Skip to main content

The Hidden Words — §148

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 148 of 160.

Source (Arabic)

(٧١) ﴿ ای دوستان من ﴾ ياد آوريد آن عهدی را که در جبل فاران که در بقعه مبارکه زمان واقع شده با من نموده‌ايد و ملأ اعلی و اصحاب مدين بقا را بر آن عهد گواه گرفتم و حال احديرا بر آن عهد قائم نمی بينم البتّه غرور و نافرمانی آن را از قلوب محو نموده بقسميکه اثری از آن باقی نمانده و من دانسته صبر نمودم و اظهار نداشتم *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

(71) O MY FRIENDS! Call ye to mind that covenant ye have entered into with Me upon Mount Paran, situate within the hallowed precincts of Zamán. I have taken to witness the concourse on high and the dwellers in the city of eternity, yet now none do I find faithful unto the covenant. Of a certainty pride and rebellion have effaced it from the hearts, in such wise that no trace thereof remaineth. Yet knowing this, I waited and disclosed it not.

Translation Notes

ای
ʾ-y-y → “O”

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

دوستان
d-w-s-t → “FRIENDS”

literal: friend; beloved

من
m-n → “MY” Distinctive

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

ياد
y-ʾ-d → “mind”

literal: remembrance; memory; mention

آوريد
ʾ-w-r → “saying” Distinctive

literal: to bring; bring; brought

آن
ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

عهدی
ʿ-h-d → “covenant”

literal: covenant; testament; promise; command

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

که
k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

جبل
j-b-l → “mountains”

literal: mountain; nature, constitution; to create, to form

بقعه
b-q-ʿ → “Spot”

literal: place; spot; ground; locality

مبارکه
b-r-k → “hallowed” Distinctive

literal: blessed; auspicious; fruitful; blest; blessed word

زمان
z-m-n → “earth” Distinctive

literal: time; age; era; period

واقع
w-q-ʿ → “occurred”

literal: to fall, to occur, to happen; incident, event

شده
sh-d

literal: to become; to be

با
b-ʾ-ʾ

literal: to; with; by

نموده‌ايد
n-m-ود → “hath” Distinctive

literal: to show, display, exhibit; to grow, develop

ملأ
m-l-ʾ → “I” Distinctive

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

اعلی
ʿ-l-w → “concourse on high”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

اصحاب
ṣ-ḥ-b → “companions”

literal: possessor; those who have; companion; followers

مدين
m-d-n → “city”

literal: city; cities; civilization

بقا
b-q-y → “eternity”

literal: remaining; everlasting; eternal; immortal; permanence; duration; continuance

بر
b-r-r → “upon”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

گواه
sh-h-d → “witness”

literal: witness; to testify; presence

گرفتم
g-r-f-t → “grip” Distinctive

literal: captive, afflicted, troubled, caught; affliction, trouble

حال
ḥ-w-l → “now”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

احديرا
ʾ-ḥ-d → “none”

literal: one; anyone

قائم
q-w-m → “people” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

نمی
n-h-y

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

بينم
d-y-d → “seen” Distinctive

literal: see; to see; seen

البتّه
b-t-t → “assuredly”

literal: certainly; certainly, definitely; absolute

غرور
gh-r-r → “pride”

literal: delusion, deceit; deluded, deceived

نافرمانی
f-r-m → “saith” Distinctive

literal: to say; to decree; to ordain; to command

از
ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

قلوب
q-l-b → “hearts”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

محو
m-ḥ-w → “effaced”

literal: to efface; to obliterate; to blot out; to cause to disappear

بقسميکه
q-s-m → “in such wise”

literal: manner; oath; oath, swear

اثری
ʾ-th-r → “trace”

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint; sign; mark; vestige

نمانده
m-ʾ-n → “remaineth” Distinctive

literal: to remain; to stay; to be left

دانسته
d-ʾ-n → “knowing”

literal: to know, deem, consider, suppose

صبر
ṣ-b-r → “patience”

literal: patience; forbearance; endurance; to be patient

نمودم
n-m-w → “have”

literal: to show, display, exhibit; to grow, develop

اظهار
ẓ-h-r → “disclosed” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

نداشتم
d-ʾ-sh-t

literal: to have; to hold; to keep

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf cover

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶
Fire Tablet cover

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶
Gleanings cover

Gleanings

Bahá’u’lláh

A compilation of 166 selections from Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablets, spanning the Baghdad, Adrianople, and ‘Akká periods (1853–1892). George Townshend assisted with English refinement. Shoghi Effendi wrote that it gives the friends a splendid opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of the Faith.

729 ¶
Kitáb-i-'Ahd cover

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶
Kitáb-i-Íqán cover

Kitáb-i-Íqán

Bahá’u’lláh

The principal doctrinal work of the Faith, revealed in Baghdad within the space of two days and two nights in response to questions from the Báb’s maternal uncle. Shoghi Effendi described it as occupying a position unequalled by any work except the Kitáb-i-Aqdas — a model of Persian prose, at once original, chaste, vigorous, and remarkably lucid.

291 ¶
Prayers and Meditations cover

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

Published in 1938, this companion volume to Gleanings contains 184 prayers and meditations selected by Shoghi Effendi from Bahá’u’lláh’s devotional writings revealed across successive exiles from Baghdad to ‘Akká. Shoghi Effendi described it as a volume whose perusal would deepen the spirit of devotion and faith.

858 ¶
Tablet of Aḥmad cover

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in Adrianople and addressed to a believer named Aḥmad, this Tablet has been invested by Bahá’u’lláh with a special potency and significance. Its central imagery draws on the metaphor of fire and water: “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones.”

17 ¶
Tablet of Carmel cover

Tablet of Carmel

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed during a visit to Mount Carmel, this Tablet addresses the mountain directly and prophesies its future as the world spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi designated it one of three foundational Charters. Its imagery of the Ark and the dwellers therein prefigures the Universal House of Justice.

5 ¶
Tablet of the Holy Mariner cover

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶
Will and Testament cover

Will and Testament

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in three parts between 1901 and 1908, opened and read after His passing on 28 November 1921. Shoghi Effendi designated it the Charter of the New World Order — the mightiest instrument forged to ensure the continuity of the three ages of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

59 ¶