Prayers and Meditations — §703

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 703 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

وَعِزَّتِكَ لا أُرِيْدُ مِنَ النَّوْمِ وَلا مِنَ اليَقْظَةِ إِلاَّ ما أَنْتَ تُرِيْدُ، أَنَا عَبْدُكَ وَفِي قَبْضَتِكَ أَيِّدْنِيْ عَلَى ما يَتَضَوَّعُ بِهِ عَرْفُ رِضائِكَ، هذا أَمَلِي وَأَمَلُ المُقَرَّبِيْنَ الحَمْدُ لَكَ يا إِلهَ العالَمِيْنَ.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

By Thy might! I ask not, whether sleeping or waking, but that which Thou dost desire. I am Thy servant and in Thy hands. Do Thou graciously aid me to do what will shed forth the fragrance of Thy good pleasure. This, truly, is my hope and the hope of them that enjoy near access to Thee. Praised be Thou, O Lord of the worlds!

Translation Notes

وَعِزَّتِكَ

ʿ-z-z → “By Thy might”

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

لا

l-ʾ → “not”

literal: no; not; negation particle

أُرِيْدُ

r-y-d → “ask” Distinctive

literal: to will; to intend; to wish; will, volition, intention, desire

مِنَ

m-n → “whether” Distinctive

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

النَّوْمِ

n-w-m → “sleeping”

literal: to sleep; to slumber

وَلا

w-l-y → “or” Distinctive

literal: friend; lord; guardian

اليَقْظَةِ

y-q-ẓ → “waking”

literal: awakened; awaken; awakened me

إِلاَّ

ʾ-kh-r → “but” Distinctive

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

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

أَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

أَنَا

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

عَبْدُكَ

ʿ-b-d → “servant”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

وَفِي

f-y → “in”

literal: faithfulness; loyalty; fulfillment; fidelity; to be faithful; faithful, loyal

قَبْضَتِكَ

q-b-ḍ

literal: grasp; grip; control; seize

أَيِّدْنِيْ

ʾ-y-d → “Do Thou graciously aid” Distinctive

literal: support; strengthen; aid

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “to do” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

يَتَضَوَّعُ

ḍ-w-ʿ → “diffuse” Distinctive

literal: diffuse; spread fragrance; diffused

بِهِ

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

عَرْفُ

ʿ-r-f → “fragrance”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

رِضائِكَ،

r-ḍ-y → “good pleasure”

literal: good-pleasure, consent, satisfaction

هذا

h-dh-ʾ → “This, truly, is”

literal: this; that

أَمَلِي

ʾ-m-l → “my hope”

literal: hope; expectation; wish

وَأَمَلُ

ʾ-m-l → “Ponder” Distinctive

literal: hope; expectation; wish

المُقَرَّبِيْنَ

q-r-b → “them that enjoy near access”

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

الحَمْدُ

ḥ-m-d → “Praised be”

literal: praise; to praise

لَكَ

l → “His is”

literal: for; for you; for him

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

إِلهَ

ʾ-l-h → “Lord”

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

العالَمِيْنَ.

ʿ-l-m → “the worlds”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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