Tablet of the Holy Mariner — §57

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 57 of 57.

Source (Arabic)

فلمّا شهدن حالها وعلمن حرفا من قصص الغلام عررن رؤوسهنّ وشققن ثيابهنّ ولطمن على وجوههنّ وبدّلنّ عيشهنّ وبكين بعيونهنّ وضربن بأيديهنّ على خدودهنّ وهذا من مصائب الخفي الأخفى فسبحان ربّنا العليّ الأعلى.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And as they beheld her state and comprehended a word of the tale told by the Youth, they bared their heads, rent their garments asunder, beat upon their faces, forgot their joy, shed tears and smote with their hands upon their cheeks, and this is verily one of the mysterious grievous afflictions – Glorified be our Lord, the Most High!

Translation Notes

فلمّا

l-m-m → “No sooner”

literal: when; as soon as; thereupon

شهدن

sh-h-d → “beheld”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

حالها

ḥ-w-l → “her state”

literal: states; conditions; circumstances; situations; affairs

وعلمن

ʿ-l-m → “comprehended”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

حرفا

ḥ-r-f → “word” Distinctive

literal: letter; character; edge

من

m-n → “of the”

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

قصص

q-ṣ-ṣ → “tales”

literal: stories, narratives; to relate

الغلام

gh-l-m → “the Youth”

literal: youth; boy; servant; the Youth (Bahá’u’lláh)

عررن

ʿ-r-r → “bared”

literal: to bare; to uncover; to expose

رؤوسهنّ

r-ʾ-s → “their heads”

literal: chief; leader; head; president; beginning

وشققن

sh-q-q → “discord” Distinctive

literal: discord; dissension; rebellion; strife

ثيابهنّ

th-w-b → “raiment” Distinctive

literal: reward, recompense

ولطمن

l-ṭ-m → “blow” Distinctive

literal: surging; dashing; tumultuous

على

ʿ-l-w → “upon” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

وجوههنّ

w-j-h → “their faces”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

وبدّلنّ

b-d-l → “change” Distinctive

literal: in place of; instead of; to change; to alter (preposition or verb stem)

عيشهنّ

ʿ-y-sh → “living” Distinctive

literal: to live; to dwell; livelihood; living; sustenance

وبكين

b-k-y → “weep” Distinctive

literal: to weep; to cry; to lament

بعيونهنّ

ʿ-y-n

literal: eye; fountain; spring; essence; to appoint; to designate; to specify; to determine

وضربن

ḍ-r-b → “tremble” Distinctive

literal: to strike; to beat; to afflict

بأيديهنّ

y-d-y → “with their hands”

literal: hand; power; strength; (plural) hands; agents; helpers; to assist, to support, to aid, to strengthen

خدودهنّ

kh-d-d → “their cheeks”

literal: cheek; cheeks

وهذا

h-dh-ʾ → “and this is verily”

literal: this; that

مصائب

ṣ-w-b → “trials” Distinctive

literal: calamity; misfortune; disaster; affliction

الخفي

kh-f-y → “conceal”

literal: hiddenness, concealment, obscurity

فسبحان

s-b-ḥ → “Glorified”

literal: glorified; the All-Praised; exalted

ربّنا

r-b-b → “our Lord”

literal: Lord; Master; Sustainer; Cherisher

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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