Prayers and Meditations — §646

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 646 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

بكرمت متشبّث و اگر چه جاهليم ببحر علمت متوجّه، توئى آن جوادى كه كثرت خطا ترا از عطا باز ندارد و اعراض اهل عالم نعمتت را سدّ ننمايد، باب فضلت لازال مفتوح بوده شبنمى از درياى رحمتت كلّ را بطراز تقديس مزيّن فرمايد، و رشحى از بحر جودت تمام وجود را بغناى حقيقى فائز نمايد، اى ستّار پرده برمدار لازال ظهورات كرمت عالم را

Shoghi Effendi Translation

O Thou Who art the All-Knowing! Wayward though we be, we still cling to Thy bounty; and though ignorant, we still set our faces toward the ocean of Thy wisdom. Thou art that All-Bountiful Who art not deterred by a multitude of sins from vouchsafing Thy bounty, and the flow of Whose gifts is not arrested by the withdrawal of the peoples of the world. From eternity the door of Thy grace hath remained wide open. A dewdrop out of the ocean of Thy mercy is able to adorn all things with the ornament of sanctity, and a sprinkling of the waters of Thy bounty can cause the entire creation to attain unto true wealth.

Translation Notes

متشبّث

mtshbbth sh-b-th → “cling to”

literal: cling; clinging; clinging/holding fast

clinging 61% clung 11% cling 11% take 6% resolve 6% set 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §190: laid fast hold gleaningsGWB §411: take firm hold kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: firmly adhere kitab-i-iqanKIQ §184: cleave prayers-and-meditationsP&M §769: and clinging to will-and-testamentW&T §17: seize upon epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §142: clung unto gleaningsGWB §645: holdeth fast

چه

chh ch-h → “what”

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

what 50% whatsoever 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §230: what gleaningsGWB §436: Whatsoever epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §178: For

جاهليم

jáhlím j-h-l → “ignorant”

literal: ignorance; ignorant; ignorant ones

foolish 38% ignorance 25% ignorant 17% folly 6% empty 4% manifest 2% former 2% mine 2% depths 2% who 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §84: the foolish gleaningsGWB §155: ignorance kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: foolish ones kitab-i-iqanKIQ §201: an ignorant man prayers-and-meditationsP&M §316: his own ignorance the-hidden-wordsHW §85: empty thyself epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §147: manifest ignorance gleaningsGWB §703: depths of ignorance

ببحر

bbḥr b-ḥ-r → “ocean”

literal: sea; ocean; sea, ocean

ocean 55% sea 31% upon 3% black 3% seas 3% most 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §99: seas fire-tabletFire §25: a sea gleaningsGWB §71: the waters kitab-i-iqanKIQ §31: billows prayers-and-meditationsP&M §750: Thy sea tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §2: the ancient sea will-and-testamentW&T §2: Twin epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §196: and

علمت

ʿlmt ʿ-l-m → “thy wisdom”

literal: world; knowledge; worlds

knowledge 24% world 22% worlds 15% all 9% divines 9% all-knowing 7% know 5% signs 4% learning 4% earth 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: truly learned fire-tabletFire §49: all the worlds gleaningsGWB §11: present-day kitab-i-iqanKIQ §45: the commentators prayers-and-meditationsP&M §500: I recognize tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §17: of all the worlds tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §13: we have taught thee the-hidden-wordsHW §99: TO BE WISE

متوجّه،

mtújjh، w-j-h → “set our faces toward” Distinctive

literal: face; turning

This form usually rendered as “hast”, “turned”, “fixed” (9 occurrences)

SE expanded to “set our faces toward”

hast 20% turned 20% fixed 20% faces 20% set 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: fled fire-tabletFire §30: This Face gleaningsGWB §666: your face kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: turn your faces kitab-i-iqanKIQ §245: quarter of the Heavens prayers-and-meditationsP&M §669: fixed his gaze upon Thee tablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: the light of the the-hidden-wordsHW §41: before Our Face

توئى

túʾى b-ود → “thou art that”

literal: to be; be; is

SE expanded to “Thou art that”

thou 21% have 21% ignorance 7% achieved 7% fix 7% had 7% acquired 7% show 7% must 7% hath 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §161: Thou art gleaningsGWB §669: have never exceeded kitab-i-ahdAhd §9: Fix your gaze kitab-i-iqanKIQ §203: We prayers-and-meditationsP&M §646: hath remained will-and-testamentW&T §42: recovered their former stability epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §140: ignorance of gleaningsGWB §596: is

جوادى

júádى j-w-d → “all-bountiful”

literal: generosity; bounty; generosity, bounty

bounty 48% through 9% bounteousness 8% bountiful 8% generosity 8% grace 6% favor 5% giver 3% favors 3% munificence 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: of Thy bounteousness fire-tabletFire §34: Giver gleaningsGWB §627: and bounty kitab-i-iqanKIQ §146: everlasting prayers-and-meditationsP&M §196: by Thy the-hidden-wordsHW §126: to be generous epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: billowing ocean of Thy favor fire-tabletFire §33: Thy bestowal

كثرت

kthrt k-th-r → “most” Distinctive

literal: most; most/majority

This form usually rendered as “plurality”, “excess”, “increased” (6 occurrences)

plurality 33% excess 33% increased 33%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §128: most gleaningsGWB §224: bountiful kitab-i-iqanKIQ §9: increased epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §118: for the most part gleaningsGWB §493: most of the peoples kitab-i-iqanKIQ §250: most of them epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §64: the living waters of immortality kitab-i-iqanKIQ §173: how many

خطا

khṭá kh-ṭ-ʾ → “sins”

literal: sin

sin 33% sins 33% sinfulness 33%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §6: my sinfulness gleaningsGWB §655: iniquity kitab-i-iqanKIQ §120: sins prayers-and-meditationsP&M §724: great trespasses epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: trespasses prayers-and-meditationsP&M §645: sin prayers-and-meditationsP&M §617: my sins prayers-and-meditationsP&M §840: sinfulness

ترا

trá r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

SE rendered متوجّه، (mtújjh،), توئى (túʾى), جوادى (júádى), كثرت (kthrt), خطا (khṭá), ترا (trá), از (iz), عطا (ʿṭá), باز (báz), ندارد (ndárd), اعراض (iʿráḍ), اهل (ihl) as “set our faces toward, Thou art that, All-Bountiful, a multitude, sins, from, vouchsafing Thy bounty, not deterred, the withdrawal, the peoples”

13 occurrences in corpus

از

iz ʾ-z → “amongst”

literal: from

23 occurrences in corpus

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §128: of kitab-i-iqanKIQ §246: Amongst kitab-i-iqanKIQ §176: at kitab-i-iqanKIQ §176: from

عطا

ʿṭá ʿ-ṭ-w → “vouchsafing thy bounty”

literal: bounty

SE expanded to “vouchsafing Thy bounty”

bestow 33% show 17% vouchsafing 17% all 17% bounty 17%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: Thy generosity fire-tabletFire §4: generosity kitab-i-iqanKIQ §214: show kindness prayers-and-meditationsP&M §176: of Thy graciousness the-hidden-wordsHW §66: is will-and-testamentW&T §10: Thy bountiful Grace epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §30: Thy favor prayers-and-meditationsP&M §388: of Thy favors

باز

báz b-ʾ-z → “whence”

literal: open; back, open

whence 17% likewise 17% outstretched 17% opened 17% notwithstanding 17% open 17%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §27: whence kitab-i-iqanKIQ §147: outstretched will-and-testamentW&T §58: open kitab-i-iqanKIQ §109: Likewise, hath will-and-testamentW&T §4: notwithstanding kitab-i-iqanKIQ §141: consume kitab-i-iqanKIQ §63: opened

ندارد

ndárd d-ʾ-r → “repository” Distinctive

literal: have; to have; possessor

This form usually rendered as “hide”, “susceptible”, “entertain” (13 occurrences)

hide 20% susceptible 20% entertain 20% should 20% deterred 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §202: carry it out gleaningsGWB §316: not susceptible kitab-i-iqanKIQ §116: withhold prayers-and-meditationsP&M §646: not deterred the-hidden-wordsHW §111: keep epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §31: repository gleaningsGWB §336: All-Possessing kitab-i-iqanKIQ §232: not possess

اعراض

iʿráḍ ʿ-r-ḍ → “turned”

literal: turn away; turning away

turn 20% turned 17% denial 14% repudiation 9% rejected 9% faithlessness 9% turning 6% have 6% denials 6% renounce 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §225: froward gleaningsGWB §108: repudiated kitab-i-iqanKIQ §36: turning prayers-and-meditationsP&M §475: turn them away tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §14: turns away the-hidden-wordsHW §22: hast thou turned away will-and-testamentW&T §17: oppose and protest epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: afflicted

اهل

ihl ʾ-h-l → “peoples”

literal: people; people, folk; people/inhabitants

people 41% peoples 29% dwellers 5% men 4% mankind 4% ye 4% concourse 4% infidel 4% inhabitants 3% denizens 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §162: people gleaningsGWB §513: mankind its citizens kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: beholders of kitab-i-iqanKIQ §1: ye peoples prayers-and-meditationsP&M §119: Thy kindred the-hidden-wordsHW §109: DWELLERS will-and-testamentW&T §34: devoted epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §64: peoples of the earth

نعمتت

nʿmtt n-ʿ-m → “gifts” Distinctive

literal: blessing; bounty; favor

SE usually renders this root as “bounty”, “favor”, “favors”

bounty 14% favor 12% favors 12% gift 12% delights 12% gifts 10% prosperity 7% blessed 7% bounties 7% how 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §113: gifts gleaningsGWB §378: partake kitab-i-iqanKIQ §23: this imperishable prayers-and-meditationsP&M §777: the delights of Paradise epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §72: Well is it gleaningsGWB §391: gift of God kitab-i-iqanKIQ §146: How well and true prayers-and-meditationsP&M §480: the everlasting gifts

سدّ

sdd s-d-d → “closed” Distinctive

literal: closed

This form usually rendered as “satisfy”, “arrested” (3 occurrences)

satisfy 50% arrested 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §227: an insurmountable barrier gleaningsGWB §680: Obstruct not kitab-i-iqanKIQ §150: barred prayers-and-meditationsP&M §426: have been shut the-hidden-wordsHW §130: mighty barrier will-and-testamentW&T §28: show your fidelity gleaningsGWB §124: closed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §141: satisfy my

نمايد،

nmáyd، n-m-ʾ → “can cause” Distinctive

literal: do; show; make

This form usually rendered as “will”, “deprive”, “succeed” (95 occurrences)

will 21% deprive 14% succeed 14% enable 7% thou 7% peruse 7% cling 7% unfold 7% filled 7% found 7%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §141: enable thee to attain gleaningsGWB §164: a faint reflection kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: is kitab-i-iqanKIQ §171: had proclaimed prayers-and-meditationsP&M §646: can cause the-hidden-wordsHW §156: thou mayest will-and-testamentW&T §6: advanced epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §201: converse

باب

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 §123: doorstep gleaningsGWB §176: bright and shining kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: door thereof prayers-and-meditationsP&M §760: the gate epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §113: door gleaningsGWB §210: its door kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: door that prayers-and-meditationsP&M §449: Cast me not from

فضلت

fḍlt f-ḍ-l → “thy grace”

literal: grace; grace/favor; grace, favor

grace 77% bounty 6% through 4% gracious 3% mercy 3% token 2% better 2% tender 2% great 1% favor 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §217: gracious favor gleaningsGWB §257: His grace kitab-i-ahdAhd §11: Gracious kitab-i-iqanKIQ §176: exponents prayers-and-meditationsP&M §852: Thy bounty tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §9: bounties the-hidden-wordsHW §1: the garment will-and-testamentW&T §23: virtues

لازال

lázál z-w-l → “from eternity” Distinctive

literal: cease; to cease; decline

This form usually rendered as “all”, “invariably”, “time” (11 occurrences)

all 25% invariably 13% time 13% hath 13% perpetually 13% everlasting 13% eternity 13%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §109: at all times gleaningsGWB §555: be dispelled kitab-i-iqanKIQ §142: immortal prayers-and-meditationsP&M §793: wilt unto everlasting the-hidden-wordsHW §85: lasting will-and-testamentW&T §24: may vanish epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §2: declineth not gleaningsGWB §669: hath ever been

مفتوح

mftúḥ f-t-ḥ → “open”

literal: open; opened

open 42% opened 17% unlocked 17% did 8% wide 8% cannot 8%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §152: one who will open fire-tabletFire §33: the key gleaningsGWB §88: Open ye kitab-i-iqanKIQ §159: prayed for victory prayers-and-meditationsP&M §112: Unlock epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §43: can conquer gleaningsGWB §463: did set open kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: unlocked the

شبنمى

shbnmى sh-b-n → “shepherd” Distinctive

literal: shepherd; dew; shepherds

This form usually rendered as “dewdrop” (2 occurrences)

shepherd 33% dewdrop 33% shepherds 33%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §24: the shepherd prayers-and-meditationsP&M §646: A dewdrop the-hidden-wordsHW §99: shepherds

رحمتت

rḥmtt r-ḥ-m → “thy mercy”

literal: mercy; merciful

mercy 80% whose 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §43: God’s mercy fire-tabletFire §30: Thy compassion gleaningsGWB §519: Have mercy kitab-i-ahdAhd §8: blessings kitab-i-iqanKIQ §234: Him prayers-and-meditationsP&M §636: Have pity tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a mercy the-hidden-wordsHW §89: celestial

بطراز

bṭráz ṭ-r-z → “with the ornament”

literal: ornament; adornment; ornament/embroidery

SE expanded to “with the ornament”

ornament 57% adornment 18% vesture 5% splendour 5% crown 3% temple 3% raiment 3% wherewith 3% jewel 3% arrayed 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §232: the adornment gleaningsGWB §426: arrayed in kitab-i-ahdAhd §7: with the splendour kitab-i-iqanKIQ §64: splendour prayers-and-meditationsP&M §135: decked forth by tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §42: with such an adorning epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §125: the ornament gleaningsGWB §589: beauteous image

مزيّن

mzízn z-y-n → “adorn”

literal: adorn; adorned; adornment

adorn 67% adorner 11% adorned 11% revelation 11%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: decked with fire-tabletFire §31: Adorner gleaningsGWB §26: Revelation kitab-i-ahdAhd §7: is invested prayers-and-meditationsP&M §180: do Thou adorn epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §91: “Adorn gleaningsGWB §573: its apparels prayers-and-meditationsP&M §132: didst adorn

فرمايد،

frmáyd، f-r-m → “saith”

literal: say; says

saith 42% said 15% revealed 14% hath 11% spoken 4% recorded 4% may 3% conferreth 3% say 3% referred 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §223: He gleaningsGWB §117: recreated kitab-i-iqanKIQ §4: hath been revealed prayers-and-meditationsP&M §663: Suffer the-hidden-wordsHW §125: will I will-and-testamentW&T §6: by Him epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §56: proclaim gleaningsGWB §40: caused

رشحى

rshḥى r-sh-ḥ → “sprinkling”

literal: sprinkling; sprinkle; drop

sprinkling 43% dewdrop 29% glimmer 14% drop 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §185: a sprinkling fire-tabletFire §19: surging gleaningsGWB §627: taking their portion kitab-i-iqanKIQ §140: glimmer prayers-and-meditationsP&M §109: the effusions gleaningsGWB §665: the woes kitab-i-iqanKIQ §264: emanations prayers-and-meditationsP&M §598: the drops which are sprinkled

وجود

wjúd w-j-d → “creation”

literal: existence; existent

world 17% all 13% creation 13% mankind 13% beings 9% existence 9% souls 9% notwithstanding 9% possessed 4% man’s 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §64: My being fire-tabletFire §49: thou canst breathe gleaningsGWB §669: of His creatures kitab-i-iqanKIQ §83: the prayers-and-meditationsP&M §498: can feel tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §40: may find the-hidden-wordsHW §14: that thou mayest find will-and-testamentW&T §4: despite

بغناى

bghnáى gh-n-y → “true wealth”

literal: rich; wealth; riches

treasures 20% independence 20% true 20% rich 20% riches 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: Thy riches gleaningsGWB §359: wealthy kitab-i-iqanKIQ §143: ‘riches’prayers-and-meditationsP&M §845: of Thine all-sufficing riches tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §2: singeth tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §37: eternal wealth the-hidden-wordsHW §13: Be thou content epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §205: sung

حقيقى

ḥqíqى ḥ-q-q → “unto” Distinctive

literal: truth; true

This form usually rendered as “true”, “ideal”, “truth” (54 occurrences)

true 34% ideal 24% truth 14% divine 7% truly 3% veritable 3% king 3% great 3% spiritual 3% real 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §207: True gleaningsGWB §191: hath appeared kitab-i-ahdAhd §12: right kitab-i-iqanKIQ §267: fact prayers-and-meditationsP&M §696: Thy truth the-hidden-wordsHW §92: mysteries will-and-testamentW&T §27: a fixed money offering epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §149: the trust

ستّار

sttár s-t-r

literal: concealed

SE rendered بغناى (bghnáى), حقيقى (ḥqíqى), فائز (fáʾz), نمايد، (nmáyd،), ستّار (sttár) as “true wealth, unto, attain, can cause”

concealer 20% thou 20% stars 20% star 20% concealest 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §163: hid fire-tabletFire §45: Thou Concealer gleaningsGWB §558: enshrined kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: latent kitab-i-iqanKIQ §224: unto prayers-and-meditationsP&M §784: in tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §36: been hidden epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §93: the Concealer

پرده

prdh p-r-d

literal: veil

SE rendered حقيقى (ḥqíqى), فائز (fáʾz), نمايد، (nmáyd،), ستّار (sttár), پرده (prdh), برمدار (brmdár), لازال (lázál), ظهورات (ẓhúrát), كرمت (krmt), عالم (ʿálm) as “unto, attain, can cause, All-Knowing”