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Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §122

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 122 of 268.

Source (Persian)

در مازندران جمع کثيری از عباد اللّه را تمام نمودند حاکم بمفتريات جمعی را تاراج کرد * از جمله ذکر نمود حضرات اسلحه جمع کرده‌اند و بعد از تفحّص ملاحظه شد يک لوله تفنگ من غير اسباب بوده * سبحان اللّه اين حزب بسلاح محتاج نه چه که کمر همّت لاجل اصلاح عالم بسته‌اند * جندشان اعمال طيّبه سلاحشان اخلاق مرضيّه و سردارشان تقوی اللّه * طوبی لمن انصف * لعمر اللّه اين حزب از صبر و سکون و تسليم و رضا مظاهر عدل شده‌اند و در اصطبار بمقامی رسيده‌اند که کشته شده‌اند و نکشته‌اند مع انکه بر مظلومهای ارض وارد شد انچه که تاريخ عالم شبه ان را ذکر ننموده و چشم امم مثلش را نديده * ايا سبب انکه اين بلايای عظيمه را قبول نموده‌اند و در دفع ان دست در نياورده‌اند چه بوده و علّت تسليم و سکون چه ؟ سبب منع قلم اعلی در صباح و مساء و اخذ زمام امور بقدرت و قوّت مولی الوری *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In Mázindarán a vast number of the servants of God were exterminated. The Governor, under the influence of calumniators, robbed a great many of all that they possessed. Among the charges he laid against them was that they had been laying up arms, whereas upon investigation it was found out that they had nothing but an unloaded rifle! Gracious God! This people need no weapons of destruction, inasmuch as they have girded themselves to reconstruct the world. Their hosts are the hosts of goodly deeds, and their arms the arms of upright conduct, and their commander the fear of God. Blessed that one that judgeth with fairness. By the righteousness of God! Such hath been the patience, the calm, the resignation and contentment of this people that they have become the exponents of justice, and so great hath been their forbearance, that they have suffered themselves to be killed rather than kill, and this notwithstanding that these whom the world hath wronged have endured tribulations the like of which the history of the world hath never recorded, nor the eyes of any nation witnessed. What is it that could have induced them to reconcile themselves to these grievous trials, and to refuse to put forth a hand to repel them? What could have caused such resignation and serenity? The true cause is to be found in the ban which the Pen of Glory hath, day and night, chosen to impose, and in Our assumption of the reins of authority, through the power and might of Him Who is the Lord of all mankind.

Translation Notes

در

literal: in; in, at; radiant

جمع
j-m-ʿ “number” Distinctive

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

کثيری

literal: majority; multitude; abundance; multiplicity

از

literal: from

عباد

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

اللّه

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

را

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

تمام

literal: most complete; to complete; perfect; fullness

نمودند
n-m-ود “hath” Distinctive

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

حاکم
ḥ-k-m “wisdom” Distinctive

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

بمفتريات

literal: slander; calumny; fabrication; false accusation

تاراج

literal: to plunder, rob, ransack; plundering, robbery

کرد

literal: to do; to make; to perform; deed; action; conduct; behavior

جمله

literal: beauty; totality; beautiful

ذکر

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

نمود
n-m-ʾ “may” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

حضرات

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

اسلحه

literal: weapon; arms; armor

بعد

literal: after; behind; distance

تفحّص

literal: examination; investigation; scrutiny

ملاحظه

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

يک

literal: one; a single

لوله

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally; lord; helper; first; primary; original

تفنگ

literal: gun, rifle, musket

من
m-n “but” Distinctive

literal: from; out of; than (preposition and particle)

غير
gh-y-r “but” Distinctive

literal: without; besides; other than; except; other; different

اسباب

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

بوده
b-w-d “nothing” Distinctive

literal: to do; to make; to perform; to be; was

سبحان

literal: glorified; the All-Praised; exalted; dawn; daybreak; morning

اين

literal: this; these

حزب

literal: party; people; community

محتاج

literal: needy, in need, requiring, dependent

نه
n-h-y “no” Distinctive

literal: end; ended; utmost

چه

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

که

literal: that; who; who, that

کمر

literal: loins; waist; to gird

همّت

literal: them (feminine or general); by them; through them

لاجل

literal: majesty; glory; exaltation; magnificence

اصلاح

literal: peace; reconciliation

عالم

literal: world; universe; the worlds

بسته‌اند

literal: bound; bed; bind

جندشان

literal: hosts, armies, troops

اعمال

literal: to work; to act; to do; to perform

طيّبه

literal: good; pure; sweet; fragrant; virtuous

اخلاق

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

مرضيّه

literal: good-pleasure, consent, satisfaction; satisfaction; pleasure; approval; contentment

تقوی

literal: to protect, safeguard, shield

طوبی

literal: happiness; blessedness; felicity

انصف

literal: justice; fairness; equity

لعمر

literal: life; age; duration; by the life of (oath)

صبر

literal: patience; forbearance; endurance; to be patient

سکون
s-k-n “inmates” Distinctive

literal: stillness, rest, quietude, tranquility

تسليم

literal: resignation; submission; surrender; submissiveness

مظاهر

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

عدل

literal: justice; equity

شده‌اند

literal: to become; to be

بمقامی
q-w-m “people” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

رسيده‌اند

literal: reach; to reach; arrive

کشته

literal: slayer; killer; murderer

نکشته‌اند

literal: slayer; killer; murderer

مع

literal: with; together with; alongside

انکه
ʾ-n “to” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

بر

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

مظلومهای

literal: wronged; injustice; darkness

ارض
ʾ-r-ḍ “world” Distinctive

literal: earth; land; ground; country

وارد
w-r-d “endured” Distinctive

literal: to enter, to come, to befall, to arrive

تاريخ

literal: history; historical record; to date

شبه

literal: doubt; uncertainty; suspicion; resemblance; semblance

چشم

literal: eye; vision; sight

امم
ʾ-m-m “before” Distinctive

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

مثلش

literal: like; likeness; example

نديده
d-y-d “witnessed” Distinctive

literal: Persian verb دیدن (to see), not Arabic د-ي-د

ايا

literal: does; is it that (interrogative particle); sign; verse; O! (vocative particle); him; them (object pronoun)

بلايای

literal: affliction; trial; calamity

عظيمه
ʿ-ẓ-m “grievous” Distinctive

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

قبول
q-b-l “before” Distinctive

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

نموده‌اند

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

دفع

literal: to push; to repel; to ward off; to avert; to impel

دست

literal: hand; control, power, authority

نياورده‌اند

literal: bring; to bring; to_bring

علّت

literal: for us; to us

منع

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

قلم

literal: pen; writing instrument

اعلی
ʿ-l-w “Glory” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

صباح

literal: morning, dawn; daybreak

مساء

literal: worst; evil; bad; other than; besides; save; except

اخذ

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

زمام

literal: reins; bridle; control; governance

امور
ʾ-m-r “authority” Distinctive

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

بقدرت

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

قوّت

literal: strength; power; might

مولی

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally; lord; helper; first; primary; original

الوری

literal: mankind; people; human beings; behind; after

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

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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50 ¶

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729 ¶

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16 ¶

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291 ¶

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858 ¶

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17 ¶

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59 ¶