Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §181

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 181 of 268.

Source (Persian)

و از جهت ديگر دائره سفارت ايران در مدينه کبيره بتمام قدرت و قوّت بتضييع اين مظلومان مشغول انّهم ارادوا امرا و اللّه اراد امرا آخر * حال تفکّر فرمائيد در انچه بر امنای حقّ در هر ديار وارد شده گاهی نسبت سرقت و دزدی داده‌اند و هنگامی بمفترياتی تکلّم نموده‌اند که در عالم شبه و مثل نداشته * حال ان جناب بانصاف تکلّم فرمايند ايا نسبت سرقتی که از جانب سفارت کبری برعيّت خود داده ثمر و اثرش در ممالک خارجه چيست ؟ از اين فقره اين مظلوم خجل شد نه از جهت انکه سبب و علّت تضييع اين عبد بوده بلکه علّت خجلت اطّلاع سفرای اجنبيّه بر مراتب تدبير و ادراک جمعی از معتبرين ايران در سفارت کبری بوده * [ متّهم داری کسانی را که حقّ کرد امين مخزن هفتم طبق ] باری از مقاميکه بايد مقامات عاليه طلب نمايند و اخذ رای کنند در اطفاء نورش ساعی و جاهدند * و لکن در ظهور اين فقره از قرار مذکور جناب سفير کبير معين الملک ميرزا محسن خان ايّده اللّه در استانه تشريف نداشته‌اند * و اين امور نظر بان است که حضرت پادشاه ايران ايّده الرّحمن را از محرمان حرم عرفان مکدّر ميدانند حقّ شاهد و گواه که اين مظلوم لا زال باسبابيکه سبب عزّت دولت و ملّت است متمسّک بوده و کفی باللّه شهيدا *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

On the other hand, the officials of the Persian Embassy in the Great City (Constantinople) are energetically and assiduously seeking to exterminate these wronged ones. They desire one thing, and God desireth another. Consider now what hath befallen the trusted ones of God in every land. At one time they have been accused of theft and larceny; at another they have been calumniated in a manner without parallel in this world. Answer thou fairly. What could be the results and consequences, in foreign countries, of the accusation of theft brought by the Persian Embassy against its own subjects? If this Wronged One was ashamed, it was not because of the humiliation it brought this servant, but rather because of the shame of its becoming known to the Ambassadors of foreign countries how incompetent and lacking in understanding are several eminent officials of the Persian Embassy. "Flingest thou thy calumnies into the face of Them Whom the one true God hath made the Trustees of the treasures of His seventh sphere?" Briefly, instead of seeking, as they should, through Him Who occupieth this sublime station, to attain unto the most exalted ranks, and to obtain His advice, they have exerted themselves and are striving their utmost to put out His light. However, according to what hath been reported, His Excellency the Ambassador Mu'inu'l-Mulk, Mírzá Muhsin Khán - may God assist him - was, at that time, absent from Constantinople. Such things have happened because it was believed that His Majesty the Sháh of Persia - may the All-Merciful assist him - was angry with them that have attained and revolve round the Sanctuary of Wisdom. God well knoweth and testifieth that this Wronged One hath, at all times, been cleaving fast unto whatever would be conducive to the glory of both the government and the people. God, verily, is sufficient Witness.

Translation Notes

از

ʾ-z → “the” Distinctive

literal: from

جهت

j-h-t → “other”

literal: direction; aspect; side; regard

ديگر

d-g-r → “another”

literal: home; place; land; abode

دائره

d-w-r → “the”

literal: land; region; place; abode; dwelling

سفارت

s-f-r → “Embassy”

literal: embassy, envoy, intercession

در

d-r-r → “the” Distinctive

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مدينه

m-d-n → “city”

literal: religion; faith; creed; belief

کبيره

k-b-r → “grandeur” Distinctive

literal: great; grand; mighty; large; greatness; majesty; sovereignty; arrogance

بتمام

t-m-m → “energetically and assiduously”

literal: most complete; to complete; perfect; fullness

قدرت

q-d-r

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

قوّت

q-w-t → “power”

literal: strength; power; might

بتضييع

ḍ-y-ʿ

literal: wasting; squandering; loss; harm

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

مظلومان

ẓ-l-m → “wronged ones”

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

مشغول

sh-gh-l

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

انّهم

ʾ-n-n → “They”

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

ارادوا

r-y-d → “desire” Distinctive

literal: to intend; to will; to desire

امرا

ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

آخر

ʾ-kh-r → “another”

literal: the hereafter, the next life, the world to come; last, latter; the next life, the hereafter; delay; postponement

حال

ḥ-w-l → “Consider”

literal: state; condition; circumstance

تفکّر

f-k-r → “Consider” Distinctive

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

فرمائيد

f-r-m → “Consider”

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

انچه

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

بر

b-r-r → “land”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

امنای

ʾ-m-n → “faith” Distinctive

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure

حقّ

ḥ-q-q → “God”

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

هر

h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

وارد

w-r-d → “hath befallen” Distinctive

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

گاهی

g-ʾ-h → “At one time”

literal: sometimes; at times; occasionally

نسبت

n-s-b → “of” Distinctive

literal: relation; relationship; connection; attribution; proportion

سرقت

s-r-q → “stolen”

literal: thief; robber; stealer

دزدی

d-z-d

literal: theft; robbery; stealing

هنگامی

h-n-g → “time” Distinctive

literal: time; when; occasion

بمفترياتی

f-r-y → “calumniated”

literal: slander; calumny; fabrication; false accusation

تکلّم

k-l-m

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

نموده‌اند

n-m-w → “have”

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

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “this world”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

شبه

sh-b-h → “doubt” Distinctive

literal: doubt; uncertainty; suspicion; resemblance; semblance

مثل

m-th-l

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

نداشته

d-ʾ-sh-t → “have no”

literal: to have; to possess; to hold

جناب

j-n-b → “thou”

literal: to avoid; to shun; to keep away from

بانصاف

n-ṣ-f → “fairly” Distinctive

literal: justice; fairness; equity

ايا

ʾ-y-y

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

کبری

k-b-r → “Embassy”

literal: great; grand; mighty; large; greatness; majesty; sovereignty; arrogance

برعيّت

r-ʿ-y → “shepherd”

literal: to guard, watch over, regard, heed, respect, maintain; care; protection; guardianship; watchfulness

خود

kh-w-d → “its own subjects”

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

داده

d-ʾ-d → “of equity”

literal: give; grant; bestow; award

ثمر

th-m-r → “fruit”

literal: fruit; the fruit

اثرش

ʾ-th-r

literal: effect; writing; trace

ممالک

m-l-k → “Kingdom”

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

خارجه

kh-r-j → “banished” Distinctive

literal: bringing out, taking out, expulsion, extraction

فقره

f-q-r

literal: poor; needy; the poor one; pauper

خجل

kh-j-l → “ashamed”

literal: shame; embarrassment; disgrace

شد

sh-d → “was”

literal: to become; to be

نه

n-h-y → “forbidden”

literal: end; ended; utmost

سبب

s-b-b

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

علّت

ʿ-l-l → “rather because of the”

literal: cause; reason; sick

عبد

ʿ-b-d → “servant”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

بوده

b-w-d

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

بلکه

b-l-k → “Nay”

literal: nay; but rather; on the contrary; but

اطّلاع

ṭ-l-ʿ → “Dayspring” Distinctive

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

مراتب

r-t-b → “station”

literal: rank; station; degree; time; instance

تدبير

d-b-r → “Take ye counsel together” Distinctive

literal: deliberation; consideration; prudence; management; planning; counsel

ادراک

d-r-k → “comprehend”

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

جمعی

j-m-ʿ → “all” Distinctive

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

معتبرين

ʿ-t-b → “eminent officials”

literal: respected; esteemed; credible; prominent

متّهم

t-h-m → “calumnies” Distinctive

literal: accused; suspected; charged

داری

d-ʾ-r → “repository”

literal: to have; to hold; to possess; to maintain

کسانی

k-s → “Him” Distinctive

literal: alike; equal; similar

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

کرد

k-r-d → “made”

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

امين

ʾ-m-n → “Trustees” Distinctive

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure

مخزن

kh-z-n → “treasures of”

literal: to store, to treasure; storehouse, depository, treasury

هفتم

h-f-t → “seventh”

literal: seven; seventh

طبق

ṭ-b-q → “conform” Distinctive

literal: layer; stratum; to fold; to accord

باری

b-r-y → “Briefly”

literal: well; cistern; pit

بايد

b-y-d → “should”

literal: by hand; with hands; eternal; perpetual; everlasting

مقامات

q-w-m → “most exalted ranks” Distinctive

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

عاليه

ʿ-l-w → “most exalted ranks”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

طلب

ṭ-l-b → “seeking”

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

نمايند

n-m-ʾ → “may”

literal: do; show; make

اخذ

ʾ-kh-dh → “arrested”

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

رای

r-ʾ-y

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

اطفاء

ṭ-f-ʾ → “put out His light”

literal: to extinguish, put out, quench; to be extinguished; to perish; to go out

نورش

n-w-r

literal: light; illumination

ساعی

s-ʿ-y → “to strive”

literal: endeavor; effort; striving; exertion; endeavour

جاهدند

j-h-d

literal: effort; striving; exertion; endeavor

لکن

l-k-n

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

ظهور

ẓ-h-r

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

قرار

q-r-r

literal: stability; firmness; establishment

مذکور

dh-k-r → “mentioned”

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

معين

ʿ-y-n

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

محسن

ḥ-s-n

literal: goodness; beauty; excellence; good deed

خان

kh-w-n

literal: blood; betray; betrayal, disloyalty

ايّده

ʾ-y-d → “assist him”

literal: hand; power; strength; (plural) hands; agents; helpers; to assist, to support, to aid, to strengthen

استانه

s-t-n → “Sublime Porte”

literal: threshold; capital city; province

تشريف

sh-r-f

literal: honor; honored; noble

نظر

n-ẓ-r

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

بان

ʾ-n-n

literal: them (pronoun + object marker)

حضرت

ḥ-ḍ-r → “His Majesty”

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

پادشاه

p-ʾ-d-sh-ʾ-h → “Sháh”

literal: king; monarch; shah

الرّحمن

r-ḥ-m

literal: merciful, compassionate; pertaining to divine mercy

حرم

ḥ-r-m → “Sanctuary of Wisdom” Distinctive

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

عرفان

ʿ-r-f

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

مکدّر

k-d-r → “angry”

literal: turbidity; turbidness; cloudiness; murkiness

ميدانند

d-ʾ-n → “considered” Distinctive

literal: know; to know; knowledge

شاهد

sh-h-d → “testifieth”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

لا

l-ʾ

literal: no; not; negation particle

زال

z-w-l → “at all times”

literal: to pass away; to vanish; to disappear; to cease

عزّت

ʿ-z-z → “glory of”

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

دولت

d-w-l → “government”

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

ملّت

m-l-l → “people”

literal: for us; to us

متمسّک

m-s-k → “cleaving fast unto”

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

کفی

k-f-y → “sufficient”

literal: to be content; to suffice; to be satisfied; to be satisfied with

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 ¶