Prayers and Meditations — §789

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 789 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

وَاقْتِدارِكَ، فَوَعِزَّتِكَ يا مَحْبُوبِي لَمْ أَجِدْ لِنَفْسِيْ وُجُودًا تِلْقآءَ مَدْيَنِ عِزِّكَ وَكُلَّما أُرِيْدُ أَنْ أُثْنِيَ نَفْسَكَ بِثَنآءٍ يَمْنَعُنِي فُؤادِيْ لأَنَّ دُونَكَ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ أَنْ يَطِيرَ فِي هَوآءِ مَلَكُوتِ قُرْبِكَ أَوْ أَنْ يَصْعَدَ إِلى سَمآءِ جَبَرُوْتِ لِقائِكَ، فَوَعِزَّتِكَ أُشا

Shoghi Effendi Translation

I swear by Thy glory, O Thou Who art the one alone Beloved! I find myself to be only nothing before the habitation of Thy great glory. Every time I attempt to extol any one of Thy virtues, my heart restraineth me, for naught but Thee is able to soar into the atmosphere of the kingdom of Thy nearness, or reach up to the heaven of Thy presence.

Translation Notes

وَاقْتِدارِكَ،

q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

فَوَعِزَّتِكَ

ʿ-z-z → “Thy glory”

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

يا

y-ʾ → “O ye”

literal: O; or

مَحْبُوبِي

ḥ-b-b → “Beloved”

literal: love; affection

لَمْ

l-y-s

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

أَجِدْ

w-j-d → “find”

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

لِنَفْسِيْ

n-f-s → “myself”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

تِلْقآءَ

l-q-y → “before”

literal: opposite; facing; in front of; towards

مَدْيَنِ

m-d-n → “habitation” Distinctive

literal: city; cities; civilization

وَكُلَّما

k-l-l → “Every time”

literal: agency; representation; trusteeship; delegated authority; to rely; to trust; to place trust in

أُرِيْدُ

r-y-d → “desire” Distinctive

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

أَنْ

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

أُثْنِيَ

th-n-y → “extol”

literal: praise; commendation; eulogy; glorification; praise, commendation, eulogy

يَمْنَعُنِي

m-n-ʿ → “restraineth me” Distinctive

literal: prevent; prevented; prevention

فُؤادِيْ

f-ʾ-d → “my heart”

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

لأَنَّ

ʾ-n → “for” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

دُونَكَ

d-w-n → “naught but Thee”

literal: below; lower than; beneath

يَطِيرَ

ṭ-y-r → “soar”

literal: bird; birds; flying creature; flying; flight

فِي

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

هَوآءِ

h-w-y → “atmosphere”

literal: air; atmosphere; void

مَلَكُوتِ

m-l-k → “kingdom”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty

قُرْبِكَ

q-r-b → “Thy nearness”

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

أَوْ

h-w-w → “or” Distinctive

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

يَصْعَدَ

ṣ-ʿ-d → “reach up” Distinctive

literal: ascent; ascension; rising; elevation

إِلى

ʾ-l-y

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

سَمآءِ

s-m-w → “heaven”

literal: heaven; sky

جَبَرُوْتِ

j-b-r

literal: compelled; forced; constrained

أُشا

sh-y-ʿ

literal: Shia; followers; follower

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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50 ¶

Gleanings

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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

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16 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán

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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

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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

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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

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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

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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 ¶