Typos in Baha'i scripture

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Irish
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Typos in Baha'i scripture

Postby Irish » Thu Nov 23, 2006 3:47 pm

I would like to know if anyone has detected any small spelling mistakes, or other similar typing errors, in the (current) published versions of Baha'i scripture. It would be helpful for us to take note of these, so that they can be corrected in future editions. The problem I have is that whenever I see something that I think is wrong, I never know if someone else has already seen, or whether I should tell someone else about.

Anyway, here are a few things I've spotted. Look at these two quotations:

“Beware, beware,” is His significant warning addressed to Vahíd, “lest in the days of His Revelation the Vahíd of the Bayán (eighteen Letters of the Living and the Báb) shut thee out as by a veil from Him, inasmuch as this Vahíd is but a creature in His sight.” -GPB pg29

“Beware, beware lest, in the days of His Revelation, the Vahíd of the Bayán (eighteen Letters of the Living) shut thee not out as by a veil from Him, inasmuch as this Vahíd is but a creature in His sight. And beware, beware that the words sent down in the Bayán shut thee not out as by a veil from Him.” -ESW pg153

The quotation from the GPB makes good sense to me. The one from ESW has an extra "not" in it. The "not", although but one word, reverses the meaning.

Next one is in Arabic, and, to my dismay, in the Kitab-i-Aqdas. I've only a smattering of Arabic so I may be mistaken here, but this perplexes me. Paragraph 84 reads: "How great the blessedness that awaiteth the king who will arise to aid My Cause in My kingdom, who will detach himself from all else but Me! Such a king is numbered with the companions of the Crimson Ark—the Ark which God hath prepared for the people of Bahá. All must glorify his name, must reverence his station, and aid him to unlock the cities with the keys of My Name, the omnipotent Protector of all that inhabit the visible and invisible kingdoms".

The first phrase in the final sentence is "All must glorigy his name". The Arabic word in my copy of the Aqdas is "ya3azzaruhu", where "3" represents the Arabic letter 3ayn (as in 3abdu'l). As far as I know, "ya3azzaruhu" means "to censure him, to rebuke him". And, as far as I know, the Arabic word "ya3azzazuhu" means "to glorify him". In the Arabic, the difference between " ya3azzaruhu " and "ya3azzazuhu" is just a single dot, which makes the ra' become a za'. If anyone can tell me that I'm wrong, I would love to hear from you.

I'm by no means saying that these thing are mistakes and that I know what they should say. All I'm saying is that, ignorant as I am, they appear to me to be mistakes and that I would dearly love to be enlightened regarding them.

Mark
A.K.A. Irish

brettz9
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Postby brettz9 » Thu Nov 23, 2006 11:53 pm

Hi Mark,

While I agree that there is good reason for us to keep track of errata here also (though I'd suggest a more descriptive forum topic title, so as not to be confused with a thread dealing with perceived mistakes within the Bahá'í teachings), you really should notify the Publishing Trust as they keep track of this information (for the sake of corrections in future printings) and have the ability to correct it. In the process, they might also help you (in case you understood it wrong--though don't second-guess yourself too much--errata are possible!).

best wishes,
Brett

Irish
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Postby Irish » Fri Nov 24, 2006 5:43 am

Hi Brett,

I changed the topic title to "Typos in Baha'i scripture". Hopefully that is a better description of what I want to discuss here.

I would write to the publishing trusts, but I'd like to collect a few things before a write a email to them. Also, I'd like if the scholars in this forum would be able to determine whether these are in fact mistakes first. If they can't, then I'll go the publishers. I don't want to write to the Research Department about it, because I'm sure that in most cases my understanding is at fault, not the publications themselves.

Mark

majnun
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translations

Postby majnun » Fri Nov 24, 2006 8:44 pm

Dear Irish;

The study of arabic and persian is fascinating
for us westerners. Sometimes when the original
text is re-typed from manuscripts, typing errors occurs
or some conventions are not respected, like putting
a "ya" with two dots at the end of a word, etc.

Keep in mind that early English translations from
the 1900's were not at the satisfaction of Thornton Chase,
who heard the Dreyfuss / Chirazi work was better
than what dr Ali Kuli Khan presented to him for publication.

Details about the comparisons of translations made by
Thornton Chase and Ethel J. Rosenberg, before they
were published in English, can be found in the Thornton Chase papers,
and in the minutes of the CHICAGO HOUSE OF SPIRITUALITY RECORDS, easy to find on the web.

Good luck in your work,

Majnun

Irish
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Postby Irish » Wed Jan 03, 2007 3:49 pm

Here is something else I cannot understand. In the Tablet of the Proof (Lawh-i-Burhaan, Lawhu'l-Burhaan) the following words occur;

"Its calamities waxed so great that the smoke thereof surrounded the Land of Mystery and its environs, and what had been revealed in the Tablet of the Sultán was made manifest. Thus hath it been decreed in the Book, at the behest of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." (TBKA, pg. 213)

In the English version, this is the end of a paragraph. The next line is "O My Supreme Pen! Leave Thou the mention of the Wolf...".

However, in the Arabic original, there is another sentence in between, which goes, "'Annaa lillaahi wa 'annaa 'ilaihi raaji'uuna" (Majmuih-yi-Alvah ba'd az kitab-i-aqdas, page 131). This could be translated as "we belong to God and unto Him do we return". I cannot understand why it isn't translated in the English version. I'm guess it's a purposeful omission, because it's hard to believe it's a type-O.

Has anyone noticed something similar elsewhere?

majnun
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a suggestion

Postby majnun » Thu Jan 04, 2007 10:05 pm

Dear Irish;

let me try a suggestion;
In our weekly reunions, many members
are from arabian or persian origins, and most
of them will help you gladly in your search.

MJ.

Irish
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Postby Irish » Fri Jan 05, 2007 2:54 pm

Just another comment similar to my previous one: The opening words of the English translation of the Tablet of Hikmat are "This is an Epistle which the All-Merciful hath sent down from the Kingdom of Utterance." But the original Arabic has a few words right at the beginning, which could be translated as "In His name, the Unique, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise". Again, can't understand why these words have been left out in the English...

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Re: Type-O's in Baha'i scripture

Postby Dorumerosaer » Sat Jan 06, 2007 10:17 am

>>The first phrase in the final sentence is "All must glorify his name". The Arabic word in my copy of the Aqdas is "ya3azzaruhu", where "3" represents the Arabic letter 3ayn (as in 3abdu'l). As far as I know, "ya3azzaruhu" means "to censure him, to rebuke him". And, as far as I know, the Arabic word "ya3azzazuhu" means "to glorify him". In the Arabic, the difference between " ya3azzaruhu " and "ya3azzazuhu" is just a single dot, which makes the ra' become a za'. If anyone can tell me that I'm wrong, I would love to hear from you.>>

The verb used by Baha’u’llah is indeed "ya3azziruhu", where "3" represents the Arabic letter 3ayn (as in 3abdu'l)., in other words the verb with the R not the z. The construction used by Baha'u'llah is exactly as in the Qur'an.

Sura 48:9:
لتؤمنوا بالله ورسوله وتعزروه وتوقروه وتسبحوه بكرة واصيلا

Litu/minoo biAllahi warasoolihi watuAAazziroohu watuwaqqiroohu watusabbihoohu bukratan waaseelan

In order that ye (O men) may believe in God and His Messenger, that ye may assist and honour Him, and celebrate His praise morning and evening.

The Qur’anic verb is exactly the same namely tuAAazziroohu = , that ye may assist. The same verb occurs in sura 5:12 waAAazzartumoohum = honour and assist them, and again in 7: 157.

So I have learned that the Aqdas usage is in absolute agreement with these three Qur’anic references.
Brent

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Postby Irish » Sat Jan 06, 2007 5:50 pm

Excellent Brent, that is certainly worth pondering upon.

What about the verse in the Long Obligatory Prayer, which goes: "Thy love, O my Lord, hath enriched me, and separation from Thee hath destroyed me, and remoteness from Thee hath consumed me." It's in the verse to be said standing staight after the first sitting down. The first phrase in Arabic is "Hubbuka adnaanii" where d is for the letter daad not daal. This literally means "Thy love hath made me weak". Is this a Qur'anic usage also?

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Postby Dorumerosaer » Wed Jan 10, 2007 1:26 am

>>What about the verse in the Long Obligatory Prayer, which goes: "Thy love, O my Lord, hath enriched me, and separation from Thee hath destroyed me, and remoteness from Thee hath consumed me." It's in the verse to be said standing staight after the first sitting down. The first phrase in Arabic is "Hubbuka adnaanii" where d is for the letter daad not daal. This literally means "Thy love hath made me weak". Is this a Qur'anic usage also?>>


No.

The more common usage of this verb based on the root DNW does mean "weakened me." However, as you know, Arabic is an extremely rich and complex language when you get into these verb changes.

I have been informed that there is another form of this verb which means "enriched me." In E.W. Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon, on page 1807 of Volume 5 it is stated that it also means "increase" "augment" or "enrich."

Permit me to suggest that you keep in mind that Baha'u'llah had a comprehensive mastery of Arabic. Shoghi Effendi, who translated His Writings, also enjoyed a firm grasp of that language, and not only grew up in an environment where Arabic was often spoken; also, while at Oxford he was tutored by the finest scholars and translators in the British Empire.

I wish to make a suggestion. While it is of some interest to note these matters; I wish to suggest that reciting the Long Obligatory Prayer accompanied by the postures, said with heart and sincerity, will do far more to help you to gain an appreciation of the fact that Baha'u'llah draws the human soul to God, and is Who He claims to be. I submit for your consideration that perhaps these questions are not going to bring you closer to that goal. Rather, taking the medicine and seeing if it works -- that's the real test.

I regret that we must communicate by e-mail. My message may come across as abrupt. If we met over coffee, we could better convey these spiritual realities, but we must deal with the limitations of the medium.

If you recite that prayer with fervor, and compare your spiritual state before and after -- then you will know who Baha'u'llah is.

As Baha'u'llah wrote: " . . . the long Obligatory Prayer should be said at those times when one feeleth himself in a prayerful mood. In truth, it hath been revealed in such wise that if it be recited to a rock, that rock would stir and speak forth; and if it be recited to a mountain, that mountain would move and flow. Well is it with the one who reciteth it and fulfilleth God's precepts."
(From the compilation on the Salat http://tinyurl.com/y6xgxt )

With best regards
Brent

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Postby Irish » Wed Jan 17, 2007 4:50 am

In E.W. Lane's Arabic-English Lexicon, on page 1807 of Volume 5 it is stated that it also means "increase" "augment" or "enrich."


Thank you. My university has that lexicon. I will use it in future.

Permit me to suggest that you keep in mind that Baha'u'llah had a comprehensive mastery of Arabic.


Yes, of course.

If you recite that prayer with fervor, and compare your spiritual state before and after -- then you will know who Baha'u'llah is.


I do recite it with fervour. And I know who Baha'u'llah is- I joined the Faith six years ago.

"
I wish to suggest that reciting the Long Obligatory Prayer accompanied by the postures, said with heart and sincerity, will do far more to help you to gain an appreciation of the fact that Baha'u'llah draws the human soul to God, and is Who He claims to be. I submit for your consideration that perhaps these questions are not going to bring you closer to that goal."


I appreciate that. But I am involved in teaching the Faith to Arab speakers living in Ireland. Native Arab speakers have read "hubbuka adnaanii" and asked me why it is translated "Thy love hath enriched me", because they never heard it used in that sense before. But they all also say to me that they don't object to the translation because they themselves, even native Arabic speakers who are not Baha'is yet, know that Baha'u'llah has a mastery of Arabic and that frequently in Arabic words carry significations vastly different from their usual one/ones.
I'm just an seeker after knowledge who comes here to learn. I am grateful to you for sharing your knowledge with me, Brent. Thank you very much.

Irish
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Postby Irish » Mon Jan 29, 2007 4:16 pm

"...I beseech Thee, by Thy treasured Name Who, at this very moment, is speaking, to send down..." (Baha'u'llah, Prayers and Meditations, Extract. no. 44, page 65)

The printed Arabic version goes like: "asaluka bismika'l-mahzuuni'l-ladii..." (Baha'u'llah, Munaajaa, Extract no. 44, page 49)

Comment: In Arabic "maHzuun" means sorrowful or grieved, not treasured.
However, "makhzuun" means treasured.


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