Skip to main content

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §145

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 145 of 268.

Source (Persian)

حضرت بولس قدّيس در رساله باهل روميّه نوشته [ لتخضع کلّ نفس للسّلاطين العالية فانّه لا سلطان الّا من اللّه و السّلاطين الکائنة انّما رتّبها اللّه فمن يقاوم السّلطان فانّه يعاند ترتيب اللّه ] (الی ان قال) [ لانّه خادم اللّه المنتقم الّذی ينفّذ الغضب علی من يفعل الشّرّ ] ميفرمايد ظهور سلاطين و شوکت و اقتدار شان من عند اللّه بوده *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In the Epistle to the Romans Saint Paul hath written: "Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God; the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God." And further: "For he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil." He saith that the appearance of the kings, and their majesty and power are of God.

Translation Notes

حضرت
ḥ-ḍ-r → “His Majesty”

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

قدّيس
q-d-s

literal: holy, sacred, sanctified

در
d-r-r → “In”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

رساله
r-s-l → “Apostle” Distinctive

literal: to send; dispatch; transmission

باهل
ʾ-h-l → “people”

literal: supplication; earnest entreaty; imploring

روميّه
r-w-m

literal: stillness; Rome; rest

نوشته
n-w-sh → “drunk” Distinctive

literal: to write; written

لتخضع
kh-ḍ-ʿ → “submissiveness” Distinctive

literal: humility; submissiveness; lowliness

کلّ
k-l-l

literal: for us; to us

نفس
n-f-s → “souls”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

للسّلاطين
s-l-ṭ → “higher powers” Distinctive

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

فانّه
ʾ-n-n → “For there is”

literal: I, verily; behold I

لا
l-ʾ → “no”

literal: no; not; negation particle

الّا
ʾ-kh-r → “but of” Distinctive

literal: except; but; if not; lo; now; at this time; save; only; unless

من
m-n → “of”

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

اللّه
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

الکائنة
k-w-n → “that be”

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

رتّبها
r-t-b → “station” Distinctive

literal: rank; station; degree; time; instance

فمن
m-n-n → “of”

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

يقاوم
q-w-m → “people” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

يعاند
ʿ-n-d → “possess” Distinctive

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

(الی
ʾ-l-y

literal: to; to, toward; to, until

ان
ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

قال)
q-w-l

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

لانّه
ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: I, verily; behold I

خادم
kh-d-m → “serve”

literal: service; servitude; to serve

المنتقم
n-q-m → “chastisement” Distinctive

literal: punishment; vengeance; retribution

الّذی
l-dh-y → “him that” Distinctive

literal: who; which; that which; the one who

ينفّذ
n-f-dh → “irresistible” Distinctive

literal: penetration; execution; penetrating

الغضب
gh-ḍ-b → “wrath”

literal: wrath; anger; rage

علی
ʿ-l-w → “upon” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

يفعل
f-ʿ-l → “doeth”

literal: to do, act, make; deed, action

الشّرّ
sh-r-r → “evil”

literal: evil; harm; wickedness

ميفرمايد
f-r-m → “He saith”

literal: to say; to decree; to ordain; to command

ظهور
ẓ-h-r → “appearance” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

شوکت
sh-w-k → “majesty”

literal: majesty; glory; might; splendor

اقتدار
q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

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

بوده
b-w-d → “are” Distinctive

literal: be; is; to be

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

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Fire Tablet cover

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 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 ¶
Kitáb-i-'Ahd cover

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 ¶
Tablet of Carmel cover

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 cover

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 ¶
Will and Testament cover

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 ¶