مبادا

Persian

Etymology

The archaic negative optative of بودن (budan).

Pronunciation

• (Classical Persian) IPA^(key): [ˈma bɑː.ðɑː]

 

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [mǽ.bɑː.d̪ɑː]

• (Dari, formal) IPA^(key): [mǽ.bɑː.d̪ɑː]
  • (Kabuli) IPA^(key): [mǽ.bɑː.d̪ɑː]
  • (Hazaragi) IPA^(key): [mǽ.bɔː.d̪ɔː]

• (Iran, formal) IPA^(key): [mǽ.bɒː.d̪ɒː]

• (Tajik, formal) IPA^(key): [mǽ.bɔ.d̪ɔ]

Readings
Classical reading?	ma bāḏā
Dari reading?	mabādā
Iranian reading?	mabâdâ
Tajik reading?	mabodo

Conjunction

مبادا • (mabâdâ)

1. lest, so that... not
   • c. 1320, Amīr Khusraw Dihlavī, “Ghazal 3”, in دیوانِ امیرخسرو دهلوی [Divan of Amīr Khusraw]‎^[1]:

     بمیرند و برون ندهند مشتاقان دم حسرت
     کله ناگه مبادا کج شود آن سرو بالا را

     bimīrand u birōn na-dahand muštāqān dam-i hasrat
     kulah nāgah mabādā kaj šawad ān sarw-i bālā rā

     They shall die, but the lovers do not let out even a sigh of regret,
     Lest the hat suddenly become crooked on that [beloved like a] lofty cypress [due to the wind of their sighs].

     (Classical Persian transliteration)

2. beware; do not; be careful