Gleanings — §523
Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 523 of 729.
Source (Arabic)
يا معشر الملوك إنّا نراكم في كلّ سنة تزدادون مصارفكم وتحمّلونها على الرّعيّة إن هذا إلاّ ظلم عظيم، اتّقوا زفرات المظلوم وعبراته ولا تحمّلوا على الرّعيّة فوق طاقتهم ولا تخربوهم لتعمير قصوركم، أن اختاروا لهم ما تختارونه لأنفسكم كذلك نبيّن لكم ما ينفعكم إن أنتم من المتفرّسين، إنّهم خزائنكم إيّاكم أن تحكموا عليهم ما لا حكم به الله وإيّاكم أن تسلّموها بأيدي السّارقين، بهم تحكمون وتأكلون وتغلبون وعليهم تستكبرون إن هذا إلاّ أمر عجيب،
Shoghi Effendi Translation
O kings of the earth! We see you increasing every year your expenditures, and laying the burden thereof on your subjects. This, verily, is wholly and grossly unjust. Fear the sighs and tears of this wronged One, and lay not excessive burdens on your peoples. Do not rob them to rear palaces for yourselves; nay rather choose for them that which ye choose for yourselves. Thus We unfold to your eyes that which profiteth you, if ye but perceive. Your people are your treasures. Beware lest your rule violate the commandments of God, and ye deliver your wards to the hands of the robber. By them ye rule, by their means ye subsist, by their aid ye conquer. Yet, how disdainfully ye look upon them! How strange, how very strange!
Translation Notes
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §120: of earthly delightsgleaningsGWB §523: Okitab-i-iqanKIQ §115: intercourseprayers-and-meditationsP&M §797: consortedthe-hidden-wordsHW §145: to commune with Mewill-and-testamentW&T §43: companyepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §107: associatedgleaningsGWB §563: dealings with them
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §158: the landgleaningsGWB §511: any kingkitab-i-iqanKIQ §80: angelprayers-and-meditationsP&M §142: Thy realmtablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §15: the worldsthe-hidden-wordsHW §116: this worldwill-and-testamentW&T §13: every landepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §133: He Who is the King
SE rendered معشر (mʿshr), الملوك (al-mlúk), نراكم (nrákm), سنة (snh), تزدادون (tzdádún), مصارفكم (mṣárfkm) as “kings, year, expenditures”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §228: the mirrorsfire-tabletFire §26: seestgleaningsGWB §134: reflecting naught else butkitab-i-iqanKIQ §237: “What thinkestprayers-and-meditationsP&M §62: Who beholdest all thingsthe-hidden-wordsHW §37: and to mirror forthwill-and-testamentW&T §5: behold himepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §234: the other Mirrors
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §256: two yearsgleaningsGWB §176: In the yearkitab-i-iqanKIQ §153: centuriesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §243: the present yearthe-hidden-wordsHW §97: for long yearswill-and-testamentW&T §5: the breastepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §117: yearsgleaningsGWB §176: twenty years
SE rendered معشر (mʿshr), الملوك (al-mlúk), نراكم (nrákm), سنة (snh), تزدادون (tzdádún), مصارفكم (mṣárfkm), وتحمّلونها (wtḥmmlúnhá) as “kings, year, expenditures, and laying the burden”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §128: more fiercelygleaningsGWB §321: “Increasekitab-i-iqanKIQ §120: outweighedprayers-and-meditationsP&M §25: waxeth hotter and hotterwill-and-testamentW&T §7: excessivelyepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §57: add fresh recruitsgleaningsGWB §254: will add untokitab-i-iqanKIQ §29: greater than
This form usually rendered as “outlay”, “expenditures” (3 occurrences)
outlay 50% expenditures 50%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §202: spentgleaningsGWB §104: absolutekitab-i-iqanKIQ §264: potencyprayers-and-meditationsP&M §813: meddlingthe-hidden-wordsHW §104: Out ofwill-and-testamentW&T §27: be expended forepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §40: lay hands ongleaningsGWB §406: to appropriate to Our own use
SE expanded to “and laying the burden”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §31: shepherdgleaningsGWB §475: to become the shepherdkitab-i-iqanKIQ §258: subjectwill-and-testamentW&T §12: loving-kindnessepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §211: habitationsgleaningsGWB §511: peoplekitab-i-iqanKIQ §214: kindnesswill-and-testamentW&T §10: dishonoured
This form usually rendered as “tyranny”, “darkness”, “oppression” (97 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: of mine iniquitiesfire-tabletFire §33: through the tyrannygleaningsGWB §452: your crueltykitab-i-iqanKIQ §135: tyranny!”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §29: of wrongful doersthe-hidden-wordsHW §144: gloomwill-and-testamentW&T §34: hath wrought the most glaring cruelty upon Theeepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §255: these oppressed ones
SE rendered الرّعيّة (ar-rʿíʿh), ظلم (ẓlm), عظيم، (ʿẓím،), اتّقوا (ittqúá), زفرات (zfrát), المظلوم (al-mẓlúm), وعبراته (wʿbráth) as “subjects, grossly unjust, Fear, sighs, wronged, tears”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §206: AzimgleaningsGWB §305: most mysteriouskitab-i-ahdAhd §7: categoricallykitab-i-iqanKIQ §117: overpowering majestyprayers-and-meditationsP&M §134: How greatthe-hidden-wordsHW §42: of My greatnesswill-and-testamentW&T §7: Crownepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §106: Most Mighty
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: with a sore lamentationgleaningsGWB §30: tearsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §80: My sighswill-and-testamentW&T §34: sighs and lamentationsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §174: criesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §3: by the sighsepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §85: sighsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §391: groans
tears 32% words 21% take 7% hebrew 7% authority 7% sayings 7% utterances 7% interpretations 4% warned 4% thou 4%
SE rendered تحمّلوا (tḥmmlúá), الرّعيّة (ar-rʿíʿh), طاقتهم (ṭáqthm), تخربوهم (tkhrbúhm), لتعمير (ltʿmír) as “excessive burdens, peoples, rob them, rear palaces”
This form usually rendered as “rob” (1 occurrences)
most 38% desolate 13% havoc 6% laid 6% separation 6% expense 6% rob 6% can 6% destroyed 6% desolation 6%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §158: were laid wastegleaningsGWB §680: destroyedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §144: breakerepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §107: most desolategleaningsGWB §712: or desolateepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §125: havocgleaningsGWB §211: so desolateepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §94: the most desolate
This form usually rendered as “reared”, “build”, “rear” (4 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §111: yearsgleaningsGWB §615: By Mine own Selfkitab-i-iqanKIQ §146: “As Thou livestprayers-and-meditationsP&M §59: and build upthe-hidden-wordsHW §97: their livesepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §206: I swear bygleaningsGWB §482: aggrandizeprayers-and-meditationsP&M §19: Frequented
SE rendered تخربوهم (tkhrbúhm), لتعمير (ltʿmír), قصوركم، (qṣúrkm،), اختاروا (ikhtárúá), تختارونه (tkhtárúnh) as “rob them, rear palaces, choose”
mansion 19% have 13% palaces 13% mansions 13% powerlessness 13% innocence 6% guilt 6% conduct 6% dare 6% transgressed 6%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §33: innocencegleaningsGWB §466: transgressed against himkitab-i-iqanKIQ §242: only guiltprayers-and-meditationsP&M §790: complete failuretablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §47: within her most lofty mansionepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §85: conductgleaningsGWB §523: palaceskitab-i-iqanKIQ §64: can never hope to match
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: best advantagegleaningsGWB §417: whatsoever He willethkitab-i-ahdAhd §3: what is goodkitab-i-iqanKIQ §41: godlyprayers-and-meditationsP&M §365: to excelwill-and-testamentW&T §28: be their well-wishersepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §123: chosegleaningsGWB §69: the Unconditioned
yourselves 50% own 16% souls 10% hearts 8% desires 4% ye 4% upon 2% nature 2% judgment 2% waywardness 2%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: itgleaningsGWB §677: vainkitab-i-iqanKIQ §279: My beingprayers-and-meditationsP&M §779: Whose naturetablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §37: within thyselfthe-hidden-wordsHW §142: passionwill-and-testamentW&T §44: of the insincereepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §42: you
SE expanded to “unfold to your eyes”
This form usually rendered as “shall”, “can”, “unprofitable” (8 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §70: wealgleaningsGWB §719: indeed, profitprayers-and-meditationsP&M §675: what will profit methe-hidden-wordsHW §19: profiteth theeepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §199: profitgleaningsGWB §471: and profitprayers-and-meditationsP&M §158: profiteth me notepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §155: can profit you
This form usually rendered as “discerning”, “who”, “ye” (3 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §157: We observed closelygleaningsGWB §503: them who are sharp-sightedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §266: heroesprayers-and-meditationsP&M §235: and were he to ponderepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §119: knightgleaningsGWB §523: if ye but perceivekitab-i-iqanKIQ §24: into the Persian tongueprayers-and-meditationsP&M §666: West
treasures 67% treasuries 33%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §101: smoldergleaningsGWB §32: lay concealedkitab-i-ahdAhd §1: the treasurykitab-i-iqanKIQ §22: concealed within the treasuryprayers-and-meditationsP&M §131: enshrinedthe-hidden-wordsHW §66: storehousesepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §100: the treasuresgleaningsGWB §523: your treasures
This form usually rendered as “judge”, “deal”, “ye” (4 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: God isfire-tabletFire §41: after GodgleaningsGWB §105: God’skitab-i-ahdAhd §10: the divine Testatorkitab-i-iqanKIQ §74: of the divineprayers-and-meditationsP&M §229: Thy Divinitytablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §31: “By the Lordthe-hidden-wordsHW §154: heaven
This form usually rendered as “ye” (1 occurrences)
peace 36% resignation 19% salutations 19% recognized 6% greeting 4% profess 4% resigned 4% submit 4% safety 4% surrendered 2%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §123: the peacegleaningsGWB §264: acceptedkitab-i-iqanKIQ §261: faithfulprayers-and-meditationsP&M §709: under Thy protectionwill-and-testamentW&T §8: resignedepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: peace be upon himgleaningsGWB §490: them that profess thy faithkitab-i-iqanKIQ §175: submit
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §30: thine handsgleaningsGWB §658: at the hands ofkitab-i-iqanKIQ §244: with their handsprayers-and-meditationsP&M §455: by the handwill-and-testamentW&T §16: the Hands (pillars)epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §144: his handgleaningsGWB §482: assaultskitab-i-iqanKIQ §95: with their own hands
This form usually rendered as “thieves”, “who”, “robber” (3 occurrences)
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: thou wilt consumegleaningsGWB §573: Eatkitab-i-iqanKIQ §157: shall devourprayers-and-meditationsP&M §168: crownepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §44: consume notgleaningsGWB §520: food andkitab-i-iqanKIQ §79: eatinggleaningsGWB §353: share with them their food
This form usually rendered as “ye” (1 occurrences)
ascendancy 34% all-subduing 26% prevailed 6% all-conquering 6% all-compelling 6% victorious 6% render 6% hath 6% paramount 3% triumphing 3%
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §62: prevailedgleaningsGWB §132: paramount influencekitab-i-iqanKIQ §85: triumphant mightprayers-and-meditationsP&M §245: didst ruleepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §153: All-SubduinggleaningsGWB §718: All-Compellingkitab-i-iqanKIQ §57: full ofprayers-and-meditationsP&M §260: conqueror
SE expanded to “how disdainfully ye look”
SE rendered وعليهم (wʿlíhm), تستكبرون (tstkbrún), أمر (ʾamr) as “Yet, how disdainfully ye look”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §203: Thy lawsfire-tabletFire §17: CommandgleaningsGWB §452: His biddingkitab-i-ahdAhd §15: hath prescribed for himkitab-i-iqanKIQ §75: Command,”prayers-and-meditationsP&M §86: At Thy commandtablet-of-ahmadAhmad §4: to Whose commandsthe-hidden-wordsHW §43: of My cause
SE rendered تستكبرون (tstkbrún), أمر (ʾamr), عجيب، (ʿjíb،) as “how disdainfully ye look”
epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §29: so strangelygleaningsGWB §523: strange, how very strange!kitab-i-iqanKIQ §252: marvellousprayers-and-meditationsP&M §746: How marvelousthe-hidden-wordsHW §97: behold and wonderepistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §245: How strangegleaningsGWB §370: wonderkitab-i-iqanKIQ §207: How great is Our amazement
