Prayers and Meditations — §730
Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 730 of 858.
Source (Arabic)
نْ خَشْيَتِكَ، وَلَوْ أُثْنِيكَ بِالصِّفاتِ أُشاهِدُ أَنَّها خَلْقُكَ وَفِي قَبْضَتِكَ وَلا يَنْبَغِيْ لِمَظاهِرِها أَنْ تَقُومَ تِلْقآءَ بَابِ مَدْيَنِ ظُهُورِكَ وَكَيْفَ المَقامِ الَّذِيْ فِيْهِ اسْتَوَيْتَ عَلَى عَرْشِ عَظَمَتِكَ، وَعِزَّتِكَ يا مالِكَ الأَسْمآءِ وَفَاطِرَ السَّمآءِ، كُلُّ ما تَزَيَّنَ بِقَمِيْصِ الأَلْفاظِ إِنَّهُ خُلِقَ فِي مَمْلَكَتِكَ وَذُوِّتَ بِإِرادَتِكَ وَلا يَنْبَغِيْ لِحَض
Shoghi Effendi Translation
I cannot think, O my God, of any words wherewith to make mention of Thee, and know not how to express or extol Thee. Were I to attempt to describe Thee by Thy names, I would readily recognize that the kingdom of these names is itself created through the movement of Thy fingers, and trembleth for fear of Thee. And were I to venture to extol Thine attributes, I would be forced to admit that these attributes are Thine own creation, and lie within Thy grasp. It behooveth not Them Who are the Manifestations of these names and attributes to stand before the gate of the city of Thy Revelation, how much less to scale the heights whereon Thou didst stablish the throne of Thy majesty.
Translation Notes
لِمَظاهِرِها
literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest
اسْتَوَيْتَ
literal: level; equal; straight; upon a throne; resting upon
