Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §127

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 127 of 268.

Source (Persian)

و همچنين در شهادت حاجی محمّد رضا در مدينه عشق تفکّر نمائيد ظالمهای عالم بر ان مظلوم وارد اوردند انچه را که بعضی از ملل خارجه گريستند و نوحه نمودند چه که از قرار مذکور و معلوم سی و دو زخم بر جسد مبارکش وارد مع ذلک احدی از امر تجاوز ننمود و دست در نياورد در هر حال حکم کتاب را بر اراده خود مقدّم داشتند مع انکه در ان مدينه جمعی از اين حزب بوده و هستند *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Likewise, ponder thou upon the martyrdom of Ḥájí Muḥammad-Riḍá in the City of Love (‘Ishqábád). The tyrants of the earth have subjected that wronged one to such trials as have caused many foreigners to weep and lament for, as reported and ascertained, no less than thirty-two wounds were inflicted upon his blessed body. Yet none of the faithful transgressed My commandment, nor raised his hand in resistance. Come what might, they refused to allow their own inclinations to supersede that which the Book hath decreed, though a considerable number of this people have resided, and still reside, in that city.

Translation Notes

همچنين

ch-n-n → “Likewise”

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

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

شهادت

sh-h-d → “martyrdom”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

حاجی

ḥ-j-j → “testimony” Distinctive

literal: path, way; clear path

محمّد

ḥ-m-d → “thanks”

literal: praise; Muhammad; praised

رضا

r-ḍ-y

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

مدينه

m-d-n → “City”

literal: religion; faith; creed; belief

عشق

ʿ-sh-q → “of Love”

literal: love, passion, ardor

تفکّر

f-k-r → “ponder”

literal: thoughts; ideas; fancies; opinions; to think; to reflect; to contemplate

نمائيد

n-m-ʾ → “thou” Distinctive

literal: to show, to display, to manifest, to exhibit; to manifest; to display; to show

ظالمهای

ẓ-l-m → “Wronged One” Distinctive

literal: wrongedness, oppression, meekness; state of being wronged or oppressed

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “of the earth” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

بر

b-r-r → “upon”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

ان

ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

وارد

w-r-d → “hath befallen” Distinctive

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

اوردند

ʾ-w-r

literal: to bring; bring; brought

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

که

k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

بعضی

b-ʿ-ḍ → “many” Distinctive

literal: part; some; portion

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

ملل

m-l-l → “people”

literal: nation; people; religion; community

خارجه

kh-r-j

literal: bringing out, taking out, expulsion, extraction

گريستند

g-r-y → “weep”

literal: wept; cried; lamented

نوحه

n-w-ḥ → “lament”

literal: to wail; to lament; lamentation

نمودند

n-m-ود → “hath” Distinctive

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

چه

ch-h → “for”

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

قرار

q-r-r → “acknowledged” Distinctive

literal: stability; firmness; establishment

مذکور

dh-k-r

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

سی

n-ḥ-s → “copper”

literal: copper; brass/copper; copper (part 1 of نحاسی split)

دو

d-w

literal: two; run; running

زخم

z-kh-m → “wounds”

literal: wound; injury; sore

جسد

j-s-d → “body”

literal: body; corpse; physical form

مبارکش

b-r-k → “blessed”

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

مع

m-ʿ → “Yet”

literal: with; together with; alongside

ذلک

dh-l-k

literal: abasement; humiliation; lowliness; to be abased

احدی

ʾ-ḥ-d → “none”

literal: oneness; unity; absolute unicity; singleness of divine essence

امر

ʾ-m-r

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

تجاوز

j-w-z → “transgressed”

literal: to transgress; to exceed; to overstep; to cross over

دست

d-s-t → “hand”

literal: hand; control, power, authority

نياورد

ʾ-w-r

literal: to bring; bring; brought

هر

h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

حال

ḥ-w-l

literal: state; condition; circumstance

حکم

ḥ-k-m → “decreed” Distinctive

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

کتاب

k-t-b → “Book”

literal: book; scripture; writing

اراده

r-w-d → “desire”

literal: to will; to intend; to wish; will, volition, intention, desire

خود

kh-w-d → “their own”

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

مقدّم

q-d-m → “Ancient of Days” Distinctive

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

داشتند

d-ʾ-sh → “have been”

literal: to have; to hold; to keep

جمعی

j-m-ʿ → “considerable number” Distinctive

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

حزب

ḥ-z-b → “people”

literal: party; people; community

بوده

b-w-d → “is”

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

هستند

h-s-t → “is”

literal: to be; to exist

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 ¶