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Gleanings — §117

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 117 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

و در هر دوری از ادوار و کوری از اکوار از تجلّيات ظهورات فطرتهای بديع خود خلق را جديد فرموده تا جميع آنچه در سماوات و ارضينند چه از آيات عزّ آفاقيّه و چه از ظهورات قدس انفسيّه از باده رحمت خمخانه عزّ احديّتش محروم نمانند و از رشحات فيوضات سحاب مکرمتش مأيوس نگردند چقدر محيط است بدايع فضل بی منتهايش که جميع آفرينش را احاطه نموده بر مقامی که ذرّه در ملک مشهود نه مگر آنکه حاکی است از ظهورات عزّ احديّت او و ناطق است بثنای نفس او و مدلّ است بر انوار شمس وحدت او و بشأنی صنع خود را جامع و کامل خلق فرموده که اگر جميع صاحبان عقول و افئده اراده معرفت پست ترين خلق او را علی ما هو عليه نمايند جميع خود را قاصر و عاجز مشاهده نمايند تا چه رسد بمعرفت آن آفتاب عزّ حقيقت و آن ذات غيب لا يدرک عرفان عرفاء و بلوغ بلغاء و وصف فصحاء جميع بخلق او راجع بوده و خواهد بود صد هزار موسی در طور طلب بندای لن ترانی منصعق و صد هزار روح القدس در سماء قرب از اصغاء کلمه لن تعرفنی مضطرب لم يزل بعلوّ تقديس و تنزيه در مکمن ذات مقدّس خود بوده و لا يزال بسموّ تمنيع و ترفيع در مخزن کينونت خود خواهد بود متعارجان سمآء قرب عرفانش جز بسر منزل حيرت نرسيده‌اند و قاصدان حرم قرب و وصالش جز بوادی عجز و حسرت قدم نگذارده‌اند

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In every age and cycle He hath, through the splendorous light shed by the Manifestations of His wondrous Essence, recreated all things, so that whatsoever reflecteth in the heavens and on the earth the signs of His glory may not be deprived of the outpourings of His mercy, nor despair of the showers of His favors. How all-encompassing are the wonders of His boundless grace! Behold how they have pervaded the whole of creation. Such is their virtue that not a single atom in the entire universe can be found which doth not declare the evidences of His might, which doth not glorify His holy Name, or is not expressive of the effulgent light of His unity. So perfect and comprehensive is His creation that no mind nor heart, however keen or pure, can ever grasp the nature of the most insignificant of His creatures; much less fathom the mystery of Him Who is the Daystar of Truth, Who is the invisible and unknowable Essence. The conceptions of the devoutest of mystics, the attainments of the most accomplished amongst men, the highest praise which human tongue or pen can render are all the product of man’s finite mind and are conditioned by its limitations. Ten thousand Prophets, each a Moses, are thunderstruck upon the Sinai of their search at His forbidding voice, “Thou shalt never behold Me!”; whilst a myriad Messengers, each as great as Jesus, stand dismayed upon their heavenly thrones by the interdiction, “Mine Essence thou shalt never apprehend!” From time immemorial He hath been veiled in the ineffable sanctity of His exalted Self, and will everlastingly continue to be wrapt in the impenetrable mystery of His unknowable Essence. Every attempt to attain to an understanding of His inaccessible Reality hath ended in complete bewilderment, and every effort to approach His exalted Self and envisage His Essence hath resulted in hopelessness and failure.

Translation Notes

کوری
kúrí k-w-r

literal: blind; cycle; cycle/age

SE rendered هر (hr), دوری (dúrí), از (iz), ادوار (idúár), کوری (kúrí), از (iz), اکوار (ikúár), از (iz), تجلّيات (tjllíát), ظهورات (ẓhúrát) as “every, age, cycle, splendorous light, Manifestations”

blind 67% dispensation 17% day 17%
جديد
jdíd j-d-d

literal: new; renew; renewal

SE rendered ظهورات (ẓhúrát), فطرتهای (fṭrtháy), بديع (bdíʿ), خلق (khlq), جديد (jdíd), فرموده (frmúdh), جميع (jmíʿ), آنچه (ánchh), سماوات (smáwát) as “Manifestations, wondrous, His, recreated, hath, whatsoever, heavens”

انفسيّه
infsísh n-f-s → “be”

literal: soul; souls

SE rendered آفاقيّه (áfáqíqh), چه (chh), از (iz), ظهورات (ẓhúrát), قدس (qds), انفسيّه (infsísh), از (iz), باده (bádh), رحمت (rḥmt), خمخانه (khmkhánh), عزّ (ʿzz) as “glory, not, the, be, deprived, of, mercy”

soul 67% who 33%
فيوضات
fíwḍát f-y-ḍ → “of”

literal: grace; grace, bounty; outpouring

SE rendered محروم (mḥrúm), نمانند (nmánnd), از (iz), رشحات (rshḥát), فيوضات (fíwḍát), سحاب (sḥáb), مکرمتش (mkrmtsh), مأيوس (mʾayús), نگردند (ngrdnd), چقدر (chqdr) as “despair, the, showers, of, His, favors, How, all-encompassing, are”

سحاب
sḥáb s-ḥ-b → “his”

literal: cloud; clouds; cloud, clouds

SE rendered محروم (mḥrúm), نمانند (nmánnd), از (iz), رشحات (rshḥát), فيوضات (fíwḍát), سحاب (sḥáb), مکرمتش (mkrmtsh), مأيوس (mʾayús), نگردند (ngrdnd), چقدر (chqdr), محيط (mḥíṭ) as “despair, the, showers, of, His, favors, How, all-encompassing, are”

فضل
fḍl f-ḍ-l → “his”

literal: grace; grace/favor; grace, favor

SE rendered نگردند (ngrdnd), چقدر (chqdr), محيط (mḥíṭ), بدايع (bdáyʿ), فضل (fḍl), بی (bí), منتهايش (mntháysh), جميع (jmíʿ), آفرينش (áfrínsh) as “all-encompassing, are, the, wonders, His, of, boundless, Behold, they”

بی
bí b-y → “of”

literal: without; is

SE rendered نگردند (ngrdnd), چقدر (chqdr), محيط (mḥíṭ), بدايع (bdáyʿ), فضل (fḍl), بی (bí), منتهايش (mntháysh), جميع (jmíʿ), آفرينش (áfrínsh), احاطه (iḥáṭh) as “all-encompassing, are, the, wonders, His, of, boundless, Behold, they”

ملک
mlk m-l-k → “in”

literal: kingdom; king

SE rendered احاطه (iḥáṭh), نموده (nmúdh), بر (br), مقامی (mqámí), ذرّه (dhrrh), ملک (mlk), مشهود (mshhúd), نه (nh), مگر (mgr), آنکه (ánkh), حاکی (ḥákí) as “the, pervaded, creation, their, single, in, entire, His, doth, glorify”

مدلّ
mdll d-l-l

literal: indicating

SE rendered احديّت (iḥdídt), ناطق (náṭq), بثنای (bthnáy), نفس (nfs), مدلّ (mdll), بر (br), انوار (inúár), شمس (shms), وحدت (wḥdt) as “Name, holy, His, unity”

انوار
inúár n-w-r

literal: light; lights; luminous

SE rendered نفس (nfs), مدلّ (mdll), بر (br), انوار (inúár), شمس (shms), وحدت (wḥdt), بشأنی (bshʾaní), صنع (ṣnʿ) as “His, unity, So, perfect”

شمس
shms sh-m-s → “his”

literal: sun; suns; the sun

SE rendered نفس (nfs), مدلّ (mdll), بر (br), انوار (inúár), شمس (shms), وحدت (wḥdt), بشأنی (bshʾaní), صنع (ṣnʿ) as “His, unity, So, perfect”

بشأنی
bshʾaní sh-ʾ-n → “so”

literal: manner; affair; affairs

SE rendered بر (br), انوار (inúár), شمس (shms), وحدت (wḥdt), بشأنی (bshʾaní), صنع (ṣnʿ), جامع (jámʿ), کامل (káml), خلق (khlq), فرموده (frmúdh) as “His, unity, So, perfect, that, mind”

such 40% each 10% whatsoever 10% glory 10% befit 10% who 10% state 10%
پست
pst pst → “failure” Distinctive

literal: low; lowness

This form usually rendered as “meanest”, “lower”, “low” (3 occurrences)

meanest 33% lower 33% low 33%
رسد
rsd rsídn

literal: reach; to reach; arrive

SE rendered قاصر (qáṣr), عاجز (ʿájz), مشاهده (msháhdh), نمايند (nmáynd), چه (chh), رسد (rsd) as “His creatures, much, less, fathom”

how 58% attaineth 11% can 11% ended 5% much 5% attain 5% what 5%
آفتاب
áftáb áftáb

literal: sun

SE rendered نمايند (nmáynd), چه (chh), رسد (rsd), بمعرفت (bmʿrft), آفتاب (áftáb), عزّ (ʿzz), حقيقت (ḥqíqt), ذات (dhát), غيب (ghíb) as “fathom, the, mystery”

sun 58% day-star 15% daystar 12% sunbeam 4% orb 4% luminaries 4% light 4%
ذات
dhát dh-w-t → “the”

literal: essence; essence, self; essence, being

SE rendered ذات (dhát), غيب (ghíb), يدرک (ydrk), عرفان (ʿrfán), عرفاء (ʿrfáʾ), بلوغ (blúgh) as “the, mystery, Him, Daystar”

وصف
wṣf w-ṣ-f → “of”

literal: attributes; description; attribute

SE rendered يدرک (ydrk), عرفان (ʿrfán), عرفاء (ʿrfáʾ), بلوغ (blúgh), بلغاء (blgháʾ), وصف (wṣf), فصحاء (fṣḥáʾ), جميع (jmíʿ), بخلق (bkhlq), راجع (rájʿ) as “Him, Daystar, of, is, Truth”

فصحاء
fṣḥáʾ f-ṣ-ḥ

literal: eloquent; eloquent-ones; most eloquent

SE rendered يدرک (ydrk), عرفان (ʿrfán), عرفاء (ʿrfáʾ), بلوغ (blúgh), بلغاء (blgháʾ), وصف (wṣf), فصحاء (fṣḥáʾ), جميع (jmíʿ), بخلق (bkhlq), راجع (rájʿ) as “Him, Daystar, of, is, Truth”

most 33% which 33% clear 33%
خواهد
khúáhd khúástn → “the”

literal: will; to want/will

SE rendered جميع (jmíʿ), بخلق (bkhlq), راجع (rájʿ), خواهد (khúáhd), صد (ṣd), هزار (hzár), موسی (músí), طور (ṭúr), طلب (ṭlb) as “is, Truth, the, invisible, unknowable, Essence”

will 59% shall 11% endure 4% can 4% ever 4% desireth 4% purpose 4% could 4% would 4% wishing 4%
بندای
bndáy bstn

literal: bind; bound; to bind

SE rendered صد (ṣd), هزار (hzár), موسی (músí), طور (ṭúr), طلب (ṭlb), بندای (bndáy), ترانی (trání), منصعق (mnṣʿq), صد (ṣd), هزار (hzár), روح (rúḥ) as “conceptions, devoutest, unknowable, Essence, and, of”

must 20% girded 20% fettered 13% captive 7% solely 7% cleave 7% schemed 7% don 7% gird 7% fetters 7%
ترانی
trání r-ʾ-y → “and”

literal: see; to see

SE rendered طور (ṭúr), طلب (ṭlb), بندای (bndáy), ترانی (trání), منصعق (mnṣʿq), صد (ṣd), هزار (hzár), روح (rúḥ), القدس (al-qds) as “unknowable, Essence, and, of, conceptions, devoutest”

thou 96% seest 4%
منصعق
mnṣʿq ṣ-ʿ-q → “of”

literal: thunderstruck; be thunderstruck; dumbfounded

SE rendered طور (ṭúr), طلب (ṭlb), بندای (bndáy), ترانی (trání), منصعق (mnṣʿq), صد (ṣd), هزار (hzár), روح (rúḥ), القدس (al-qds) as “unknowable, Essence, and, of, conceptions, devoutest”

روح
rúḥ r-w-ḥ → “of”

literal: spirit; spiritual; soul

SE rendered ترانی (trání), منصعق (mnṣʿq), صد (ṣd), هزار (hzár), روح (rúḥ), القدس (al-qds), سماء (smáʾ), قرب (qrb), از (iz), اصغاء (iṣgháʾ) as “and, of, conceptions, devoutest, mystics, the”

spirit 69% soul 10% breath 4% life 4% souls 3% who 3% joy 2% holy 2% jesus 2% ghost 2%
اصغاء
iṣgháʾ ṣ-gh-w → “the”

literal: listening; listen; listen attentively

SE rendered هزار (hzár), روح (rúḥ), القدس (al-qds), سماء (smáʾ), قرب (qrb), از (iz), اصغاء (iṣgháʾ), کلمه (klmh) as “devoutest, of, mystics, the”

hearken 50% hear 20% endure 10% hearkening 10% ye 10%
کلمه
klmh k-l-m → “the”

literal: word; words

SE rendered القدس (al-qds), سماء (smáʾ), قرب (qrb), از (iz), اصغاء (iṣgháʾ), کلمه (klmh), تعرفنی (tʿrfní), مضطرب (mḍṭrb), يزل (yzl), بعلوّ (bʿlúl) as “of, mystics, the, most”

word 54% words 23% through 10% one 6% statement 2% single 2% sayings 1% idle 1% certain 1% divinity 1%
مضطرب
mḍṭrb ḍ-r-b

literal: disturbed; be disturbed; agitation

SE rendered قرب (qrb), از (iz), اصغاء (iṣgháʾ), کلمه (klmh), تعرفنی (tʿrfní), مضطرب (mḍṭrb), يزل (yzl), بعلوّ (bʿlúl), تقديس (tqdís) as “mystics, the, most, accomplished”

يزل
yzl z-w-l

literal: cease; to cease; ceased

SE rendered اصغاء (iṣgháʾ), کلمه (klmh), تعرفنی (tʿrfní), مضطرب (mḍṭrb), يزل (yzl), بعلوّ (bʿlúl), تقديس (tqdís) as “the, most, accomplished”

time 20% all 20% hath 16% everlasting 12% throughout 8% ever 8% invariably 4% never 4% will 4% eternity 4%
نگذارده‌اند
ngdhárdh‌ánd ngdhárdhánd

literal: place

1 occurrence in corpus

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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59 ¶