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The Hidden Words — §76

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 76 of 160.

Source (Arabic)

(٢) ﴿ ای پسر روح ﴾ هر طيری را نظر بر آشيان است و هر بلبلی را مقصود جمال گل مگر طيور افئده عباد که بتراب فانی قانع شده از آشيان باقی دور مانده‌اند و بگِلهای بعد توجّه نموده از گُلهای قرب محروم گشته‌اند * زهی حيرت و حسرت و افسوس و دريغ که بابريقی از امواج بحر رفيق اعلی گذشته‌اند و از افق ابهی دور مانده‌اند *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

(2) O SON OF SPIRIT! The bird seeketh its nest; the nightingale the charm of the rose; whilst those birds, the hearts of men, content with transient dust, have strayed far from their eternal nest, and with eyes turned towards the slough of heedlessness are bereft of the glory of the divine presence. Alas! How strange and pitiful; for a mere cupful, they have turned away from the billowing seas of the Most High, and remained far from the most effulgent horizon.

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

روح
r-w-ḥ → “SPIRIT”

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

هر
h-r → “The” Distinctive

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

طيری
ṭ-y-r → “bird”

literal: bird; birds; flying creature; flying; flight

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

نظر
n-ẓ-r → “Consider”

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

بر
b-r-r

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

آشيان
sh-y-n → ““shin” Distinctive

literal: evil, disgrace; the letter ‘shin’; befitting; appropriate; suitable

است
b-w-d

literal: to be; are (third person plural present copula)

بلبلی
b-l-b-l → “nightingale”

literal: confusion; mixture of languages; disorder

مقصود
q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

جمال
j-m-l → “of the rose” Distinctive

literal: beauty; comeliness

مگر
m-g-r → “save through”

literal: matter; affair; thing

افئده
f-ʾ-d → “hearts”

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

عباد
ʿ-b-d → “men”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

که
k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

بتراب
t-r-b → “dust”

literal: dust; earth; soil

فانی
f-n-y → “transient”

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

قانع
q-n-ʿ → “content”

literal: Canaan; the biblical figure

شده
sh-d

literal: to become; to be

از
ʾ-z → “from their”

literal: from

باقی
b-q-y → “eternal”

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

دور
d-w-r → “far”

literal: cycle; dispensation; age; turn; round

مانده‌اند
m-ʾ-n → “have strayed” Distinctive

literal: remain; remained; to remain

بگِلهای
g-l → “clay”

literal: rose-garden; garden of flowers

بعد
b-ʿ-d

literal: after; behind; distance

توجّه
w-j-h → “turned”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

نموده
n-m-ود → “they” Distinctive

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

قرب
q-r-b → “presence”

literal: place of sacrifice; altar

محروم
ḥ-r-m → “bereft”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

گشته‌اند
g-sh-t → “have been”

literal: become; became; to become

زهی
z-h-y

literal: splendor, glory, manifestation; to shine

حيرت
ḥ-y-r → “perplexed” Distinctive

literal: bewildered; perplexed; confused; astounded; amazed; bewilderment; perplexity; wonder; amazement

حسرت
ḥ-s-r

literal: regret; sorrow; vexation; lamentation

افسوس
ʾ-s-f → “regret”

literal: alas; woe; pity; regret

دريغ
d-r-gh → “pitiful”

literal: withhold; withholding, regret

بابريقی
b-r-q → “splendors” Distinctive

literal: lightning; flashes; flashes, lightning

امواج
m-w-j → “surged” Distinctive

literal: wave; billows; surge

بحر
b-ḥ-r

literal: sea; ocean

رفيق
r-f-q

literal: companion; friend; associate; the Exalted Companion

اعلی
ʿ-l-w → “Most High”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

گذشته‌اند
g-dh-r → “have turned away” Distinctive

literal: to leave; to pass; to abandon

افق
ʾ-f-q → “most effulgent horizon”

literal: horizon; sphere; realm; quarter

ابهی
b-h-w

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

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, The Hidden Words

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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