Prayers and Meditations — §6

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 6 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

وَيَسْتَقِيمَ بِهِ رِجْلِيْ، إِنَّكَ أَنْتَ الَّذِيْ لَمْ تَزَلْ كُنْتَ مُقْتَدِرًا بِمَشِيَّتِكَ وَمُرِيدًا بِإِرادَتِكَ لا يَمْنَعُكَ عَنْ أَمْرِكَ مَنْ فِيْ أَرْضِكَ وَسَمائِكَ، أَيْ رَبِّ فَارْحَمْنِي بِجُودِكَ وَكَرَمِكَ، ثُمَّ أَسْمِعْنِي نَغَماتِ الطُّيُورِ الَّتِي يُغَرِّدْنَ بِثَنآءِ نَفْسِكَ عَلَى أَفنانِ سِدْرَةِ فَرْدَانِيَّتِكَ،

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou art He Who from everlasting was, through the potency of His might, supreme over all things, and, through the operation of His will, was able to ordain all things. Nothing whatsoever, whether in Thy heaven or on Thy earth, can frustrate Thy purpose. Have mercy, then, upon me, O my Lord, through Thy gracious providence and generosity, and incline mine ear to the sweet melodies of the birds that warble their praise of Thee, amidst the branches of the tree of Thy oneness.

Translation Notes

وَيَسْتَقِيمَ

literal: station; people; place

بِهِ

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

رِجْلِيْ،

literal: man; men; person

إِنَّكَ

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

أَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

الَّذِيْ

literal: who; which; that which; the one who

لَمْ

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

تَزَلْ

z-w-l → “from everlasting”

literal: for us; to us

كُنْتَ

k-w-n → “was”

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

مُقْتَدِرًا

q-d-r → “potency of His might, supreme” Distinctive

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

بِمَشِيَّتِكَ

sh-y-ʾ → “things” Distinctive

literal: will; intention; to will; to intend; to wish

وَمُرِيدًا

r-y-d → “able to ordain”

literal: want; desire; will

بِإِرادَتِكَ

r-w-d → “will”

literal: to enter, to come, to befall, to arrive

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

يَمْنَعُكَ

m-n-ʿ → “frustrate”

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

عَنْ

ʿ-n → “Thy” Distinctive

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

أَمْرِكَ

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

مَنْ

m-n → “whether” Distinctive

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

فِيْ

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

أَرْضِكَ

ʾ-r-ḍ → “on Thy earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

وَسَمائِكَ،

s-m-w → “Thy heaven”

literal: name; heaven; names

أَيْ

ʾ-y-y → “O”

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

رَبِّ

r-b-b → “my Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

فَارْحَمْنِي

r-ḥ-m → “Have mercy, then, upon me”

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

بِجُودِكَ

j-w-d → “through Thy gracious providence” Distinctive

literal: generosity; bounty; liberality

وَكَرَمِكَ،

k-r-m → “and generosity”

literal: Carmel (Mount Carmel); vineyard, fruitful field; honor; generosity; nobility

ثُمَّ

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

أَسْمِعْنِي

s-m-ʿ → “incline mine ear”

literal: hear; hearing; heard

نَغَماتِ

n-gh-m → “sweet melodies”

literal: melody; tone; note

الطُّيُورِ

ṭ-y-r → “the birds”

literal: bird; birds; flying creature; flying; flight

الَّتِي

ʾ-l-l → “that” Distinctive

literal: who; which/that; which

يُغَرِّدْنَ

gh-r-d → “warble”

literal: warble; warbling; singing

بِثَنآءِ

th-n-y → “their praise of Thee”

literal: praise; commendation; eulogy; glorification; praise, commendation, eulogy

نَفْسِكَ

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “exalted”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

أَفنانِ

f-n-n → “branches”

literal: twigs; branches

سِدْرَةِ

s-d-r → “of the tree”

literal: lote-tree; divine tree

فَرْدَانِيَّتِكَ،

f-r-d → “of Thy oneness”

literal: unique; singular; incomparable

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