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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §178

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 178 of 291.

Source (Persian)

و همچنين ذکر خاتم النّبيّين و امثال آن از سبحات مجلّله است که کشف آن از اعظم امور است نزد اين همج رعاع. و جميع به اين حجبات محدوده و سبحات مجلّله عظيمه محتجب ماندهاند. آيا نغمه طير هويَّه را نشنيدهاند که می فرمايد: "الف فاطمه نکاح نمودم که همه بنت محمّد بن عبداللّه خاتم النّبيّين بودند ؟ حال ملاحظه فرما که چقدر از اسرار در سرادق علم الهی مستور است و چه مقدار جواهر علم او در خزائن عصمت مکنون تا يقين نمائی که صنع او را بدايت و نهايتی نبوده و نخواهد بود و فضای قضای او اعظم از آن است که به بيان تحديد شود و يا طير افئده آن را طيّ نمايد و تقديرات قدريّه او اکبر از آن است که به ادراک نفسی منتهی شود. خلق او از اوّل لا اوّل بوده و آخری او را اخذ نکرده و مظاهر جمال او الی نهاية لا نهايه خواهند بود و ابتدائی او را نديده. حال در همين بيان ملاحظه فرما که چگونه حکم آن بر جميع اين طلعات صدق می نمايد.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Furthermore, among the “veils of glory” are such terms as the “Seal of the Prophets” and the like, the removal of which is a supreme achievement in the sight of these base-born and erring souls. All, by reason of these mysterious sayings, these grievous “veils of glory,” have been hindered from beholding the light of truth. Have they not heard the melody of that bird of Heaven, uttering this mystery: “A thousand Fátimihs I have espoused, all of whom were the daughters of Muhammad, Son of ‘Abdu’lláh, the ‘Seal of the Prophets?’” Behold, how many are the mysteries that lie as yet unravelled within the tabernacle of the knowledge of God, and how numerous the gems of His wisdom that are still concealed in His inviolable treasuries! Shouldest thou ponder this in thine heart, thou wouldst realize that His handiwork knoweth neither beginning nor end. The domain of His decree is too vast for the tongue of mortals to describe, or for the bird of the human mind to traverse; and the dispensations of His providence are too mysterious for the mind of man to comprehend. His creation no end hath overtaken, and it hath ever existed from the “Beginning that hath no beginning”; and the Manifestations of His Beauty no beginning hath beheld, and they will continue to the “End that knoweth no end.” Ponder this utterance in thine heart, and reflect how it is applicable unto all these holy Souls.

Translation Notes

امور
imúr ʾ-m-r

literal: command; matter; cause

SE rendered مجلّله (mjlllh)کشف (kshf)از (iz)اعظم (iʿẓm)امور (imúr)نزد (nzd)همج (hmj)رعاع (rʿáʿ)جميع (jmíʿ) as “are, removal, the, supreme achievement, in the sight, base-born, and erring souls, by reason”

محدوده
mḥdúdh ḥ-d-d

literal: limit; limited; limits

SE rendered رعاع (rʿáʿ)جميع (jmíʿ)حجبات (ḥjbát)محدوده (mḥdúdh)سبحات (sbḥát)مجلّله (mjlllh)عظيمه (ʿẓímh)محتجب (mḥtjb) as “and erring souls, by reason, mysterious sayings, these grievous “veils of glory,”, have been hindered”

ماندهاند
mándhánd m-ʾ-n

literal: remain; remained; to remain

SE rendered سبحات (sbḥát)مجلّله (mjlllh)عظيمه (ʿẓímh)محتجب (mḥtjb)ماندهاند (mándhánd)آيا (áyá)نغمه (nghmh)طير (ṭír)هويَّه (húyyah) as “these grievous “veils of glory,”, have been hindered, Have they not, melody, bird, of Heaven”

remain 21% have 21% leaveth 7% postponed 7% left 7% strayed 7% failed 7% deprived 7% linger 7% endure 7%
می
m-y-y “will”

literal: present continuous marker; continuous-marker

3 occurrences in corpus

فاطمه

literal: Fatimah; weaning

1 occurrence in corpus

نکاح
nkáḥ n-k-ḥ “espoused”

literal: marriage

1 occurrence in corpus

عصمت
ʿṣmt ʿ-ṣ-m

literal: protection; infallibility; protector

SE rendered جواهر (júáhr)علم (ʿlm)خزائن (khzáʾn)عصمت (ʿṣmt)مکنون (mknún)يقين (yqín)نمائی (nmáʾí)صنع (ṣnʿ) as “gems, wisdom, His inviolable treasuries, concealed, Shouldest thou, realize, handiwork”

نخواهد
nkhúáhd kh-w-h

literal: will; to want/will

SE rendered بدايت (bdáyt)نهايتی (nháytí)نبوده (nbúdh)نخواهد (nkhúáhd)فضای (fḍáy)قضای (qḍáy)اعظم (iʿẓm)از (iz) as “beginning, end, knoweth, domain, decree, too vast, from”

will 75% shall 25%
آخری
ákhrí ʾ-kh-r

literal: other

SE rendered خلق (khlq)از (iz)اوّل (iwwl)اوّل (iwwl)آخری (ákhrí)اخذ (ikhdh)نکرده (nkrdh)مظاهر (mẓáhr)جمال (jmál) as “creation no end, from, “Beginning that hath no beginning”, Manifestations, Beauty”

other 22% another 22% again 22% ensuing 11% subsequent 11% latter 11%
اخذ
ikhdh ʾ-kh-dh

literal: take; taking; seizing

SE rendered اوّل (iwwl)اوّل (iwwl)آخری (ákhrí)اخذ (ikhdh)نکرده (nkrdh)مظاهر (mẓáhr)جمال (jmál)نهاية (nháyh) as ““Beginning that hath no beginning”, Manifestations, Beauty, “End that knoweth no end.””

نکرده
nkrdh k-r-d

literal: do; to do; do, make

SE rendered آخری (ákhrí)اخذ (ikhdh)نکرده (nkrdh)مظاهر (mẓáhr)جمال (jmál)نهاية (nháyh) as “Manifestations, Beauty, “End that knoweth no end.””

made 21% have 16% do 16% conduct 11% hath 11% arisen 5% ordered 5% done 5% reflect 5% hast 5%
نديده
ndídh d-y-d

literal: see; to see; seen

SE rendered خواهند (khúáhnd)ابتدائی (ibtdáʾí)نديده (ndídh)حال (ḥál)همين (hmín)بيان (bíán)ملاحظه (mláḥẓh) as “will continue, this, utterance, reflect”

seen 40% saw 20% could 20% hath 20%
همين
hmín h-m-n “this”

literal: guardian; guardian/protector; guardian, protector

SE rendered نديده (ndídh)حال (ḥál)همين (hmín)بيان (bíán)ملاحظه (mláḥẓh)فرما (frmá)چگونه (chgúnh) as “this, utterance, reflect, how”

حکم
ḥkm ḥ-k-m

literal: wisdom; judgment

SE rendered همين (hmín)بيان (bíán)ملاحظه (mláḥẓh)فرما (frmá)چگونه (chgúnh)حکم (ḥkm)بر (br)جميع (jmíʿ)طلعات (ṭlʿát)صدق (ṣdq) as “this, utterance, reflect, how, unto, all, holy Souls, is applicable”

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

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