Tablet of Aḥmad — §2

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 2 of 17.

Source (Arabic)

هَذِهِ وَرْقَةُ ٱلْفِرْدَوْسِ تُغَنِّي عَلَى أَفْنَانِ سِدْرَةِ ٱلْبَقَاءِ بِأَلْحَانِ قُدْسٍ مَلِيحٍ وَتُبَشِّرُ ٱلْمُخْلِصِينَ إِلَى جِوَارِ اللهِ وَٱلْمُوَحِّدِيْنَ إِلَى سَاحَةِ قُرْبٍ كَرِيْمٍ وَتُخْبِرُ ٱلْمُنْقَطِعِيْنَ بِهَذَا ٱلْنَّبَأِ ٱلَّذِي فُصِّلَ مِنْ نَبَأِ اللهِ ٱلْمَلِكِ ٱلْعَزِيْزِ ٱلْفَرِيْدِ وَتَهْدِي ٱلْمُحِبِّينَ إِلَى مَقْعَدِ ٱلْقُدْسِ ثُمَّ إِلَى هَذَا ٱلْمَنْظَرِ ٱلْمُنِيرِ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Lo, the Nightingale of Paradise singeth upon the twigs of the Tree of Eternity, with holy and sweet melodies, proclaiming to the sincere ones the glad tidings of the nearness of God, calling the believers in the Divine Unity to the court of the Presence of the Generous One, informing the severed ones of the message which hath been revealed by God, the King, the Glorious, the Peerless, guiding the lovers to the seat of sanctity and to this resplendent Beauty.

Translation Notes

وَرْقَةُ

w-r-q → “Nightingale” Distinctive

literal: leaf, page, sheet, parchment, document

ٱلْفِرْدَوْسِ

f-r-d-w-s → “Paradise”

literal: Paradise; garden; the highest paradise

تُغَنِّي

gh-n-y → “wealth” Distinctive

literal: to be independent of; to be in no need of; to dispense with; rich; wealthy; needless

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “upon” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

أَفْنَانِ

f-n-n → “twigs”

literal: twigs; branches

سِدْرَةِ

s-d-r → “Tree”

literal: lote-tree; divine tree

ٱلْبَقَاءِ

b-q-y → “Eternity”

literal: remaining; everlasting; eternal; immortal; permanence; duration; continuance

بِأَلْحَانِ

l-ḥ-n → “melody” Distinctive

literal: time; moment; while; season

قُدْسٍ

q-d-s → “holy”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

مَلِيحٍ

literal: mariner; salt, bitter; salt

وَتُبَشِّرُ

literal: human; mankind; human nature

ٱلْمُخْلِصِينَ

kh-l-ṣ → “sincere ones”

literal: sincere; devoted; pure one

إِلَى

ʾ-l-y → “to”

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

جِوَارِ

j-w-r → “precincts of Thy court”

literal: to neighbor; to adjoin; to dwell near

اللهِ

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

وَٱلْمُوَحِّدِيْنَ

w-ḥ-d → “believers in the Divine Unity” Distinctive

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

سَاحَةِ

s-w-ḥ → “court”

literal: court; plaza; courtyard; open space; domain; presence

قُرْبٍ

q-r-b → “Presence”

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

كَرِيْمٍ

k-r-m → “Generous”

literal: Carmel (Mount Carmel); vineyard, fruitful field; honor; generosity; nobility

وَتُخْبِرُ

kh-b-r → “informing”

literal: news; inform; informed

ٱلْمُنْقَطِعِيْنَ

q-ṭ-ʿ → “severed ones” Distinctive

literal: to be severed; to be cut off; to detach oneself; to abstain

ٱلْنَّبَأِ

n-b-ʾ → “Prophets” Distinctive

literal: prophet; messenger

ٱلَّذِي

l-dh-y → “which”

literal: who; which; that which; the one who

فُصِّلَ

f-ṣ-l → “separated”

literal: detail; distinction; differentiation; to detail; to separate

مِنْ

m-n → “by” Distinctive

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

ٱلْمَلِكِ

m-l-k → “King”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty; possessions; property; ownership

ٱلْعَزِيْزِ

ʿ-z-z → “Glorious”

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

ٱلْفَرِيْدِ

f-r-d → “Thy oneness” Distinctive

literal: unique; singular; incomparable

وَتَهْدِي

h-d-y → “guiding”

literal: guidance; guide; guided

ٱلْمُحِبِّينَ

ḥ-b-b → “lovers”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

مَقْعَدِ

q-ʿ-d → “seat”

literal: rule; principle; foundation; basis

ثُمَّ

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

هَذَا

h-dh-ʾ → “this”

literal: this; that

ٱلْمَنْظَرِ

n-ẓ-r → “Consider” Distinctive

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

ٱلْمُنِيرِ

literal: light; illumination

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