The Hidden Words — §93

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 93 of 160.

Source (Arabic)

(١٩) ﴿ ای دوستان من ﴾ آيا فراموش کرده‌ايد آن صبح صادق روشنی را که در ظلّ شجره انيسا که در فردوس اعظم غرس شده جميع در آن فضای قدس مبارک نزد من حاضر بوديد ؟ و بسه کلمه طيّبه تکلّم فرمودم و جميع آن کلماترا شنيده و مدهوش گشتيد و آن کلمات اين بود * ای دوستان رضای خود را بر رضای من اختيار مکنيد و آنچه برای شما نخواهم هرگز مخواهيد و با دلهای مرده که بآمال و آرزو آلوده شده نزد من ميائيد * اگر صدر را مقدّس کنيد حال آن صحرا و آن فضا را بنظر در آريد و بيان من بر همه شما معلوم شود *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

(19) O MY FRIENDS! Have ye forgotten that true and radiant morn, when in those hallowed and blessed surroundings ye were all gathered in My presence beneath the shade of the tree of life, which is planted in the all-glorious paradise? Awe-struck ye listened as I gave utterance to these three most holy words: O friends! Prefer not your will to Mine, never desire that which I have not desired for you, and approach Me not with lifeless hearts, defiled with worldly desires and cravings. Would ye but sanctify your souls, ye would at this present hour recall that place and those surroundings, and the truth of My utterance should be made evident unto all of you.

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)

آيا

ʾ-y-y → “signs”

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

فراموش

f-r-sh → “bed”

literal: to forget; forgetfulness

کرده‌ايد

k-r-d → “made” Distinctive

literal: to do; to make; to perform; deed; action; conduct; behavior

آن

ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

صبح

ṣ-b-ḥ → “morn”

literal: morning, dawn; daybreak

صادق

ṣ-d-q → “true”

literal: to confirm; to verify; to acknowledge; to testify to truth

روشنی

r-w-sh → “illumined” Distinctive

literal: light; illumination; brilliance; clarity

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

که

k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

ظلّ

ẓ-l-l → “shade” Distinctive

literal: to take shelter; to dwell in shadow

شجره

sh-j-r → “tree”

literal: tree

انيسا

ʾ-n-s → “OF MAN” Distinctive

literal: people; mankind; human beings

فردوس

f-r-d-w-s → “paradise”

literal: paradise; garden

اعظم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “all-glorious” Distinctive

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

غرس

gh-r-s → “planted”

literal: to plant; to implant

شده

sh-d → “is” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

فضای

f-ḍ-w → “surroundings” Distinctive

literal: space; expanse; void

قدس

q-d-s → “holy”

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

مبارک

b-r-k → “blessed”

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

نزد

n-z-d → “in”

literal: near; beside; with; in the presence of

حاضر

ḥ-ḍ-r → “presence” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

بوديد

b-w-d → “were”

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

بسه

s-h → “three”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

کلمه

k-l-m → “words”

literal: words; utterances; locutions; word; utterance; speech; sayings; verses

طيّبه

ṭ-y-b

literal: good; pure; sweet; fragrant; virtuous

فرمودم

f-r-m → “saith” Distinctive

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

کلماترا

k-l-m

literal: words; utterances; locutions; word; utterance; speech; sayings; verses

شنيده

sh-n-w → “heard”

literal: did not hear; has not heard

مدهوش

d-h-sh → “heedless”

literal: terror; dread; fear

گشتيد

g-sh-t

literal: become; became; to become

اين

ʾ-y-n

literal: this; these

رضای

r-ḍ-y → “Thy pleasure”

literal: good-pleasure, consent, satisfaction; satisfaction; pleasure; approval; contentment

خود

kh-w-d → “their own”

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

بر

b-r-r → “to”

literal: on; on, upon; upon

اختيار

kh-y-r → “good” Distinctive

literal: goodwill; benevolence; kindness; good; goodness; benefit; better; best

مکنيد

k-n → “not”

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

برای

b-r-y → “for you”

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

شما

sh-m-ʾ → “your”

literal: you (plural); your

نخواهم

kh-w-h → “will” Distinctive

literal: will; want; to want/will

هرگز

h-r-g → “never”

literal: never; at no time; never ever

با

b-ʾ-ʾ → “with”

literal: to; with; by

دلهای

d-l → “hearts”

literal: to argue; to demonstrate; proof

مرده

m-w-t → “death” Distinctive

literal: rebellion; mutiny; revolt

بآمال

ʾ-m-l → “hope” Distinctive

literal: hope; wish; desire; aspiration

آرزو

r-z-w → “woes and trials” Distinctive

literal: calamities; wish; desire/wish

آلوده

ʾ-l-w-d → “defiled”

literal: soiled; defiled

ميائيد

ʾ-y-d → “possible” Distinctive

literal: come; come forth; to come

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

صدر

ṣ-d-r → “breasts”

literal: to issue, emanate, proceed; issued, emanating

حال

ḥ-w-l → “now”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

صحرا

ṣ-ḥ-r-ʾ → “place”

literal: desert; wilderness

بنظر

n-ẓ-r → “Consider”

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

آريد

r-y-d

literal: to will; to intend; to wish; will, volition, intention, desire

بيان

b-y-n → “utterance”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident

همه

h-m-h → “all”

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

معلوم

ʿ-l-m → “evident”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

شود

sh-w-d → “made”

literal: to come; to go; to arrive; came

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

‘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 ¶