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Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §11

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 11 of 268.

Source (Persian)

الها معبودا مقصودا کريما رحيما * جانها از تو و اقتدارها در قبضه قدرت تو * هر که را بلند کنی از ملک بگذرد و بمقام و رفعناه مقاما عليّا رسد و هر که را بيندازی از خاک پست‌تر بلکه هيچ از او بهتر * پروردگارا با تباه‌کاری و گناه‌کاری و عدم پرهيزکاری مقعد صدق ميطلبيم و لقاء اوليائت را ميجوئيم امر امر تو و حکم ان تو و عالم قدرت زير فرمان تو هر چه کنی عدل صرف است بل فضل محض * يک تجلّی از تجلّيات اسم رحمانت رسم عصيان را از جهان براندازد و محو نمايد و يک نسيم از نسائم يوم ظهورت عالم را بخلعت تازه مزيّن نمايد * ای توانا ناتوانانرا توانائی بخش و مردگانرا زندگی عطا فرما شايد تو را بيابند و بدريای اگاهيت راه يابند و بر امرت مستقيم مانند * اگر از لغات مختلفه عالم عرف ثنای تو متضوّع شود همه محبوب جان و مقصود روان چه تازی چه پارسی اگر از ان محروم ماند قابل ذکر نه چه الفاظ چه معانی * ای پروردگار از تو ميطلبم کلّ را راه نمائی و هدايت فرمائی توئی قادر و توانا و عالم و بينا * نسأل اللّه ان يؤيّدک علی العدل و الانصاف و يعرّفک ما کان مستورا عن العيون و الابصار انّه هو العزيز المختار *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

"My God, the Object of my adoration, the Goal of my desire, the All-Bountiful, the Most Compassionate! All life is of Thee, and all power lieth within the grasp of Thine omnipotence. Whosoever Thou exaltest is raised above the angels, and attaineth the station: ‘Verily, We uplifted him to a place on high!'; and whosoever Thou dost abase is made lower than dust, nay, less than nothing. O Divine Providence! Though wicked, sinful, and intemperate, we still seek from Thee a ‘seat of truth,' and long to behold the countenance of the Omnipotent King. It is Thine to command, and all sovereignty belongeth to Thee, and the realm of might boweth before Thy behest. Everything Thou doest is pure justice, nay, the very essence of grace. One gleam from the splendors of Thy Name, the All-Merciful, sufficeth to banish and blot out every trace of sinfulness from the world, and a single breath from the breezes of the Day of Thy Revelation is enough to adorn all mankind with a fresh attire. Vouchsafe Thy strength, O Almighty One, unto Thy weak creatures, and quicken them who are as dead, that haply they may find Thee, and may be led unto the ocean of Thy guidance, and may remain steadfast in Thy Cause. Should the fragrance of Thy praise be shed abroad by any of the divers tongues of the world, out of the East or out of the West, it would, verily, be prized and greatly cherished. If such tongues, however, be deprived of that fragrance, they assuredly would be unworthy of any mention, in word or yet in thought. We beg of Thee, O Providence, to show Thy way unto all men, and to guide them aright. Thou art, verily, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing."

Translation Notes

تو
t-w-w “thou”

literal: you

2 occurrences in corpus

بگذرد
bgdhrd g-dh-r

literal: pass; passed

SE rendered هر (hr)بلند (blnd)کنی (kní)از (iz)ملک (mlk)بگذرد (bgdhrd)بمقام (bmqám)رفعناه (rfʿnáh)مقاما (mqámá)عليّا (ʿlílá) as “Whosoever, Thou exaltest, made, above the angels, the station, ‘Verily, We uplifted him, a place, on high”

pass 50% have 25% above 25%
پست‌تر
pst‌tr p-s-t

literal: low; lowness; low, base

SE rendered رسد (rsd)هر (hr)بيندازی (bíndází)از (iz)خاک (khák)پست‌تر (pst‌tr)بلکه (blkh)هيچ (hích)از (iz)بهتر (bhtr)پروردگارا (prúrdgárá) as “attaineth, whosoever, Thou dost abase, of, lower than dust, nay, less than nothing, O Divine Providence”

failure 25% meanest 25% lower 25% basest 25%
هيچ
hích h-y-ch “any”

literal: any

5 occurrences in corpus

بهتر
bhtr b-h-t-r

literal: better

SE rendered از (iz)خاک (khák)پست‌تر (pst‌tr)بلکه (blkh)هيچ (hích)از (iz)بهتر (bhtr)پروردگارا (prúrdgárá)تباه‌کاری (tbáh‌kárí) as “of, lower than dust, nay, less than nothing, O Divine Providence, wicked”

1 occurrence in corpus

تباه‌کاری
tbáh‌kárí t-b-ʾ-h “wicked”

literal: wicked

1 occurrence in corpus

گناه‌کاری
gnáh‌kárí g-n-ʾ-h “sinful”

literal: sin

1 occurrence in corpus

عدم
ʿdm ʿ-d-m

literal: non-existence; non-existent; nonexistent

SE rendered تباه‌کاری (tbáh‌kárí)گناه‌کاری (gnáh‌kárí)عدم (ʿdm)پرهيزکاری (prhízkárí)مقعد (mqʿd)صدق (ṣdq)ميطلبيم (míṭlbím) as “wicked, sinful, intemperate, a ‘seat, of truth, still seek”

پرهيزکاری
prhízkárí p-r-h-y-z “intemperate”

literal: abstinence

1 occurrence in corpus

اوليائت
iwlíáʾt w-l-y

literal: friend; lord; guardian

SE rendered مقعد (mqʿd)صدق (ṣdq)ميطلبيم (míṭlbím)لقاء (lqáʾ)اوليائت (iwlíáʾt)ميجوئيم (míjúʾím)امر (imr)امر (imr)تو (tú)حکم (ḥkm) as “a ‘seat, of truth, still seek, long to behold, It is Thine to command, all sovereignty”

lord 36% loved 25% chosen 13% guardian 11% holy 3% ones 2% viceregent 2% men 2% who 2% endowed 2%
ميجوئيم
míjúʾím j-s-t

literal: seek; sought; to seek

SE rendered صدق (ṣdq)ميطلبيم (míṭlbím)لقاء (lqáʾ)اوليائت (iwlíáʾt)ميجوئيم (míjúʾím)امر (imr)امر (imr)تو (tú)حکم (ḥkm)تو (tú)عالم (ʿálm) as “of truth, still seek, long to behold, It is Thine to command, Thee, all sovereignty, the realm of might”

زير
zír z-y-r

literal: under

SE rendered حکم (ḥkm)تو (tú)عالم (ʿálm)قدرت (qdrt)زير (zír)فرمان (frmán)تو (tú)هر (hr)چه (chh)کنی (kní)عدل (ʿdl) as “all sovereignty, Thy, the realm of might, boweth before Thy behest, Everything, Thou doest, pure justice”

inasmuch 71% beneath 14% under 14%
فرمان

literal: command

1 occurrence in corpus

صرف
ṣrf ṣ-r-f

literal: pure

SE rendered فرمان (frmán)تو (tú)هر (hr)چه (chh)کنی (kní)عدل (ʿdl)صرف (ṣrf)فضل (fḍl)محض (mḥḍ)يک (yk)تجلّی (tjllí)از (iz) as “boweth before Thy behest, Thy, Everything, Thou doest, pure justice, the very essence of grace, One, gleam, from”

pure 20% absolute 13% utter 13% essence 13% spent 7% supreme 7% incorruptible 7% sheer 7% vary 7% utterly 7%
محض
mḥḍ m-ḥ-ḍ

literal: pure; mere; pure, merely

SE rendered هر (hr)چه (chh)کنی (kní)عدل (ʿdl)صرف (ṣrf)فضل (fḍl)محض (mḥḍ)يک (yk)تجلّی (tjllí)از (iz)تجلّيات (tjllíát)اسم (ism)رحمانت (rḥmánt) as “Everything, Thou doest, pure justice, the very essence of grace, One, gleam, from, the splendors, Name, the All-Merciful”

utter 25% wholly 13% loving-kindness 13% token 13% sheer 13% essence 13% soon 13%
رسم
rsm r-s-m

literal: trace

SE rendered تجلّی (tjllí)از (iz)تجلّيات (tjllíát)اسم (ism)رحمانت (rḥmánt)رسم (rsm)عصيان (ʿṣíán)از (iz)جهان (jhán)براندازد (brándázd) as “gleam, from, the splendors, Name, the All-Merciful, every trace of sinfulness, the world, to banish”

renown 33% modes 17% reality 17% endearments 17% trace 17%
تازه
tázh t-ʾ-z

literal: fresh; fresh, new; fresh/new

SE rendered نسائم (nsáʾm)يوم (yúm)ظهورت (ẓhúrt)عالم (ʿálm)بخلعت (bkhlʿt)تازه (tázh)مزيّن (mzízn)نمايد (nmáyd)توانا (túáná)ناتوانانرا (nátúánánrá) as “the breezes, the Day, Thy Revelation, all mankind, a fresh attire, adorn, may, unto Thy weak creatures”

fresh 20% refresh 20% life 20% new 20% anew 20%
زندگی
zndgí z-n-d

literal: life; alive

SE rendered ناتوانانرا (nátúánánrá)توانائی (túánáʾí)بخش (bkhsh)مردگانرا (mrdgánrá)زندگی (zndgí)عطا (ʿṭá)فرما (frmá)شايد (sháyd)تو (tú)بيابند (bíábnd) as “unto Thy weak creatures, strength, Vouchsafe, them who are as dead, quicken, haply, Thy, they may find”

life 50% live 25% didst 25%
عطا
ʿṭá ʿ-ṭ-w

literal: bounty

SE rendered توانائی (túánáʾí)بخش (bkhsh)مردگانرا (mrdgánrá)زندگی (zndgí)عطا (ʿṭá)فرما (frmá)شايد (sháyd)تو (tú)بيابند (bíábnd)بدريای (bdríáy) as “strength, Vouchsafe, them who are as dead, quicken, haply, Thy, they may find, be led”

bestow 33% show 17% vouchsafing 17% all 17% bounty 17%
بدريای
bdríáy d-r-y-ʾ “led”

literal: ocean

1 occurrence in corpus

بر
br b-r-r

literal: on; on, upon; upon

SE rendered بدريای (bdríáy)اگاهيت (igáhít)راه (ráh)يابند (yábnd)بر (br)امرت (imrt)مستقيم (mstqím)مانند (mánnd)از (iz)لغات (lghát) as “be led, the ocean of Thy guidance, Thy Cause, remain steadfast, of, divers tongues”

land 33% upon 11% piety 11% unto 11% pious 6% righteousness 6% beseech 6% good 6% against 6% indignities 6%
مانند
mánnd m-ʾ-n

literal: remain; remained; to remain

SE rendered بر (br)امرت (imrt)مستقيم (mstqím)مانند (mánnd)از (iz)لغات (lghát)مختلفه (mkhtlfh)عالم (ʿálm)عرف (ʿrf) as “Thy Cause, remain steadfast, of, divers tongues, of the world, fragrance of Thy praise”

veiled 50% remain 50%
مختلفه
mkhtlfh kh-l-f

literal: different; difference

SE rendered مستقيم (mstqím)مانند (mánnd)از (iz)لغات (lghát)مختلفه (mkhtlfh)عالم (ʿálm)عرف (ʿrf)ثنای (thnáy)تو (tú)متضوّع (mtḍúḍʿ) as “remain steadfast, of, divers tongues, of the world, fragrance of Thy praise, be shed abroad”

ثنای
thnáy th-n-y

literal: praise; praise, commendation

SE rendered از (iz)لغات (lghát)مختلفه (mkhtlfh)عالم (ʿálm)عرف (ʿrf)ثنای (thnáy)تو (tú)متضوّع (mtḍúḍʿ)همه (hmh)محبوب (mḥbúb) as “of, divers tongues, of the world, fragrance of Thy praise, be shed abroad, prized and greatly cherished”

praise 40% glorify 20% magnify 20% whose 20%
همه
hmh h-m-h

literal: all; every/all

SE rendered عالم (ʿálm)عرف (ʿrf)ثنای (thnáy)تو (tú)متضوّع (mtḍúḍʿ)همه (hmh)محبوب (mḥbúb)جان (ján)مقصود (mqṣúd)روان (rúán)چه (chh)تازی (tází) as “of the world, fragrance of Thy praise, be shed abroad, prized and greatly cherished, out of the East”

all 63% every 16% each 5% whole 5% actuated 5% such 5%
روان
rúán r-w-ḥ

literal: soul

SE rendered محبوب (mḥbúb)جان (ján)مقصود (mqṣúd)روان (rúán)چه (chh)تازی (tází)چه (chh)پارسی (pársí)از (iz) as “prized and greatly cherished, or, out of the East, out of the West, of”

souls 50% soul 50%
پارسی
pársí p-ʾ-r-s “out”

literal: Persian

1 occurrence in corpus

نه
nh n-h-y

literal: end; ended; utmost

SE rendered از (iz)محروم (mḥrúm)ماند (mánd)قابل (qábl)ذکر (dhkr)نه (nh)چه (chh)الفاظ (al-fáẓ)چه (chh)معانی (mʿání)پروردگار (prúrdgár) as “of, be deprived, be unworthy, mention, or, in word, in thought, We beg of Thee”

end 16% forbidden 12% ended 12% infinite 12% highest 12% forbiddeth 8% most 8% utmost 8% last 8% unnumbered 4%
نسأل
nsʾal s-ʾ-l

literal: ask/beseech

SE rendered قادر (qádr)توانا (túáná)عالم (ʿálm)بينا (bíná)نسأل (nsʾal)اللّه (al-lh)يؤيّدک (yʾíʾdk) as “the Almighty, the Most Powerful, the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing”

beseech 64% pray 18% entreat 9% implore 9%
يؤيّدک
yʾíʾdk ʾ-y-d

literal: strengthen; aid

SE rendered عالم (ʿálm)بينا (bíná)نسأل (nsʾal)اللّه (al-lh)يؤيّدک (yʾíʾdk)العدل (al-ʿdl)الانصاف (an-nṣáf)يعرّفک (yʿrrfk) as “the All-Knowing, the All-Seeing, fragrance”

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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Fire Tablet

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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 cover

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 ¶

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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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 ¶

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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 ¶

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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 cover

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 ¶

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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 ¶