The Hidden Words — §149

Arabic source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 149 of 160.

Source (Arabic)

(٧٢) ﴿ ای بنده من ﴾ مثل تو مثل سيف پر جوهری است که در غلاف تيره پنهان باشد و باين سبب قدر آن بر جوهريان مستور ماند * پس از غلاف نفس و هوی بيرون آی تا جوهر تو بر عالميان هويدا و روشن آيد *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

(72) O MY SERVANT! Thou art even as a finely tempered sword concealed in the darkness of its sheath and its value hidden from the artificer’s knowledge. Wherefore come forth from the sheath of self and desire that thy worth may be made resplendent and manifest unto all the world.

Translation Notes

بنده

bndh bndh → “servant”

literal: servant; servant, slave

servant 78% both 11% bond 11%

gleaningsGWB §142: Me kitab-i-iqanKIQ §114: Servant the-hidden-wordsHW §105: BOND SLAVE kitab-i-iqanKIQ §203: Us kitab-i-iqanKIQ §223: we both kitab-i-iqanKIQ §107: We

مثل

mthl m-th-l → “even as”

literal: like; likeness; example

instance 18% like 14% even 12% consider 12% such 10% same 10% equal 8% what 8% one 6% peerless 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §72: Similar gleaningsGWB §438: Consider for instance kitab-i-ahdAhd §14: like unto kitab-i-iqanKIQ §220: For instance,prayers-and-meditationsP&M §103: every comparison the-hidden-wordsHW §4: Mine image will-and-testamentW&T §15: in their footsteps epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §158: of such as are like thee

سيف

síf s-y-f → “sword”

literal: sword; swords

sword 76% swords 19% blades 5%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §54: blades gleaningsGWB §620: with the sword prayers-and-meditationsP&M §99: the swords that are drawn against Him epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §93: with the swords gleaningsGWB §636: of the sword prayers-and-meditationsP&M §559: the assaults epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §107: swords epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §150: a sword

پر

pr pr

literal: feather; full; full of

SE rendered بنده (bndh), مثل (mthl), تو (tú), مثل (mthl), سيف (síf), پر (pr), جوهری (júhrí), غلاف (ghláf), تيره (tírh), پنهان (pnhán) as “SERVANT, even as, Thou, sword, finely tempered, sheath, darkness, concealed”

wings 50% filled 25% finely 25%

kitab-i-iqanKIQ §74: wings the-hidden-wordsHW §149: finely kitab-i-iqanKIQ §271: filled

جوهری

júhrí j-w-h-r → “essence” Distinctive

literal: essence; essences; essence, jewel

This form usually rendered as “jewel”, “tempered” (2 occurrences)

jewel 50% tempered 50%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §205: these gem-like words gleaningsGWB §100: Essences kitab-i-iqanKIQ §101: the Quintessence of truth prayers-and-meditationsP&M §228: gem-like the-hidden-wordsHW §149: tempered epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §168: a substance gleaningsGWB §222: stones kitab-i-iqanKIQ §45: those Gems of knowledge

غلاف

ghláf gh-l-f → “sheath”

literal: sheath

2 occurrences in corpus

the-hidden-wordsHW §149: sheath

تيره

tírh tírh → “darkness”

literal: dark; dark, gloomy; dark, clouded

thick 30% dark 20% obscuring 20% obscured 10% becloud 10% darkness 10%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §21: thick gleaningsGWB §550: obscuring the-hidden-wordsHW §149: darkness gleaningsGWB §44: dark gleaningsGWB §677: to becloud its luster gleaningsGWB §121: obscured

پنهان

pnhán pnhán → “concealed”

literal: hidden; concealed

concealed 40% hide 20% hidden 20% unseen 20%

gleaningsGWB §203: concealed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §116: hide Himself will-and-testamentW&T §13: Unseen kitab-i-iqanKIQ §284: hidden

سبب

sbb s-b-b

literal: cause; cause, reason; causes

SE rendered غلاف (ghláf), تيره (tírh), پنهان (pnhán), باشد (báshd), باين (báyn), سبب (sbb), قدر (qdr), بر (br), جوهريان (júhríán), مستور (mstúr), ماند (mánd) as “sheath, darkness, concealed, value, from, the artificer’s, hidden, knowledge”

cause 32% instrument 12% means 12% conducive 12% caused 11% reason 5% hath 5% will 4% motive 4% would 3%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §122: The true cause gleaningsGWB §120: underlying kitab-i-ahdAhd §3: that which will kitab-i-iqanKIQ §177: execration prayers-and-meditationsP&M §211: with the emblems the-hidden-wordsHW §137: is of will-and-testamentW&T §7: so epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §106: mightiest instrument

قدر

qdr q-d-r → “value” Distinctive

literal: power; powerful

This form usually rendered as “hath”, “ordain”, “power” (181 occurrences)

hath 21% ordain 18% power 16% ordained 11% how 7% do 7% might 6% decreed 5% had 4% according 4%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §103: hath it been decreed fire-tabletFire §48: Ordainer gleaningsGWB §724: with mighty confidence kitab-i-ahdAhd §12: granted kitab-i-iqanKIQ §58: able prayers-and-meditationsP&M §542: assigned tablet-of-ahmadAhmad §8: are not the-hidden-wordsHW §68: thy capacity

مستور

mstúr s-t-r → “hidden”

literal: hidden; concealed; veil

hidden 42% lie 14% concealed 14% latent 7% yet 5% enshrined 5% lay 5% veiled 5% whatsoever 2% hide 2%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §164: veil fire-tabletFire §45: Concealer of the sins gleaningsGWB §121: latent kitab-i-ahdAhd §9: lieth concealed kitab-i-iqanKIQ §102: veiled prayers-and-meditationsP&M §856: didst veil the-hidden-wordsHW §128: meaning epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §160: to be concealed

ماند

mánd mándn → “have”

literal: remain; remained; to remain

have 18% left 9% leaving 9% strayed 9% endureth 9% still 9% would 9% may 9% knowledge 9% shall 9%

epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §173: no longer gleaningsGWB §551: endureth kitab-i-iqanKIQ §213: are bereft the-hidden-wordsHW §149: knowledge will-and-testamentW&T §17: shall remain epistle-to-the-son-of-the-wolfESW §243: left gleaningsGWB §168: I waited kitab-i-iqanKIQ §28: they have strayed

بيرون

bírún bírún

literal: outside; outside, out

SE rendered ماند (mánd), پس (ps), از (iz), غلاف (ghláf), نفس (nfs), هوی (húy), بيرون (bírún), جوهر (júhr), تو (tú), بر (br), عالميان (ʿálmíán) as “knowledge, Wherefore come forth, from, sheath, self, desire, worth, thy, unto, all the world”