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The Hidden Words — §111

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 111 of 160.

Source (Arabic)

(٣٦) ﴿ ای پسر تراب ﴾ حکمای عباد آنانند که تا سمع نيابند لب نگشايند چنانچه ساقی تا طلب نبيند ساغر نبخشد و عاشق تا بجمال معشوق فائز نشود از جان نخروشد * پس بايد حبّه های حکمت و علم را در ارض طيّبه قلب مبذول داريد و مستور نمائيد تا سنبلات حکمت الهی از دِل برآيد نه از گِل *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

(36) O SON OF DUST! The wise are they that speak not unless they obtain a hearing, even as the cup-bearer, who proffereth not his cup till he findeth a seeker, and the lover who crieth not out from the depths of his heart until he gazeth upon the beauty of his beloved. Wherefore sow the seeds of wisdom and knowledge in the pure soil of the heart, and keep them hidden, till the hyacinths of divine wisdom spring from the heart and not from mire and clay.

Translation Notes

ای
ʾ-y-y → “O”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

پسر
b-s-r → “SON”

literal: building, structure, edifice; to build, construct; structure, edifice

تراب
t-r-b → “DUST”

literal: dust; earth; soil

حکمای
ḥ-k-m → “wise”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

عباد
ʿ-b-d

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

که
k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

تا
t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

سمع
s-m-ʿ → “heard”

literal: heard, hearkened to, acceptable, worthy of attention

نيابند
y-ʾ-b → “find” Distinctive

literal: to find; to obtain; to discover; to reach

لب
l-b

literal: core; essence; intellect; hearts (of understanding)

نگشايند
g-sh-ʾ

literal: to open; to unfold; to reveal

چنانچه
ch-n-n → “even as”

literal: thus; in such manner; as

ساقی
s-q-y → “made me to drink” Distinctive

literal: leg; shank; to drive; to lead

طلب
ṭ-l-b → “seeker” Distinctive

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

نبيند
b-y-n → “utterance” Distinctive

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

ساغر
s-gh-r → “cup”

literal: cup; goblet

نبخشد
b-kh-sh → “grace” Distinctive

literal: to grant; to give; to forgive; to bestow

عاشق
ʿ-sh-q → “lover”

literal: love, passion, ardor

بجمال
j-m-l → “beauty”

literal: beauty; comeliness

فائز
f-w-z → “attain”

literal: benefit, profit, advantage; usefulness

نشود
sh-w-d

literal: to not become; to not be

از
ʾ-z → “from the depths of his”

literal: from

جان
j-ʾ-n → “heart”

literal: soul; life; spirit; self

نخروشد
kh-r-sh → “Daystar” Distinctive

literal: to roar; to cry out; to shriek

پس
p-s → “From”

literal: then; then, therefore; therefore

بايد
b-y-d → “must”

literal: by hand; with hands; eternal; perpetual; everlasting

حبّه
ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

های
null

literal: and; that; in

علم
ʿ-l-m → “knowledge”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

ارض
ʾ-r-ḍ → “soil” Distinctive

literal: earth; land; ground; country

طيّبه
ṭ-y-b → “pure” Distinctive

literal: good; pure; sweet; fragrant; virtuous

قلب
q-l-b → “heart”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

مبذول
b-dh-l

literal: to give; to bestow; to expend

داريد
d-ʾ-r → “repository” Distinctive

literal: to have; to hold; to possess; to maintain

مستور
s-t-r → “hidden”

literal: to veil; to conceal; to cover; veil; covering

نمائيد
n-m-ʾ

literal: to show, to display, to manifest, to exhibit; to manifest; to display; to show

سنبلات
s-n-b-l → “hyacinths”

literal: spike of grain; ear of corn; hyacinth

الهی
ʾ-l-h → “divine”

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

دِل
d-l → “heart”

literal: to argue; to demonstrate; proof

برآيد
ʾ-y-d → “possible” Distinctive

literal: come; come forth; to come

نه
n-h-y → “and not” Distinctive

literal: end; ended; utmost

گِل
g-l → “mire and clay”

literal: rose-garden; garden of flowers

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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