Skip to main content

Gleanings — §382

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 382 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

کن که بر کلّ اشراق فرموده یعنی در کلّ آیهٴ توحید الهی ظاهر چنانچه کلّ مدلّند بر حقّ و سلطنت او و وحدت او و قدرت او و این تجلّی رحمت او است که سبقت گرفته کلّ را ولکن نفوس مشرکه از این تجلّی غافل و از شریعهٴ قرب و لقا محروم چنانچه مشاهده میشود جمیع ملل مختلفه بوحدانیّت او مقرّ و بفردانیّت او معترف اگر آیهٴ توحید الهی در آن نفوس نمیبود هرگز مقرّ باین کلمهٴ مبارکهٔ لا اله الّا هو نبودند مع‌ذلک غافل و بعیدند و عندالله از موحّدین محسوب نه چه که سلطان مجلّی را ادراک ننموده‌اند و

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Consider, in like manner, the revelation of the light of the Name of God, the Incomparable. Behold, how this light hath enveloped the entire creation, how each and every thing manifesteth the sign of His Unity, testifieth to the reality of Him Who is the Eternal Truth, proclaimeth His sovereignty, His oneness, and His power. This revelation is a token of His mercy that hath encompassed all created things. They that have joined partners with Him, however, are unaware of such a revelation, and are deprived of the Faith through which they can draw near unto, and be united with, Him. Witness how the divers peoples and kindreds of the earth bear witness to His unity, and recognize His oneness. But for the sign of the Unity of God within them, they would have never acknowledged the truth of the words, “There is none other God but God.” And yet, consider how grievously they have erred, and strayed from His path. Inasmuch as they have failed to recognize the Sovereign Revealer, they have ceased to be reckoned among those who may be regarded as true believers in the Unity of God.

Translation Notes

بر
br b-r-r

literal: on; on, upon; upon

SE rendered کن (kn)بر (br)اشراق (ishráq)فرموده (frmúdh)یعنی (yʿní) as “Consider, in like manner, the revelation of the light”

land 33% upon 11% piety 11% unto 11% pious 6% righteousness 6% beseech 6% good 6% against 6% indignities 6%
فرموده
frmúdh f-r-m

literal: say; command; says

SE rendered کن (kn)بر (br)اشراق (ishráq)فرموده (frmúdh)یعنی (yʿní)آیهٴ (áyhٴ)توحید (túḥíd)الهی (al-hí) as “Consider, in like manner, the revelation of the light, the sign, His Unity, of God”

hath 34% said 18% declared 16% caused 8% saith 5% revealed 5% answered 5% delivered 3% did 3% protected 3%
یعنی
yʿní ʿ-n-y

literal: meaning

SE rendered کن (kn)بر (br)اشراق (ishráq)فرموده (frmúdh)یعنی (yʿní)آیهٴ (áyhٴ)توحید (túḥíd)الهی (al-hí)ظاهر (ẓáhr) as “Consider, in like manner, the revelation of the light, the sign, His Unity, of God, manifesteth”

who 40% meant 40% meaneth 20%
میشود
míshúd sh-w-d

literal: become; to become; became

SE rendered قرب (qrb)لقا (lqá)محروم (mḥrúm)چنانچه (chnánchh)مشاهده (msháhdh)میشود (míshúd)جمیع (jmíʿ)ملل (mll)مختلفه (mkhtlfh)بوحدانیّت (búḥdánínt) as “draw near, be united with, Him, are deprived, Witness how, bear witness, the divers peoples, His unity”

affirm 14% bringeth 14% conscripted 14% now 14% shall 14% ascribed 14% will 14%
مختلفه
mkhtlfh kh-l-f

literal: different; difference

SE rendered چنانچه (chnánchh)مشاهده (msháhdh)میشود (míshúd)جمیع (jmíʿ)ملل (mll)مختلفه (mkhtlfh)بوحدانیّت (búḥdánínt)مقرّ (mqrr)بفردانیّت (bfrdánínt) as “Witness how, bear witness, the divers peoples, His unity, His oneness”

باین
báyn b-y-n

literal: utterance; explanation; between

SE rendered نفوس (nfús)نمیبود (nmíbúd)هرگز (hrgz)مقرّ (mqrr)باین (báyn)کلمهٴ (klmhٴ)مبارکهٔ (mbárkh)اله (al-h) as “they, would have, never, acknowledged, the truth of the words, God”

عندالله
ʿndállh ʿ-n-d

literal: with; at; with/at

SE rendered مع‌ذلک (mʿ‌dhlk)غافل (gháfl)بعیدند (bʿídnd)عندالله (ʿndállh)از (iz)موحّدین (múḥḥdín)محسوب (mḥsúb) as “And yet, erred, strayed, from, true believers, reckoned”

sight 50% god 25% inspired 25%
نه
nh n-h-y

literal: end; ended; utmost

SE rendered بعیدند (bʿídnd)عندالله (ʿndállh)از (iz)موحّدین (múḥḥdín)محسوب (mḥsúb)نه (nh)چه (chh)سلطان (slṭán)مجلّی (mjllí)ادراک (idrák)ننموده‌اند (nnmúdh‌ánd) as “strayed, from, true believers, reckoned, Sovereign, Revealer, failed to recognize, may”

end 16% forbidden 12% ended 12% infinite 12% highest 12% forbiddeth 8% most 8% utmost 8% last 8% unnumbered 4%
چه
chh ch-h

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

SE rendered از (iz)موحّدین (múḥḥdín)محسوب (mḥsúb)نه (nh)چه (chh)سلطان (slṭán)مجلّی (mjllí)ادراک (idrák)ننموده‌اند (nnmúdh‌ánd) as “from, true believers, reckoned, Sovereign, Revealer, failed to recognize, may”

what 50% whatsoever 50%

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 ¶