Translations and Publications

There are multiple translations by Shoghi Effendi with slight variants, published in many forms: the first in 1923 (London, 'Hidden Words, Words of Wisdom, Prayers', see also The Bahá'í World vol. 2 57-9), the second in 1924, the third in 1925, the fourth in 1929 (slightly revised in 1932?) with a final revision in 1954.

      An earlier translation of the Arabic sections is in Kheirella and McNutt, 1894 and 1900. E.G. Browne translated parts in Browne, 'TN' in 1891; Amin Fareed translated and published it in 1905 (Collins 1.70-1.73); Stannard in 1921 (Collins 1.53, includes original); Fareed in 1931 (see Collins 1.3).

      In the foreword to Shoghi Effendi's 1925 edition, he writes: "The present edition of Hidden Words is a somewhat free translation primarily intended for devotional purposes. For a more literal translation, with notes explanatory of Oriental mystical terms and references, readers are referred to the edition published in Cairo under the direction Mrs. Stannard in 1921.

      There is a French translation by Dreyfus in Oeuvre1. Mahouf, 'Unveiling the Hidden Words' (George Ronald, 1997) appendix 3 provides parallel translations by Kheiralla, Fareed and Stannard for A1--A20. See Mahouf for further information on the history of publication and translation especially regarding the translation norms of the Arabic section (see also Malouf "The Hidden Words of Bahá'u'lláh: Translation Norms Employed by Shoghi Effendi," in Vision of Shoghi Effendi). Hofman 'George Townshend' 56-59, 78-79 discusses Townshend's role in Shoghi Effendi's translations.

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Discussion and translations of individual sections of The Hidden Words

Introduction: comments Stephen Lambden "The Word Bahá': The Quintessence of the Greatest Name of God" in JBS 8:2 (1997-1998) [republished from Bahá'í Studies Review 3.1 (1993)] 38, available online in two drafts, one at http://bahai-library.com/articles/baha.2.html and one at http://bahai-library.com/encyclopedia/greatest.name.html.

A1:

The Light of Divine Guidance vol. 2 65-67

A7,8:

Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá S181.

A13:

`Abdu'l-Bahá to Thornton Chase, in Star of the West Vol. 2 6&7 11-12; Directives of the Guardian 37.

A55:

Jack McLean, Dimensions of Spirituality 218, 244, 261.

A59:

The Promulgation of Universal Peace 148.

A60:

Lambden, 'Sinaitic mysteries', SBBR5 120.

A63:

Lambden, 'Sinaitic mysteries', SBBR5 121; Buck 'A Symbolic Profile', JBS 8:4 32

A66:

'Revisioning' 60.

A68:

earlier translation in Star of the West 3:1 (1912)

A70, 71:

The Light of Divine Guidance vol. 2 65-67

P1:

Buck 'A Symbolic Profile', JBS 8:4 30.

P19:

McLean, Dimensions of Spirituality 121-23; Sen McGlinn "Commentary on Kitab-i Aqdas verse one," online at bahai-library.com/ essays/aqdas.verse1.

P26:

Jack McLean, Dimensions of Spirituality 185-86.

P38:

Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá S181.

P63:

Earlier translation by Shoghi Effendi in Gleanings CIV, with significant stylistic changes. WOB 46.

P71:

Selections from the Writings of `Abdu'l-Bahá S181; Lambden, 'Sinaitic mysteries', SBBR5 121-2.

P77:

WOB 59-60, 116; John Hatcher 'The Validity and Value of an Historical-Critical Approach' in BS Vol. 3 34; comments Stephen Lambden "The Word Bahá'" JBS 8:2 (1997-1998) [republished from BSR 3.1], 18 and n.10. Available online see 'Introduction' above.

Bahá'u'lláh and `Abdu'l-Bahá often cite sections, for instance in the Tablet to the Shah and the Sahifiy-i Shattiyyih. Their use of citations may illuminate the meaning so these should be included here.