliction; trial

tribulations 38% tribulation 15% adversities 12% trials 6% afflictions 6% every 6% manifold 6% woes 6% all 3% ills 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §126: are but a fire-tabletFire §39: calamity gleaningsGWB §67: afflicted kitab-i-iqanKIQ §39: He might prove prayers-and-meditationsP&M §574: vexation the-hidden-wordsHW §154: tried will-and-testamentW&T §35: my afflictions epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §85: tested

سَبِيلِكَ

sabílik s-b-l → “in thy path”

literal: path; way; path/way

SE expanded to “in Thy path”

path 87% sake 5% way 2% thee 2% path.” 2% path!” 2% ways 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §18: systems of religious belief gleaningsGWB §623: sake of kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: path but the path prayers-and-meditationsP&M §308: in the ways the-hidden-wordsHW §51: My path will-and-testamentW&T §3: shed epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §121: path gleaningsGWB §97: door

لَذَّ

ladhdh l-dh-dh → “held”

literal: sweet; sweeter; pleasure

held 50% taste 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: held no sweetness prayers-and-meditationsP&M §559: taste

لِي

lí ʿ-l-y

literal: upon; on; exalted

SE rendered البَلايا (al-baláyá), سَبِيلِكَ (sabílik), لَذَّ (ladhdh), لِي (lí), حُبُّكَ (ḥubbuk), وَعِشْقُكَ، (waʿishquka،) as “the adversities, in Thy path, taste, Thy tenderness and love?””