Skip to main content

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §179

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 179 of 268.

Source (Persian)

يا شيخ در بحبوحه بلايا اين مظلوم بتحرير اين کلمات مشغول * از جميع جهات نار ظلم و اعتساف مشهود * از يک جهت خبر رسيده اوليا را در ارض طا اخذ نموده‌اند مع انکه افتاب و ماه و برّ و بحر گواه که اين حزب بطراز وفا مزيّنند و جز بارتفاع دولت و نظم مملکت و راحت ملّت بامری تمسّک نجسته و نخواهند جست *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

O Shaykh! While hemmed in by tribulations this Wronged One is occupied in setting down these words. On every side the flame of oppression and tyranny can be discerned. On the one hand, tidings have reached Us that Our loved ones have been arrested in the land of Ta (Ṭihrán) and this notwithstanding that the sun, and the moon, and the land, and the sea all testify that this people are adorned with the adornment of fidelity, and have clung and will cling to naught except that which can ensure the exaltation of the government, and the maintenance of order within the nation, and the tranquillity of the people.

Translation Notes

يا
y-ʾ

literal: O; or

شيخ
sh-y-kh → “Shaykh”

literal: elder; elder/shaykh; sheikh

در
d-r-r

literal: in; in, at; radiant

بحبوحه
b-ḥ-ḥ → “hemmed in by”

literal: midst; depths; heart; bosom; abundance

بلايا
b-l-w → “tribulations”

literal: affliction; trial; calamity; trial, tribulation, affliction, calamity; yes; indeed; verily

اين
ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

مظلوم
ẓ-l-m → “Wronged One”

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

بتحرير
ḥ-r-r → “setting down”

literal: letter; character; edge

کلمات
k-l-m → “words”

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

مشغول
sh-gh-l → “occupied”

literal: to occupy; to engage; to busy; occupation

از
ʾ-z

literal: from

جميع
j-m-ʿ → “every”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

جهات
j-h-t → “side”

literal: direction; aspect; side; regard

نار
n-ʾ-r → “flame”

literal: light; illumination

اعتساف
ʿ-s-f → “tyranny”

literal: oppression; tyranny; wrongdoing; unjust treatment

مشهود
sh-h-d → “discerned” Distinctive

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

يک
y-k → “one”

literal: one; a single

خبر
kh-b-r → “tidings”

literal: all-knowing; aware; well-informed; omniscient

رسيده
r-s-d → “reached”

literal: to send; dispatch; transmission

اوليا
w-l-y → “loved ones” Distinctive

literal: guardian; protector; friend; ally

را
r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

ارض
ʾ-r-ḍ → “land”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

اخذ
ʾ-kh-dh → “arrested”

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

نموده‌اند
n-m-w → “have been”

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

مع
m-ʿ → “this notwithstanding”

literal: with; together with; alongside

انکه
ʾ-n

literal: that; indeed; that, to

افتاب
ʾ-f-t-ʾ-b → “Day-Star”

literal: horizon, direction, region; horizon; sun

ماه
m-ʾ-h → “moon”

literal: moon; month

برّ
b-r-r → “land”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

بحر
b-ḥ-r → “sea” Distinctive

literal: sea; ocean

که
k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

حزب
ḥ-z-b → “people”

literal: party; people; community

بطراز
ṭ-r-z → “with the adornment”

literal: ornament; adornment; embroidery; stripe

وفا
w-f-y → “fidelity”

literal: faithfulness; loyalty; fulfillment; fidelity

مزيّنند
z-y-n → “adorned”

literal: to adorn; ornament; beauty; adornment; embellishment; decoration

جز
j-z

literal: except

بارتفاع
r-f-ʿ → “exaltation”

literal: to be raised, elevated, exalted, lifted up

دولت
d-w-l → “government”

literal: state; government; dynasty; period of rule; dominion

نظم
n-ẓ-m → “order”

literal: order; arrangement; organization; system

مملکت
m-l-k → “nation”

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

راحت
r-w-ḥ → “tranquillity”

literal: rest; comfort; ease; relief

ملّت
m-l-l → “people”

literal: for us; to us

بامری
ʾ-m-r

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

تمسّک
m-s-k → “clung”

literal: musk; to seize; grip; to hold fast; to cling to; to grasp

نجسته
j-s-t

literal: unclean; polluted; sullied; defiled

نخواهند
kh-w-h → “will cling”

literal: to want; to wish; will (future auxiliary); brother; sibling

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 ¶