Tablet of Aḥmad — §8

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 8 of 17.

Source (Arabic)

لَا فَوَ ٱلَّذِي نَفْسِي بِيَدِهِ لَنْ يَقْدِرُوْا وَلَنْ يَسْتَطِيعُوْا وَلَوْ يَكُوْنُ بَعْضُهُمْ لِبَعْضٍ ظَهِيرًا

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Nay, by the One in Whose hand is my soul, they are not, and never shall be able to do this, even should they combine to assist one another.

Translation Notes

فَوَ

faw w-ʾ-y → “by”

literal: by; by (oath particle)

SE rendered فَوَ (faw), نَفْسِي (nafsí), بِيَدِهِ (bíadih) as “by, my soul, in Whose hand is”

2 occurrences in corpus

tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: by

نَفْسِي

nafsí n-f-s → “my soul”

literal: self; soul; souls

myself 28% soul 15% one 14% man 10% anyone 8% any 8% mine 5% self 5% life 3% souls 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §176: some person gleaningsGWB §617: worldly vanity kitab-i-ahdAhd §8: those kitab-i-iqanKIQ §80: a person prayers-and-meditationsP&M §438: by its very nature tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §52: within herself the-hidden-wordsHW §121: pure breath will-and-testamentW&T §25: believers

بِيَدِهِ

bíadih y-d-y → “in whose hand is”

literal: hand; hands; in-my-hand

SE expanded to “in Whose hand is”

hand 78% mercy 11% between 11%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §46: hands gleaningsGWB §718: Hand of kitab-i-iqanKIQ §260: between His hands epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §174: with the hands gleaningsGWB §410: at the mercy of kitab-i-iqanKIQ §244: with their hands epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §161: hand

يَقْدِرُوْا

yaqdirúá q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; powerful

powerless 50% would 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §191: can never fire-tabletFire §48: Ordainer gleaningsGWB §350: how much kitab-i-ahdAhd §12: granted kitab-i-iqanKIQ §208: preeminent power prayers-and-meditationsP&M §803: His dominion tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: are not tablet-of-carmelCarmel §5: the Mighty, the All-Powerful

وَلَنْ

walan l-n → “neither”

literal: will not

SE rendered بِيَدِهِ (bíadih), يَقْدِرُوْا (yaqdirúá), وَلَنْ (walan), يَسْتَطِيعُوْا (yastaṭíʿúá), وَلَوْ (walaw), يَكُوْنُ (yakún) as “in Whose hand is, are not, and, to do this, even should, they combine”

2 occurrences in corpus

gleaningsGWB §66: neither

يَسْتَطِيعُوْا

yastaṭíʿúá ṭ-w-ʿ → “obey” Distinctive

literal: obeyed

This form usually rendered as “do” (1 occurrences)

obey 39% obeyed 17% obedience 9% obedient 9% “obey 4% obeyest 4% “willingly 4% succeed 4% allegiance 4% devout 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §247: obeyest gleaningsGWB §458: succeed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §214: believer prayers-and-meditationsP&M §592: obey Thee tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: to do this will-and-testamentW&T §17: through obedience to epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: obey gleaningsGWB §718: be found

وَلَوْ

walaw l-w → “though”

literal: if

8 occurrences in corpus

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §88: If kitab-i-iqanKIQ §19: were prayers-and-meditationsP&M §788: though

يَكُوْنُ

yakún k-w-n → “thou” Distinctive

literal: be; was; to be

This form usually rendered as “will”, “future”, “may” (69 occurrences)

will 32% future 16% may 11% should 11% had 5% serve 5% entirely 5% could 5% filled 5% future.” 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §224: Be ye fire-tabletFire §35: universe gleaningsGWB §242: claim ye, then, to kitab-i-iqanKIQ §217: worldly and impeding prayers-and-meditationsP&M §278: I have tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §15: withhold not thyself tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: thou hesitate tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §31: whose heart hath

بَعْضُهُمْ

baʿḍuhum b-ʿ-ḍ → “one” Distinctive

literal: some; some, part

This form usually rendered as “some”, ““some”, “others” (10 occurrences)

some 43% “some 29% others 14% one 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §256: a few gleaningsGWB §191: those who kitab-i-iqanKIQ §98: number prayers-and-meditationsP&M §341: at times tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: one will-and-testamentW&T §30: certain parts epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §125: certain gleaningsGWB §453: another

ظَهِيرًا

ẓahíran ẓ-h-r → “revelation” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; manifest; appear

This form usually rendered as “helper”, “assist” (3 occurrences)

helper 50% assist 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §138: been manifested fire-tabletFire §12: Dayspring gleaningsGWB §558: unfold kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: streamed forth kitab-i-iqanKIQ §57: lives prayers-and-meditationsP&M §337: Thou revealest tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: to assist tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: Revelation—a Revelation

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