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Gleanings — §374

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 374 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

سعید و شقیّ و مشرک و موحّد در یک مقامند و یا آنکه حقّ جلّ و عزّ را با خلق نسبت و ربط بوده چنانچه بعضی از جهّال بعد از ارتقاء بسموات اوهام خود توحید را آن دانسته‌اند که کلّ آیات حقّند من غیر فرق و از این رتبه هم بعضی تجاوز نموده‌اند و آیات را شریک و شبیه نموده‌اند سبحان الله انّه واحد فی ذاته و واحد فی صفاته ما سواه معدوم عند تجلّی اسم من اسمائه و ذکر من اذکاره و کیف نفسه فو اسمی الرّحمن که قلم اعلی از ذکر این کلمات مضطرب و متزلزل است از برای قطرهٴ فانیه نزد تموّجات بحر اعظم باقی چه شأن مشاهده میشود حدوث و عدم

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Let no one imagine that by Our assertion that all created things are the signs of the revelation of God is meant that — God forbid — all men, be they good or evil, pious or infidel, are equal in the sight of God. Nor doth it imply that the Divine Beingmagnified be His name and exalted be His glory — is, under any circumstances, comparable unto men, or can, in any way, be associated with His creatures. Such an error hath been committed by certain foolish ones who, after having ascended into the heavens of their idle fancies, have interpreted Divine Unity to mean that all created things are the signs of God, and that, consequently, there is no distinction whatsoever between them. Some have even outstripped them by maintaining that these signs are peers and partners of God Himself. Gracious God! He, verily, is one and indivisible; one in His essence, one in His attributes. Everything besides Him is as nothing when brought face to face with the resplendent revelation of but one of His names, with no more than the faintest intimation of His glory — how much less when confronted with His own Self!

Translation Notes

آنکه
ánkh ʾ-n

literal: that; indeed; that, to

SE rendered موحّد (múḥḥd)یک (yk)مقامند (mqámnd)آنکه (ánkh)حقّ (ḥqq)جلّ (jll)عزّ (ʿzz)خلق (khlq)نسبت (nsbt) as “pious, one, are equal, the Divine Being, magnified be His name, and exalted be His glory, creatures, comparable”

have 10% behold 10% will 10% such 10% either 10% \‘verily 10% verily 10% truth 10% \‘they 10% although 10%
جهّال
jhhál j-h-l

literal: ignorance; ignorant; ignorant ones

SE rendered ربط (rbṭ)چنانچه (chnánchh)بعضی (bʿḍí)از (iz)جهّال (jhhál)از (iz)ارتقاء (irtqáʾ)بسموات (bsmúát)اوهام (iwhám) as “be associated, who, having, ascended, into the heavens, their idle fancies”

foolish 60% ignorant 30% who 10%
فرق
frq f-r-q

literal: difference

SE rendered دانسته‌اند (dánsth‌ánd)آیات (áyát)حقّند (ḥqqnd)غیر (ghír)فرق (frq)از (iz)رتبه (rtbh)بعضی (bʿḍí)تجاوز (tjáwz) as “interpreted, the signs, God, no distinction, Some, even outstripped”

رتبه
rtbh r-t-b

literal: rank; ranks

SE rendered حقّند (ḥqqnd)غیر (ghír)فرق (frq)از (iz)رتبه (rtbh)بعضی (bʿḍí)تجاوز (tjáwz)نموده‌اند (nmúdh‌ánd) as “God, no distinction, Some, even outstripped, have”

state 23% station 15% rank 15% estate 8% instance 8% stations 8% most 8% part 8% level 8%
شبیه
shbíh sh-b-h

literal: doubts; resemblance; likeness

SE rendered نموده‌اند (nmúdh‌ánd)آیات (áyát)شریک (shrík)شبیه (shbíh)نموده‌اند (nmúdh‌ánd)سبحان (sbḥán)الله (al-lh) as “have, these signs, peers and partners, Gracious, God”

comparison 50% equal 50%
فو
w-ʾ-y

literal: by; by (oath particle)

SE rendered اسمائه (ismáʾh)ذکر (dhkr)اذکاره (idhkárh)کیف (kíf)نفسه (nfsh)فو (fú) as “His names, intimation, how much less, His own Self”

2 occurrences in corpus

الرّحمن
ar-rḥmn r-ḥ-m

literal: mercy; merciful; the Merciful

SE rendered اذکاره (idhkárh)کیف (kíf)نفسه (nfsh)فو (fú)اسمی (ismí)الرّحمن (ar-rḥmn) as “how much less, His own Self”

بحر
bḥr b-ḥ-r

literal: sea; ocean; sea, ocean

SE rendered نزد (nzd)تموّجات (tmúmját)بحر (bḥr)اعظم (iʿẓm)باقی (báqí)چه (chh)شأن (shʾan)مشاهده (msháhdh)میشود (míshúd) as “unto, been”

ocean 76% sea 16% waters 2% most 1% billowing 1% where 1% outpouring 1% rushing 1% oceans 1% seeking 1%
اعظم
iʿẓm ʿ-ẓ-m

literal: greatest; great; greatness

SE rendered نزد (nzd)تموّجات (tmúmját)بحر (bḥr)اعظم (iʿẓm)باقی (báqí)چه (chh)شأن (shʾan)مشاهده (msháhdh)میشود (míshúd) as “unto, been”

باقی
báqí b-q-y

literal: remaining; remain

SE rendered نزد (nzd)تموّجات (tmúmját)بحر (bḥr)اعظم (iʿẓm)باقی (báqí)چه (chh)شأن (shʾan)مشاهده (msháhdh)میشود (míshúd) as “unto, been”

چه
chh ch-h

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

SE rendered نزد (nzd)تموّجات (tmúmját)بحر (bḥr)اعظم (iʿẓm)باقی (báqí)چه (chh)شأن (shʾan)مشاهده (msháhdh)میشود (míshúd) as “unto, been”

what 50% whatsoever 50%
شأن
shʾan sh-ʾ-n

literal: state

SE rendered نزد (nzd)تموّجات (tmúmját)بحر (bḥr)اعظم (iʿẓm)باقی (báqí)چه (chh)شأن (shʾan)مشاهده (msháhdh)میشود (míshúd) as “unto, been”

such 24% station 18% honor 12% through 12% neither 6% people 6% glory 6% dignity 6% low 6% splendor 6%

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