Prayers and Meditations — §561

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 561 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

سُبْحَانَكَ يا إِلهِي إِنِّيْ عَبْدٌ مِنْ عِبادِكَ آمَنْتُ بِكَ وَبِآياتِكَ وَتَرانِيْ يا إِلهِي مُقْبِلاً إِلى بابِ رَحْمَتِكَ وَشَطْرِ عِنايَتِكَ، أَسْئَلُكَ بِأَسْمائِكَ الحُسْنى وَصِفاتِكَ العُلْيا بِأَنْ تَفْتَحَ عَلَى وَجْهِيْ أَبْوابَ الخَيْراتِ، ثُمَّ وَفِّقْنِيْ عَلَى الحَسَناتِ يا مالِكَ الأَسْماءِ وَالصِّفاتِ، أَيْ رَبِّ أَنَا الفَقِ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Praise be unto Thee, O my God! I am one of Thy servants, who hath believed on Thee and on Thy signs. Thou seest how I have set myself towards the door of Thy mercy, and turned my face in the direction of Thy loving-kindness. I beseech Thee, by Thy most excellent titles and Thy most exalted attributes, to open to my face the portals of Thy bestowals. Aid me, then, to do that which is good, O Thou Who art the Possessor of all names and attributes!

Translation Notes

سُبْحَانَكَ

subḥának s-b-ḥ → “praise be unto thee” Distinctive

literal: glory; glory, praise; glory/praise

This form usually rendered as “glorified”, “lauded”, “praised” (181 occurrences)

SE expanded to “Praise be unto Thee”

glorified 27% lauded 19% praised 14% glory 12% praise 10% magnified 6% exalted 5% all 3% unto 2% “glory 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §203: Glorified gleaningsGWB §152: All-Glorious kitab-i-iqanKIQ §90: Great prayers-and-meditationsP&M §354: Magnified tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §54: Glorified be He that the-hidden-wordsHW §89: from on high epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §244: the veils gleaningsGWB §190: Glory be

إِلهِي

ʾilhí ʾ-l-h → “o my god”

literal: God; divine; god

SE expanded to “O my 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 §117: of God gleaningsGWB §668: set kitab-i-iqanKIQ §30: knowledge 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 §168: divine and celestial gleaningsGWB §191: God’s

إِنِّيْ

ʾinní ʾ-n-n → “thee” Distinctive

literal: that; 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 §82: We prayers-and-meditationsP&M §534: for Thou will-and-testamentW&T §36: for they are gleaningsGWB §11: Verily prayers-and-meditationsP&M §837: Since Thou hast will-and-testamentW&T §36: I call upon Thee gleaningsGWB §698: Such

عَبْدٌ

ʿabdun ʿ-b-d → “one”

literal: servants; servant; servant/slave

servant 82% one 8% god 3% man’s 3% servant” 3% servant’s 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §13: man fire-tabletFire §49: Adored gleaningsGWB §584: a company kitab-i-iqanKIQ §14: those people prayers-and-meditationsP&M §133: the souls of Thy servants tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a service the-hidden-wordsHW §3: of others will-and-testamentW&T §36: this Thy servant

آمَنْتُ

ámant ʾ-m-n → “who hath believed”

literal: believe

SE expanded to “who hath believed”

have 33% believe 17% “i 17% hast 17% who 17%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §104: trustworthy gleaningsGWB §496: trustees kitab-i-iqanKIQ §246: believed in prayers-and-meditationsP&M §555: confidence the-hidden-wordsHW §1: may fulfill epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: faith gleaningsGWB §611: hast truly believed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §161: the trust

وَبِآياتِكَ

wabiáyátik ʾ-y-y → “and on thy signs”

literal: sign; signs

SE expanded to “and on Thy signs”

signs 75% most 13% acknowledged 13%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §6: repudiated Thy signs fire-tabletFire §26: utterance gleaningsGWB §357: Our signs kitab-i-iqanKIQ §274: How, We wonder prayers-and-meditationsP&M §378: what tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §7: by what will-and-testamentW&T §6: by the holy verse epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §232: by His verses

وَتَرانِيْ

watarání r-ʾ-y → “thou seest”

literal: see; to see; see/behold

thou 93% behold 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §104: to regard fire-tabletFire §26: seest gleaningsGWB §279: ye claim prayers-and-meditationsP&M §745: he would the-hidden-wordsHW §37: and to mirror forth will-and-testamentW&T §5: behold him epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §213: see gleaningsGWB §187: may recognize

مُقْبِلاً

muqbiláan q-b-l → “towards” Distinctive

literal: before; acceptance; approach

This form usually rendered as “set”, “fixed”, “face” (40 occurrences)

set 20% fixed 13% face 13% towards 13% sincere 7% turning 7% godly 7% visiteth 7% fastened 7% draw 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §194: previously fire-tabletFire §46: go forward gleaningsGWB §467: didst believe kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: receptive soul kitab-i-iqanKIQ §207: turned their face unto it prayers-and-meditationsP&M §140: towards tablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: been lifted upon tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §39: “And kiss

بابِ

báb b-w-b → “door”

literal: door; doors; door/gate

door 74% gate 7% portals 5% words 5% doorstep 2% chapter 2% gates 2% portal 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §113: door gleaningsGWB §118: portals kitab-i-iqanKIQ §103: words prayers-and-meditationsP&M §449: Cast me not from epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: door of Thy favor gleaningsGWB §112: the gates kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: door thereof prayers-and-meditationsP&M §760: the gate

رَحْمَتِكَ

raḥmatik r-ḥ-m → “of thy mercy”

literal: mercy; merciful

SE expanded to “of Thy mercy”

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 §7: canopy of Thy mercy fire-tabletFire §30: Thy compassion gleaningsGWB §35: loving providence kitab-i-ahdAhd §8: blessings kitab-i-iqanKIQ §160: divine prayers-and-meditationsP&M §202: Let Thy mercy tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a mercy the-hidden-wordsHW §89: celestial

وَشَطْرِ

washaṭr sh-ṭ-r → “direction”

literal: direction; direction/side; direction, side

direction 47% towards 20% court 16% seat 4% prison 2% north 2% upper 2% capital 2% persia 2% constantinople 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §130: the direction gleaningsGWB §621: towards the prayers-and-meditationsP&M §379: turning in the direction epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §204: towards gleaningsGWB §411: on anything except prayers-and-meditationsP&M §222: Thy grace epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: North and South gleaningsGWB §579: God’s sacred Court

عِنايَتِكَ،

ʿináyatika، ʿ-n-y → “of thy loving-kindness”

literal: care; meaning; meanings

SE expanded to “of Thy loving-kindness”

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 §207: Spiritual fire-tabletFire §15: Thy bounty gleaningsGWB §230: tender mercies kitab-i-ahdAhd §6: invested kitab-i-iqanKIQ §31: sense is prayers-and-meditationsP&M §344: mercies the-hidden-wordsHW §85: that is will-and-testamentW&T §6: in the aforementioned manner

أَسْئَلُكَ

ʾasʾaluk s-ʾ-l → “i beseech thee”

literal: ask; ask/request; ask/beseech

SE expanded to “I beseech Thee”

beseech 46% implore 24% entreat 18% beg 5% pray 4% destroy 1% ask 1% deal 1% god 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §56: pray gleaningsGWB §157: asked kitab-i-iqanKIQ §285: seek prayers-and-meditationsP&M §835: we beseech Thee epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §104: ask gleaningsGWB §467: Find out prayers-and-meditationsP&M §234: beseech Thee epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §227: We pray

الأَسْماءِ

as-smáʾ s-m-w → “of all names”

literal: name; names

SE expanded to “of all names”

names 72% all 22% name 2% amongst 1% most 1% whose 1% holy 1% names.’ 1% lord 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §79: the Most Great Name fire-tabletFire §36: heavenly gleaningsGWB §411: on the kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: empty name prayers-and-meditationsP&M §782: the sublimity tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: Names.’tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §12: my Lord the-hidden-wordsHW §44: My heaven

الحُسْنى

al-ḥusnى ḥ-s-n → “most excellent titles”

literal: best; Husayn; beautiful

SE expanded to “most excellent titles”

most 80% excellent 10% profit 10%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §172: Excellent gleaningsGWB §712: receive his reward kitab-i-iqanKIQ §34: favour prayers-and-meditationsP&M §180: and bountiful favor the-hidden-wordsHW §2: kindly will-and-testamentW&T §21: improve epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §265: good deeds gleaningsGWB §574: that do good

وَالصِّفاتِ،

wálṣṣifáti، w-ṣ-f → “and attributes”

literal: attributes; attribute

attributes 94% all 5% human 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §182: Describing gleaningsGWB §702: adorn himself kitab-i-iqanKIQ §132: men’s praise prayers-and-meditationsP&M §315: describe Thee epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: describe gleaningsGWB §311: His attributes kitab-i-iqanKIQ §274: character prayers-and-meditationsP&M §842: to describe

العُلْيا

al-ʿulyá ʿ-l-w → “most exalted”

literal: highest; upon; exalted

most 40% exalted 21% upon 16% do 5% unto 4% over 3% against 2% around 2% inaccessible 2% all 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: the Tree fire-tabletFire §42: highest gleaningsGWB §156: as kitab-i-ahdAhd §16: on the kitab-i-iqanKIQ §98: Exalted is He prayers-and-meditationsP&M §809: august tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §56: around her the-hidden-wordsHW §20: THE WONDROUS

تَفْتَحَ

taftaḥ f-t-ḥ → “open”

literal: open; opened

open 50% flung 17% can 17% may 17%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: Unstop fire-tabletFire §33: the key gleaningsGWB §463: set open kitab-i-iqanKIQ §64: gladness prayers-and-meditationsP&M §195: Open Thou epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §43: can conquer gleaningsGWB §564: subdue and conquer kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: unlocked the

وَجْهِيْ

wajhí w-j-h → “my face”

literal: face

face 85% sum 8% countenance 8%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §161: turn fire-tabletFire §30: This Face gleaningsGWB §567: the eyes kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: turn your faces kitab-i-iqanKIQ §156: before prayers-and-meditationsP&M §856: whose faces tablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: the light of the the-hidden-wordsHW §41: before Our Face

الخَيْراتِ،

al-khayráti، kh-y-r → “of thy bestowals”

literal: good

SE expanded to “of Thy bestowals”

bestowals 50% goodly 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: to be preferred gleaningsGWB §252: best kitab-i-iqanKIQ §270: hath the authority prayers-and-meditationsP&M §131: didst choose the-hidden-wordsHW §101: Ponder will-and-testamentW&T §36: Thy goodly gifts epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §165: chosen gleaningsGWB §488: the best

وَفِّقْنِيْ

waffiqní w-f-q → “aid me”

literal: agreement; grant success; grant-success

aid 63% assist 25% graciously 13%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §113: assist gleaningsGWB §72: it may fulfill kitab-i-iqanKIQ §199: inconsistent prayers-and-meditationsP&M §88: graciously aid me will-and-testamentW&T §7: in concert epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §42: weld together gleaningsGWB §395: may be enabled kitab-i-iqanKIQ §40: favoured

رَبِّ

rabb r-b-b

literal: Lord; lord

SE rendered الأَسْماءِ (as-smáʾ), وَالصِّفاتِ، (wálṣṣifáti،), رَبِّ (rabb) as “of all names, and attributes”

lord 93% god 3% creator 1% one 1% art 1% none 1% ruler 1% thou 1% ‘lord 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §184: by thy Lord gleaningsGWB §319: Educator kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: divine decree prayers-and-meditationsP&M §44: Ruler tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §11: the All-Glorious the-hidden-wordsHW §25: of thy God will-and-testamentW&T §9: ‘Lord epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: Godhead

الفَقِ

al-faq f-q-r

literal: poor; poverty; matter

SE rendered وَالصِّفاتِ، (wálṣṣifáti،), رَبِّ (rabb), الفَقِ (al-faq) as “and attributes”

poor 46% poverty 29% paupers 6% destitute 6% passages 4% destitution 3% misery 3% matter 1% subject 1% perversity 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §184: matter gleaningsGWB §104: destitution kitab-i-iqanKIQ §143: ‘poverty’prayers-and-meditationsP&M §296: poor creatures the-hidden-wordsHW §126: of the poor epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §201: subject gleaningsGWB §228: perversity kitab-i-iqanKIQ §143: the lack

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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