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The Hidden Words — §130

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 130 of 160.

Source (Arabic)

(٥٣) ﴿ ای مغروران باموال فانيه ﴾ بدانيد که غنا سدّيست محکم ميان طالب و مطلوب و عاشق و معشوق * هرگز غنی بر مقرّ قرب وارد نشود و بمدينه رضا و تسليم در نيايد مگر قليلی * پس نيکوست حال آن غنی که غنا از ملکوت جاودانی منعش ننمايد و از دولت ابدی محرومش نگرداند * قسم باسم اعظم که نور آن غنی اهل آسمان را روشنی بخشد چنانچه شمس اهل زمين را *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

(53) O YE THAT PRIDE YOURSELVES ON MORTAL RICHES! Know ye in truth that wealth is a mighty barrier between the seeker and his desire, the lover and his beloved. The rich, but for a few, shall in no wise attain the court of His presence nor enter the city of content and resignation. Well is it then with him, who, being rich, is not hindered by his riches from the eternal kingdom, nor deprived by them of imperishable dominion. By the Most Great Name! The splendor of such a wealthy man shall illuminate the dwellers of heaven even as the sun enlightens the people of the earth!

Translation Notes

ای
ʾ-y-y → “signs” Distinctive

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

مغروران
gh-r-r → “PRIDE YOURSELVES”

literal: delusion, deceit; deluded, deceived

باموال
m-w-l → “substance”

literal: hope; wish; desire; aspiration

فانيه
f-n-y

literal: annihilation; perishing; extinction; cessation; the threshold

بدانيد
d-ʾ-n → “Know ye”

literal: to know; to be aware

که
k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

غنا
gh-n-y → “wealth”

literal: to be independent of; to be in no need of; to dispense with; rich; wealthy; needless

سدّيست
s-d-d → “closed” Distinctive

literal: threshold; barrier; seat of authority

محکم
ḥ-k-m

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

ميان
m-y-n → “midst”

literal: between; among; amid; in the midst of

طالب
ṭ-l-b → “seeker”

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

عاشق
ʿ-sh-q → “lover”

literal: love, passion, ardor

هرگز
h-r-g

literal: never; at no time; never ever

بر
b-r-r

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

مقرّ
q-r-r → “court” Distinctive

literal: matter; affair; thing

قرب
q-r-b → “His presence”

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

وارد
w-r-d → “attain” Distinctive

literal: to enter, to come, to befall, to arrive

نشود
sh-w-d → “be”

literal: to not become; to not be

بمدينه
m-d-n → “city”

literal: religion; faith; creed; belief

رضا
r-ḍ-y → “content”

literal: good-pleasure, consent, satisfaction

تسليم
s-l-m → “resignation”

literal: resignation; submission; surrender; submissiveness

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

نيايد
ʾ-m-d → “came” Distinctive

literal: to come; to arrive; to attain; to support; to aid; to strengthen; to confirm

مگر
m-g-r → “but for” Distinctive

literal: except; except/unless

قليلی
q-l-l → “few”

literal: little; few; scanty; small in quantity

پس
p-s

literal: then; then, therefore; therefore

نيکوست
n-y-k → “Well is it”

literal: good, well, proper, beautiful

حال
ḥ-w-l → “now”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

آن
ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

از
ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

ملکوت
m-l-k → “eternal kingdom”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty

جاودانی
j-w-d

literal: generosity; bounty; liberality

منعش
m-n-ʿ → “hindered”

literal: revived; stirred; aroused; risen

ننمايد
n-m-ʾ

literal: to appear; to show; to display; to exhibit

دولت
d-w-l → “government”

literal: state; government; dynasty; period of rule; dominion

ابدی
ʾ-b-d

literal: eternity; perpetuity; eternal; ابدیّه means ‘eternal’ from root أ-ب-د (eternity), not ب-د-ل (to change/exchange)

محرومش
ḥ-r-m → “deprived”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

نگرداند
g-r-d → “is not”

literal: to become; to happen; to come to pass

قسم
q-s-m → “By the”

literal: oath; division; kind; type

باسم
s-m-w → “By the” Distinctive

literal: harm; strength; blame; hardship, adversity, tribulation, distress

اعظم
ʿ-ẓ-m → “Most Great Name”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

نور
n-w-r → “splendor” Distinctive

literal: light; illumination

اهل
ʾ-h-l → “people”

literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

روشنی
r-w-sh

literal: light; illumination; brilliance; clarity

بخشد
b-kh-sh → “grace” Distinctive

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

چنانچه
ch-n-n → “even as”

literal: thus; in such manner; as

شمس
sh-m-s → “sun”

literal: sun; daystar; manifestation of divine light

زمين
z-m-n → “earth”

literal: time; age; era; period

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words

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