Prayers and Meditations — §635

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 635 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

ما لَمْ أَجِدْ سَبِيلاً إِلاَّ ما بَيَّنْتَهُ لأَصْفِيائِكَ؟ يَشْهَدُ كُلُّ الذَّرَّاتِ بِأَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللَّهُ لا إِلهَ إِلاَّ أَنْتَ لَمْ تَزَلْ كُنْتَ مُقْتَدِرًا عَلَى ما تَشآءُ وَحاكِمًا عَلَى ما تُرِيْدُ، قَدِّرْ لِي يا إِلهِي

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Whither shall I turn, O my God, powerless as I am to discover any other way except the way Thou didst set before Thy chosen Ones? All the atoms of the earth proclaim Thee to be God, and testify that there is none other God besides Thee. Thou hast from eternity been powerful to do what Thou hast willed, and to ordain what Thou hast pleased.

Translation Notes

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

لَمْ

l-y-s → “not”

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

أَجِدْ

w-j-d → “to discover” Distinctive

literal: creation; bringing into existence

سَبِيلاً

s-b-l → “way”

literal: path; way; road; cause; means

إِلاَّ

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

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

بَيَّنْتَهُ

b-y-n → “set before”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident

لأَصْفِيائِكَ؟

ṣ-f-w → “Thy chosen Ones”

literal: pure one; chosen one; selected one; elite; purity; clarity; sincerity; pure; sincere

يَشْهَدُ

sh-h-d → “testify”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

كُلُّ

k-l-l → “All”

literal: for us; to us

الذَّرَّاتِ

dh-r-r → “the atoms”

literal: atom, particle, mote

بِأَنَّكَ

ʾ-n-n → “Thee to be”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

أَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

اللَّهُ

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

إِلهَ

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

تَزَلْ

z-w-l → “hast” Distinctive

literal: cease; to cease; decline

كُنْتَ

k-w-n → “Thou”

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

مُقْتَدِرًا

q-d-r → “powerful”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “to do” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

تَشآءُ

sh-y-ʾ → “Thou hast willed” Distinctive

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

وَحاكِمًا

ḥ-k-m → “to ordain”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

تُرِيْدُ،

r-y-d → “Thou hast pleased” Distinctive

literal: want; desire; will

لِي

ʿ-l-y

literal: upon; on; exalted

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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59 ¶