Gleanings — §208

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 208 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

بالفرح والانبساط ألا إنّه من جوهر الخلق لدی الحقّ عليه بهآءالله وبهآء من في ملکوت الأمر في کلّ حين

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Rejoice with great joy, for God hath made thee “the Dayspring of His light,” inasmuch as within thee was born the Manifestation of His Glory. Be thou glad for this name that hath been conferred upon thee — a name through which the Daystar of grace hath shed its splendor, through which both earth and heaven have been illumined.

Translation Notes

بالفرح

bálfrḥ f-r-ḥ → “rejoice with great joy”

literal: rejoice; joy; joy, gladness

SE expanded to “Rejoice with great joy”

into 33% joy 17% rejoice 17% supreme 17% exultation 17%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §213: glad fire-tabletFire §12: Delight gleaningsGWB §208: Rejoice with great joy prayers-and-meditationsP&M §192: will gladden will-and-testamentW&T §57: happiness epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §94: Exultest thou over gleaningsGWB §212: and filled with joy prayers-and-meditationsP&M §341: Exultation

والانبساط

wálánbsáṭ b-s-ṭ → “court” Distinctive

literal: carpet; extended; expansion

This form usually rendered as “gladness”, “thou” (4 occurrences)

gladness 75% thou 25%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §49: gladness gleaningsGWB §124: pervasive kitab-i-iqanKIQ §255: thy bed prayers-and-meditationsP&M §311: his couch the-hidden-wordsHW §147: the domain epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §217: and gladness gleaningsGWB §279: pomp and glory kitab-i-iqanKIQ §284: realm

جوهر

júhr j-w-h-r → “essence”

literal: essence; essences

essence 55% substance 10% gem-like 7% gem 7% “of 3% purpose 3% essential 3% most 3% desire 3% inmost 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §238: Essence gleaningsGWB §19: “Of all the tributes kitab-i-iqanKIQ §45: Gems of knowledge prayers-and-meditationsP&M §845: realities the-hidden-wordsHW §149: worth epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §22: jewel gleaningsGWB §312: Gems kitab-i-iqanKIQ §148: Substance

الخلق

al-khlq kh-l-q

literal: creation; create; created

SE rendered والانبساط (wálánbsáṭ), جوهر (júhr), الخلق (al-khlq), لدی (ldí), الحقّ (al-ḥqq), عليه (ʿlíh), بهآءالله (bháʾállh), وبهآء (wbháʾ) as “Be thou glad, the Manifestation, God hath made thee, of His, Glory, its splendor”

creation 31% creatures 16% hath 14% created 12% men 9% people 7% mankind 4% world 3% called 2% made 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §247: but a creation fire-tabletFire §9: the peoples gleaningsGWB §101: of creation kitab-i-iqanKIQ §87: endowed prayers-and-meditationsP&M §234: hath been generated tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §54: created her the-hidden-wordsHW §69: how ye were created epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §223: of Makers

لدی

ldí l-d-y

literal: at; with; near

SE rendered والانبساط (wálánbsáṭ), جوهر (júhr), الخلق (al-khlq), لدی (ldí), الحقّ (al-ḥqq), عليه (ʿlíh), بهآءالله (bháʾállh), وبهآء (wbháʾ) as “Be thou glad, the Manifestation, God hath made thee, of His, Glory, its splendor”

before 36% sight 18% guidance 9% face 9% when 9% after 9% beside 9%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §217: in the sight of gleaningsGWB §11: in Our sight prayers-and-meditationsP&M §125: in the face epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: at gleaningsGWB §479: before prayers-and-meditationsP&M §746: beside gleaningsGWB §720: guidance prayers-and-meditationsP&M §499: when

الحقّ

al-ḥqq ḥ-q-q → “god hath made thee”

literal: truth; true; right

SE expanded to “God hath made thee”

truth 50% god 14% true 10% one 9% eternal 7% through 3% right 2% righteousness 2% unto 1% who 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §184: true facts gleaningsGWB §293: the truth, the infallible truth kitab-i-ahdAhd §12: right kitab-i-iqanKIQ §195: incontrovertible prayers-and-meditationsP&M §774: Thou hast confirmed the-hidden-wordsHW §92: mysteries will-and-testamentW&T §27: a fixed money offering epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §28: who

عليه

ʿlíh ʿ-l-y → “of his”

literal: upon; on; exalted

SE rendered جوهر (júhr), الخلق (al-khlq), لدی (ldí), الحقّ (al-ḥqq), عليه (ʿlíh), بهآءالله (bháʾállh), وبهآء (wbháʾ), ملکوت (mlkút) as “the Manifestation, God hath made thee, of His, Glory, its splendor, heaven”

upon 40% against 18% hands 8% - 8% unto 8% over 8% above 5% hath 3% overshadoweth 3% body 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: unto gleaningsGWB §689: the Cause of God kitab-i-iqanKIQ §132: glorified is He prayers-and-meditationsP&M §154: to recognize the-hidden-wordsHW §42: reveal unto thee will-and-testamentW&T §59: upon you epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §143: rest upon gleaningsGWB §729: with him

الأمر

al-ʾamr ʾ-m-r

literal: command; cause

SE rendered بهآءالله (bháʾállh), وبهآء (wbháʾ), ملکوت (mlkút), الأمر (al-ʾamr) as “Glory, its splendor, heaven”

cause 53% revelation 22% command 5% bidding 4% faith 4% decree 4% ordainer 3% message 2% behest 2% all 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §92: been commanded fire-tabletFire §17: Command gleaningsGWB §286: the kitab-i-ahdAhd §7: a decree kitab-i-iqanKIQ §280: at Whose bidding prayers-and-meditationsP&M §752: His behests tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §33: summoned the-hidden-wordsHW §52: My command unto thee

حين

ḥín ḥ-y-n

literal: time; time/moment

SE rendered وبهآء (wbháʾ), ملکوت (mlkút), الأمر (al-ʾamr), حين (ḥín) as “its splendor, heaven”

moment 40% hour 14% time 12% day 7% when 7% continually 7% while 5% times 5% soon 2% late 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: late gleaningsGWB §247: the time kitab-i-iqanKIQ §56: season prayers-and-meditationsP&M §409: of their lives the-hidden-wordsHW §154: now epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: very moment gleaningsGWB §295: in the Day prayers-and-meditationsP&M §54: thousand lives

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf cover

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 cover

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 ¶

Kitáb-i-'Ahd cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 ¶

The Hidden Words cover

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

160 ¶

Will and Testament cover

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 ¶