Prayers and Meditations — §423

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 423 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

مَشْغُولَةٌ بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ مِنْ شِدَّةِ البَلايا الَّتِيْ أَحَاطَتْهُمْ مِنْ قَضائِكَ، وَلِسَانُ البَهآءِ مَشْغُولٌ بِذِكْرِ أَصْفِيائِكَ وَقَلْبُ البَهآءِ ذاكِرٌ لأَحِبَّائِكَ وَأَرِقَّائِكَ، فَيا إِلهِي لا تَنْظُرْ إِلَيَّ وَعَلَى

Shoghi Effendi Translation

All Thy servants, O my God, are occupied with their own selves, so great have been the troubles which, as decreed by Thee, have encompassed them on every side. My tongue, however, is busied in extolling Thy chosen ones, and my heart in remembering them that are dear to Thee and are wholly subject to Thy will.

Translation Notes

مَشْغُولَةٌ

mashghúlahun sh-gh-l → “are occupied”

literal: occupied; busy; occupy

busied 33% occupied 28% busy 8% immersed 8% engaged 6% busying 6% occupy 3% have 3% stained 3% endeavor 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §165: in gleaningsGWB §244: ye are occupied kitab-i-iqanKIQ §254: are occupied prayers-and-meditationsP&M §429: will keep them back the-hidden-wordsHW §14: dost thou busy thyself will-and-testamentW&T §14: hath spent epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §164: busying gleaningsGWB §499: most mighty enterprise

بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ

biʾanfusihim n-f-s → “their own selves”

literal: soul; souls

SE expanded to “their own selves”

own 41% themselves 31% souls 10% proper 3% themselves.” 3% selves 3% uttered 3% hearts 3% within 3% lives 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §54: passions gleaningsGWB §588: breasts kitab-i-ahdAhd §8: those kitab-i-iqanKIQ §42: selfish prayers-and-meditationsP&M §331: for Thine own Self tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §52: within herself the-hidden-wordsHW §158: are they will-and-testamentW&T §44: of the insincere

البَلايا

al-baláyá b-l-w

literal: tribulation; affliction; trial

SE rendered بِأَنْفُسِهِمْ (biʾanfusihim), البَلايا (al-baláyá), أَحَاطَتْهُمْ (ʾaḥáṭathum) as “their own selves, have encompassed”

tribulations 38% tribulation 15% adversities 12% trials 6% afflictions 6% every 6% manifold 6% woes 6% all 3% ills 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §63: countless afflictions fire-tabletFire §39: calamity gleaningsGWB §644: all calamities kitab-i-iqanKIQ §140: sore tried prayers-and-meditationsP&M §24: the trials the-hidden-wordsHW §154: tried will-and-testamentW&T §3: a new trial epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §179: tribulations

أَحَاطَتْهُمْ

ʾaḥáṭathum ḥ-w-ṭ → “have encompassed”

literal: encompass; encompassed

whom 25% hemmed 25% have 25% compassed 25%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §151: hath encompassed fire-tabletFire §20: whisperings gleaningsGWB §117: pervaded kitab-i-iqanKIQ §88: seize prayers-and-meditationsP&M §428: hath enveloped the-hidden-wordsHW §98: beset will-and-testamentW&T §32: compassed me round epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §164: surround

قَضائِكَ،

qaḍáʾika، q-ḍ-y

literal: decree; decree/judgment; decreed

SE rendered أَحَاطَتْهُمْ (ʾaḥáṭathum), قَضائِكَ، (qaḍáʾika،), وَلِسَانُ (walisán), البَهآءِ (al-baháʾ), مَشْغُولٌ (mashghúlun) as “have encompassed, My tongue, , however,, is busied”

decree 69% irrevocable 10% dispositions 3% judgment 3% purpose 3% appointments 3% ordained 3% through 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §89: hath it been decreed fire-tabletFire §29: of destiny gleaningsGWB §489: He hath ordained kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: is ended kitab-i-iqanKIQ §12: was prayers-and-meditationsP&M §24: of His decree the-hidden-wordsHW §49: My decree epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §155: that have happened

وَلِسَانُ

walisán l-s-n → “my tongue”

literal: tongue; tongue, language; tongues

tongue 55% language 14% tongues 9% through 5% sword 5% stammering 5% voice 5% any 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: through the tongue gleaningsGWB §167: and My tongue kitab-i-iqanKIQ §75: mouth prayers-and-meditationsP&M §280: of his the-hidden-wordsHW §101: IN epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §43: your tongue gleaningsGWB §636: the sword kitab-i-iqanKIQ §64: speech

البَهآءِ

al-baháʾ b-h-w → “all-glorious” Distinctive

literal: glory

This form usually rendered as “glory”, “faith”, “splendor” (22 occurrences)

glory 82% faith 9% splendor 9%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §193: glory gleaningsGWB §273: My glory prayers-and-meditationsP&M §758: Thine all-glorious the-hidden-wordsHW §22: effulgent glory will-and-testamentW&T §56: Glory of Glories epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §204: Thy most glorious light gleaningsGWB §30: the All-Glorious prayers-and-meditationsP&M §765: Glorious

بِذِكْرِ

bidhikr dh-k-r → “in extolling” Distinctive

literal: mention; remembrance; mentioned

This form usually rendered as “remembrance”, “mention”, “praise” (252 occurrences)

remembrance 25% mention 22% praise 20% mentioned 8% recorded 4% describe 4% remember 4% remembering 4% referred 4% words 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §166: aforementioned gleaningsGWB §663: celebrating His praise kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: reckoned kitab-i-iqanKIQ §25: were to accompany prayers-and-meditationsP&M §779: whosoever tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: utter His call tablet-of-carmelCarmel §3: proclaimeth the-hidden-wordsHW §67: mention of Me

أَصْفِيائِكَ

ʾaṣfíáʾik ṣ-f-w → “thy chosen ones”

literal: chosen ones; chosen-ones

SE expanded to “Thy chosen ones”

chosen 92% ones 3% thou 3% holy 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: chosen ones fire-tabletFire §27: and gleaningsGWB §435: crystal kitab-i-iqanKIQ §271: immaculate prayers-and-meditationsP&M §181: for Thy chosen ones the-hidden-wordsHW §100: crystal pure will-and-testamentW&T §45: Thy Holy Ones epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §62: chosen

وَقَلْبُ

waqalb q-l-b → “my heart”

literal: heart; hearts

heart 74% hearts 14% soul 3% radiant 2% detached 1% sound 1% revolutionized 1% seeker’s 1% new 1% inmost 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §82: thine heart gleaningsGWB §281: revolutionized kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: a pure heart kitab-i-iqanKIQ §84: of prayers-and-meditationsP&M §532: his heart’s the-hidden-wordsHW §102: human heart will-and-testamentW&T §23: the spirit of love epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §111: souls of men

لأَحِبَّائِكَ

lʾaḥibbáʾik ḥ-b-b → “that are dear to thee”

literal: love; beloved; beloved ones

SE expanded to “that are dear to Thee”

loved 61% dear 13% who 10% friends 3% love 3% servants 3% upon 3% thee 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §163: grain fire-tabletFire §7: of Thy love gleaningsGWB §623: lovers kitab-i-iqanKIQ §226: of love prayers-and-meditationsP&M §594: is the good pleasure tablet-of-carmelCarmel §1: a Day tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §40: the Beloved One the-hidden-wordsHW §47: Is it thy wish

وَأَرِقَّائِكَ،

waʾariqqáʾika، r-q-q

literal: slave; subtle things, delicate things; fine

SE rendered ذاكِرٌ (dhákirun), لأَحِبَّائِكَ (lʾaḥibbáʾik), وَأَرِقَّائِكَ، (waʾariqqáʾika،), فَيا (fayá) as “in remembering, that are dear to Thee, O my God”