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As a native speaker of English, I find that "expediency" is generally not a good translation for صلاح/مصلحت ...it just doesn't feel right, in most cases.
This situation here is a good example. See Dictionary.com where you will find 2. a regard for what is politic or advantageous rather than for what is right or just; a sense of self-interest. 2. the use of or inclination towards methods that are advantageous rather than fair or just
Especially in theological discussion where someone is trying to explain God's thinking, "expedient/expediency" just isn't the right vocabulary item to describe God's behavior.
It seems that no matter how or where we use these words, they always have that connotation expressed in the two definitions above and I don't think God behaves in that way.
1. رعایت صلاح بندگان : Looking out for his creatures/servants 2. صلاح او را می دانست: Knew what was best for him/ knew his best interests 3. مصلحت بینی: I personally think that "justification" works best here...we could also use "this course of action"
1. رعایت صلاح بندگان : Serving to promote people's interest/expediency 2. صلاح او را می دانست: Knew what was best for him/ knew his best interests 3. مصلحت بینی: this deeming as expedient/ serving of interests No difference between expediency & interest. http://www.majlesekhobregan.ir/fa/publications/mags/is_gv/ma... Good Luck :)
مىنويسد سبب برگشتن ابو الحسن اشعرى از استاد اين شد كه روزى از وى پرسيد: آيا رعايت صلاح بندگان بر خدا واجب است يا نه؟ ابو على گفت: آرى، پرسيد: چه مىگويى درباره سه نفر از اطفالى كه كافر زاده باشند خداى تعالى يكى از آنها را قبل از بلوغ و پاى گذاشتن به دايره تكليف قبض روح كند و دو نفر ديگر را زنده نگه دارد آن گاه يكى از آن دو نفر مسلمان بشود و مطيع فرمانهاى الهى و ديگرى كافر گردد و گناه كار، حكم و احوال اين سه برادر در قيامت به چه نحو خواهد بود؟ ابو على گفت: آن كه مسلمان شد اهل بهشت است و آن كه كافر زيست جايش دوزخ است و آن كه پيش از بلوغ مرد نه در بهشت است و نه در دوزخ. ابو الحسن گفت: آن كه پيش از بلوغ مرده است هر گاه بگويد: خدايا! اگر مرا زنده نگه مىداشتى من به تو ايمان آورده و امروز در بهشت از نعمتهاى بهشتى بهرهمند بودم، خداى تعالى به او چه جواب خواهد داد؟ابو على گفت: او نمىداند شايد اگر زنده مىماند كافر مىشد و به جهنم مىرفت، خداى تعالى صلاح او را مىدانست كه او را پيش از بلوغ قبض روح كرد. ابو الحسن گفت: اين مصلحت بينى را چرا تنها درباره يكى از آن سه نفر كرد و درباره آن كه كافر مرد نكرد؟ ابو على از جواب عاجز ماند
I doubt that in talking about death, using "advantageous" or "advisable" would be a good option. Considering the context, I liked what you suggested "knowing what was best for " or even Ehsan's (minus"at heart").
We don't have the other text here, but I somewhat doubt that this is the best translation for the other instances. I am guessing that "advantageous/suitable/advisable" would be better.
Yes! Exactly! I noticed that it may be confusing. However, I used his own suggested sentence only to apply the term. Yea... It is better to clarify it by using that boy's name or whatever... :) Thanks again.
If you want to use "expediency" here, I would recommend: "Considering it expedient, God took..."
HOWEVER, it is NOT a good choice...it does not convey the concept of صلاح کسی را دانستن which means "to know what is best for someone"
Zeynab's suggestion is good, but it has a grammatical problem...when we use participial constructions like "knowing his best interests, (subject)(verb)..." the participial phrase modifies the (subject)...that is, in this sentence it means "knowing God's interests, God took...."
We can modify the sentence in several ways...one is to say: "knowing (xxx's) best interests, God took...." where we add the person's name (=xxx).
or: "knowing what was best for (xxx), God took...."
I hope this explanation is not too confusing...if it is, let me know and I will try to explain it in another way.
I think it is better to use an idiomatic term, since the source term, itself, is idiomatic. Moreover, 'expediency' does not fit here! I have seen 'for expediency reasons.' or ' it is expedient for someone to...'; NOT 'to know s.th as someone's expediency'! It seems too Persian! Isn't it?
As I used 'expediency' for the word صلاح in the previous sentences of the text, shall I render this sentence in this way: "knowing it as his expediency, God took his life prior to entering puberty" Dose it seem natural? Many thanks
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Answers
3 mins confidence: peer agreement (net): +6
have someone's best interest(s) at heart
Explanation: could also be: to know someone's best interest(s)
Ehsan Alipour Local time: 23:41 Works in field Native speaker of: Persian (Farsi) PRO pts in category: 8