Prayers and Meditations — §788

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 788 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، وَكَمْ مِنْ أَيَّامٍ يا إِلهِي كُنْتُ فَرِيْدًا بَيْنَ المُذْنِبِينَ مِنْ عِبادِكَ، وَكَمْ مِنْ لَيالٍ يا مَحْبُوبِي كُنْتُ أَسِيرًا بَيْنَ الغافِلِينَ مِنْ خَلْقِكَ، وَفِي مَوارِدِ البَأْسآءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ كُنْتُ ناطِقًا بِثَناءِ نَفْسِكَ بَيْنَ سَمائِكَ وَأَرْضِكَ وذاكرًا بِبَدائِعِ ذِكْرِكَ فِي مَلَكُوتِ أَمْرِكَ وَخَلْقِكَ، وَلَوْ أَنَّ كُلَّ ما ظَهَرَ مِنِّيْ لا يَنْبَغِيْ لِسُلْطانِ عِزِّ وَحْدانِيَّتِكَ وَلا يَلِيْقُ لِشَأْنِكَ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

How many the days, O my God, which I have spent in utter loneliness with the transgressors amongst Thy servants, and how many the nights, O my Best-Beloved, during which I lay a captive in the hands of the wayward amidst Thy creatures! In the midst of my troubles and tribulations I have continued to celebrate Thy praise before all who are in Thy heaven and on Thy earth, and have not ceased to extol Thy wondrous glory in the kingdoms of Thy Revelation and of Thy creation, though all that I have been capable of showing forth hath fallen short of the greatness and the majesty of Thy oneness, and is unworthy of Thine exaltation and of Thine omnipotence.

Translation Notes

خَلْقِكَ،

khalqika، kh-l-q → “creatures”

literal: creation; create; created

creatures 74% among 7% creation 6% own 3% created 2% servants 2% all 2% god 1% hath 1% creatures’ 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: created fire-tabletFire §40: wert created gleaningsGWB §471: have We created you kitab-i-iqanKIQ §14: His people prayers-and-meditationsP&M §749: kingdom of tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §54: created her the-hidden-wordsHW §83: creators epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §141: men

وَكَمْ

wakam k-m-m → “and how many”

literal: how many

SE expanded to “and how many”

how 60% many 20% would 10% iniquity 10%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §129: How many gleaningsGWB §240: Would that ye might prayers-and-meditationsP&M §89: and many epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §129: how numerous gleaningsGWB §453: iniquity waxed greater and greater prayers-and-meditationsP&M §89: Many prayers-and-meditationsP&M §167: and how numerous

أَيَّامٍ

ʾayyámin y-w-m → “days”

literal: day; days; today

days 65% day 18% time 4% daytime 2% night 2% past 2% many 2% day-time 1% night-season 1% long 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §200: their time gleaningsGWB §245: Your days kitab-i-iqanKIQ §255: Many a day prayers-and-meditationsP&M §467: throughout my life will-and-testamentW&T §54: days’ time epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §116: the day-time gleaningsGWB §27: Day.”kitab-i-iqanKIQ §186: on a certain day

إِلهِي

ʾilhí ʾ-l-h → “my god”

literal: God; divine; god

god 64% divine 22% god’s 5% lord 4% holy 2% mystic 1% heavenly 1% grace 1% god-given 1% pertaineth 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §109: Divine gleaningsGWB §493: divinely revealed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §234: of prayers-and-meditationsP&M §845: of Thy Divinity the-hidden-wordsHW §147: celestial will-and-testamentW&T §53: the Holy Writ epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §206: Godhead gleaningsGWB §23: God’s,”

فَرِيْدًا

farídan f-r-d → “in utter loneliness”

literal: unique

SE expanded to “in utter loneliness”

lonely 20% utter 20% forlorn 20% unique 20% alone 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §1: the One, the Incomparable fire-tabletFire §17: lonely gleaningsGWB §273: Paradise kitab-i-iqanKIQ §161: unity prayers-and-meditationsP&M §75: recognize Thy unity tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §2: Peerless tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §51: forlorn will-and-testamentW&T §49: alone

المُذْنِبِينَ

al-mudhnibín dh-n-b → “sins” Distinctive

literal: sin; sins

This form usually rendered as “greatest”, “transgressors” (2 occurrences)

greatest 50% transgressors 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §265: his transgressions gleaningsGWB §650: transgression kitab-i-iqanKIQ §186: his sin?’prayers-and-meditationsP&M §682: the sins of men the-hidden-wordsHW §50: sinful epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §261: sins gleaningsGWB §167: of having transgressed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §145: forgive sins.”

عِبادِكَ،

ʿibádika، ʿ-b-d → “thy servants”

literal: servants; servant; servant/slave

servants 89% people 4% creatures 1% unto 1% all 1% sincere 1% servants’ 1% such 1% comprehension 1% who 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §85: the oppressed fire-tabletFire §49: Adored gleaningsGWB §196: a soul kitab-i-iqanKIQ §10: worshipped prayers-and-meditationsP&M §313: to Thy servants tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a service the-hidden-wordsHW §3: of others will-and-testamentW&T §38: are servants

لَيالٍ

layálin l-y-l → “nights”

literal: night; nights; the nights

night 59% nights 14% night-season 11% daytime 8% day-time 3% day 3% blessed 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §114: night gleaningsGWB §492: in the night season kitab-i-iqanKIQ §40: night-season prayers-and-meditationsP&M §497: the night epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §129: nights prayers-and-meditationsP&M §351: in the daytime epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §142: Night and day prayers-and-meditationsP&M §167: the nights

مَحْبُوبِي

maḥbúbí ḥ-b-b → “my best-beloved”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

beloved 58% best-beloved 18% well-beloved 11% thou 3% one 3% divine 3% god 3% desire 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §38: pleasing fire-tabletFire §7: of Thy love gleaningsGWB §556: his Beloved kitab-i-iqanKIQ §279: faithful prayers-and-meditationsP&M §17: them that love me tablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: a Day tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §40: the Beloved One the-hidden-wordsHW §20: My lover

أَسِيرًا

ʾasíran ʾ-s-r → “captive”

literal: captives; captive; captive/prisoner

enslave 33% lie 33% captive 33%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §61: captives gleaningsGWB §718: enslave kitab-i-iqanKIQ §182: lie imprisoned prayers-and-meditationsP&M §55: a captive prayers-and-meditationsP&M §44: captive

الغافِلِينَ

al-gháfilín gh-f-l → “the wayward”

literal: heedless; heedlessness

heedless 36% wayward 27% heedlessness 9% have 6% erring 6% strayed 3% unaware 3% slumber 3% far-gone 3% all 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: the wayward gleaningsGWB §81: the heedless ones kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: remained heedless kitab-i-iqanKIQ §123: erring and wayward prayers-and-meditationsP&M §564: failed to apprehend the-hidden-wordsHW §122: neglected epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §130: that hath erred gleaningsGWB §542: that are gone astray

مَوارِدِ

mawárid w-r-d

literal: entering; come; arrive

SE rendered الغافِلِينَ (al-gháfilín), خَلْقِكَ، (khalqika،), وَفِي (wafí), مَوارِدِ (mawárid), البَأْسآءِ (al-baʾasáʾ), وَالضَّرَّاءِ (wálḍḍarráʾ) as “the wayward, In the midst of, my troubles, and tribulations”

instance 33% summons 33% midst 33%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: the things which have befallen gleaningsGWB §711: guide kitab-i-iqanKIQ §149: attain prayers-and-meditationsP&M §426: have suffered will-and-testamentW&T §5: dealt a epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §184: hath been perpetrated gleaningsGWB §466: did ye afflict kitab-i-iqanKIQ §114: inflict

البَأْسآءِ

al-baʾasáʾ b-ʾ-s → “wretched” Distinctive

literal: wretched; adversity

This form usually rendered as “ills”, “have”, “adversity” (6 occurrences)

ills 40% have 20% adversity 20% troubles 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §92: Wretched gleaningsGWB §441: misery prayers-and-meditationsP&M §788: my troubles gleaningsGWB §629: have encompassed prayers-and-meditationsP&M §505: violence gleaningsGWB §509: ills and troubles prayers-and-meditationsP&M §165: of adversity gleaningsGWB §255: ills

وَالضَّرَّاءِ

wálḍḍarráʾ ḍ-r-r → “and tribulations”

literal: hardship

hardships 14% distress 14% tribulation 14% trouble 14% ills 14% adversity 14% tribulations 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: to harm them that Thou didst trust gleaningsGWB §161: cause injury kitab-i-iqanKIQ §130: in no wise damage prayers-and-meditationsP&M §308: of the stirrers of mischief tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §16: difficulties will-and-testamentW&T §35: troubles epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §70: woe gleaningsGWB §501: no harm

ناطِقًا

náṭiqan n-ṭ-q → “to celebrate” Distinctive

literal: speak; speaking

This form usually rendered as “uttering”, “speak”, “utterance” (52 occurrences)

uttering 25% speak 15% utterance 10% rational 10% uttered 10% speaketh 10% reciteth 5% voice 5% recite 5% say 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: speech fire-tabletFire §37: uttereth gleaningsGWB §668: caused Me to reveal kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: words kitab-i-iqanKIQ §149: eloquent prayers-and-meditationsP&M §795: impelleth me to cry out will-and-testamentW&T §2: declared epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §160: voice

بِثَناءِ

bithanáʾ th-n-y → “thy praise”

literal: praise; praise, commendation

praise 53% glory 12% celebrate 6% “praise 6% virtues 6% speak 6% extolling 6% extol 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: Secondarily gleaningsGWB §627: and to celebrate Thy praise kitab-i-iqanKIQ §151: “Secondary prayers-and-meditationsP&M §81: and the glory epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §52: second gleaningsGWB §396: magnify prayers-and-meditationsP&M §833: to praise Thee epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §6: to glorify Thee

نَفْسِكَ

nafsik n-f-s

literal: self; soul; souls

SE rendered ناطِقًا (náṭiqan), بِثَناءِ (bithanáʾ), نَفْسِكَ (nafsik), سَمائِكَ (samáʾik), وَأَرْضِكَ (waʾarḍik) as “to celebrate, Thy praise, Thy heaven, on Thy earth”

thyself 28% own 26% self 19% thee 15% soul 3% himself 3% unto 2% inmost 2% spirit 2% most 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: unto Thyself gleaningsGWB §357: their own selves.”kitab-i-ahdAhd §8: those kitab-i-iqanKIQ §199: inclination prayers-and-meditationsP&M §430: their own sakes tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §52: within herself the-hidden-wordsHW §18: with Me will-and-testamentW&T §58: To none

سَمائِكَ

samáʾik s-m-w → “thy heaven”

literal: heaven

heaven 96% heavens 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §196: and fire-tabletFire §36: heavenly gleaningsGWB §697: through kitab-i-iqanKIQ §116: heaven.”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §114: Thy heaven tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: Names.’tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §12: my Lord the-hidden-wordsHW §9: in thine own

وَأَرْضِكَ

waʾarḍik ʾ-r-ḍ → “on thy earth”

literal: earth; earth/land

SE expanded to “on Thy earth”

earth 92% realm 4% heaven 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §110: in this land fire-tabletFire §36: a desolate land gleaningsGWB §246: the whole earth prayers-and-meditationsP&M §298: on Thine earth the-hidden-wordsHW §98: realm epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §86: all that is on earth fire-tabletFire §3: on gleaningsGWB §124: soil

وذاكرًا

wdhákran dh-k-r → “ceased to extol” Distinctive

literal: remembrance

This form usually rendered as “engaged”, “thou”, “callest” (7 occurrences)

SE expanded to “ceased to extol”

engaged 17% thou 17% callest 17% remembering 17% whosoever 17% ceased 17%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §103: make mention gleaningsGWB §203: commemorate kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: reckoned kitab-i-iqanKIQ §25: were to accompany prayers-and-meditationsP&M §831: hath been mentioned tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: utter His call tablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: proclaimeth the-hidden-wordsHW §5: name thy name

بِبَدائِعِ

bibadáʾiʿ b-d-ʿ → “thy wondrous”

literal: wondrous; wonders

wonders 44% wondrous 38% tokens 6% incomparable 6% through 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §217: Wondrous gleaningsGWB §116: wonders kitab-i-iqanKIQ §101: His wondrous prayers-and-meditationsP&M §287: the creation the-hidden-wordsHW §160: mystic will-and-testamentW&T §2: most wondrous epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §191: the universe gleaningsGWB §286: through

مَلَكُوتِ

malakút m-l-k → “kingdoms”

literal: kingdom; king

kingdom 73% kingdoms 13% heaven 4% empire 4% heavens 2% glory 1% realm 1% whole 1% realms 1% dominion 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: the Lord gleaningsGWB §189: had allowed me to possess kitab-i-iqanKIQ §43: the angels descend.”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §174: Who art the King tablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: of the Kingdom tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §15: the worlds the-hidden-wordsHW §116: this world will-and-testamentW&T §48: of the

أَمْرِكَ

ʾamrik ʾ-m-r → “thy revelation”

literal: command; cause

cause 59% revelation 16% behest 7% bidding 4% decree 4% faith 3% commandment 3% command 1% through 1% affairs 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §188: rulers fire-tabletFire §17: Command gleaningsGWB §188: decree kitab-i-ahdAhd §7: a decree kitab-i-iqanKIQ §177: all acts prayers-and-meditationsP&M §752: His behests tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §33: summoned the-hidden-wordsHW §41: to Our command

وَلَوْ

walaw l-w → “though”

literal: if

8 occurrences in corpus

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §88: If kitab-i-iqanKIQ §19: were prayers-and-meditationsP&M §788: though

ظَهَرَ

ẓahar ẓ-h-r → “showing forth” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; manifest; appear

This form usually rendered as “hath”, “appeared”, “manifested” (105 occurrences)

hath 42% appeared 17% manifested 9% revealed 9% made 8% have 4% fulfilled 4% uncovered 4% perpetrated 2% back 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §21: to disclose fire-tabletFire §23: spring gleaningsGWB §326: generated kitab-i-ahdAhd §11: have We graciously revealed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §279: What more shall We say prayers-and-meditationsP&M §248: for the Manifestations tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: to assist tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: Revelation—a Revelation

مِنِّيْ

minní m-n → “from”

literal: from; who; from/of

SE rendered وَلَوْ (walaw), ظَهَرَ (ẓahar), مِنِّيْ (minní), يَنْبَغِيْ (yanbaghí), لِسُلْطانِ (lisulṭán) as “though, showing forth, of the greatness”

whosoever 20% above 14% all 14% others 11% who 9% such 9% man 6% amongst 6% whoso 6% unto 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §130: above fire-tabletFire §45: with hate gleaningsGWB §48: unto all them kitab-i-ahdAhd §11: unto kitab-i-iqanKIQ §284: these prayers-and-meditationsP&M §753: such as will-and-testamentW&T §35: over epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §103: He that

يَنْبَغِيْ

yanbaghí n-b-gh

literal: befit; befits

SE rendered ظَهَرَ (ẓahar), مِنِّيْ (minní), يَنْبَغِيْ (yanbaghí), لِسُلْطانِ (lisulṭán), عِزِّ (ʿizz), وَحْدانِيَّتِكَ (waḥdánínatik) as “showing forth, of the greatness, of Thy oneness”