The Hidden Words — §91

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 91 of 160.

Source (Arabic)

(١٧) ﴿ ای همگنان ﴾ ابواب لامکان باز گشته و ديار جانان از دم عاشقان زينت يافته و جميع از اين شهر روحانی محروم مانده‌اند الّا قليلی و از آن قليل هم با قلب طاهر و نفس مقدّس مشهود نگشت الّا اقلّ قليلی*

Shoghi Effendi Translation

(17) O COMRADES! The gates that open on the Placeless stand wide and the habitation of the loved one is adorned with the lovers’ blood, yet all but a few remain bereft of this celestial city, and even of these few, none but the smallest handful hath been found with a pure heart and sanctified spirit.

Translation Notes

ای

ʾ-y-y → “O”

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

همگنان

h-m-g → “COMRADES”

literal: kind; type; genus; gender

ابواب

b-w-b → “gates” Distinctive

literal: door; gate; chapter; way; manner

لامکان

m-k-n → “Placeless”

literal: heaven; sky

باز

b-ʾ-z → “whence”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

گشته

g-sh-t → “have been” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

ديار

d-w-r → “far” Distinctive

literal: land; region; place; abode; dwelling

جانان

j-ʾ-n → “lives” Distinctive

literal: garden; paradise; heaven

از

ʾ-z → “with” Distinctive

literal: from

دم

d-m-m → “blood”

literal: breath; moment; instant

عاشقان

ʿ-sh-q → “lovers’”

literal: love, passion, ardor

زينت

z-y-n → “adorned”

literal: to adorn; ornament; beauty; adornment; embellishment; decoration

يافته

y-ʾ-f

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

شهر

sh-h-r → “city”

literal: city; month; fame, renown

روحانی

r-w-ḥ → “celestial”

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

محروم

ḥ-r-m → “bereft”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

مانده‌اند

m-ʾ-n → “remain”

literal: remain; remained; to remain

الّا

ʾ-kh-r → “but” Distinctive

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

قليلی

q-l-l → “few”

literal: little; few; scanty; small in quantity

آن

ʾ-n → “these”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

هم

h-m-m → “endeavor” Distinctive

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

با

b-ʾ-ʾ → “with”

literal: to; with; by

قلب

q-l-b → “heart”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

طاهر

ṭ-h-r → “pure”

literal: to purify; to cleanse

نفس

n-f-s → “spirit” Distinctive

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

مقدّس

q-d-s → “sanctified”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

مشهود

sh-h-d → “found” Distinctive

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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50 ¶

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729 ¶

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16 ¶

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291 ¶

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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 ¶

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17 ¶

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5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

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57 ¶

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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 ¶