The Hidden Words — §85

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 85 of 160.

Source (Arabic)

(١١) ﴿ ای پسر تراب ﴾ کور شو تا جمالم بينی و کر شو تا لحن و صوت مليحم را شنوی و جاهل شو تا از علمم نصيب بری و فقير شو تا از بحر غنای لا يزالم قسمت بيزوال برداری * کور شو يعنی از مشاهده غير جمال من و کر شو يعنی از استماع کلام غير من و جاهل شو يعنی از سوای علم من تا با چشم پاک و دل طيّب و گوش لطيف بساحت قدسم درآئی *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

(11) O SON OF DUST! Blind thine eyes, that thou mayest behold My beauty; stop thine ears, that thou mayest hearken unto the sweet melody of My voice; empty thyself of all learning, that thou mayest partake of My knowledge; and sanctify thyself from riches, that thou mayest obtain a lasting share from the ocean of My eternal wealth. Blind thine eyes, that is, to all save My beauty; stop thine ears to all save My word; empty thyself of all learning save the knowledge of Me; that with a clear vision, a pure heart and an attentive ear thou mayest enter the court of My holiness.

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

کور

k-w-r → “Blind”

literal: blind; darkness

شو

sh-w-d → “be” Distinctive

literal: be; become

تا

t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

جمالم

j-m-l → “My beauty”

literal: beauty; comeliness

بينی

b-y-n → “behold”

literal: utterance; explanation; between

کر

k-r-h → “stop”

literal: deaf; abhor; even if they dislike

لحن

l-ḥ-n → “melody” Distinctive

literal: melody, tone, intonation; to compose music

صوت

ṣ-w-t → “voice”

literal: voice; sound

مليحم

m-l-ḥ → “Mariner” Distinctive

literal: mariner; salt, bitter; salt

را

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

شنوی

sh-n-w → “hearken unto”

literal: hear; to hear; heard

جاهل

j-h-l → “empty thyself”

literal: ignorant; foolish; the ignorant ones

از

ʾ-z → “from”

literal: from

علمم

ʿ-l-m → “knowledge”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

نصيب

n-ṣ-b → “share”

literal: share; portion; lot; fate

بری

b-r-d → “brother” Distinctive

literal: to create; to create anew; to be free from; innocent; free from; clear of; to cure; to heal; to clear

فقير

literal: poor; needy; the poor one; pauper

بحر

b-ḥ-r → “ocean”

literal: sea; ocean

غنای

gh-n-y → “riches” Distinctive

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

لا

literal: no; not; negation particle

يزالم

z-w-l → “at all times” Distinctive

literal: cease; to cease; decline

قسمت

literal: oath; division; kind; type

يعنی

ʿ-n-y → “meaning” Distinctive

literal: that is; meaning; i.e.

مشاهده

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

غير

gh-y-r → “save” Distinctive

literal: without; besides; other than; except; other; different

من

m-n → “My” Distinctive

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

استماع

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

کلام

k-l-m → “word”

literal: to blame; to find fault; blaming; fault-finding

سوای

s-w-y → “save”

literal: level; equal; straight; upon a throne; resting upon; toward; to; direction of; other than; besides; except

با

b-ʾ-ʾ → “with”

literal: to; with; by

چشم

ch-sh-m → “eyes”

literal: eye; vision; sight

پاک

p-ʾ-k → “cleanse”

literal: pure; clean; sanctified; holy

دل

d-l → “heart”

literal: to argue; to demonstrate; proof

طيّب

ṭ-y-b → “pure”

literal: happiness; blessedness; felicity

گوش

g-w-sh → “ear”

literal: ear; hearing; to listen

لطيف

l-ṭ-f → “loving-kindness” Distinctive

literal: kindness; grace; gentleness; benevolence

بساحت

s-w-ḥ → “court”

literal: court; plaza; courtyard; open space; domain; presence

قدسم

q-d-s → “My holiness”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

درآئی

d-r-ʾ → “attain”

literal: to enter; enter/choose; come

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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