Prayers and Meditations — §797

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 797 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

أَمْرِكَ، وَلا يَرْتَكِبُنَّ ما تَجْعَلُ بِهِ ذَواتَهُمْ مُسْتَحِقَّةً لِظُهُوراتِ قَهْرِكَ وَغَضَبِكَ، وَأَنْتَ تَعْلَمُ يا إِلهِي بِأَنِّي كُنْتُ بَيْنَ مَلإِ البَيَانِ كَأَحَدٍ مِنْهُمْ وَعاشَرْتُ مَعَهُمْ بِالشَّوْقِ وَالاشْتِياقِ وَدَعَوْتُهُمْ إِلى نَفْسِكَ فِي العَشِيِّ وَالإِشْراقِ بِبَدائِعِ وَحْيِكَ وَإِلهامِكَ، وَوَرَدَ عَلَيَّ مِنْهُمْ ما عَجِزَتْ عَنْ ذِكْرِهِ سُكَّانُ مَدائِنِ إِنْشائِكَ، فَوَعِزَّتِكَ يا مَحْبُوبِي ما أَصْبَحْتُ إِلاَّ وَقَدْ صِرْتُ هَدَفًا لِسِهامِ غِلِّهِمْ، وَما أَمْسَيْتُ إِلاَّ وَقَدْ وَرَدَ عَلَيَّ رِماحُ بُغْضِهِمْ، وَمَعَ ما جَعَلْتَنِي عالِمًا بِما فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَقادِرًا عَلَيْهِمْ سَتَرْتُ وَصَبَرْتُ ناظِرًا إِلى مِيقاتِكَ، فَلَمَّا جاءَ الوَعْدُ وَتَمَّ المِيْقاتُ حَرَّكْتَ ذَيْلَ السِّتْرِ أَقَلَّ مِنْ أَنْ يُحْصَى إِذًا فَزَعَ مَنْ فِي جَبَرُوتِ الأَمْرِ وَالخَلْقِ إِلاَّ الَّذِيْنَ خَلَقْتَهُمْ مِنْ نارِ حُبِّكَ وَهَوآءِ شَوْقِكَ وَماءِ عِنايَتِكَ وَتُرابِ فَضْلِكَ، أُولئِكَ يُصَلِّيَنَّ عَلَيْهِمُ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Thou well knowest, O my God, that I was regarded as one of the people of the Bayán, and consorted with them with love and fellowship, and summoned them to Thee in the daytime and in the night season, through the wonders of Thy Revelation and Thine inspiration, and sustained at their hands what the inmates of the cities of Thine invention are powerless to recount. I swear by Thy might, O my Beloved! Every morning I waken to find that I am made a target for the darts of their envy, and every night, when I lie down to rest, I discover that I have fallen a victim to the spears of their hate. Though Thou hast made known unto me the secrets of their hearts, and hast set me above them, I have refused to uncover their deeds, and have dealt patiently with them, mindful of the time which Thou hast fixed. And when Thy promise came to pass, and the set time was fulfilled, Thou didst lift, to an imperceptible degree, the veil of concealment, and lo, all the inmates of the kingdoms of Thy Revelation and of Thy creation shook and trembled, except those who were created by Thee, through the fire of Thy love, and the breath of Thine eagerness, and the water of Thy loving-kindness, and the clay of Thy grace. These are they who are glorified by the Concourse on high and the denizens of the Cities of eternity.

Translation Notes

وَلا

w-l-y

literal: no; not; negation particle

يَرْتَكِبُنَّ

r-k-b

literal: commit; commit, perpetrate; to commit

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

بِهِ

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

ذَواتَهُمْ

dh-w-t

literal: essence; essence, self; essence/self

مُسْتَحِقَّةً

ḥ-q-q

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

لِظُهُوراتِ

ẓ-h-r

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

قَهْرِكَ

q-h-r

literal: to overpower; to vanquish; wrath; might; force; compulsion; overwhelming

وَغَضَبِكَ،

gh-ḍ-b

literal: wrath; anger; rage

وَأَنْتَ

ʾ-n-t → “Thou”

literal: you (masculine singular)

تَعْلَمُ

ʿ-l-m

literal: world; universe; the worlds

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

إِلهِي

ʾ-l-h → “my God”

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

بِأَنِّي

ʾ-n-n → “that I”

literal: building, structure, edifice; to build, construct; structure, edifice

كُنْتُ

k-w-n → “was regarded”

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

بَيْنَ

b-y-n → “utterance” Distinctive

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident

مَلإِ

m-l-ʾ → “people of” Distinctive

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

كَأَحَدٍ

w-ḥ-d

literal: Divine unity; monotheism; belief in the oneness of God

مِنْهُمْ

m-n → “of the” Distinctive

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

وَعاشَرْتُ

ʿ-sh-r → “associated”

literal: association; companionship; social interaction; عشرين (twenty) is from numeral root ع-ش-ر, distinct from ‘association’ meaning

مَعَهُمْ

m-ʿ → “notwithstanding” Distinctive

literal: with them; in their company

بِالشَّوْقِ

sh-w-q → “longing”

literal: to encourage; to incite; yearning; enthusiasm

وَدَعَوْتُهُمْ

d-ʿ-w → “summoned”

literal: call; invitation; claim

إِلى

ʾ-l-y → “towards”

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

نَفْسِكَ

n-f-s → “them” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

فِي

f-y → “to Thee” Distinctive

literal: in; in-it; in it

العَشِيِّ

ʿ-sh-w → “the daytime”

literal: evening; daytime; afternoon

وَالإِشْراقِ

sh-r-q → “Dayspring” Distinctive

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

بِبَدائِعِ

b-d-ʿ → “through the wonders”

literal: to create; most wondrous; excel

وَحْيِكَ

w-ḥ-y → “of Thy Revelation”

literal: revelation; inspiration; divine communication

وَإِلهامِكَ،

l-h-m → “and Thine inspiration”

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

وَوَرَدَ

w-r-d → “hath befallen” Distinctive

literal: to enter, to come, to befall, to arrive

عَلَيَّ

ʿ-l-w → “at their hands” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

عَجِزَتْ

ʿ-j-z → “are powerless to recount” Distinctive

literal: to be unable; to fail; to be exhausted; impotence; أعجاز (roots of trees/extremities) is Pattern II plural, distinct from ‘inability’ forms

عَنْ

ʿ-n

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

ذِكْرِهِ

dh-k-r

literal: remembrance; mention; memory; invocation; reminders; commemorations

سُكَّانُ

s-k-n → “inmates”

literal: stillness, rest, quietude, tranquility

مَدائِنِ

m-d-n → “of the cities”

literal: religion; faith; creed; belief

إِنْشائِكَ،

n-sh-ʾ → “creation” Distinctive

literal: creation; creation/origination; creation, composition

فَوَعِزَّتِكَ

ʿ-z-z → “I swear by Thy might”

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

مَحْبُوبِي

ḥ-b-b → “my Beloved”

literal: love; affection

أَصْبَحْتُ

ṣ-b-ḥ → “Every morning I waken” Distinctive

literal: morning, dawn; daybreak

إِلاَّ

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

literal: end; hereafter; other

وَقَدْ

q-d → “We have been”

literal: and indeed; and already; conjunction indicating completed action

صِرْتُ

ṣ-y-r → “interposed themselves” Distinctive

literal: become; became; becomes

هَدَفًا

h-d-f → “target”

literal: target; goal; aim

لِسِهامِ

s-h-m → “for the darts”

literal: arrow; dart; shaft; portion; share

غِلِّهِمْ،

gh-l-l → “of their envy”

literal: one who envies; envious; malicious

أَمْسَيْتُ

m-s-y → “reached every evening”

literal: become-evening; became-evening

رِماحُ

r-m-ḥ → “spears”

literal: spears; spear, lance; spear

بُغْضِهِمْ،

b-gh-ḍ → “of their hate”

literal: hatred; enmity; animosity

جَعَلْتَنِي

j-ʿ-l → “Thou hast made known”

literal: to make; to cause; to render; to appoint

وَقادِرًا

q-d-r

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

عَلَيْهِمْ

ʿ-l-y

literal: exalted; highest; supreme; most high; upon you; on; over; Ali (name); upon

سَتَرْتُ

s-t-r → “hidden” Distinctive

literal: to veil; to conceal; to cover; veil; covering

وَصَبَرْتُ

ṣ-b-r → “dealt patiently” Distinctive

literal: patience; forbearance; endurance; to be patient

ناظِرًا

n-ẓ-r → “Consider” Distinctive

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

مِيقاتِكَ،

w-q-t → “time”

literal: time; occasion; moment; period

فَلَمَّا

l-m-m → “No sooner”

literal: when; as soon as; thereupon

جاءَ

j-y-ʾ → “come”

literal: to come; to arrive; to happen

الوَعْدُ

w-ʿ-d

literal: promised; the Promised One

وَتَمَّ

t-m-m → “was fulfilled”

literal: and complete, fulfill; captivate, enslave

حَرَّكْتَ

ḥ-r-k → “move”

literal: movement; motion; trembling; activity; حراک is unusual; possible typo or dialectal. Standard Arabic would be حرك or اهتزاز for ‘trembling’

ذَيْلَ

dh-y-l

literal: hem; skirt; fold of a garment; train

أَقَلَّ

q-l-l → “less”

literal: little; few; scanty; small in quantity

أَنْ

ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

يُحْصَى

ḥ-ṣ-y

literal: count; enumerate; enumeration

إِذًا

ʾ-dh-n → “ears”

literal: when; if; whenever; then suddenly

فَزَعَ

f-z-ʿ → “caused”

literal: to fear; to be terrified; terror, fright

جَبَرُوتِ

j-b-r → “dominion”

literal: compelled; forced; constrained

الأَمْرِ

ʾ-m-r → “of Thy Revelation”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

وَالخَلْقِ

kh-l-q → “and of Thy creation”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

الَّذِيْنَ

l-dh-y → “which” Distinctive

literal: those who; the ones who (relative pronoun)

نارِ

n-ʾ-r → “fire”

literal: light; illumination

وَهَوآءِ

h-w-y → “desires” Distinctive

literal: air; atmosphere; void

وَماءِ

m-y-h → “and the water” Distinctive

literal: water; shelter; refuge; dwelling; abode; essence

عِنايَتِكَ

ʿ-n-y → “of Thy loving-kindness”

literal: to concern; to mean; to turn away from; bounty; loving-kindness; grace; divine care; attention; meaning; significance; inner sense

وَتُرابِ

t-r-b → “and the clay” Distinctive

literal: dust; earth; soil

فَضْلِكَ،

f-ḍ-l → “of Thy grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

أُولئِكَ

ʾ-w-l → “first” Distinctive

literal: first; beginning; at first; the first; former; possessors of; those who have; masters of

يُصَلِّيَنَّ

ṣ-l-y → “may the blessings” Distinctive

literal: blessed; prayed; bless

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 ¶