The Hidden Words — §99

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 99 of 160.

Source (Arabic)

(٢٤) ﴿ ای جهلای معروف بعلم ﴾ چرا در ظاهر دعوی شبانی کنيد و در باطن ذئب اغنام من شده‌ايد * مَثَل شما مثل ستاره قبل از صبح است که در ظاهر درّيّ و روشن است و در باطن سبب اضلال و هلاکت کاروانهای مدينه و ديار من است *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

(24) O YE THAT ARE FOOLISH, YET HAVE A NAME TO BE WISE! Wherefore do ye wear the guise of shepherds, when inwardly ye have become wolves, intent upon My flock? Ye are even as the star, which riseth ere the dawn, and which, though it seem radiant and luminous, leadeth the wayfarers of My city astray into the paths of perdition.

Translation Notes

جهلای

jhláy j-h-l → “foolish”

literal: ignorance; ignorant; ignorant ones

foolish 38% ignorance 25% ignorant 17% folly 6% empty 4% manifest 2% former 2% mine 2% depths 2% who 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: the ignorant gleaningsGWB §155: ignorance kitab-i-ahdAhd §5: foolish ones kitab-i-iqanKIQ §266: ignorant prayers-and-meditationsP&M §316: his own ignorance the-hidden-wordsHW §85: empty thyself epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §237: former times gleaningsGWB §703: depths of ignorance

معروف

mʿrúf ʿ-r-f → “have a name” Distinctive

literal: knowledge; know; knower

This form usually rendered as “known”, “right”, “recognized” (31 occurrences)

SE expanded to “HAVE A NAME”

known 33% right 17% recognized 11% integrity 6% repute 6% art 6% what 6% perform 6% renown 6% obscure 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §233: breath gleaningsGWB §90: that thou mayest comprehend kitab-i-ahdAhd §13: perform praiseworthy deeds kitab-i-iqanKIQ §246: obscure prayers-and-meditationsP&M §75: Enable tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: to see the-hidden-wordsHW §57: thinkest epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §175: acquainted

چرا

chrá ch-r-ʾ → “why”

literal: why

3 occurrences in corpus

kitab-i-iqanKIQ §157: Why should kitab-i-iqanKIQ §159: why

ظاهر

ẓáhr ẓ-h-r → “guise” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; manifest; appear

This form usually rendered as “manifest”, “revealed”, “appeared” (458 occurrences)

manifest 29% revealed 16% appeared 11% outward 8% made 7% appear 7% manifested 6% outwardly 5% have 5% visible 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §91: that thou mayest show forth fire-tabletFire §38: prevail gleaningsGWB §34: advent of the Manifestations kitab-i-ahdAhd §11: have We graciously revealed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §127: exponent prayers-and-meditationsP&M §337: Thou revealest tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: to assist tablet-of-carmelCarmel §4: Revelation—a Revelation

دعوی

dʿúy d-ʿ-w → “summoned” Distinctive

literal: claim

This form usually rendered as “claim”, “name”, “claims” (6 occurrences)

claim 40% name 20% claims 20% guise 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §217: beseecheth Thee gleaningsGWB §645: Set ye aside kitab-i-ahdAhd §6: Pray kitab-i-iqanKIQ §11: He invited prayers-and-meditationsP&M §529: who call on tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §50: idle claimants the-hidden-wordsHW §34: I summon epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §189: been calling

شبانی

shbání sh-b-n → “shepherd”

literal: shepherd; shepherds

shepherd 50% shepherds 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §24: the shepherd prayers-and-meditationsP&M §646: A dewdrop the-hidden-wordsHW §99: shepherds

کنيد

kníd k-r-d → “do ye wear”

literal: do; to do; do, make

SE expanded to “do ye wear”

do 40% reflect 20% sanctify 20% yourselves 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §242: have succeeded gleaningsGWB §263: discover kitab-i-iqanKIQ §233: lead the-hidden-wordsHW §116: loose will-and-testamentW&T §5: deluged epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §140: done gleaningsGWB §563: perceive kitab-i-iqanKIQ §48: themselves therein

باطن

báṭn b-ṭ-n → “inwardly”

literal: inward; inner

inwardly 32% inner 27% invisible 23% spiritual 9% inward 9%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: I gleaningsGWB §465: My inner kitab-i-iqanKIQ §74: the womb prayers-and-meditationsP&M §774: His Concealment the-hidden-wordsHW §104: womb epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §219: inner gleaningsGWB §324: spiritual perceptions kitab-i-iqanKIQ §75: Concealment,”

ذئب

dhʾb dh-ʾ-b → “wolves”

literal: wolf; wolves

wolves 75% wolf 25%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §157: wolves gleaningsGWB §475: wolf

اغنام

ighnám gh-n-m → “flock”

literal: sheep; treasure; booty

flock 71% flocks 14% fold 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §54: flocks gleaningsGWB §673: precious a kitab-i-iqanKIQ §23: Seize the time the-hidden-wordsHW §116: Seize will-and-testamentW&T §52: profiting epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §24: My flock gleaningsGWB §417: the chance epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §217: flock

شده‌ايد

shdh‌áyd sh-w-d → “have become”

literal: become; to become

have 67% planted 33%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §29: written gleaningsGWB §673: be not kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: will be kitab-i-iqanKIQ §59: mentioned prayers-and-meditationsP&M §704: forth the-hidden-wordsHW §144: be laid will-and-testamentW&T §22: arise epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §117: affirm

مَثَل

mathal m-th-l → “even as”

literal: like; likeness; example

consider 20% such 15% even 15% like 11% same 9% instance 9% similar 7% what 6% equal 4% likened 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §172: likeness gleaningsGWB §453: witnessed kitab-i-ahdAhd §14: like unto kitab-i-iqanKIQ §249: others prayers-and-meditationsP&M §779: and likeness the-hidden-wordsHW §4: image epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §158: Thou art even as gleaningsGWB §312: how

ستاره

stárh s-t-r → “hidden” Distinctive

literal: hidden; concealed

This form usually rendered as “concealer”, “thou”, “stars” (6 occurrences)

concealer 20% thou 20% stars 20% star 20% concealest 20%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §135: the Veil fire-tabletFire §45: Thou Concealer gleaningsGWB §323: that whatsoever hath been recorded kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: latent kitab-i-iqanKIQ §178: lie as yet unravelled prayers-and-meditationsP&M §797: the veil of concealment tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §36: been hidden epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §164: veil

از

iz ʾ-z

literal: from

SE rendered شده‌ايد (shdh‌áyd), مَثَل (mathal), مثل (mthl), ستاره (stárh), از (iz), صبح (ṣbḥ), ظاهر (ẓáhr), درّيّ (drrír), روشن (rúshn) as “have become, even as, star, dawn, radiant, luminous”