Recently, I began perusing Selections from the Writings of the Báb (SWB) and at the end of the second tablet, p.8, I came across this statement:
Bahá’u’lláh in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas also refers to this Epistle of the Báb in the following words:
So I sought out the passages in the Kitáb-i-Aqdas (KA) and noticed that its translation of paragraph 175-177 differed from SWB. I know that SWB was translated by Habib Taherzadeh with the assistance of a Committee at the Bahá’í World Centre, but does anyone know who translated KA, k175-177? Which of these translations are older? Why didn't the latter simply copy the former? What blew me away from all of this is that it is possible for two different translations of a single text to be authoritative. Amazing.
Below, for your curiosity, I have compared these two translations, line by line, with the following color code:
Selections from the Writings of the Báb Kitáb-i-Aqdas
k175
O Thou Supreme Pen! O Pen of the Most High!
Move over the Tablet by the leave of Thy Lord, the Creator of the heavens. Move Thou upon the Tablet at the bidding of Thy Lord, the Creator of the Heavens,
Call Thou then to mind the day when the Fountainhead of divine unity sought to attend the school which is sanctified of all save God, and tell of the time when He Who is the Dayspring of Divine Unity purposed to direct His steps towards the School of Transcendent Oneness;
that perchance the righteous might become acquainted, to the extent of a needle’s eye, with that which is concealed behind the veil of the inner mysteries of Thy Lord, the Almighty, the All-Knowing. haply the pure in heart may gain thereby a glimpse, be it as small as a needle’s eye, of the mysteries of Thy Lord, the Almighty, the Omniscient, that lie concealed behind the veils.
Say, We, in truth, entered the school of inner meaning and exposition at a time when the minds of all that dwell on earth were wrapt in heedlessness. Say: We, indeed, set foot within the School of inner meaning and explanation when all created things were unaware.
We beheld what the Merciful Lord had revealed, We saw the words sent down by Him Who is the All-Merciful,
accepted the gift He [the Báb] had offered Me of the verses of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, and We accepted the verses of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, which He presented unto Us,
and hearkened to that to which He had attested in the Tablet. and hearkened unto that which He had solemnly affirmed in the Tablet.
We, verily, are the Witness. This we assuredly did behold.
We responded to His call at Our Own behest, and We are, in truth, the Ordainer. And We assented to His wish through Our behest, for truly We are potent to command.
k176
O people of the Bayán! O people of the Bayán!
We entered the School of God when ye were slumbering on your couches, We, verily, set foot within the School of God when ye lay slumbering;
and perused the Tablet when ye were fast asleep. and We perused the Tablet while ye were fast asleep.
By the righteousness of God, the True One, By the one true God!
We had read it before it was revealed, and ye were utterly unaware. We read the Tablet ere it was revealed, while ye were unaware,
Indeed Our knowledge had encompassed the Book when ye were yet unborn. and We had perfect knowledge of the Book when ye were yet unborn.
These utterances are revealed according to your measure, not to God’s, These words are to your measure, not to God’s.
and unto this beareth witness that which is enshrined in the knowledge of God, did ye but know. To this testifieth that which is enshrined within His knowledge, if ye be of them that comprehend;
Unto this testifieth He Who is the Mouthpiece of God, could ye but understand. and to this the tongue of the Almighty doth bear witness, if ye be of those who understand.
By the righteousness of God! Were We to lift the veil ye would swoon away. I swear by God, were We to lift the veil, ye would be dumbfounded.
k177
Take heed lest ye dispute with Him and His Cause. Take heed that ye dispute not idly concerning the Almighty and His Cause, for lo!
He hath indeed appeared in such wise as to encompass all things, whether of the past or of the future. He hath appeared amongst you invested with a Revelation so great as to encompass all things, whether of the past or of the future.
Were We to speak forth at this time in the language of the dwellers of the Kingdom, Were We to address Our theme by speaking in the language of the inmates of the Kingdom,
We would say that God raised up this School ere the earth and the heavens were brought into being, We would say: “In truth, God created that School ere He created heaven and earth,
and We entered it before the letters ‘B’ and ‘E’ were joined and knit together. and We entered it before the letters B and E were joined and knit together.”
We have sooo many versions of our bible, your side by side translations are closer than many I've seen.
Each translator often tries to update the texts as language changes and word definitions evolve. (Or new understandings and idioms are discovered in old languages). And then many have an agenda... Target audience youth, or ethnic group, or variation of belief.
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