Tablet of Aḥmad — §9

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 9 of 17.

Source (Arabic)

أَنْ يَا أَحْمَدُ لَا تَنْسَ فَضْلِي فِي غَيبَتِي ثُمَّ ذَكِّرْ أَيَّامِي فِي أَيَّامِكَ ثُمَّ كُرْبَتِي وَغُرْبَتِي فِي هَذَا ٱلْسِّجْنِ ٱلْبَعِيدِ وَكُنْ مُسْتَقِيمًا فِي حُبِّي بِحَيثُ لَنْ يُحَوَّلَ قَلْبُكَ وَلَوْ تُضْرَبُ بِسُيوْفِ ٱلْأَعْدَاءِ وَيَمْنَعُكَ كُلُّ مَنْ فِي الْسَّمٰوَاتِ وَٱلْأَرَضِينَ

Shoghi Effendi Translation

O Ahmad! Forget not My bounties while I am absent. Remember My days during thy days, and My distress and banishment in this remote prison. And be thou so steadfast in My love that thy heart shall not waver, even if the swords of the enemies rain blows upon thee and all the heavens and the earth arise against thee.

Translation Notes

أَنْ

ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

يَا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

أَحْمَدُ

ḥ-m-d → “thanks”

literal: praise; to praise

لَا

l-ʾ → “not”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تَنْسَ

n-s-y → “Forget”

literal: forget; forgot; forgetfulness

فَضْلِي

f-ḍ-l → “grace” Distinctive

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

فِي

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

غَيبَتِي

gh-y-b → “invisible” Distinctive

literal: the unseen; the invisible; the hidden; the unknowable

ثُمَّ

th-m-m → “then”

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

ذَكِّرْ

dh-k-r

literal: remembrance; mention; memory; invocation; reminders; commemorations

أَيَّامِكَ

y-w-m → “days”

literal: day; age; period; era

كُرْبَتِي

k-r-b → “Cherubim” Distinctive

literal: anguish; distress; sorrow

وَغُرْبَتِي

gh-r-b → “West” Distinctive

literal: west; sunset; place of setting

هَذَا

h-dh-ʾ → “this”

literal: this; that

ٱلْسِّجْنِ

s-j-n → “prison”

literal: prison, imprisonment; to imprison

ٱلْبَعِيدِ

b-ʿ-d → “remote”

literal: after; behind; distance

وَكُنْ

k-w-n → “be thou so”

literal: to be; existence

مُسْتَقِيمًا

q-w-m → “steadfast”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

حُبِّي

ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

بِحَيثُ

ḥ-y-th → “that”

literal: where; in which; inasmuch as; in such wise that; whereby; in that; respect, aspect

لَنْ

l-n → “not” Distinctive

literal: will not (negation of future)

يُحَوَّلَ

ḥ-w-l → “now” Distinctive

literal: state; now; around

قَلْبُكَ

q-l-b → “heart”

literal: pen; writing instrument

وَلَوْ

l-w → “If”

literal: were it not for; if not for; save for

تُضْرَبُ

ḍ-r-b → “tremble” Distinctive

literal: disturbed; be disturbed; agitation

بِسُيوْفِ

s-y-f → “swords”

literal: sword

ٱلْأَعْدَاءِ

ʿ-d-w → “enemies”

literal: when; if; whenever; at that time

وَيَمْنَعُكَ

m-n-ʿ → “hinder” Distinctive

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

كُلُّ

k-l-l → “all”

literal: for us; to us

مَنْ

m-n

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

الْسَّمٰوَاتِ

s-m-w → “heavens”

literal: heaven; sky

وَٱلْأَرَضِينَ

ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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