Prayers and Meditations — §80

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 80 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

أيْ رَبِّ فِيْ جِوارِ قُرْبِكَ فَأَسْكنِّي لأنَّ البُعْدَ أَهْلَكَنِي، وَفِيْ ظِلِّ جَنَاحِ فَضْلِكَ أَرِحْنِيْ لأنَّ الحَرارَةَ ذابَتْ كَبِدِيْ، وَإِلى كَوْثَرِ الحَيَوانِ قَرِّبْنِي لأنَّ عَطَشَ الطَّلَبِ أَحْرَقَنِي، يا إِلهِي زَفَراتِيْ تَشْهَدُ لِبَلائِيْ وَعَبَرَاتِيْ تَحْكِي عَن

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Suffer me, O my God, to draw nigh unto Thee, and to abide within the precincts of Thy court, for remoteness from Thee hath well-nigh consumed me. Cause me to rest under the shadow of the wings of Thy grace, for the flame of my separation from Thee hath melted my heart within me. Draw me nearer unto the river that is life indeed, for my soul burneth with thirst in its ceaseless search after Thee. My sighs, O my God, proclaim the bitterness of mine anguish, and the tears I shed attest my love for Thee.

Translation Notes

أيْ

ʾ-y-y → “O”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

رَبِّ

r-b-b → “my God” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

فِيْ

f-y → “within”

literal: faithfulness; loyalty; fulfillment; fidelity; to be faithful; faithful, loyal

جِوارِ

j-w-r → “precincts of Thy court”

literal: to neighbor; to adjoin; to dwell near

قُرْبِكَ

q-r-b → “draw nigh unto Thee” Distinctive

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

فَأَسْكنِّي

s-k-n → “inmates” Distinctive

literal: dwelling; inhabitants; dwell

لأنَّ

ʾ-n → “for” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

البُعْدَ

b-ʿ-d → “remoteness from Thee” Distinctive

literal: after; behind; distance

أَهْلَكَنِي،

h-l-k → “hath well-nigh consumed me”

literal: to destroy; to ruin; to cause to perish; perishing; destroyer; lost

ظِلِّ

literal: to take shelter; to dwell in shadow

جَنَاحِ

j-n-ḥ → “wings”

literal: wing; side; shelter; protection

فَضْلِكَ

f-ḍ-l → “of Thy grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

أَرِحْنِيْ

r-w-ḥ → “Cause me to rest”

literal: spirit; spiritual; soul

الحَرارَةَ

ḥ-r-r → “heat”

literal: to set free; to write down; to compose; حرارة (heat) is from ح-ر-ر but distinct semantic development from ‘free/write’

ذابَتْ

dh-w-b → “hath melted”

literal: to melt; to waste away

كَبِدِيْ،

k-b-d → “hearts” Distinctive

literal: by hand; with hands; eternal; perpetual; everlasting

وَإِلى

w-l-y → “Lord” Distinctive

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally; lord; helper; first; primary; original

كَوْثَرِ

k-w-th-r → “river”

literal: abundance; river of paradise; the Kawthar

الحَيَوانِ

ḥ-y-w → “that is life indeed”

literal: life; living being; animal

عَطَشَ

ʿ-ṭ-sh → “with thirst”

literal: thirsty, athirst

الطَّلَبِ

ṭ-l-b → “in its ceaseless search”

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

أَحْرَقَنِي،

ḥ-r-q → “consumed”

literal: to burn; to be consumed by fire; burning

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

إِلهِي

ʾ-l-h → “my God”

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

زَفَراتِيْ

z-f-r → “My sighs”

literal: sigh; sob; lamentation

تَشْهَدُ

sh-h-d → “proclaim”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

لِبَلائِيْ

b-l-w → “tribulations” Distinctive

literal: trial; affliction; tribulation; testing

وَعَبَرَاتِيْ

ʿ-b-r → “tears I shed”

literal: expression; phrase; utterance; statement; passage; wording

تَحْكِي

ḥ-k-y → “testify” Distinctive

literal: to relate; narration; story

عَن

ʿ-n → “from”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

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