Gleanings — §576

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 576 of 729.

Source (Arabic)

و‌مثلهم عند اللّه كمثل السّراج ليستضيء منه العباد و‌هو يحترق في نفسه و‌يكون

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Should such a man ever succeed in influencing anyone, this success should be attributed not to him, but rather to the influence of the words of God, as decreed by Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Wise. In the sight of God he is regarded as a lamp that imparteth its light, and yet is all the while being consumed within itself.

Translation Notes

و‌مثلهم

m-th-l → “as”

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

عند

ʿ-n-d → “In the sight of” Distinctive

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

literal: God; Allah; deity; Divinity; divine nature; godhood

السّراج

s-r-j → “lamp”

literal: lamp; light; illuminator

ليستضيء

ḍ-w-ʾ

literal: light; illuminated; light/radiance

منه

m-n

literal: from; out of; than (preposition and particle)

العباد

ʿ-b-d

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

و‌هو

h-w → “and yet is”

literal: He; He is

يحترق

ḥ-r-q → “all the while being consumed”

literal: to burn; to be consumed by fire; burning

في

f-y → “within”

literal: in; in-it; in it

نفسه

n-f-s → “itself”

literal: soul; self; person; essence

و‌يكون

k-w-n

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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268 ¶

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50 ¶

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16 ¶

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291 ¶

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17 ¶

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5 ¶

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57 ¶

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160 ¶

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59 ¶