Shoghi Effendi's Translations and Interpretations

Year 2007 is the 50th anniversary of the passing of Shoghi Effendi.

Here you will find raw analysis of Shoghi Effendi's translation and interpretation of the Long Obligatory Prayer of Baha'u'llah from Arabic into English.

يا إِلهَ الأَسْمآءِ
O Thou Who art the Lord of all names

وَ فاطِرَ السَّماءِ
and the Maker of the heavens!

أَسْئَلُکَ بِمَطالِعِ غَيْبِکَ
I beseech Thee by them Who are the Daysprings of Thine invisible Essence,

الْعَلِيِّ الْأَبْهی
the Most Exalted, the All-Glorious,

بِأَنْ تَجْعَلَ صَلاتِی ناراً لِتُحْرِقَ حُجُباتِيَ الَّتِی مَنَعَتْنِی عَنْ مُشاهَدَةِ جَمالِکَ
to make of my prayer a fire that will burn away the veils which have shut me out from Thy beauty,

وَ نُوراً يَدُلُّنِيْ إِلی بَحْرِ وِصالِکَ
and a light that will lead me unto the ocean of Thy Presence.

.......................

يا مَقْصُودَ الْعالَمِ وَ مَحْبُوبَ الْأُمَمِ
O Thou the Desire of the world and the Beloved of the nations!

تَرانِی مُقْبِلاً إِلَيْکَ مُنْقَطِعاً عَمَّا سِواکَ مُتَمَسِّکاً بِحَبْلِکَ الَّذِيْ بِحَرَکَتِهِ تَحَرَّکَتِ المُمْکِناتُ
Thou seest me turning toward Thee, and rid of all attachment to anyone save Thee, and clinging to Thy cord, through whose movement the whole creation hath been stirred up.

أَيْ رَبِّ أَنَا عَبْدُکَ وَ ابْنُ عَبْدِکَ
I am Thy servant, O my Lord, and the son of Thy servant.

أَکُوْنُ حاضِراً قائِماً بَيْنَ أَيادِيْ مَشِيَّتِکَ وَ إِرادَتِکَ وَ ما أُرِيْدُ إِلَّا رِضَائَکَ
Behold me standing ready to do Thy will and Thy desire, and wishing naught else except Thy good pleasure.

أَسْئَلُکَ بِبَحْرِ رَحْمَتِکَ وَ شَمْسِ فَضْلِکَ
I implore Thee by the Ocean of Thy mercy and the Daystar of Thy grace

بِأَنْ تَفْعَلَ بِعَبْدِکَ ما تُحِبُّ وَ تَرْضی
to do with Thy servant as Thou willest and pleasest.

وَ عِزَّتِکَ الْمُقَدَّسَةِ عَنِ الذِّکْرِ وَ الثَّناءِ
By Thy might which is far above all mention and praise!

کُلُّ ما يَظْهَرُ مِنْ عِنْدِکَ هُوَ مَقْصُودُ قَلْبِی وَ مَحْبُوبُ فُؤآدِيْ
Whatsoever is revealed by Thee is the desire of my heart and the beloved of my soul.

إِلهِيْ إِلهِيْ
O God, my God!

لا تَنْظُرْ إِلی آمالِی وَ أَعْمالِيْ
Look not upon my hopes and my doings,

بَلْ إِلی إِرادَتِکَ الَّتِيْ أَحاطَتِ السَّمَواتِ وَ الْأَرْضِ
nay rather look upon Thy will that hath encompassed the heavens and the earth.

وَ اسْمِکَ الْأَعْظَمِ يا مالِکَ الْأُمَمِ
By Thy Most Great Name, O Thou Lord of all nations!

ما أَرَدْتُ إِلَّا ما أَرَدْتَهُ
I have desired only what Thou didst desire,

وَ لا أُحِبُّ إِلَّا ما تُحِبُّ
and love only what Thou dost love.