Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §169

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 169 of 268.

Source (Persian)

يا شيخ در انچه ذکر شده تفکّر فرما شايد بقوّت اسم قيّوم از رحيق مختوم بياشامی و بيابی انچه را که کلّ از ادراکش عاجزند * کمر همّت را محکم نما و قصد ملکوت اعلی کن شايد در حين تنزيل نفحات وحی و الهام را بيابی و بان فائز شوی * براستی ميگويم از برای امر الهی شبه و مثلی نبوده و نيست حجبات اوهام را خرق نما انّه يمدّک و يؤيّدک فضلا من عنده و هو القویّ الغالب القدير * تا وقت باقی و سدره مبارکه ما بين بريّه باعلی النّداء ناطق خود را منع منما توکّل علی اللّه و فوّض امورک اليه ثمّ احضر فی السّجن الاعظم لتسمع ما لا سمعت الآذان شبهه و تری ما لا رأت العيون و الابصار * ايا بعد از اين بيان از برای احدی حجّتی باقيست ؟ لا و نفس اللّه القائمة علی الامر * براستی ميگويم امروز کلمه مبارکه ﴿وَ لَکِنْ رَسُولَ اللّهِ وَ خَاتَمَ النَّبِيِّينَ﴾ بيوم ﴿يَقُومُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ العَالَمِينَ﴾ منتهی شد اشکر اللّه بهذا الفضل العظيم *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

O Shaykh! Ponder upon the things which have been mentioned, perchance thou mayest quaff the Sealed Wine through the power of the name of Him Who is the Self-Subsisting, and obtain that which no one is capable of comprehending. Gird up the loins of endeavor, and direct thyself towards the Most Sublime Kingdom, that haply thou mayest perceive, as they descend upon Me, the breaths of Revelation and inspiration, and attain thereunto. Verily, I say: The Cause of God hath never had, nor hath it now, any peer or equal. Rend asunder the veils of idle fancies. He, in truth, will reinforce thee, and assist thee, as a token of His grace. He, verily, is the Strong, the All-Subduing, the Almighty. While there is yet time, and the blessed Lote-Tree is still calling aloud amongst men, suffer not thyself to be deprived. Place thy trust in God, and commit thine affairs unto Him, and enter then the Most Great Prison, that thou mayest hear what no ear hath ever heard, and gaze on that which no eye hath ever seen. After such an exposition, can there remain any room for doubt? Nay, by God, Who standeth over His Cause! In truth I say: On this day the blessed words "But He is the Apostle of God, and the Seal of the Prophets" have found their consummation in the verse "The day when mankind shall stand before the Lord of the worlds." Render thou thanksgiving unto God, for so great a bounty.

Translation Notes

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

شيخ

sh-y-kh → “Shaykh”

literal: elder; elder/shaykh; sheikh

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

انچه

ʾ-n → “things” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

ذکر

dh-k-r → “mentioned”

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

شده

sh-d → “have been”

literal: to become; to be

تفکّر

f-k-r → “Ponder”

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

فرما

f-r-m → “He” Distinctive

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

شايد

sh-y-d → “perchance”

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

بقوّت

q-w-y → “through the power”

literal: strength; power; might; piety; fear of God; godliness

اسم

s-m-w → “name”

literal: name; title; designation

قيّوم

q-w-m → “Him Who is the Self-Subsisting”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

رحيق

r-ḥ-q → “Sealed Wine”

literal: wine; pure drink; choice beverage (metaphorical for divine knowledge and love)

بياشامی

sh-r-b → “quaff”

literal: to drink; to imbibe

بيابی

y-ʾ-b → “they may find” Distinctive

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

کلّ

k-l-l → “no one” Distinctive

literal: for us; to us

ادراکش

d-r-k → “comprehending”

literal: to overtake; to catch; to reach; to attain; to perceive; to comprehend

عاجزند

ʿ-j-z → “powerlessness” Distinctive

literal: to be unable; to fail; to be exhausted; impotence; أعجاز (roots of trees/extremities) is Pattern II plural, distinct from ‘inability’ forms

کمر

k-m-r → “loins”

literal: loins; waist; to gird

همّت

h-m-m → “endeavor”

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

محکم

ḥ-k-m

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

نما

n-m-ʾ → “Gird up”

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

قصد

q-ṣ-d → “direct”

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

ملکوت

m-l-k → “Most Sublime Kingdom”

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

اعلی

ʿ-l-w

literal: highest; most high; supreme

کن

k-w-n

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

حين

ḥ-y-n

literal: time; moment; while; season

تنزيل

n-z-l → “descend”

literal: to descend, to be revealed

نفحات

n-f-ḥ → “breaths” Distinctive

literal: breeze; fragrance; whiff; breath; emanation

وحی

w-ḥ-y → “Revelation”

literal: revelation; inspiration; divine communication

الهام

l-h-m → “inspiration”

literal: inspiration; divine inspiration; revelation

بان

ʾ-n-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

فائز

f-w-z → “attain”

literal: benefit, profit, advantage; usefulness; bounty; effusion; grace

شوی

sh-d-n → “hath been” Distinctive

literal: be; become

براستی

r-s-t → “Verily”

literal: truth; verily; truly

ميگويم

g-w-y → “say”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

برای

b-r-y → “for”

literal: for; on; briefly

امر

ʾ-m-r → “Cause of God”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

الهی

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

شبه

sh-b-h → “peer”

literal: doubt; uncertainty; suspicion; resemblance; semblance

مثلی

m-th-l → “equal”

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

نيست

b-w-d → “hath it now”

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

حجبات

ḥ-j-b → “veils”

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

اوهام

w-h-m → “idle fancies”

literal: to imagine, suppose; fancy, idle imagination

خرق

kh-r-q → “Rend asunder”

literal: miracle; extraordinary occurrence; to tear; to breach

انّه

ʾ-n-n → “He”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

يمدّک

m-d-d → “ink” Distinctive

literal: extended; outstretched; sustained

يؤيّدک

ʾ-y-d → “assist” Distinctive

literal: to support, assist, strengthen, confirm; to support; to assist; to strengthen; to aid; confirmation; support; strengthening

فضلا

f-ḍ-l → “token of His grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

من

m-n → “thee” Distinctive

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

عنده

ʿ-n-d → “thee” Distinctive

literal: obstinacy; opposition; enmity

هو

h-w → “He”

literal: He; He is

القویّ

q-w-y → “power”

literal: strength; power; might; piety; fear of God; godliness

الغالب

gh-l-b → “All-Subduing”

literal: to overcome, overpower, vanquish, prevail

القدير

q-d-r → “Almighty”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

تا

t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

وقت

w-q-t → “time”

literal: time; occasion; moment; period

باقی

b-q-y

literal: remaining; everlasting; eternal; immortal; permanence; duration; continuance

سدره

s-d-r → “Lote-Tree”

literal: lote-tree; divine tree

مبارکه

b-r-k → “blessed”

literal: blessed; auspicious; fruitful

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

بريّه

b-r-ʾ → “men” Distinctive

literal: to create; to create anew; to be free from; innocent; free from; clear of; to cure; to heal; to clear

النّداء

n-d-y → “calling aloud” Distinctive

literal: call; voice; proclamation; forty; forty years

ناطق

n-ṭ-q

literal: to speak; to utter; to pronounce; to articulate

خود

kh-w-d

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

منع

m-n-ʿ → “deprived” Distinctive

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

توکّل

w-k-l → “trust”

literal: agency; representation; trusteeship; delegated authority; to rely; to trust; to place trust in

فوّض

f-w-ḍ → “commit”

literal: to delegate; to entrust; to resign; resignation to God’s will

امورک

ʾ-m-r → “affairs”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

اليه

ʾ-l-y → “besmirch”

literal: to; to him; besmirch

ثمّ

th-m-m → “then”

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

احضر

ḥ-ḍ-r → “His Majesty” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

فی

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

السّجن

s-j-n → “Prison”

literal: prison, imprisonment; to imprison

الاعظم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “Most Great”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

لتسمع

s-m-ʿ → “hear”

literal: heard, hearkened to, acceptable, worthy of attention

لا

l-ʾ → “no”

literal: no; not; negation particle

الآذان

ʾ-dh-n → “ear”

literal: ear; permission; leave; to permit; to allow; to listen

تری

r-ʾ-y → “Thou seest”

literal: to see; to perceive; to look; to see, to observe, to behold; to view; vision; dream; sight; ل is prefix; verb تری (you see) is from ر-ا-ي

العيون

ʿ-y-n → “eye”

literal: eye; fountain; spring; essence; to appoint; to designate; to specify; to determine

الابصار

b-ṣ-r

literal: sight; insight; discernment; spiritual perception

ايا

ʾ-y-y

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

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “After”

literal: after; behind; distance

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

بيان

b-y-n → “utterance”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident

احدی

ʾ-ḥ-d → “any room” Distinctive

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

حجّتی

ḥ-j-j

literal: path, way; clear path

باقيست

b-q-y → “everlasting”

literal: remaining; everlasting; eternal; immortal; permanence; duration; continuance

نفس

n-f-s → “thyself”

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

امروز

r-w-z → “On this day”

literal: day; today; that-day

کلمه

k-l-m → “words”

literal: words; utterances; locutions; word; utterance; speech; sayings; verses

لَکِنْ

l-k-n → “however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

رَسُولَ

r-s-l → “Apostle”

literal: to send; dispatch; transmission

خَاتَمَ

kh-t-m → “Seal”

literal: to seal; to conclude; to end; seal

النَّبِيِّينَ﴾

n-b-y → “Prophets”

literal: prophet; prophets

بيوم

y-w-m → “in the verse “The day”

literal: day; age; period; era; a day

النَّاسُ

n-ʾ-s → “mankind” Distinctive

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

لِرَبِّ

r-b-b → “Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

العَالَمِينَ﴾

ʿ-l-m → “worlds”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

منتهی

n-h-y → “forbidden” Distinctive

literal: stinking, foul-smelling; stench

اشکر

sh-k-r → “Render thou thanksgiving”

literal: thankfulness, gratitude; to give thanks, be grateful; manifest; evident; apparent; clear

بهذا

h-dh-ʾ

literal: this; that

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 ¶