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Kitáb-i-Íqán — §233

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 233 of 291.

Source (Persian)

باری، اين سخن به غايت لغو و غير مقبول است. همه از روی کبر و غرور گفته می شود که مردم را از رياض رضای الهی دور کنند و زمام آنها را محکم حفظ نمايند. با اينکه نزد حقّ اين عوام از علمای ايشان که از حقّ اعراض نمودهاند به غايت مقبول تر و پسنديده ترند. و فهم کلمات الهيّه و درک بيانات حمامات معنويّه هيچ دخلی به علم ظاهری ندارد. اين منوط به صفای قلب و تزکيه نفوس و فراغت روح است. چنانچه حال عبادی چند موجودند که حرفی از رسوم علم نديدهاند و بر رفرف علم جالسند و از سحاب فيض الهی رياض قلوبشان به گل های حکمت و لاله های معرفت تزيين يافته. فَطُوبی لِلمُخلِصينَ مِن اَنوارِ يَومٍ عَظيمٍ.

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Such contention is utterly fallacious and inadmissible. It is actuated solely by arrogance and pride. Its motive is to lead the people astray from the Ridván of divine good-pleasure and to tighten the reins of their authority over the people. And yet, in the sight of God, these common people are infinitely superior and exalted above their religious leaders who have turned away from the one true God. The understanding of His words and the comprehension of the utterances of the Birds of Heaven are in no wise dependent upon human learning. They depend solely upon purity of heart, chastity of soul, and freedom of spirit. This is evidenced by those who, today, though without a single letter of the accepted standards of learning, are occupying the loftiest seats of knowledge; and the garden of their hearts is adorned, through the showers of divine grace, with the roses of wisdom and the tulips of understanding. Well is it with the sincere in heart for their share of the light of a mighty Day!

Translation Notes

غايت
gháyt gh-y-t “highest”

literal: extreme, utmost; extreme; utmost, end

5 occurrences in corpus

لغو
lghú l-gh-w “divers” Distinctive

literal: vain; word; vain, idle, useless

This form usually rendered as “fool—which”, “fallacious”, “futility” (4 occurrences)

غير
ghír gh-y-r

literal: other; other than

SE rendered باری، (bárí،)سخن (skhn)غايت (gháyt)لغو (lghú)غير (ghír)مقبول (mqbúl)همه (hmh)از (iz)روی (rúy)کبر (kbr) as “Such, contention, utterly, fallacious, inadmissible, actuated solely, by, arrogance”

other 28% without 11% another 11% none 11% any 8% others 8% different 6% unseemly 6% else 6% anyone 6%
روی
rúy r-w-y “by”

literal: face; grow; tradition

SE rendered لغو (lghú)غير (ghír)مقبول (mqbúl)همه (hmh)از (iz)روی (rúy)کبر (kbr)غرور (ghrúr)گفته (gfth)می (mí)مردم (mrdm) as “fallacious, inadmissible, actuated solely, by, arrogance, pride, Its motive, is, the people”

scornfully 50% over 50%
می
m-y-y “is”

literal: present continuous marker; continuous-marker

SE rendered همه (hmh)از (iz)روی (rúy)کبر (kbr)غرور (ghrúr)گفته (gfth)می (mí)مردم (mrdm)از (iz)رياض (ríáḍ)رضای (rḍáy) as “actuated solely, from, by, arrogance, pride, Its motive, is, the people, the Ridván, good-pleasure”

3 occurrences in corpus

اينکه

literal: this; where; these

SE rendered آنها (ánhá)محکم (mḥkm)حفظ (ḥfẓ)نمايند (nmáynd)اينکه (iynkh)نزد (nzd)حقّ (ḥqq)عوام (ʿúám)از (iz)علمای (ʿlmáy)ايشان (iyshán) as “their authority, tighten, And yet, in the sight, God, above, their religious leaders”

عوام
ʿúám ʿ-w-m

literal: common-people; common people

SE rendered محکم (mḥkm)حفظ (ḥfẓ)نمايند (nmáynd)اينکه (iynkh)نزد (nzd)حقّ (ḥqq)عوام (ʿúám)از (iz)علمای (ʿlmáy)ايشان (iyshán)از (iz)حقّ (ḥqq)اعراض (iʿráḍ)نمودهاند (nmúdhánd) as “tighten, And yet, in the sight, the one true God, from, their religious leaders, turned away”

ايشان
iyshán ʾ-y-sh “prophets”

literal: they; they, them; they/them

3 occurrences in corpus

تر

literal: more (comparative suffix)

2 occurrences in corpus

هيچ
hích h-y-ch “any”

literal: any

5 occurrences in corpus

تزکيه
tzkíh z-k-y “chastity”

literal: purification

1 occurrence in corpus

چنانچه
chnánchh ch-n-n “by”

literal: likewise; as; just as

SE rendered تزکيه (tzkíh)نفوس (nfús)فراغت (fráght)روح (rúḥ)چنانچه (chnánchh)حال (ḥál)عبادی (ʿbádí)چند (chnd)موجودند (mújúdnd)حرفی (ḥrfí) as “chastity, soul, freedom, spirit, by, today, those who, a single letter”

even 50% thus 17% thou 8% truth 8% when 8% since 8%
بر

literal: on; on, upon; upon

SE rendered حرفی (ḥrfí)از (iz)رسوم (rsúm)علم (ʿlm)نديدهاند (ndídhánd)بر (br)رفرف (rfrf)علم (ʿlm)جالسند (jálsnd)از (iz)سحاب (sḥáb)فيض (fíḍ) as “a single letter, through, the accepted standards, knowledge, without, the, loftiest seats, occupying, the showers, grace”

land 33% upon 11% piety 11% unto 11% pious 6% righteousness 6% beseech 6% good 6% against 6% indignities 6%
لاله

literal: tulip; tulips

3 occurrences in corpus

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Kitáb-i-Íqán

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