Prayers and Meditations — §558

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 558 of 858.

Source (Arabic)

سُبْحَانَكَ اللَّهُمَّ يا إِلهِي لَمْ أَدْرِ أَيَّ نارٍ اشْتَعَلْتَ فِي صَدْرِيْ بِحَيْثُ يُسْمَعُ مِنْ كُلِّ أَرْكانِي زَفِيرُها وَيُشْهَدُ لَهِيبُها، لَوْ يَذْكُرُكَ لِسانِي بِأَنَّكَ أَنْتَ كُنْتَ قادِرًا فَوْقَ كُلِّ ذِي قُدْرَةٍ يُخاطِبُنِي لِسانُ قَلْبِي "هذِهِ كَلِمَةٌ تَرْجِعُ إِلى شَكْلِها وَمِثْلِها وَإِنَّهُ لَهُوَ المُقَدَّسُ عَنْ ذِكْرِ العالَمِينَ"

Shoghi Effendi Translation

All praise be to Thee, O Lord, my God! How mysterious the Fire which Thou hast enkindled within my heart! My very limbs testify to the intensity of its heat, and evince the consuming power of its flame. Should my bodily tongue ever attempt to describe Thee as the One Whose strength hath ever excelled the strength of the most mighty amongst men, the tongue of my heart would address me, saying: “These are but words which can only be adequate to such things as are of the same likeness and nature as themselves. But He, of a truth, is infinitely exalted above the mention of all His creatures.”

Translation Notes

سُبْحَانَكَ

subḥának s-b-ḥ → “all praise be” Distinctive

literal: glory; glory, praise; glory/praise

This form usually rendered as “glorified”, “lauded”, “praised” (181 occurrences)

SE expanded to “All praise be”

glorified 28% lauded 17% praised 13% glory 9% praise 8% immeasurably 8% magnified 6% exalted 4% all 4% far 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §256: Great fire-tabletFire §14: veiled gleaningsGWB §1: Lauded and glorified art Thou kitab-i-iqanKIQ §291: Glorified be prayers-and-meditationsP&M §851: immeasurably glorified tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §54: Glorified be He that the-hidden-wordsHW §89: from on high will-and-testamentW&T §42: Gracious God

اللَّهُمَّ

al-lahumm ʾ-l-h → “o lord, my god”

literal: god; o god

SE expanded to “O Lord, my God”

lord 78% god 21% god” 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §15: “O God fire-tabletFire §41: after God gleaningsGWB §610: unto the Almighty kitab-i-ahdAhd §10: the divine Testator kitab-i-iqanKIQ §191: eternal holiness prayers-and-meditationsP&M §229: Thy Divinity tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §31: “By the Lord the-hidden-wordsHW §154: heaven

أَدْرِ

ʾadr d-r-y → “know”

literal: know

know 83% cannot 11% how 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: I know not gleaningsGWB §338: accomplishments prayers-and-meditationsP&M §378: I cannot think the-hidden-wordsHW §83: rise to epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: knowing not gleaningsGWB §616: most effulgent prayers-and-meditationsP&M §651: understanding heart epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: know not

نارٍ

nárin n-ʾ-r → “fire”

literal: fire; fire, flame

fire 64% flame 17% flames 5% into 3% hell 3% former 3% latter 3% afire 1% set 1% utter 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §250: fires gleaningsGWB §689: inflammatory kitab-i-iqanKIQ §213: of the former prayers-and-meditationsP&M §718: its tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §10: of fire will-and-testamentW&T §53: mischief-kindling epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §132: into the fire gleaningsGWB §175: the flame

اشْتَعَلْتَ

ishtaʿalt sh-ʿ-l → “which thou hast enkindled”

literal: kindled

SE expanded to “which Thou hast enkindled”

hath 29% kindled 29% grew 14% set 14% which 14%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §59: kindled fire-tabletFire §50: that shall set aflame gleaningsGWB §684: shineth kitab-i-iqanKIQ §263: burned prayers-and-meditationsP&M §208: blazeth tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §10: as a flame the-hidden-wordsHW §110: torch epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §7: grew fiercer

صَدْرِيْ

ṣadrí ṣ-d-r → “my heart”

literal: breast

breast 25% heart 25% within 25% soul’s 13% soul 13%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §37: My breast gleaningsGWB §192: bosom kitab-i-iqanKIQ §242: In its early days prayers-and-meditationsP&M §17: my soul’s adoration the-hidden-wordsHW §120: thy thoughts will-and-testamentW&T §34: the hearts epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §10: breasts gleaningsGWB §567: in their hearts

بِحَيْثُ

biḥayth ḥ-y-th

literal: such that; where, such that

SE rendered نارٍ (nárin), اشْتَعَلْتَ (ishtaʿalt), صَدْرِيْ (ṣadrí), بِحَيْثُ (biḥayth), يُسْمَعُ (yusmaʿ) as “the Fire, which Thou hast enkindled, my heart, testify”

such 88% wait 13%

gleaningsGWB §480: so that prayers-and-meditationsP&M §351: in such wise that prayers-and-meditationsP&M §351: that prayers-and-meditationsP&M §790: and to wait prayers-and-meditationsP&M §840: They are such that

يُسْمَعُ

yusmaʿ s-m-ʿ → “heard”

literal: hear; hearing; heard

hear 29% will 18% can 12% heareth 6% heedeth 6% who 6% may 6% intoned 6% share 6% hearken 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §55: hearing fire-tabletFire §37: Give Thou ear gleaningsGWB §615: were ye to incline your ears kitab-i-iqanKIQ §237: whose ears prayers-and-meditationsP&M §854: that they may listen to tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §21: And they heard the-hidden-wordsHW §45: My hearing will-and-testamentW&T §5: ears in all regions were inclined

أَرْكانِي

ʾarkání r-k-n

literal: corner, limb

SE rendered يُسْمَعُ (yusmaʿ), أَرْكانِي (ʾarkání), زَفِيرُها (zafíruhá), وَيُشْهَدُ (wayushhad) as “testify, its flame, evince”

limbs 50% limb 25% members 25%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §248: pillars gleaningsGWB §571: your entire being kitab-i-iqanKIQ §271: whole character prayers-and-meditationsP&M §828: and members epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §186: our limbs gleaningsGWB §163: My limbs kitab-i-iqanKIQ §77: Pillar prayers-and-meditationsP&M §550: foundations

زَفِيرُها

zafíruhá z-f-r → “sighs” Distinctive

literal: sigh; sighs; sighing

This form usually rendered as “roaring”, “flame” (3 occurrences)

roaring 50% flame 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §111: sigh gleaningsGWB §30: tears prayers-and-meditationsP&M §671: by the sighing will-and-testamentW&T §34: sighs and lamentations epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §187: the cries prayers-and-meditationsP&M §80: My sighs epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: the groans prayers-and-meditationsP&M §718: its raging

وَيُشْهَدُ

wayushhad sh-h-d → “testify”

literal: witness; witnessed

beareth 25% testifieth 23% testify 19% bear 13% unto 4% will 4% confesseth 4% would 4% witnesseth 2% witness 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §162: regarded fire-tabletFire §48: the place gleaningsGWB §394: Consider kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: appeareth kitab-i-iqanKIQ §101: witnesses prayers-and-meditationsP&M §755: and testifieth tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §12: have We found them the-hidden-wordsHW §45: and I within Myself may bear witness unto

لَهِيبُها،

lahíbuhá، l-h-b → “consuming power”

literal: blazing; flame/blaze; flame

hotter 50% consuming 50%

gleaningsGWB §118: consuming prayers-and-meditationsP&M §25: hotter and hotter gleaningsGWB §71: undying prayers-and-meditationsP&M §208: rageth prayers-and-meditationsP&M §558: the consuming power of its flame prayers-and-meditationsP&M §498: glow prayers-and-meditationsP&M §268: or abate the consuming flame

يَذْكُرُكَ

yadhkuruk dh-k-r → “to describe thee as the one whose strength” Distinctive

literal: remembrance

This form usually rendered as “can”, “may”, “remembereth” (11 occurrences)

SE expanded to “to describe Thee as the One Whose strength”

can 18% may 9% remembereth 9% doth 9% calleth 9% glorified 9% praiseth 9% remember 9% adequately 9% attempt 9%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: made mention of her gleaningsGWB §652: as soon as they were read kitab-i-ahdAhd §4: reckoned kitab-i-iqanKIQ §160: above-mentioned prayers-and-meditationsP&M §218: with Thy praise on my tongue tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §6: utter His call tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §15: all mention the-hidden-wordsHW §67: as they make mention of Me

لِسانُ

lisán l-s-n → “tongue”

literal: tongue; tongue, language; tongues

tongue 78% language 5% languages 3% voice 3% words 3% tongues 3% mouth 3% said 1% own 1% through 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §5: the Tongue gleaningsGWB §251: whose tongues kitab-i-iqanKIQ §75: mouth prayers-and-meditationsP&M §241: with my tongue tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §48: her honeyed tongue the-hidden-wordsHW §101: IN WORD epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §63: the voice gleaningsGWB §347: in that tongue

قادِرًا

qádiran q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; powerful

powerless 15% almighty 12% can 12% all-powerful 12% able 12% powerful 12% potent 8% power 8% could 8% bear 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §189: We have decreed fire-tabletFire §48: Ordainer gleaningsGWB §139: had been clearly foreordained kitab-i-ahdAhd §12: granted kitab-i-iqanKIQ §182: His mighty Hand prayers-and-meditationsP&M §260: of Thine authority tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §3: the Powerful the-hidden-wordsHW §7: hath been destined

ذِي

dhí dh-w-y → “man”

literal: possessor; possessor of; possessor-of

man 44% every 17% beings 6% discerning 6% word 6% ears 6% each 6% one 6% who 6%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §159: man of gleaningsGWB §242: discerning prayers-and-meditationsP&M §602: their kindred will-and-testamentW&T §32: my kinsmen epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §138: man gleaningsGWB §13: beings prayers-and-meditationsP&M §279: and my gleaningsGWB §286: word

يُخاطِبُنِي

yukháṭibuní kh-ṭ-b → “addresseth”

literal: address; addresses; addressing

saith 33% addresseth 33% would 33%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §253: addresseth gleaningsGWB §696: decisive decree kitab-i-iqanKIQ §245: discourses prayers-and-meditationsP&M §558: would address me will-and-testamentW&T §34: Holy Text epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §232: address gleaningsGWB §694: addressed prayers-and-meditationsP&M §107: saith unto me

قَلْبِي

qalbí q-l-b → “my heart”

literal: heart; hearts

heart 67% mine 15% within 6% entertain 3% any 3% utter 3% one 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §43: men’s hearts gleaningsGWB §427: the hearts of men kitab-i-iqanKIQ §279: disturbance prayers-and-meditationsP&M §733: and brighten their hearts tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §13: and their own hearts the-hidden-wordsHW §110: within your hearts will-and-testamentW&T §23: sincere epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §183: fraudulent dealings

كَلِمَةٌ

kalimahun k-l-m → “but words”

literal: word; words

word 54% words 23% through 10% one 6% statement 2% single 2% sayings 1% idle 1% certain 1% divinity 1%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: Thy Word fire-tabletFire §48: Thy shining word gleaningsGWB §563: that was heard kitab-i-ahdAhd §14: This exalted utterance kitab-i-iqanKIQ §190: unfold prayers-and-meditationsP&M §315: but a word tablet-of-the-holy-marinerMariner §48: gave utterance the-hidden-wordsHW §95: faith

تَرْجِعُ

tarjiʿ r-j-ʿ → “return” Distinctive

literal: return; returning; to return

This form usually rendered as “must” (3 occurrences)

return 49% “return” 12% returned 10% applicable 5% repaired 5% must 5% cause 4% will 4% shall 4% come 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §85: to address thee gleaningsGWB §729: to retract and repudiate such claim kitab-i-iqanKIQ §182: cast themselves prayers-and-meditationsP&M §164: must shame the-hidden-wordsHW §139: turned away will-and-testamentW&T §16: unto whom epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §8: to turn aside gleaningsGWB §3: all revolve around

شَكْلِها

shaklihá sh-k-l → “difficult” Distinctive

literal: difficult; difficult, problem

This form usually rendered as “likeness” (1 occurrences)

difficult 36% intricacies 18% abstruse 9% mystery 9% likeness 9% elected 9% must 9%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §21: difficult kitab-i-iqanKIQ §130: abstruse prayers-and-meditationsP&M §558: likeness will-and-testamentW&T §25: must be instituted kitab-i-iqanKIQ §212: the intricacies will-and-testamentW&T §25: elected kitab-i-iqanKIQ §130: intricacies kitab-i-iqanKIQ §199: mystery

وَمِثْلِها

wamithlihá m-th-l

literal: like; likeness

SE rendered تَرْجِعُ (tarjiʿ), شَكْلِها (shaklihá), وَمِثْلِها (wamithlihá), وَإِنَّهُ (waʾinnah), لَهُوَ (lahú), المُقَدَّسُ (al-muqaddas) as “be, same, But, He, infinitely exalted”