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Will and Testament — §12

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 12 of 59.

Source (Persian)

الهی الهی احفظ عبادک الأمنآء من شرّ النّفس و الهوی و احرسهم بعین رعایتک من الحقد و الحسد و البغضآء و ادخلهم فی حصن حصین کلائتک من سهام الشّبهات و اجعلهم مظاهر آیاتک البیّنات و نوّر وجوههم بشعاع ساطع من افق توحیدک و اشرح صدورهم بآیات نازلة من ملکوت تفریدک و اشدد ازورهم بقوّة نافذة من جبروت تجریدک انّک انت الفضّال الحافظ القویّ العزیز

Shoghi Effendi Translation

O God, my God! Shield Thy trusted servants from the evils of self and passion, protect them with the watchful eye of Thy loving-kindness from all rancour, hate and envy, shelter them in the impregnable stronghold of Thy care and, safe from the darts of doubtfulness, make them the manifestations of Thy glorious Signs, illumine their faces with the effulgent rays shed from the Dayspring of Thy Divine Unity, gladden their hearts with the verses revealed from Thy Holy Kingdom, strengthen their loins by Thy all-swaying power that cometh from Thy Realm of Glory. Thou art the All-Bountiful, the Protector, the Almighty, the Gracious!

Translation Notes

الهی
ʾ-l-h → “O”

literal: God; Allah; deity; Divinity; divine nature; godhood

احفظ
ḥ-f-ẓ → “Shield” Distinctive

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

عبادک
ʿ-b-d → “trusted servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

الأمنآء
ʾ-m-n

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure

من
m-n → “from”

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

شرّ
sh-r-r → “evils”

literal: evil; harm; wickedness

النّفس
n-f-s → “self”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

الهوی
h-w-y → “passion”

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

احرسهم
ḥ-r-s → “protect”

literal: to guard, protect, watch over

بعین
ʿ-y-n → “watchful eye”

literal: eye; fountain; spring; essence; to appoint; to designate; to specify; to determine

رعایتک
r-ʿ-y → “subjects” Distinctive

literal: to guard, watch over, regard, heed, respect, maintain; care; protection; guardianship; watchfulness

الحقد
ḥ-q-d → “jealousy”

literal: rancour; malice; grudge; hatred

الحسد
ḥ-s-d → “envy”

literal: envy; jealousy; coveting

البغضآء
b-gh-ḍ → “hate”

literal: hatred; enmity; animosity

ادخلهم
d-kh-l → “enter” Distinctive

literal: to enter; to admit; to bring in

فی
f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

حصن
ḥ-ṣ-n → “stronghold”

literal: fortress, stronghold, fortified place

کلائتک
k-l-ʾ → “tender herbs” Distinctive

literal: both; dual; two; protection; fortification; guardianship; guarding

سهام
s-h-m → “darts”

literal: arrow; dart; shaft; portion; share

الشّبهات
sh-b-h → “doubtfulness”

literal: doubt; uncertainty; suspicion; resemblance; semblance

اجعلهم
j-ʿ-l → “make” Distinctive

literal: to make; to cause; to render; to appoint

مظاهر
ẓ-h-r → “manifestations”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

آیاتک
ʾ-y-y → “Signs”

literal: sign; verse; miracle; token; verses; signs; proofs

البیّنات
b-y-n → “utterance” Distinctive

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

نوّر
n-w-r → “illumine” Distinctive

literal: light; illumination

وجوههم
w-j-h → “faces”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

بشعاع
sh-ʿ-ʿ → “gleaming” Distinctive

literal: ray; light; beam; radiance

ساطع
s-ṭ-ʿ → “glowing”

literal: shining; radiant; splendid; emanating

افق
ʾ-f-q → “Dayspring” Distinctive

literal: horizon; sphere; realm; quarter

توحیدک
w-ḥ-d → “Divine Unity” Distinctive

literal: Divine unity; monotheism; belief in the oneness of God

اشرح
sh-r-ḥ → “dilated” Distinctive

literal: explanation; dilated; expanded

صدورهم
ṣ-d-r → “hearts”

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

نازلة
n-z-l → “revealed”

literal: to descend, to be revealed

ملکوت
m-l-k → “Kingdom”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty

تفریدک
f-r-d → “Thy oneness”

literal: unique; singular; incomparable

اشدد
sh-d-d → “tribulations” Distinctive

literal: become; became; severe

ازورهم
ʾ-z-r → “loins”

literal: loins; support

بقوّة
q-w-y → “power”

literal: strength; power; might; piety; fear of God; godliness

نافذة
n-f-dh → “irresistible”

literal: penetrating, effective; piercing; decisive

جبروت
j-b-r → “Realm of Glory”

literal: compelled; forced; constrained

تجریدک
j-r-d

literal: neck; throat

انّک
ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

انت
ʾ-n-t

literal: you (masculine singular)

الفضّال
f-ḍ-l → “grace” Distinctive

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

العزیز
ʿ-z-z → “Gracious” Distinctive

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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