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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §186

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 186 of 291.

Source (Persian)

چنانچه شخصی در يومی نزد اين فقير بحر معانی حاضر بود و ذکری از علائم قيامت و حشر و نشر و حساب به ميان آمد و اصرار می نمود که حساب خلائق در ظهور بديع چگونه شد که احدی اطّلاع نيافته؟ بعد قدری از صور علميّه و شئونات حکميّه به قدر ادراک و فهم سامع القاء شد. و بعد ذکر شد که اين مدّت مگر تلاوت فرقان ننموده و آيه مبارکه را که می فرمايد: "فَيَومَئِذٍ لا يُسْاَلُ عَن ذَنْبِهِ إنسٌ و لا جَانٌّ " را نديده ايد و به مقصود ملتفت نشده ايد که معنی سؤال چنان نيست که ادراک نموده ايد بلکه سؤال به لسان و بيان نيست چنانچه همين آيه مشعر و مدلّ بر آن است؟ و بعد می فرمايد: "يُعْرَفُ المُجرِمُونَ بِسيِمَاهُمْ فَيُؤخَذُ بِالنَّواصِی وَ الاَقدَامِ ."

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And it came to pass that on a certain day a needy man came to visit this Soul, craving for the ocean of His knowledge. While conversing with him, mention was made concerning the signs of the Day of Judgment, Resurrection, Revival, and Reckoning. He urged Us to explain how, in this wondrous Dispensation, the peoples of the world were brought to a reckoning, when none were made aware of it. Thereupon, We imparted unto him, according to the measure of his capacity and understanding, certain truths of Science and ancient Wisdom. We then asked him saying: “Hast thou not read the Qur’án, and art thou not aware of this blessed verse: ‘On that day shall neither man nor spirit be asked of his sin?’ Dost thou not realize that by ‘asking’ is not meant asking by tongue or speech, even as the verse itself doth indicate and prove? For afterward it is said: ‘By their countenance shall the sinners be known, and they shall be seized by their forelocks and their feet.’”

Translation Notes

فقير
fqír f-q-r

literal: poor; poverty

SE rendered چنانچه (chnánchh)شخصی (shkhṣí)يومی (yúmí)نزد (nzd)فقير (fqír)بحر (bḥr)معانی (mʿání)حاضر (ḥáḍr)ذکری (dhkrí)از (iz) as “And it came to pass, a needy man, on a certain day, came to visit, the ocean, of His knowledge, craving, mention, of”

از
iz ʾ-z “of”

literal: from

SE rendered بحر (bḥr)معانی (mʿání)حاضر (ḥáḍr)ذکری (dhkrí)از (iz)علائم (ʿláʾm)قيامت (qíámt)حشر (ḥshr)نشر (nshr)حساب (ḥsáb) as “the ocean, of His knowledge, craving, mention, of, the signs, of the Day of Judgment, Resurrection, Revival, and Reckoning”

23 occurrences in corpus

می
m-y-y

literal: present continuous marker; continuous-marker

SE rendered نشر (nshr)حساب (ḥsáb)ميان (míán)آمد (ámd)اصرار (iṣrár)می (mí)نمود (nmúd)حساب (ḥsáb)خلائق (khláʾq)ظهور (ẓhúr) as “Revival, a reckoning, While conversing, was made, He urged, the peoples of the world, this wondrous Dispensation”

3 occurrences in corpus

بديع
bdíʿ b-d-ʿ

literal: wondrous; wonders; creation

SE rendered حساب (ḥsáb)خلائق (khláʾq)ظهور (ẓhúr)بديع (bdíʿ)چگونه (chgúnh)احدی (iḥdí)اطّلاع (iṭṭláʿ)نيافته؟ (níáfth؟) as “a reckoning, the peoples of the world, this wondrous Dispensation, how, none, aware, were made”

شئونات
shʾúnát sh-ʾ-n

literal: manner; affair; state

SE rendered قدری (qdrí)از (iz)صور (ṣúr)علميّه (ʿlmímh)شئونات (shʾúnát)حکميّه (ḥkmímh)قدر (qdr)ادراک (idrák)فهم (fhm) as “according to the measure, of, truths, of Science, ancient Wisdom, capacity, understanding”

مدّت
mddt m-d-d

literal: period

SE rendered القاء (al-qáʾ)ذکر (dhkr)مدّت (mddt)مگر (mgr)تلاوت (tláwt)فرقان (frqán)ننموده (nnmúdh)آيه (áyh) as “We imparted, asked him saying, read, the Qur’án, “Hast thou not, blessed verse”

period 50% remoteness 17% space 17% all 17%
مگر
mgr m-g-r

literal: except; except/unless

SE rendered ذکر (dhkr)مدّت (mddt)مگر (mgr)تلاوت (tláwt)فرقان (frqán)ننموده (nnmúdh)آيه (áyh) as “asked him saying, read, the Qur’án, “Hast thou not, blessed verse”

save 50% other 50%
مبارکه
mbárkh b-r-k

literal: blessed; blessing

SE rendered تلاوت (tláwt)فرقان (frqán)ننموده (nnmúdh)آيه (áyh)مبارکه (mbárkh)می (mí)فرمايد (frmáyd)فَيَومَئِذٍ (fayawmaʾidhin) as “read, the Qur’án, “Hast thou not, blessed verse, ‘On that day”

blessed 61% holy 19% sacred 6% hallowed 6% hand 3% blest 3%
ايد
iyd ʾ-y-d

literal: may aid

SE rendered إنسٌ (ʾinsun)جَانٌّ (jánnun)نديده (ndídh)ايد (iyd)مقصود (mqṣúd)ملتفت (mltft) as “man, spirit, and art thou not aware, by, not realize”

assist 50% may 17% aid 17% “seal.” 17%
مقصود
mqṣúd q-ṣ-d “by”

literal: intended; purpose; desired

SE rendered جَانٌّ (jánnun)نديده (ndídh)ايد (iyd)مقصود (mqṣúd)ملتفت (mltft)نشده (nshdh)ايد (iyd)معنی (mʿní) as “spirit, and art thou not aware, by, not realize, by ‘asking’”

purpose 34% desire 28% meant 18% goal 5% object 4% desired 3% intended 2% aim 2% heart’s 2% meaning 2%
نشده
nshdh sh-d “was”

literal: become; to become; became

SE rendered نديده (ndídh)ايد (iyd)مقصود (mqṣúd)ملتفت (mltft)نشده (nshdh)ايد (iyd)معنی (mʿní)سؤال (sʾál)چنان (chnán)نيست (níst) as “and art thou not aware, by, not realize, by ‘asking’, is not meant”

occurred 14% never 14% did 14% have 14% appeared 14% failed 14% hath 14%
چنان
chnán ch-n-ʾ

literal: as; just-as; just as, as

SE rendered ملتفت (mltft)نشده (nshdh)ايد (iyd)معنی (mʿní)سؤال (sʾál)چنان (chnán)نيست (níst)ادراک (idrák)نموده (nmúdh) as “not realize, by ‘asking’, is not meant, they”

how 33% concerning 33% even 33%
بلکه
blkh b-l-k

literal: rather/nay

SE rendered نيست (níst)ادراک (idrák)نموده (nmúdh)ايد (iyd)بلکه (blkh)سؤال (sʾál)لسان (lsán)بيان (bíán)نيست (níst)چنانچه (chnánchh) as “is not meant, they, asking, tongue, speech, even as”

nay 71% practised—nay 14% yea 14%
همين
hmín h-m-n

literal: guardian; guardian/protector; guardian, protector

SE rendered لسان (lsán)بيان (bíán)نيست (níst)چنانچه (chnánchh)همين (hmín)آيه (áyh)مشعر (mshʿr)مدلّ (mdll) as “tongue, speech, even as, the verse itself, doth indicate, and prove”

بر
br b-r-r

literal: on; on, upon; upon

SE rendered چنانچه (chnánchh)همين (hmín)آيه (áyh)مشعر (mshʿr)مدلّ (mdll)بر (br)می (mí)فرمايد (frmáyd)يُعْرَفُ (yuʿraf) as “even as, the verse itself, doth indicate, and prove, it is said, known”

land 33% upon 11% piety 11% unto 11% pious 6% righteousness 6% beseech 6% good 6% against 6% indignities 6%
بِسيِمَاهُمْ
bisyimáhum s-w-m “third” Distinctive

literal: third

This form usually rendered as “‘by” (1 occurrences)

third 50% ‘by 50%
بِالنَّواصِی
biálnnawáṣí n-ṣ-w “forelock”

literal: forelock; by-the-forelocks

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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17 ¶

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