Prayers and Meditations — §850
Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 850 of 858.
Source (Arabic)
فَيا إِلهِي قَدْ ضَاقَ صَدْرِيْ وَأَخَذَنِيَ الهَمُّ وَالغَمُّ عَنْ كُلِّ الجِهاتِ بِما أَسْمَعُ كُلَّ ذِكْرٍ بَيْنَ عِبادِكَ دُوْنَ بَدائِعِ ذِكْرِكَ، وَأَرى كُلَّ شَيْءٍ بَيْنَ بَرِيَّتِكَ إِلاَّ ما أَمَرْتَهُمْ بِهِ بِأَمْرِكَ وَقَضَيْتَ لَهُمْ بِسُلْطانِ مَشِيَّتِكَ وَقَدَّرْتَ لَهُمْ بِمَلِيكِ تَقْدِيْرِكَ، وَبَلَغُوا فِي الغَفْلَةِ إِلى مَقامِ الَّذِيْ لَوْ أَحَدٌ مِنْ أَحبَّائِكَ يُلْقِي عَلَيْهِمْ مِنْ بَدائِعِ آياتِ تَوْحِيدِكَ وَجَواهِرِ كَلِماتِ عِزِّ تَفْرِيْدِكَ يَجْعَلُونَ أَصابِعَهُمْ فِي آذانِهِمْ وَيَعْتَرِضُونَ َعَلَيْهِ وَيَسْتَهْزِئُونَ بِهِ، وَإِنَّكَ أَنْتَ أَحْصَيْتَ كُلَّ ذلِكَ بِإِحاطَةِ قَيُّومِيَّتِكَ وَأَحَطْتَ بِاقْتِدارِ رُبُوبِيَّتِكَ،
Shoghi Effendi Translation
My breast is straitened, O my God, and sorrows and vexations have compassed me round, for I hear among Thy servants every praise except Thy wondrous praise, and behold amidst Thy people the evidences of all things save the evidences of what Thou hast prescribed unto them by Thy behest, and destined for them through Thy sovereign will, and ordained unto them by Thine overruling decree. They have strayed so far from Thee that should any of Thy loved ones deliver unto them the wondrous tokens of Thy unity, and the gem-like utterances that attest Thy transcendent oneness, they would thrust their fingers into their ears, and would cavil at him and mock him. All this hast Thou set down through Thine all-encompassing sovereignty, and apprehended through Thine omnipotent supremacy.
Translation Notes
SE expanded to “O my God”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §62: O Lordfire-tabletFire §41: after GodgleaningsGWB §385: two Godskitab-i-ahdAhd §10: the divine Testatorkitab-i-iqanKIQ §191: eternal holinessprayers-and-meditationsP&M §233: Thy Divinetablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §50: By the Lordthe-hidden-wordsHW §147: celestial
“oppression” 29% straitened 14% oppression 14% narrow 7% contracted 7% became 7% oppress 7% troubled 7% can 7%
gleaningsGWB §494: narrowkitab-i-iqanKIQ §30: this “oppression”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §846: became too straitwill-and-testamentW&T §34: were troubledgleaningsGWB §376: straitenedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §30: “oppression”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §850: is straitenedwill-and-testamentW&T §49: can no longer contain
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §32: seat of honorgleaningsGWB §77: their heartskitab-i-iqanKIQ §271: providedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §785: their breaststhe-hidden-wordsHW §120: thy thoughtswill-and-testamentW&T §25: enactethepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §163: men’s breastsgleaningsGWB §684: radiant
This form usually rendered as “am”, “hath”, “completely” (5 occurrences)
SE expanded to “have compassed me”
This form usually rendered as “all”, “anguish”, “supreme” (6 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §142: Exert thyselffire-tabletFire §13: AnguishgleaningsGWB §409: exert themselveskitab-i-iqanKIQ §99: endeavourprayers-and-meditationsP&M §649: my griefthe-hidden-wordsHW §160: endeavorswill-and-testamentW&T §19: importantepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §203: Exert
This form usually rendered as “anguish”, “vexations”, “sorrow” (3 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: with cloudsgleaningsGWB §309: the cloudskitab-i-iqanKIQ §18: mistsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §420: and the agony of my soulthe-hidden-wordsHW §103: to the realmsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: cloudsgleaningsGWB §650: disconsolatekitab-i-iqanKIQ §83: clouds?”
SE rendered الهَمُّ (al-hamm), وَالغَمُّ (wálghamm), الجِهاتِ (al-jihát), أَسْمَعُ (ʾasmaʿ), ذِكْرٍ (dhikrin) as “sorrows, vexations, hear, praise”
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 §35: on every sidegleaningsGWB §685: created thingskitab-i-ahdAhd §9: upon its unifying influencekitab-i-iqanKIQ §20: Thusprayers-and-meditationsP&M §218: thingswill-and-testamentW&T §32: sidesepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §37: as a resultgleaningsGWB §609: His seat of glory
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §81: “Give earfire-tabletFire §48: I have heardgleaningsGWB §29: for having enabled me to hearkenkitab-i-iqanKIQ §86: listenerprayers-and-meditationsP&M §726: I can heartablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §21: And they heardthe-hidden-wordsHW §45: My hearingwill-and-testamentW&T §5: ears in all regions were inclined
This form usually rendered as “mention”, “remembrance”, “mentioned” (404 occurrences)
mention 23% remembrance 18% mentioned 16% praise 14% recorded 6% words 6% recount 5% referred 5% make 4% references 4%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §198: set forthgleaningsGWB §106: whispering of selfkitab-i-ahdAhd §2: call to mindkitab-i-iqanKIQ §236: unto which We have referredprayers-and-meditationsP&M §584: seeketh to describetablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: utter His calltablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §15: all mentionthe-hidden-wordsHW §44: Make mention of Me
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §40: the faithfulfire-tabletFire §49: AdoredgleaningsGWB §683: oneskitab-i-iqanKIQ §88: His people?”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §308: among Thy peopletablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: a servicewill-and-testamentW&T §5: ‘Abdu’l‑Baháepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §115: Thy servants
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: except TheegleaningsGWB §387: All else besides Himkitab-i-iqanKIQ §143: the likeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §222: of any one except Theethe-hidden-wordsHW §18: none but Mewill-and-testamentW&T §38: All othersepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §242: the Royal decreegleaningsGWB §621: every defilement
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §156: in the whole universegleaningsGWB §452: of creationkitab-i-iqanKIQ §58: strange and manifoldprayers-and-meditationsP&M §258: the wondrous manifestationstablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §2: in His Namethe-hidden-wordsHW §65: have createdepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §147: the worldgleaningsGWB §163: the wondrous
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §68: wouldst regardfire-tabletFire §26: seestgleaningsGWB §134: reflecting naught else butkitab-i-iqanKIQ §92: the Mirrors reflecting the sun ofprayers-and-meditationsP&M §764: to enable me to gaze onthe-hidden-wordsHW §37: and to mirror forthwill-and-testamentW&T §5: behold himepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §35: a dream
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §81: the willgleaningsGWB §358: No thingkitab-i-iqanKIQ §149: aughtprayers-and-meditationsP&M §231: of creationtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: desirethtablet-of-carmelCarmel §2: created things.’the-hidden-wordsHW §69: substancewill-and-testamentW&T §5: this one, unworthy though he be
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §94: the recoverygleaningsGWB §477: the whole worldprayers-and-meditationsP&M §101: Thy peopleepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §40: clear of themgleaningsGWB §155: healedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §308: against Theeepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §106: mengleaningsGWB §584: of their Creator
SE expanded to “Thou hast prescribed unto them”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §84: commandeth youfire-tabletFire §17: CommandgleaningsGWB §35: Their chief concernkitab-i-ahdAhd §11: Willkitab-i-iqanKIQ §52: command of Godprayers-and-meditationsP&M §586: Thou hast commanded metablet-of-ahmadAhmad §4: to Whose commandsthe-hidden-wordsHW §52: My command unto thee
This form usually rendered as “thou”, “have”, “ordained” (13 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §217: decreedfire-tabletFire §29: of destinygleaningsGWB §249: ordainedkitab-i-ahdAhd §10: is endedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §39: requirementsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §858: through Thine irrevocable decreethe-hidden-wordsHW §46: for that which I ordainwill-and-testamentW&T §14: requirement
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §93: through the power of My mightgleaningsGWB §710: sovereign Rulerkitab-i-iqanKIQ §131: rulethprayers-and-meditationsP&M §616: and Kingtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §1: is the Kingthe-hidden-wordsHW §98: chiefwill-and-testamentW&T §7: power of the Crownepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §91: by the power of His might
This form usually rendered as “power”, “might”, “divine” (51 occurrences)
power 62% might 10% divine 5% mighty 5% dominion 5% potency 5% potentialities 2% hands 2% all-subduing 2% soul 2%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §131: Him Who is the LordgleaningsGWB §636: of the kingskitab-i-iqanKIQ §133: worldly dominionprayers-and-meditationsP&M §235: and the rangetablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §15: the worldsthe-hidden-wordsHW §7: Our kingdomwill-and-testamentW&T §15: farepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §62: land
SE rendered بِمَلِيكِ (bimalík), تَقْدِيْرِكَ، (taqdírika،), وَبَلَغُوا (wabalaghúá), الغَفْلَةِ (al-ghaflah) as “Thine overruling, strayed so far”
الغَفْلَةِ
literal: heedless; heedlessness; neglect
This form usually rendered as “waywardness”, “wayward”, “forgetfulness” (20 occurrences)
SE expanded to “strayed so far”
waywardness 27% wayward 13% forgetfulness 13% would 7% strayed 7% careless 7% error 7% stray 7% trespasses 7% turneth 7%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §6: My heedlessnessgleaningsGWB §415: carelesskitab-i-ahdAhd §5: remained heedlesskitab-i-iqanKIQ §124: deprived themselvesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §854: and maketh me forgetful of Theethe-hidden-wordsHW §152: unwaryepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §156: who art gone astraygleaningsGWB §362: ignoring
SE rendered الغَفْلَةِ (al-ghaflah), مَقامِ (maqám), لَوْ (law), أَحَدٌ (ʾaḥadun) as “strayed so far, that, should, any”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §195: Qayyumfire-tabletFire §48: He hath risen upgleaningsGWB §372: sayingkitab-i-ahdAhd §13: your stationkitab-i-iqanKIQ §31: live, move, and have their beingprayers-and-meditationsP&M §210: to be steadfasttablet-of-ahmadAhmad §9: so steadfasttablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §11: Wherein
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §208: nonegleaningsGWB §219: allkitab-i-iqanKIQ §212: those who are initiatedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §580: Thy retreats on hightablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §55: dwellerthe-hidden-wordsHW §141: any man’sepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §89: no other mangleaningsGWB §494: God’s
SE expanded to “Thy loved ones”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §62: love offire-tabletFire §7: of Thy lovegleaningsGWB §629: Thy loved oneskitab-i-iqanKIQ §260: lovest mostprayers-and-meditationsP&M §415: Whose affectiontablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §40: the Beloved Onethe-hidden-wordsHW §20: My loverwill-and-testamentW&T §38: that love
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §172: Presence offire-tabletFire §1: of Thy CountenancegleaningsGWB §127: attain His Presencekitab-i-iqanKIQ §149: attainmentprayers-and-meditationsP&M §155: of my reunion withtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §20: of His Presencethe-hidden-wordsHW §4: have engraved on theewill-and-testamentW&T §17: sow the seeds of
This form usually rendered as “signs”, “verses”, “words” (179 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §217: These versesfire-tabletFire §26: utterancegleaningsGWB §151: the words of God thatkitab-i-iqanKIQ §226: verses ofprayers-and-meditationsP&M §14: utterancestablet-of-ahmadAhmad §7: by whatthe-hidden-wordsHW §147: wert thou to attain theretowill-and-testamentW&T §34: Thy wondrous Signs
SE expanded to “of Thy unity”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: the Onefire-tabletFire §43: By Thine alonenessgleaningsGWB §390: eachkitab-i-ahdAhd §9: unifying influencekitab-i-iqanKIQ §71: successivelyprayers-and-meditationsP&M §153: by the onenesstablet-of-ahmadAhmad §2: believers in the Divine Unitytablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §51: lone
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §149: the fugitivegleaningsGWB §207: a jewelkitab-i-iqanKIQ §193: Essencesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §661: Thy sheltertablet-of-ahmadAhmad §2: the nearnessthe-hidden-wordsHW §1: the gemwill-and-testamentW&T §32: my Shelterepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §84: He that secludeth himself
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: speakfire-tabletFire §48: Thy shining wordgleaningsGWB §406: the slightest allusionkitab-i-ahdAhd §14: single utterancekitab-i-iqanKIQ §20: madeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §352: Speak Thoutablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §48: one mystic wordthe-hidden-wordsHW §95: faith
glory 42% transcendent 22% exalted 10% all-glorious 5% might 4% glorious 4% most 4% majesty 4% glorified 3% almighty 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §223: magnified begleaningsGWB §684: most potentkitab-i-iqanKIQ §133: of all dominionprayers-and-meditationsP&M §418: fountain of honortablet-of-ahmadAhmad §4: Incomparablethe-hidden-wordsHW §125: in your glorywill-and-testamentW&T §3: preciousepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §183: manifest glory
SE rendered وَجَواهِرِ (wajawáhir), كَلِماتِ (kalimát), عِزِّ (ʿizz), تَفْرِيْدِكَ (tafrídik), يَجْعَلُونَ (yajʿalún), أَصابِعَهُمْ (ʾaṣábiʿahum) as “the gem-like, utterances, transcendent, would thrust, their fingers”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §134: Incomparablefire-tabletFire §17: lonelygleaningsGWB §384: singlenesskitab-i-iqanKIQ §248: peerlessprayers-and-meditationsP&M §787: Thine all-glorious unitytablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §51: forlornwill-and-testamentW&T §5: the All-Highest Paradiseepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §1: the Incomparable
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §226: to makefire-tabletFire §44: We have madegleaningsGWB §459: ye have, at the last, made Mekitab-i-iqanKIQ §175: thrustprayers-and-meditationsP&M §190: settablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §19: ordainedthe-hidden-wordsHW §65: clothe thyself therewithwill-and-testamentW&T §36: and grant that
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §225: hearinggleaningsGWB §622: the bounds whichkitab-i-iqanKIQ §85: by the permission ofprayers-and-meditationsP&M §102: hast forbiddentablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: with their own earswill-and-testamentW&T §34: the mindsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §169: eargleaningsGWB §222: Leave hath, moreover, been given
وَيَعْتَرِضُونَ
literal: turn away; turning away; objection
SE expanded to “would cavil at him”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §230: disbelieversgleaningsGWB §221: blindnesskitab-i-iqanKIQ §111: strayed far fromprayers-and-meditationsP&M §143: him that hath turned his back upon Theetablet-of-ahmadAhmad §14: he who turns awaythe-hidden-wordsHW §9: by renouncingwill-and-testamentW&T §17: opposeth himepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §225: froward
SE expanded to “hast Thou set down”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §80: have We set downgleaningsGWB §322: cankitab-i-iqanKIQ §232: appreciate their valueprayers-and-meditationsP&M §235: concentratethe-hidden-wordsHW §66: recountwill-and-testamentW&T §11: boundlessepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §216: unnumberedgleaningsGWB §305: All-Searching
بِإِحاطَةِ
literal: encompassing; encompass; encompassed
This form usually rendered as “encompassed”, “hath”, “envelop” (75 occurrences)
encompassed 45% hath 17% envelop 11% pervaded 6% embraced 6% have 4% surrounded 4% surround 2% throughout 2% enveloped 2%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §171: overshadowethfire-tabletFire §9: envelopedgleaningsGWB §117: pervadedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §273: comprehendprayers-and-meditationsP&M §42: conceivedthe-hidden-wordsHW §98: besetwill-and-testamentW&T §32: compassed me roundepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §6: compassed me about
SE rendered وَأَحَطْتَ (waʾaḥaṭt), بِاقْتِدارِ (biáqtidár), رُبُوبِيَّتِكَ، (rubúbíbatika،) as “apprehended through, omnipotent”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §117: HisgleaningsGWB §606: and to this thy Lordkitab-i-iqanKIQ §133: the Sourceprayers-and-meditationsP&M §345: omnipotencetablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §23: be my Lordthe-hidden-wordsHW §25: of thy Godwill-and-testamentW&T §36: Lord, Most Highepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §208: of the Lord
