The Hidden Words — §1

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 1 of 160.

Source (Arabic)

﴿ هُوَ البَهِيُّ الأَبْهى ﴾ هَذَا مَا نُزِّلَ مِنْ جَبَرُوتِ العِزَّةِ بِلِسانِ القُدْرَةِ وَالْقُوَّةِ عَلَى النَّبِيِّينَ مِنْ قَبْلُ. وَإِنَّا أَخَذْنَا جَوَاهِرَهُ وَأَقْمَصْنَاهُ قَمِيصَ الاخْتِصارِ فَضْلاً عَلَى الأَحْبَارِ لِيُوفُوا بِعَهْدِ اللهِ وَيُؤَدُّوا أَمانَاتِهِ فِي أَنْفُسِهِمْ وَلِيَكُونُنَّ بِجَوْهَرِ التُّقَى فِي أَرْضِ الرُّوحِ مِنَ الفائِزِينَ.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

﴾ HE IS THE GLORY OF GLORIES ﴿ This is that which hath descended from the realm of glory, uttered by the tongue of power and might, and revealed unto the Prophets of old. We have taken the inner essence thereof and clothed it in the garment of brevity, as a token of grace unto the righteous, that they may stand faithful unto the Covenant of God, may fulfill in their lives His trust, and in the realm of spirit obtain the gem of Divine virtue.

Translation Notes

هُوَ

h-w → “HE”

literal: He; He is

البَهِيُّ

b-h-y → “IS”

literal: Bahá’í; of Bahá; splendor; glory; splendor, glory, radiance, majesty; Bahá (the Báb and Bahá’u’lláh)

الأَبْهى

b-h-w → “THE GLORY” Distinctive

literal: splendor; glory; magnificence; Bahá (Proper Name in Bahá’í texts)

هَذَا

h-dh-ʾ → “﴿” Distinctive

literal: this; that

مَا

m-ʾ → “This” Distinctive

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

نُزِّلَ

n-z-l → “sent down”

literal: to descend, to be revealed

مِنْ

m-n → “from”

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

جَبَرُوتِ

j-b-r → “from” Distinctive

literal: compelled; forced; constrained

العِزَّةِ

ʿ-z-z → “realm of glory”

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

بِلِسانِ

l-s-n → “tongue”

literal: tongue; language

القُدْرَةِ

q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

وَالْقُوَّةِ

q-w-y → “of power”

literal: power; strength; force

عَلَى

ʿ-l-w → “and might” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

النَّبِيِّينَ

n-b-y → “Prophet”

literal: prophet; prophets

قَبْلُ.

q-b-l → “of old”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

وَإِنَّا

literal: I; ego; self; myself

أَخَذْنَا

ʾ-kh-dh → “laid hold” Distinctive

literal: to take; to seize; to affect; to grasp

جَوَاهِرَهُ

j-w-r → “precincts of Thy court” Distinctive

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

وَأَقْمَصْنَاهُ

q-m-ṣ → “robe” Distinctive

literal: garment; shirt; tunic

الاخْتِصارِ

kh-t-r → “Unconstrained” Distinctive

literal: brevity; curtailment; abridgement

فَضْلاً

f-ḍ-l → “grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

الأَحْبَارِ

ḥ-b-r → “Revelation” Distinctive

literal: delighted; rejoicing, joyous; explore, study deeply

لِيُوفُوا

w-f-y → “fidelity” Distinctive

literal: faithfulness; fidelity; fulfill

بِعَهْدِ

ʿ-h-d → “Covenant”

literal: covenant; testament; promise; command

اللهِ

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

وَيُؤَدُّوا

ʾ-d-y → “delivered” Distinctive

literal: performance; deliver/convey; fulfill/discharge

أَمانَاتِهِ

ʾ-m-n → “trustworthy” Distinctive

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure

فِي

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

أَنْفُسِهِمْ

n-f-s → “souls” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

وَلِيَكُونُنَّ

k-w-n → “and”

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

التُّقَى

w-q-y → “Fear” Distinctive

literal: piety; righteousness; to protect, guard; the pious; the God-fearing; those who guard themselves

أَرْضِ

ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

الرُّوحِ

r-w-ḥ → “spirit”

literal: to go; to depart; to rest; spirit; soul

الفائِزِينَ.

literal: to attain; to gain; to succeed; to win

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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