Skip to main content

Gleanings — §440

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 440 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

ای احزاب مختلفه باتّحاد توجّه نمائید و بنور اتّفاق منوّر گردید لوجه الله در مقرّی حاضر شوید و آنچه سبب اختلاف است از میان بردارید تا جمیع عالم بانوار نیّر اعظم فائز گردند و در یک مدینه وارد شوند و بر یک سریر جالس این مظلوم از اوّل ایّام الی حین مقصودی جز آنچه ذکر شد نداشته و ندارد شکّی نیست جمیع احزاب بافق اعلی متوجّهند و بامر حقّ عامل نظر بمقتضیات عصر اوامر و احکام مختلف شده ولکن کل من عند الله بوده و از نزد او نازل شده و بعضی از امور هم از عناد ظاهر گشته باری بعضد ایقان اصنام اوهام و اختلاف را بشکنید و باتّحاد و اتّفاق تمسّک نمائید این است کلمهٴ علیا که از امّ الکتاب نازل شده یشهد بذلک لسان العظمة فی مقامه الرّفیع...

Shoghi Effendi Translation

O contending peoples and kindreds of the earth! Set your faces towards unity, and let the radiance of its light shine upon you. Gather ye together, and for the sake of God resolve to root out whatever is the source of contention amongst you. Then will the effulgence of the world’s great Luminary envelop the whole earth, and its inhabitants become the citizens of one city, and the occupants of one and the same throne. This wronged One hath, ever since the early days of His life, cherished none other desire but this, and will continue to entertain no wish except this wish. There can be no doubt whatever that the peoples of the world, of whatever race or religion, derive their inspiration from one heavenly Source, and are the subjects of one God. The difference between the ordinances under which they abide should be attributed to the varying requirements and exigencies of the age in which they were revealed. All of them, except a few which are the outcome of human perversity, were ordained of God, and are a reflection of His Will and Purpose. Arise and, armed with the power of faith, shatter to pieces the gods of your vain imaginings, the sowers of dissension amongst you. Cleave unto that which draweth you together and uniteth you. This, verily, is the most exalted Word which the Mother Book hath sent down and revealed unto you. To this beareth witness the Tongue of Grandeur from His habitation of glory.

Translation Notes

اتّفاق
ittfáq w-f-q

literal: agreement; grant success; grant-success

SE rendered باتّحاد (báttḥád), توجّه (tújjh), نمائید (nmáʾíd), بنور (bnúr), اتّفاق (ittfáq), منوّر (mnúnr), گردید (grdíd), لوجه (lújh), الله (al-lh) as “towards unity, Set your faces, will, let, shine upon, for the sake, God”

بردارید
brdáríd b-r-d-ʾ-r → “lift” Distinctive

literal: lift; lift, raise

This form usually rendered as “resolve”, “set” (2 occurrences)

resolve 50% set 50%
وارد
wárd w-r-d

literal: entering; came upon

SE rendered اعظم (iʿẓm), فائز (fáʾz), گردند (grdnd), یک (yk), مدینه (mdính), وارد (wárd), شوند (shúnd), بر (br), یک (yk), سریر (srír), جالس (jáls) as “great, envelop, become, one, city, of one, throne, occupants”

inflicted 25% befell 10% have 10% enter 10% hath 8% inflict 8% attain 8% came 6% entered 6% befallen 6%
حین
ḥín ḥ-y-n

literal: time; time/moment; moment

SE rendered مظلوم (mẓlúm), از (iz), اوّل (iwwl), ایّام (iyyám), حین (ḥín), مقصودی (mqṣúdí), جز (jz), آنچه (ánchh), ذکر (dhkr), نداشته (ndáshth) as “wronged One, since, the early, days, desire, except, this, cherished none other”

moment 45% time 11% hour 11% when 8% day 5% every 5% until 5% instantly 5% times 5% present 3%
ذکر
dhkr dh-k-r → “this”

literal: mention; remembrance; mentioned

SE rendered ایّام (iyyám), حین (ḥín), مقصودی (mqṣúdí), جز (jz), آنچه (ánchh), ذکر (dhkr), نداشته (ndáshth), ندارد (ndárd), شکّی (shkkí), نیست (níst) as “days, desire, except, this, cherished none other, entertain no wish, no doubt, are”

عامل
ʿáml ʿ-m-l

literal: deed; deeds

SE rendered بافق (báfq), اعلی (iʿlí), متوجّهند (mtújjhnd), بامر (bámr), حقّ (ḥqq), عامل (ʿáml), نظر (nẓr), بمقتضیات (bmqtḍíát), عصر (ʿṣr), اوامر (iwámr) as “Source, one heavenly, God, the varying requirements, age, ordinances”

نظر
nẓr n-ẓ-r

literal: look; looking; view

SE rendered اعلی (iʿlí), متوجّهند (mtújjhnd), بامر (bámr), حقّ (ḥqq), عامل (ʿáml), نظر (nẓr), بمقتضیات (bmqtḍíát), عصر (ʿṣr), اوامر (iwámr) as “one heavenly, God, the varying requirements, age, ordinances”

observe 13% eye 13% because 13% beholding 13% sight 10% behold 10% owing 10% consider 6% ponder 6% considering 6%
احکام
iḥkám ḥ-k-m

literal: wisdom; wise; judgment

SE rendered بمقتضیات (bmqtḍíát), عصر (ʿṣr), اوامر (iwámr), احکام (iḥkám), مختلف (mkhtlf), ولکن (wlkn), الله (al-lh) as “the varying requirements, age, ordinances, difference, God”

laws 58% precepts 8% law 8% statutes 4% acts 4% mere 4% truth 4% law;” 4% ordinances 4%
بشکنید
bshkníd shkstn → “have” Distinctive

literal: break, scatter; break, shatter

This form usually rendered as “scatter”, “shatter” (2 occurrences)

scatter 50% shatter 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 ¶