Prayers and Meditations — §759

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 759 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

لَكَ يا مَحْبُوبَ العالَمِ وَيا أَيُّها المَذْكُورُ فِي قُلوبِ العارِفِينَ.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Praise be unto Thee, O Thou the Beloved of the world, and the Adored of the hearts of them that have recognized Thee.

Translation Notes

لَكَ

lak l → “praise be unto thee”

literal: for; for you; for him

SE expanded to “Praise be unto Thee”

5 occurrences in corpus

kitab-i-iqanKIQ §190: His is

مَحْبُوبَ

maḥbúb ḥ-b-b → “beloved”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

beloved 44% well-beloved 26% best-beloved 12% loved 6% prized 2% who 2% one 2% pleasing 1% god 1% new 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: love of Thee fire-tabletFire §7: of Thy love gleaningsGWB §656: I cherish kitab-i-iqanKIQ §68: tender affection prayers-and-meditationsP&M §442: through their love tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: I long tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §40: the Beloved One the-hidden-wordsHW §6: thou lovest Me not

العالَمِ

al-ʿálam ʿ-l-m → “of the world”

literal: world; knowledge; worlds

SE expanded to “of the world”

world 68% earth 8% mankind 7% realm 4% men 3% whole 2% all 2% all-knowing 2% knoweth 2% dwell 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §100: Know thou fire-tabletFire §13: ensigns gleaningsGWB §92: the realm kitab-i-iqanKIQ §253: designated prayers-and-meditationsP&M §322: the worlds!”tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §17: of all the worlds tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §13: we have taught thee the-hidden-wordsHW §49: a sign

وَيا

wayá y-ʾ → “o ye”

literal: O; or

SE rendered لَكَ (lak), مَحْبُوبَ (maḥbúb), العالَمِ (al-ʿálam), وَيا (wayá), المَذْكُورُ (al-madhkúr), قُلوبِ (qulúb) as “Praise be unto Thee, Beloved, of the world, and, Adored, the hearts of”

ye 50% sought 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §88: O kitab-i-iqanKIQ §42: sought epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §157: O ye

المَذْكُورُ

al-madhkúr dh-k-r → “remembrance” Distinctive

literal: mention; remembrance; mentioned

This form usually rendered as “mentioned”, “recorded”, “mention” (62 occurrences)

mentioned 22% recorded 17% mention 13% aforementioned 9% foretold 9% above-mentioned 9% hath 9% revealed 4% referred 4% characterized 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: for Thy mention gleaningsGWB §156: remembered kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: reckoned kitab-i-iqanKIQ §196: utterance prayers-and-meditationsP&M §198: mentioning tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: utter His call tablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: proclaimeth the-hidden-wordsHW §67: mention of Me

قُلوبِ

qulúb q-l-b → “hearts of”

literal: heart; hearts

hearts 79% souls 5% heart 4% men’s 3% breasts 2% whole 2% human 2% “hearts 2% radiant 1% fearful 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §67: turn gleaningsGWB §680: soul kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: a pure heart kitab-i-iqanKIQ §13: upheaval prayers-and-meditationsP&M §235: all their hearts the-hidden-wordsHW §120: mind will-and-testamentW&T §48: with a heart epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §226: turneth

العارِفِينَ

al-ʿárifín ʿ-r-f → “them that have recognized thee”

literal: knowledge; know; knower

SE expanded to “them that have recognized Thee”

have 17% comprehend 15% all 15% know 12% such 10% understanding 7% understand 7% perceive 7% who 5% every 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §101: renowned gleaningsGWB §179: enable them to discover kitab-i-ahdAhd §13: perform praiseworthy deeds kitab-i-iqanKIQ §133: testify prayers-and-meditationsP&M §169: and for the sweet savors tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: to see the-hidden-wordsHW §4: knew epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §117: understanding

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

Gleanings

Bahá’u’lláh

A compilation of 166 selections from Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablets, spanning the Baghdad, Adrianople, and ‘Akká periods (1853–1892). George Townshend assisted with English refinement. Shoghi Effendi wrote that it gives the friends a splendid opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of the Faith.

729 ¶

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán

Bahá’u’lláh

The principal doctrinal work of the Faith, revealed in Baghdad within the space of two days and two nights in response to questions from the Báb’s maternal uncle. Shoghi Effendi described it as occupying a position unequalled by any work except the Kitáb-i-Aqdas — a model of Persian prose, at once original, chaste, vigorous, and remarkably lucid.

291 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in Adrianople and addressed to a believer named Aḥmad, this Tablet has been invested by Bahá’u’lláh with a special potency and significance. Its central imagery draws on the metaphor of fire and water: “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones.”

17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed during a visit to Mount Carmel, this Tablet addresses the mountain directly and prophesies its future as the world spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi designated it one of three foundational Charters. Its imagery of the Ark and the dwellers therein prefigures the Universal House of Justice.

5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

160 ¶

Will and Testament

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in three parts between 1901 and 1908, opened and read after His passing on 28 November 1921. Shoghi Effendi designated it the Charter of the New World Order — the mightiest instrument forged to ensure the continuity of the three ages of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

59 ¶