Prayers and Meditations — §8
Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 8 of 858.
Source (Arabic)
سُبْحانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ يا إِلهِي أَسْئَلُكَ بِاسْمِكَ الأَعْظَمِ الَّذِيْ ابْتُلِيَ بَيْنَ أَيْدِي المُشْرِكينَ مِنْ بَرِيَّتِكَ، وَأَحَاطَتْهُ الأَحْزانُ مِنْ كُلِّ الجِهاتِ عَلَى شَأْنٍ لا يُذْكَرُ بِالبَيانِ، بِأَنْ تُوَفِّقَنِي عَلَى ذِكْرِكَ وَثَنائِكَ فِيْ هذِهِ الأَيَّامِ الَّتِي كُلٌّ أَعْرَضُوا عَنْ جَمالِكَ، وَاعْتَرَضُوا عَلَيْكَ، وَاسْتَكْبَرُوا عَلَى مَظْهَرِ أَمْرِكَ، أَيْ رَبِّ لَمْ أَرَ لَكَ نَاصِرًا دُونَكَ وَلا مُعِينًا سِواكَ،
Shoghi Effendi Translation
Glorified art Thou, O Lord my God! I beseech Thee by Him Who is Thy Most Great Name, Who hath been sorely afflicted by such of Thy creatures as have repudiated Thy truth, and Who hath been hemmed in by sorrows which no tongue can describe, to grant that I may remember Thee and celebrate Thy praise, in these days when all have turned away from Thy beauty, have disputed with Thee, and turned away disdainfully from Him Who is the Revealer of Thy Cause. None is there, O my Lord, to help Thee except Thine own Self, and no power to succor Thee save Thine own power.
Translation Notes
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: “Glory to Theefire-tabletFire §14: veiledgleaningsGWB §4: Farkitab-i-iqanKIQ §149: celebrateprayers-and-meditationsP&M §254: Lauded and glorifiedtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §54: Glorified be He thatthe-hidden-wordsHW §89: from on highwill-and-testamentW&T §42: Gracious God
SE expanded to “O Lord my God”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §14: God possessethfire-tabletFire §41: after GodgleaningsGWB §168: of Heavenkitab-i-ahdAhd §10: the divine Testatorkitab-i-iqanKIQ §212: of His graceprayers-and-meditationsP&M §296: and the Object of the adorationtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §50: By the Lordthe-hidden-wordsHW §147: celestial
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §160: askethgleaningsGWB §631: Grant thatkitab-i-iqanKIQ §195: the questionsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §618: and callest to accountepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §157: We beseechgleaningsGWB §630: I pray Theekitab-i-iqanKIQ §285: seek enlightenmentprayers-and-meditationsP&M §707: suppliant
SE rendered أَسْئَلُكَ (ʾasʾaluk), بِاسْمِكَ (biásmik), الأَعْظَمِ (al-ʾaʿẓam), ابْتُلِيَ (ibtulí) as “beseech, Thy Most Great, sorely afflicted”
name 85% most 6% whose 3% through 1% treasured 1% brightness 1% called 1% all-glorious 1% invested 1% bearer 1%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §121: namesfire-tabletFire §36: heavenlygleaningsGWB §301: titlekitab-i-iqanKIQ §20: a separate designationprayers-and-meditationsP&M §135: of the nametablet-of-ahmadAhmad §11: My saketablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: Names.’tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §12: divine attributes
SE expanded to “Thy Most Great”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: the greatness of Thy majestygleaningsGWB §694: of My omnipotent glorykitab-i-ahdAhd §7: categoricallykitab-i-iqanKIQ §140: of gloryprayers-and-meditationsP&M §774: through His glorythe-hidden-wordsHW §42: of My greatnesswill-and-testamentW&T §7: Crownepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §130: the Most Great
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §40: the tribulations I sufferfire-tabletFire §39: calamitygleaningsGWB §410: a fresh tribulationkitab-i-iqanKIQ §80: be subject toprayers-and-meditationsP&M §523: I have been sorely vexedthe-hidden-wordsHW §49: under My trialswill-and-testamentW&T §35: my distressepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §19: affliction
SE rendered ابْتُلِيَ (ibtulí), أَيْدِي (ʾaydí), المُشْرِكينَ (al-mushrikín) as “sorely afflicted, such of Thy creatures”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §30: thine handsgleaningsGWB §311: the presence ofkitab-i-iqanKIQ §244: with their handsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §59: In Thy handswill-and-testamentW&T §10: by themepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: thy handgleaningsGWB §619: thekitab-i-iqanKIQ §260: between His hands
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: O thou who dost associate a partner with GodgleaningsGWB §163: perversekitab-i-iqanKIQ §242: idolatorsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §8: as have repudiated Thy truththe-hidden-wordsHW §153: are the property ofwill-and-testamentW&T §5: my partnerepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §134: who hast joined partnersgleaningsGWB §106: blasphemy
SE rendered المُشْرِكينَ (al-mushrikín), بَرِيَّتِكَ، (baríratika،), وَأَحَاطَتْهُ (waʾaḥáṭath), الأَحْزانُ (al-ʾaḥzán) as “such of Thy creatures, hemmed in by, sorrows”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §94: the recoverygleaningsGWB §585: creaturesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §794: and Thy peopleepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §106: mengleaningsGWB §195: God, your Creatorprayers-and-meditationsP&M §101: Thy peopleepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: mankindgleaningsGWB §130: arisen
وَأَحَاطَتْهُ
literal: encompassing; encompass; encompassed
This form usually rendered as “encompassed”, “have”, “compassed” (33 occurrences)
SE expanded to “hemmed in by”
encompassed 30% have 23% compassed 13% hath 13% enveloped 3% all-encompassing 3% encompasseth 3% blew 3% encompass 3% embraced 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: encompassedfire-tabletFire §9: envelopedgleaningsGWB §629: whom trials and tribulations have encompassedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §144: surroundedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §605: have compassed me aboutthe-hidden-wordsHW §98: besetwill-and-testamentW&T §5: from all sides afflictedepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §164: surround
SE rendered الأَحْزانُ (al-ʾaḥzán), الجِهاتِ (al-jihát), شَأْنٍ (shaʾanin), يُذْكَرُ (yudhkar) as “sorrows, tongue, describe”
side 36% direction 23% created 9% country 5% regions 5% every 5% directions 5% things 5% attachment 5% earth 5%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §162: directiongleaningsGWB §636: by virtue ofkitab-i-ahdAhd §9: upon its unifying influencekitab-i-iqanKIQ §112: reasonprayers-and-meditationsP&M §360: attachment towill-and-testamentW&T §32: sidesepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §165: on the one handgleaningsGWB §130: It is for this reason that
such 41% station 18% state 8% glory 8% honor 8% through 5% excellence 5% distinction 3% neither 3% people 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: the rankfire-tabletFire §27: the signsgleaningsGWB §620: times and in all circumstanceskitab-i-iqanKIQ §74: His waysprayers-and-meditationsP&M §291: Thy majestythe-hidden-wordsHW §68: My statewill-and-testamentW&T §15: all earthly thingsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §136: that neither
describe 29% remembered 14% remember 7% others 7% reveal 7% commemorated 7% numbered 7% admonish 7% vaunted 7% recounted 7%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §139: concerning themgleaningsGWB §321: As to thy questionkitab-i-ahdAhd §3: mentioningkitab-i-iqanKIQ §79: Even as He hath revealedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §481: and the Source and Centertablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: utter His calltablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §15: all mentionthe-hidden-wordsHW §67: as they make mention of Me
SE rendered شَأْنٍ (shaʾanin), يُذْكَرُ (yudhkar), بِالبَيانِ، (biálbayáni،), تُوَفِّقَنِي (túaffiqaní) as “tongue, describe, grant”
utterance 65% divine 7% eloquence 5% tongue 5% through 5% glorification 5% unto 2% ornament 2% articulate 2% book 2%
This form usually rendered as “strengthen”, “assist”, “graciously” (6 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §42: weld togethergleaningsGWB §112: to strengthenkitab-i-iqanKIQ §14: at variance withprayers-and-meditationsP&M §161: Assist methe-hidden-wordsHW §3: By its aidwill-and-testamentW&T §6: joining handsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §20: and fellowshipgleaningsGWB §502: that He may graciously assist him
SE expanded to “celebrate Thy praise”
praise 45% extol 16% celebrate 8% glorify 6% virtues 6% celebrating 6% extolling 5% magnifying 3% glory 3% praises 2%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §6: to glorify TheegleaningsGWB §321: createdkitab-i-iqanKIQ §54: In the midst ofprayers-and-meditationsP&M §259: and from extolling Thy virtueswill-and-testamentW&T §39: anotherepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §11: of Thy praisegleaningsGWB §3: glorykitab-i-iqanKIQ §182: the latter
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §198: of daysgleaningsGWB §548: Days ofkitab-i-iqanKIQ §101: the Last Day.”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §97: is the Daytablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: a Daythe-hidden-wordsHW §115: a passing daywill-and-testamentW&T §10: day passeth but thatepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §64: in the days
SE expanded to “have turned away”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §137: repudiationgleaningsGWB §291: rebelled against Himkitab-i-iqanKIQ §277: to resist and oppose Himprayers-and-meditationsP&M §384: and the learned among Thy servants caviled at His signstablet-of-ahmadAhmad §14: he who turns awaythe-hidden-wordsHW §22: hast thou turned awaywill-and-testamentW&T §3: exposedepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §141: they that have turned aside
SE expanded to “from Thy beauty”
beauty 85% gaze 2% face 2% whose 2% countenance 1% glory 1% contemplation 1% swear 1% most 1% through 1%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §149: ornament togleaningsGWB §616: His Beautykitab-i-ahdAhd §14: Graciouskitab-i-iqanKIQ §255: of beauty.”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §617: of Thy countenancetablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §28: her beautythe-hidden-wordsHW §51: for My beautywill-and-testamentW&T §5: the most holy Abhá Beauty
SE expanded to “turned away disdainfully”
manifestation 58% revealer 16% who 12% manifest 3% dayspring 2% manifested 2% manifestations 2% revealest 1% focused 1% symbol 1%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §165: to the Revelationfire-tabletFire §23: springgleaningsGWB §567: We eventually succeeded in manifestingkitab-i-ahdAhd §3: demonstratingkitab-i-iqanKIQ §264: of the truth of His manifestationprayers-and-meditationsP&M §526: and I have shown forthtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: to assistthe-hidden-wordsHW §69: may be made manifest
cause 62% revelation 14% behest 6% faith 4% bidding 4% commandment 3% decree 2% affairs 2% through 2% command 1%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §140: had been commissionedfire-tabletFire §17: CommandgleaningsGWB §729: a Revelation direct from Godkitab-i-ahdAhd §11: Willkitab-i-iqanKIQ §57: the waysprayers-and-meditationsP&M §181: and Thy commandmenttablet-of-ahmadAhmad §4: to Whose commandsthe-hidden-wordsHW §57: thine
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: GodheadgleaningsGWB §36: sacredkitab-i-iqanKIQ §154: divinely-learnedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §196: arttablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §23: be my Lordthe-hidden-wordsHW §25: of thy Godwill-and-testamentW&T §10: O Lord my Godepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §162: His Divine
SE rendered أَمْرِكَ، (ʾamrika،), رَبِّ (rabb), أَرَ (ʾar), لَكَ (lak), نَاصِرًا (náṣiran) as “Thy Cause, my Lord, help, except Thine own Self”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: that thou mayest beholdfire-tabletFire §26: seestgleaningsGWB §211: iskitab-i-iqanKIQ §237: “What thinkestprayers-and-meditationsP&M §542: witnessthe-hidden-wordsHW §146: hypocrisywill-and-testamentW&T §35: saw meepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §198: We beheld
This form usually rendered as “help”, “upholder”, “helper” (16 occurrences)
help 21% upholder 14% helper 14% will 7% defenseless 7% whosoever 7% helpers 7% succorer 7% which 7% single-handed 7%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §110: He had helpedfire-tabletFire §29: ChampiongleaningsGWB §598: That which can ensure the victorykitab-i-ahdAhd §13: can renderkitab-i-iqanKIQ §280: render Us any assistanceprayers-and-meditationsP&M §442: may aidthe-hidden-wordsHW §43: obtain the victorywill-and-testamentW&T §5: triumphant assistance
SE rendered رَبِّ (rabb), أَرَ (ʾar), لَكَ (lak), نَاصِرًا (náṣiran), دُونَكَ (dúnak), مُعِينًا (muʿínan), سِواكَ، (siwáka،) as “my Lord, help, except Thine own Self, to succor Thee, save”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §75: from all except TheegleaningsGWB §535: all else but Mekitab-i-iqanKIQ §143: the likeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §158: Aught else except Theethe-hidden-wordsHW §17: all save Mewill-and-testamentW&T §38: All othersepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §112: none other but HimgleaningsGWB §298: else besides Him
This form usually rendered as “succorer”, “assist”, “helper” (16 occurrences)
SE expanded to “to succor Thee”
This form usually rendered as “all”, “any”, “aught” (55 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: all else besides MegleaningsGWB §666: for naught elsekitab-i-iqanKIQ §248: establishedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §207: aught else except Thyselftablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §44: full heightthe-hidden-wordsHW §20: other than Meepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §147: else but HimgleaningsGWB §145: embrace
