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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §219

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 219 of 291.

Source (Persian)

پس ای حبيب من، بايد جهدی نمود تا به آن مدينه واصل شويم و به عنايت الهيّه و تفقّدات ربّانيّه کشف سُبُحات جلال نمائيم تا به استقامت تمام جان پژمرده را در ره محبوب تازه نثار نمائيم و صد هزار عجز و نياز آريم تا به آن فوز فائز شويم. و آن مدينه کتب الهيّه است در هر عهدی. مثلاً در عهد موسی تورات بود و در زمن عيسی انجيل و در عهد محمّد رسول اللّه فرقان و در اين عصر بيان و درعهد مَن يَبْعَثُهُ اللّه کتاب او که رجوع کلّ کتب به آن است و مهيمن است بر جميع کتب. و در اين مدائن، ارزاق مقدّر است و نعم باقيه مقرّر. غذای روحانی بخشد و نعمت قدمانی چشاند. بر اهل تجريد نعمت توحيد عطا فرمايد، بی نصيبان را نصيب کرم نمايد و آوارگان صحرای جهل را کأس علم عنايت کند. و هدايت و عنايت و علم و معرفت و ايمان و ايقان کلّ من فی السّموات و الارض در اين مدائن مکنون و مخزون گشته.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Wherefore, O my friend, it behooveth Us to exert the highest endeavour to attain unto that City, and, by the grace of God and His loving-kindness, rend asunder the “veils of glory”; so that, with inflexible steadfastness, we may sacrifice our drooping souls in the path of the New Beloved. We should with tearful eyes, fervently and repeatedly, implore Him to grant us the favour of that grace. That city is none other than the Word of God revealed in every age and dispensation. In the days of Moses it was the Pentateuch; in the days of Jesus the Gospel; in the days of Muhammad the Messenger of God the Qur’án; in this day the Bayán; and in the dispensation of Him Whom God will make manifest His own Book—the Book unto which all the Books of former Dispensations must needs be referred, the Book which standeth amongst them all transcendent and supreme. In these cities spiritual sustenance is bountifully provided, and incorruptible delights have been ordained. The food they bestow is the bread of heaven, and the Spirit they impart is God’s imperishable blessing. Upon detached souls they bestow the gift of Unity, enrich the destitute, and offer the cup of knowledge unto them who wander in the wilderness of ignorance. All the guidance, the blessings, the learning, the understanding, the faith, and certitude, conferred upon all that is in heaven and on earth, are hidden and treasured within these Cities.

Translation Notes

ربّانيّه
rbbánính r-b-b “his”

literal: Lord; lord; divine

SE rendered عنايت (ʿnáyt)الهيّه (al-híhh)تفقّدات (tfqqdát)ربّانيّه (rbbánính)کشف (kshf)سُبُحات (subuḥát)جلال (jlál)نمائيم (nmáʾím) as “grace, of God, loving-kindness, His, rend, “veils, glory”, may”

ره
rh r-w-h

literal: path; way; path, way

SE rendered استقامت (istqámt)تمام (tmám)جان (ján)پژمرده (pzhmrdh)ره (rh)محبوب (mḥbúb)تازه (tázh)نثار (nthár)نمائيم (nmáʾím) as “steadfastness, inflexible, souls, drooping, the New Beloved, sacrifice”

access 33% led 33% another 33%
تازه
tázh t-ʾ-z

literal: fresh; fresh, new; fresh/new

SE rendered جان (ján)پژمرده (pzhmrdh)ره (rh)محبوب (mḥbúb)تازه (tázh)نثار (nthár)نمائيم (nmáʾím)صد (ṣd)هزار (hzár)عجز (ʿjz) as “souls, drooping, the New Beloved, sacrifice”

fresh 20% refresh 20% life 20% new 20% anew 20%
صد
ṣd ṣ-d

literal: hundred

SE rendered محبوب (mḥbúb)تازه (tázh)نثار (nthár)نمائيم (nmáʾím)صد (ṣd)هزار (hzár)عجز (ʿjz)نياز (níáz)آريم (árím) as “the New Beloved, sacrifice, needs”

hundred 50% thousand 50%
هزار
hzár h-z-r

literal: thousand

SE rendered محبوب (mḥbúb)تازه (tázh)نثار (nthár)نمائيم (nmáʾím)صد (ṣd)هزار (hzár)عجز (ʿjz)نياز (níáz)آريم (árím) as “the New Beloved, sacrifice, needs”

myriad 25% thousand 25% twelve 17% myriads 17% about 8% many 8%
عجز
ʿjz ʿ-j-z

literal: unable; powerlessness

SE rendered نثار (nthár)نمائيم (nmáʾím)صد (ṣd)هزار (hzár)عجز (ʿjz)نياز (níáz)آريم (árím)فوز (fúz)فائز (fáʾz) as “sacrifice, needs, grant”

نياز

literal: self-sufficient; need

2 occurrences in corpus

آريم
árím ʾ-r-d

literal: bring; to bring/recall

SE rendered نثار (nthár)نمائيم (nmáʾím)صد (ṣd)هزار (hzár)عجز (ʿjz)نياز (níáz)آريم (árím)فوز (fúz)فائز (fáʾz)شويم (shúym) as “sacrifice, needs, grant”

3 occurrences in corpus

مثلاً
mthláan m-th-l

literal: like; likeness; example

SE rendered کتب (ktb)الهيّه (al-híhh)هر (hr)عهدی (ʿhdí)مثلاً (mthláan)عهد (ʿhd)موسی (músí)تورات (túrát) as “Word, God, every, dispensation, days, Moses, Pentateuch”

consider 20% such 15% even 15% like 11% same 9% instance 9% similar 7% what 6% equal 4% likened 4%
تورات
túrát t-w-r “second”

literal: Torah; time; Torah, Pentateuch

second 50% again 50%
چشاند
chshánd ch-sh-ʾ “impart”

literal: taste

1 occurrence in corpus

تجريد
tjríd j-r-d

literal: detached

SE rendered نعمت (nʿmt)قدمانی (qdmání)چشاند (chshánd)بر (br)اهل (ihl)تجريد (tjríd)نعمت (nʿmt)توحيد (túḥíd)عطا (ʿṭá)فرمايد، (frmáyd،) as “gift, they, impart, Upon, detached, Unity, bestow”

بی
b-y

literal: without; is; to

SE rendered نعمت (nʿmt)توحيد (túḥíd)عطا (ʿṭá)فرمايد، (frmáyd،)بی (bí)نصيبان (nṣíbán)نصيب (nṣíb)کرم (krm)نمايد (nmáyd)آوارگان (áwárgán) as “gift, Unity, bestow, destitute, enrich, wander”

5 occurrences in corpus

آوارگان
áwárgán ʾ-w-ʾ-r “wander”

literal: wanderers; wanderer

2 occurrences in corpus

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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