Gleanings — §528

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 528 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

والیوم نراه تحت أیدي الّذین أخذهم سکر خمر الغرور علی شأن لا یعرفون خیر أنفسهم فکیف هذا الأمر الأوعر الخطیر إن سعی أحد من هؤلآء في صحّته لم یکن مقصوده إلّا بأن ینتفع به إسمًا کان أو رسمًا لذا لا یقدر علی برئه إلّا علی قدر مقدور

Shoghi Effendi Translation

We behold it, in this day, at the mercy of rulers so drunk with pride that they cannot discern clearly their own best advantage, much less recognize a Revelation so bewildering and challenging as this. And whenever any one of them hath striven to improve its condition, his motive hath been his own gain, whether confessedly so or not; and the unworthiness of this motive hath limited his power to heal or cure.

Translation Notes

والیوم

wálíwm y-w-m → “this day”

literal: day; days; today

day 88% today 3% one 2% every 2% now 2% days 1% each 1% yesterday 1% following 0% great 0%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §224: in the daytime gleaningsGWB §19: that is to come kitab-i-iqanKIQ §54: On a subsequent day prayers-and-meditationsP&M §155: of Thy days tablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: a Day the-hidden-wordsHW §115: a passing day will-and-testamentW&T §10: day passeth but that epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §206: on that day

نراه

nráh r-ʾ-y → “we behold it”

literal: see; to see; mirror

SE expanded to “We behold it”

thou 45% seest 10% mirrors 9% see 8% mirror 8% behold 7% may 5% have 3% beholdest 3% hath 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §134: Thou hast neither seen Me fire-tabletFire §28: Canst Thou see gleaningsGWB §211: What hath made thee kitab-i-iqanKIQ §51: seen prayers-and-meditationsP&M §168: seest him the-hidden-wordsHW §146: hypocrisy will-and-testamentW&T §35: saw me epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §68: thou wouldst behold

أیدي

ʾaydí y-d-y → “hands”

literal: hand; hands; by-hand

hands 61% mercy 12% hand 6% into 6% sword 3% designs 3% assaults 3% clutches 3% have 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §106: the hands gleaningsGWB §167: in Mine hands kitab-i-iqanKIQ §95: with their own hands prayers-and-meditationsP&M §834: my longing hands will-and-testamentW&T §13: Hands (pillars)epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §107: grasp gleaningsGWB §163: rod kitab-i-iqanKIQ §260: between His hands

أخذهم

ʾakhdhhm ʾ-kh-dh → “seize” Distinctive

literal: seize

This form usually rendered as “hath”, “drunk”, “carried” (8 occurrences)

hath 25% drunk 13% carried 13% bewildered 13% rulers 13% laid 13% inebriated 13%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §45: holdeth fast fire-tabletFire §13: hath befallen gleaningsGWB §508: cling kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: Grasp ye kitab-i-iqanKIQ §237: made prayers-and-meditationsP&M §496: encompassed tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: let him choose tablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: Seize thou

سکر

skr s-k-r → “drunk”

literal: drunkenness; agony/stupor

drunkenness 31% inebriated 31% drunk 15% stupor 8% inebriation 8% inebriating 8%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: drunk fire-tabletFire §21: drunkenness gleaningsGWB §77: are drunken kitab-i-iqanKIQ §146: frenzy prayers-and-meditationsP&M §719: and so inebriated epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §129: stupor fire-tabletFire §19: The agonies gleaningsGWB §75: have stared up with terror

خمر

khmr kh-m-r → “with”

literal: wine; wine, draught

SE rendered نراه (nráh), أیدي (ʾaydí), الّذین (adh-dhín), أخذهم (ʾakhdhhm), سکر (skr), خمر (khmr), الغرور (al-ghrúr), شأن (shʾan), یعرفون (yʿrfún), خیر (khír) as “We behold it, of rulers, drunk, with, pride, discern, best”

wine 75% draught 6% pride 3% words 3% drunkenness 3% manifold 3% partake 3% dregs 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §102: with the wine gleaningsGWB §552: draught prayers-and-meditationsP&M §535: Thy manifold wisdom the-hidden-wordsHW §139: dregs gleaningsGWB §528: with pride prayers-and-meditationsP&M §220: of the wine gleaningsGWB §319: meal prayers-and-meditationsP&M §298: the wine of

الغرور

al-ghrúr gh-r-r → “pride”

literal: vanity; pride

pride 50% vainglory 25% proud 10% vanity 5% arrogance 5% haughtiness 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: hath puffed me up gleaningsGWB §446: ornament kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: haughtiness prayers-and-meditationsP&M §793: deceitfulness the-hidden-wordsHW §130: PRIDE YOURSELVES will-and-testamentW&T §17: every vainglorious one epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: pride gleaningsGWB §428: the luminous ornament

شأن

shʾan sh-ʾ-n

literal: manner

SE rendered أخذهم (ʾakhdhhm), سکر (skr), خمر (khmr), الغرور (al-ghrúr), شأن (shʾan), یعرفون (yʿrfún), خیر (khír), أنفسهم (ʾanfshm), فکیف (fkíf) as “drunk, with, pride, discern, best, their own, much less”

such 41% station 18% state 8% glory 8% honor 8% through 5% excellence 5% distinction 3% neither 3% people 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §258: regarding fire-tabletFire §27: the signs gleaningsGWB §711: Such kitab-i-iqanKIQ §146: concerning prayers-and-meditationsP&M §343: and of the tokens the-hidden-wordsHW §68: My state will-and-testamentW&T §15: all earthly things epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: The changes and chances

یعرفون

yʿrfún ʿ-r-f → “discern”

literal: knowledge; know; knower

know 30% discern 20% acknowledge 10% unaware 10% made 10% understanding 10% comprehension 10%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §162: integrity gleaningsGWB §267: testified kitab-i-ahdAhd §13: perform praiseworthy deeds kitab-i-iqanKIQ §246: obscure prayers-and-meditationsP&M §164: led to confess tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: to see the-hidden-wordsHW §57: thinkest epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §165: confessed

خیر

khír kh-y-r → “best”

literal: good; better; choice

good 50% better 20% best 11% chosen 7% righteous 4% virtue 3% what 3% preferred 1% blessing 1% goodly 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §56: blessing gleaningsGWB §509: surely, be a manifest advantage kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: what is good kitab-i-iqanKIQ §41: godly prayers-and-meditationsP&M §84: what is best for them will-and-testamentW&T §17: truth epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §123: chose gleaningsGWB §563: the pious

فکیف

fkíf k-y-f → “how”

literal: how; how, why; how/whithersoever

how 67% why 12% wherefore 10% what 5% “how 2% into 2% whithersoever 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §185: the nature gleaningsGWB §374: how much less kitab-i-iqanKIQ §273: nature prayers-and-meditationsP&M §499: How can the-hidden-wordsHW §15: wherefore epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §13: as gleaningsGWB §453: Why, then kitab-i-iqanKIQ §282: What of

الأمر

al-ʾamr ʾ-m-r → “recognize a revelation”

literal: command; matter; cause

SE expanded to “recognize a Revelation”

cause 57% revelation 17% faith 6% command 3% behest 3% divine 3% bidding 3% decree 3% ordainer 2% bidden 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §84: commandeth you fire-tabletFire §17: Command gleaningsGWB §284: enjoineth upon you kitab-i-ahdAhd §11: decreed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §98: could be their stay and guide?prayers-and-meditationsP&M §651: my affairs tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §4: to Whose commands the-hidden-wordsHW §157: results

الأوعر

al-ʾawʿr w-ʿ-r → “so bewildering and challenging”

literal: difficult; more rugged

SE expanded to “so bewildering and challenging”

2 occurrences in corpus

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: bewildering gleaningsGWB §528: so bewildering

الخطیر

al-khṭír kh-ṭ-r

literal: momentous

SE rendered أنفسهم (ʾanfshm), فکیف (fkíf), الأمر (al-ʾamr), الأوعر (al-ʾawʿr), الخطیر (al-khṭír), سعی (sʿí), أحد (ʾaḥd), هؤلآء (hʾláʾ), صحّته (ṣḥḥth) as “their own, much less, recognize a Revelation, so bewildering and challenging, striven, any one, them, improve its”

challenging 50% momentous 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: peril gleaningsGWB §363: such momentous kitab-i-iqanKIQ §199: their idle fancy hath carved prayers-and-meditationsP&M §732: reach and ken the-hidden-wordsHW §142: perilous will-and-testamentW&T §32: perils epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: challenging gleaningsGWB §528: and challenging

سعی

sʿí s-ʿ-y → “striven”

literal: effort; striving; effort/endeavor

strive 29% hath 14% effort 14% bestir 14% assiduously 14% striving 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §60: diligently seeking gleaningsGWB §528: hath striven kitab-i-iqanKIQ §280: assiduously the-hidden-wordsHW §153: Strive will-and-testamentW&T §41: striving epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §86: hastening gleaningsGWB §547: effort will-and-testamentW&T §34: strove

أحد

ʾaḥd ʾ-ḥ-d → “any one”

literal: anyone; one; oneness

one 27% any 22% man 18% anyone 14% none 6% others 3% neighbor 3% who 2% incomparable 2% other 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: the Incomparable gleaningsGWB §326: of God kitab-i-iqanKIQ §242: divine Revelation prayers-and-meditationsP&M §236: Thy transcendent singleness tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §55: dweller the-hidden-wordsHW §69: over the other epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: anyone gleaningsGWB §118: heavenly

صحّته

ṣḥḥth ṣ-ḥ-ḥ → “whole” Distinctive

literal: health

This form usually rendered as “healing”, “effect”, “infallible” (7 occurrences)

healing 29% effect 14% infallible 14% improve 14% validity 14% health 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §106: for the healing of the world gleaningsGWB §528: to improve its condition kitab-i-iqanKIQ §269: validity epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §105: whole gleaningsGWB §365: infallible remedy kitab-i-iqanKIQ §196: truth epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §106: to effect a cure gleaningsGWB §39: correct

یکن

ykn k-w-n

literal: be; to be

SE rendered سعی (sʿí), أحد (ʾaḥd), هؤلآء (hʾláʾ), صحّته (ṣḥḥth), یکن (ykn), مقصوده (mqṣúdh), ینتفع (yntfʿ) as “striven, any one, them, improve its, motive, own gain”