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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §155

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 155 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و اين رتبه هم از علائم ظهور است چنانچه می فرمايد: "يَجْعَلُ اَعلاکُم اَسْفَلَکم وَ اَسْفَلَکُم اَعلاکُم." و همچنين در فرقان می فرمايد: نُرِيدُ اَنْ نَمُنَّ عَلَی الَّذِينَ استُضْعِفُوا فِی الاَرضِ و نَجْعَلَهُمْ اَئِمَّةً و نَجْعَلُهُمُ الوَارِثيِن." و اين مشاهده شد که اليوم چه مقدار از علماء نظر به اعراض در اسفل اراضی جهل ساکن شدهاند و اساميشان از دفتر عالين و علماء محو شده. و چه مقدار از جهّال، نظر به اقبال، به اعلی افق علم ارتفاع جستند و اسمشان در الواح علم و به قلم قدرت ثبت گشته. کذلک"يَمْحُوا اللّهُ مَا يَشَاءُ وَ يُثْبِتُ وَ عِنْدَهُ اُمُّ الکِتابِ." اين است که گفتهاند: "طلبُ الدَّليلِ عِندَ حُصُولِ المدلولِ قبيحٌ و الاشتِغالُ بِالعِلمِ بَعدَ الوُصُولِ إلَی المَعلُومِ مَذْمُومٌ." قُل يا اَهلَ الاَرضِ هذا فَتیً نارِيٌّ يَرکُضُ فی بَرِّيَّةِ الرُّوحِ و يُبَشِّرُکُم بِسراج اللّه وَ يُذَکِّرُکُمْ بِالاَمرِ الّذی کانَ عَن اُفُقِ القُدسِ فی شَطرِ العراقِ تَحتَ حُجُباتِ النّور بِالسّترِ مَشهُوداً.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

This station is also one of the signs of the Day of Revelation; even as it is said: “The abased amongst you, He shall exalt; and they that are exalted, He shall abase.” And likewise, He hath revealed in the Qur’án: “And We desire to show favour to those who were brought low in the land, and to make them spiritual leaders among men, and to make of them Our heirs.” It hath been witnessed in this day how many of the divines, owing to their rejection of the Truth, have fallen into, and abide within, the uttermost depths of ignorance, and whose names have been effaced from the scroll of the glorious and learned. And how many of the ignorant who, by reason of their acceptance of the Faith, have soared aloft and attained the high summit of knowledge, and whose names have been inscribed by the Pen of Power upon the Tablet of divine Knowledge. Thus, “What He pleaseth will God abrogate or confirm: for with Him is the Source of Revelation.” Therefore, it hath been said: “To seek evidence, when the Proof hath been established is but an unseemly act, and to be busied with the pursuit of knowledge when the Object of all learning hath been attained is truly blameworthy.” Say O people of the earth! Behold this flamelike Youth that speedeth across the limitless profound of the Spirit, heralding unto you the tidings: “Lo: the Lamp of God is shining,” and summoning you to heed His Cause which, though hidden beneath the veils of ancient splendour, shineth in the land of ‘Iráq above the day-spring of eternal holiness.

Translation Notes

از
iz ʾ-z “of”

literal: from

SE rendered رتبه (rtbh)از (iz)علائم (ʿláʾm)ظهور (ẓhúr)چنانچه (chnánchh)می (mí)فرمايد (frmáyd) as “station, of, signs, Day of Revelation, even as, is, said”

23 occurrences in corpus

می
m-y-y “will”

literal: present continuous marker; continuous-marker

3 occurrences in corpus

اَسْفَلَکم
asfalakm s-f-l “nethermost” Distinctive

literal: lowest; lower

This form usually rendered as “abased” (4 occurrences)

اراضی
iráḍí ʾ-r-ḍ “land”

literal: earth; land; earth, land

SE rendered از (iz)علماء (ʿlmáʾ)نظر (nẓr)اعراض (iʿráḍ)اسفل (isfl)اراضی (iráḍí)جهل (jhl)ساکن (sákn)شدهاند (shdhánd)اساميشان (isámíshán)از (iz) as “from, the divines, owing to their, rejection of the Truth, the uttermost depths, of, ignorance, abide within, whose names”

land 30% earth 20% regions 10% country 10% lands 10% hearts 10% soil 10%
شدهاند
shdhánd sh-d “have been”

literal: become; to become

SE rendered اعراض (iʿráḍ)اسفل (isfl)اراضی (iráḍí)جهل (jhl)ساکن (sákn)شدهاند (shdhánd)اساميشان (isámíshán)از (iz)دفتر (dftr)عالين (ʿálín) as “rejection of the Truth, the uttermost depths, of, ignorance, abide within, whose names, from, the scroll, glorious”

become 33% had 33% proceeded 33%
دفتر
dftr d-f-t-r “scriptures” Distinctive

literal: volumes; book

This form usually rendered as “scroll” (1 occurrences)

جستند
jstnd j-s-t

literal: sought

SE rendered اقبال، (iqbál،)اعلی (iʿlí)افق (ifq)علم (ʿlm)ارتفاع (irtfáʿ)جستند (jstnd)اسمشان (ismshán)الواح (al-wáḥ)علم (ʿlm) as “acceptance of the Faith, high, summit, divine, soared aloft, whose names, the Tablet”

گشته
gshth g-sh-t

literal: become; became; to become

SE rendered الواح (al-wáḥ)علم (ʿlm)قلم (qlm)قدرت (qdrt)ثبت (thbt)گشته (gshth)کذلک"يَمْحُوا (kdhlk"yamḥúá)اللّهُ (al-lh) as “the Tablet, divine, Pen of Power, have been inscribed, Thus, God”

hath 24% made 18% returned 12% have 12% attained 6% forsook 6% manifested 6% illumined 6% opened 6% risen 6%
قبيحٌ
qbíḥun q-b-ḥ “more” Distinctive

literal: unseemly; more ugly

This form usually rendered as “unseemly” (1 occurrences)

more 33% unseemly 33% wicked 33%
مَذْمُومٌ
madhmúmun dh-m-m “truly”

literal: blameworthy, censured; blameworthy

2 occurrences in corpus

فَتیً
fatyan f-t-y “decreed” Distinctive

literal: decreed

This form usually rendered as “flamelike” (1 occurrences)

decreed 50% tested 25% flamelike 25%
نارِيٌّ
náriyyun n-ʾ-r

literal: fire; fire, flame; fiery

SE rendered اَهلَ (ahl)الاَرضِ (ar-rḍ)فَتیً (fatyan)نارِيٌّ (náriyyun)يَرکُضُ (yarkuḍ)بَرِّيَّةِ (barrírah)الرُّوحِ (ar-rúḥ) as “people of the earth, this flamelike Youth, speedeth, the limitless profound, of the Spirit”

يَرکُضُ
yarkuḍ r-k-ḍ “speedeth”

literal: hasten

1 occurrence in corpus

شَطرِ
shaṭr sh-ṭ-r

literal: direction; direction/side; direction, side

SE rendered اُفُقِ (ufuq)القُدسِ (al-quds)شَطرِ (shaṭr)العراقِ (al-ʿráq)حُجُباتِ (ḥujubát)النّور (an-núr) as “the day-spring, of eternal holiness, the land of ‘Iráq, the veils, splendour”

بِالسّترِ
biálsstr s-t-r

literal: hidden; concealed; veil

SE rendered العراقِ (al-ʿráq)حُجُباتِ (ḥujubát)النّور (an-núr)بِالسّترِ (biálsstr)مَشهُوداً (mashhúdáan) as “the land of ‘Iráq, the veils, splendour, shineth”

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

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