Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §101

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 101 of 268.

Source (Persian)

و همچنين بعضی از آيات لوح حضرت ملکه ايّدها اللّه تبارک و تعالی ذکر ميشود * مقصود انکه شايد نفحات وحی ان جناب را اخذ نمايد و لوجه اللّه بر خدمت امر قيام کنند و انچه از الواح حضرات ملوک وفّقهم اللّه نرسيده برسانند * اين امر عظيم است اين خدمت عظيم * در ان ارض علمای اعلام بسيارند از جمله حضرات سادات که در بزرگی و شان معروفند با ايشان مشورت نمائيد و انچه از قلم اعلی جاری شده بنمائيد شايد بر اصلاح عالم و تهذيب نفوس امم مؤيّد شوند و ضغينه و بغضای مکنونه مخزونه در افئده را بکوثر نصائح الهی ساکن نمايند * اين توفيق را از حقّ ميطلبيم و ليس هذا عليه بعزيز *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Likewise, We mention some verses from the Tablet of Her Majesty, the Queen (Queen Victoria) - may God, exalted and glorified be He, assist her. Our purpose is that haply the breezes of Revelation may envelop thee, and cause thee to arise, wholly for the sake of God, and serve His Cause, and that thou mayest transmit any of the Tablets of the kings which might have remained undelivered. This mission is a great mission, and this service a great service. In those regions distinguished divines are numerous, among whom are those Siyyids who are renowned for their eminence and distinction. Confer with them, and show them what hath flowed out of the Pen of Glory, that haply they may be graciously aided to better the condition of the world, and improve the character of peoples of different nations, and may, through the living waters of God's counsels, quench the hatred and the animosity which lie hid and smolder in the hearts of men. We pray God that thou mayest be assisted therein. And this, verily, would not be hard for Him.

Translation Notes

همچنين

ch-n-n → “Likewise”

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

بعضی

b-ʿ-ḍ → “some”

literal: part; some; portion

از

ʾ-z → “from the Tablet”

literal: from

آيات

ʾ-y-y → “verses”

literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof; sign, verse, miracle, token, indication; ayah; he; him; it

لوح

l-w-ḥ → “of” Distinctive

literal: tablet; panel; divine decree; revelation

حضرت

ḥ-ḍ-r → “Her Majesty,” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

ملکه

m-l-k → “Kingdom”

literal: kingdom; dominion; realm; sovereignty; possessions; property; ownership

ايّدها

ʾ-y-d → “assist”

literal: to support; to assist; to strengthen; to confirm

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

literal: God; Allah; deity; Divinity; divine nature; godhood

تبارک

b-r-k → “blessed”

literal: blessed; auspicious; fruitful; blest; blessed word

تعالی

ʿ-l-w → “exalted”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

ذکر

dh-k-r → “mention”

literal: remembrance; mention; memory; invocation; reminders; commemorations

ميشود

sh-w-d

literal: become; to become; became

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

انکه

ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

شايد

sh-y-d → “haply”

literal: perhaps, perchance, haply, maybe, possibly; to become; to be; to happen; to occur

نفحات

n-f-ḥ → “breezes”

literal: breeze; fragrance; whiff; breath; emanation

وحی

w-ḥ-y → “Revelation”

literal: revelation; inspiration; divine communication

جناب

j-n-b → “thee”

literal: to avoid; to shun; to keep away from

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

اخذ

ʾ-kh-dh → “arrested”

literal: to take; to seize; to affect; to grasp

نمايد

n-m-ʾ → “may”

literal: to show, display, exhibit; to grow, develop

لوجه

w-j-h → “for the sake of”

literal: face; countenance; direction; aspect

بر

b-r-r → “righteous” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

خدمت

kh-d-m → “serve”

literal: service; servitude; to serve

امر

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

قيام

q-w-m → “arise”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

کنند

k-r-d → “hath” Distinctive

literal: do; to do; do, make

نرسيده

r-s-d → “reached”

literal: not reached; failed to attain; did not arrive

اين

ʾ-y-n → “This”

literal: this; these

عظيم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “great”

literal: strong; severe; intense; violent

است

b-w-d → “is”

literal: to be; are (third person plural present copula)

در

d-r-r → “In”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

ارض

ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

علمای

ʿ-l-m → “divines”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

جمله

j-m-l → “Beauty” Distinctive

literal: beauty; totality; beautiful

سادات

s-w-d → “my Master” Distinctive

literal: master; lord; chief; my master

که

k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

بزرگی

b-z-r-g → “great”

literal: great; large; important; grandeur

شان

sh-ʾ-n → “in such wise”

literal: affair; concern; matter; aspect; quality; state; affairs; matters; conditions; circumstances; affair, matter, station, rank, dignity; station; rank; importance; matter, affair, concern, dignity, rank

معروفند

ʿ-r-f → “renowned”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

با

b-ʾ-ʾ → “with”

literal: to; with; by

ايشان

ʾ-y-sh → “Prophets”

literal: that; it (object pronoun with suffix)

مشورت

sh-w-r → “counsel”

literal: to consult, deliberate; to advise

قلم

q-l-m → “Pen”

literal: pen; writing instrument

جاری

j-r-y → “flowed” Distinctive

literal: trade; commerce; business; to flow; to run; to be in effect; flowing

شده

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

اصلاح

ṣ-l-ḥ → “betterment”

literal: peace; reconciliation

تهذيب

h-dh-b → “edify”

literal: refinement; polishing; edification; edifying; cultivation

نفوس

n-f-s → “souls”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

امم

ʾ-m-m → “nations”

literal: mother; to lead; to head; matter; affair; people; nation; community; female servant; handmaiden; umma

مؤيّد

ʾ-y-d → “inspired”

literal: to support; to assist; to strengthen; to confirm

ضغينه

ḍ-gh-n → “hatred”

literal: rancor, hatred, malice, spite

بغضای

b-gh-ḍ → “animosity”

literal: hatred; enmity; animosity

مکنونه

k-n-n → “hid”

literal: to do; to make; to perform

مخزونه

kh-z-n → “treasury” Distinctive

literal: to store, to treasure; storehouse, depository, treasury

افئده

f-ʾ-d → “hearts”

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

بکوثر

k-w-th-r → “living waters”

literal: abundance; river of paradise; the Kawthar

نصائح

n-ṣ-ḥ → “counsels”

literal: counsel; advice; admonition

ساکن

s-k-n → “quench” Distinctive

literal: stillness, rest, quietude, tranquility

توفيق

w-f-q → “assisted”

literal: accord, agreement, harmony; to agree, accord with

حقّ

ḥ-q-q → “truth”

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

ميطلبيم

ṭ-l-b

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

ليس

l-y-s → “not”

literal: is not; to be not

هذا

h-dh-ʾ

literal: this; that

عليه

ʿ-l-y → “for Him” Distinctive

literal: upon; on; exalted

بعزيز

ʿ-z-z → “hard” Distinctive

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

Gleanings

Bahá’u’lláh

A compilation of 166 selections from Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablets, spanning the Baghdad, Adrianople, and ‘Akká periods (1853–1892). George Townshend assisted with English refinement. Shoghi Effendi wrote that it gives the friends a splendid opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of the Faith.

729 ¶

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán

Bahá’u’lláh

The principal doctrinal work of the Faith, revealed in Baghdad within the space of two days and two nights in response to questions from the Báb’s maternal uncle. Shoghi Effendi described it as occupying a position unequalled by any work except the Kitáb-i-Aqdas — a model of Persian prose, at once original, chaste, vigorous, and remarkably lucid.

291 ¶

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

Published in 1938, this companion volume to Gleanings contains 184 prayers and meditations selected by Shoghi Effendi from Bahá’u’lláh’s devotional writings revealed across successive exiles from Baghdad to ‘Akká. Shoghi Effendi described it as a volume whose perusal would deepen the spirit of devotion and faith.

858 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in Adrianople and addressed to a believer named Aḥmad, this Tablet has been invested by Bahá’u’lláh with a special potency and significance. Its central imagery draws on the metaphor of fire and water: “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones.”

17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed during a visit to Mount Carmel, this Tablet addresses the mountain directly and prophesies its future as the world spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi designated it one of three foundational Charters. Its imagery of the Ark and the dwellers therein prefigures the Universal House of Justice.

5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

160 ¶

Will and Testament

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in three parts between 1901 and 1908, opened and read after His passing on 28 November 1921. Shoghi Effendi designated it the Charter of the New World Order — the mightiest instrument forged to ensure the continuity of the three ages of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

59 ¶