Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §205
Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 205 of 268.
Source (Persian)
يا شيخ تغرّدات حمامات بيان را بر افنان سدره عرفان اصغا نمودی * حال تغنّيات طيور حکمت را که در جنّت عليا مرتفع است بشنو انّه يعرّفک ما کنت غافلا عنه * اسمع ما نطق به لسان القوّة و القدرة فی کتب اللّه مقصود العارفين * فی هذا الحين ارتفع النّداء من سدرة المنتهی فی قطب الفردوس الاعلی و امرنی بان اذکر لجنابک ما نزل فی الزّبر و الالواح و ما نطق به مبشّری الّذی فدی بنفسه لهذا النّبأ العظيم و الصّراط المستقيم * قال و قوله الحقّ [ و قد کتبت جوهرة فی ذکره و هو انّه لا يشار باشارتی و لا بما ذکر فی البيان ] الی قوله عزّ و جلّ فی ذکر هذا الظّهور الاعظم و النّبأ العظيم [ انّه اجلّ و اعلی من ان يکون معروفا بدونه او مستشيرا باشارة خلقه و انّنی انا اوّل عبد قد آمنت به و بآياته و اخذت من ابکار حدائق جنّة عرفانه حدائق کلماته * بلی و عزّته هو الحقّ لا اله الّا هو کلّ بامره قائمون ] انتهی * حمامه حقيقی بر اغصان سدره الهی به اين کلمات تغنّی فرموده طوبی از برای نفسيکه باصغای ان فائز شد و از بحور بيان الهی که در هر کلمه مستور اخذ نمود و اشاميد * و همچنين در مقام ديگر ندای بيان از اعلی الاغصان مرتفع قوله تبارک و تعالی [ و فی سنة التّسع انتم کلّ خير تدرکون ] و در مقام ديگر ميفرمايد [ و فی سنة التّسع انتم بلقاء اللّه ترزقون ] انتهی * اين نغمات که از طيور مدائن عرفان ظاهر گشته مطابق است بما انزله الرّحمن فی الفرقان طوبی للمتبصّرين و طوبی للفائزين *
Shoghi Effendi Translation
O Shaykh! Thou hast heard the sweet melodies of the Doves of Utterance cooing on the boughs of the Lote-Tree of knowledge. Hearken, now, unto the notes of the Birds of Wisdom upraised in the Most Sublime Paradise. They verily will acquaint thee with things of which thou wert wholly unaware. Give ear unto that which the Tongue of Might and Power hath spoken in the Books of God, the Desire of every understanding heart. At this moment a Voice was raised from the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing, in the heart of the Most Sublime Paradise, bidding Me relate unto thee that which hath been sent down in the Books and Tablets, and the things spoken by My Forerunner, Who laid down His life for this Great Announcement, this Straight Path. He hath said - and He, verily, speaketh the truth: "I have written down in My mention of Him these gem-like words: \‘No allusion of Mine can allude unto Him, neither anything mentioned in the Bayán.'" And further, He - exalted and glorified be He - saith, concerning this most mighty Revelation, this Great Announcement: "Exalted and glorified is He above the power of any one to reveal Him except Himself, or the description of any of His creatures. I Myself am but the first servant to believe in Him and in His signs, and to partake of the sweet savors of His words from the first-fruits of the Paradise of His knowledge. Yea, by His glory! He is the Truth. There is none other God but Him. All have arisen at His bidding." Such are the words sung by the Dove of Truth on the boughs of the Divine Lote-Tree. Well is it with him that hath given ear unto its Voice, and quaffed from the oceans of Divine utterance that lie concealed in each of these words. In another connection hath the Voice of the Bayán called aloud from the loftiest branches. He saith - blessed and glorified be He: "In the year nine ye will attain unto all good." On another occasion He saith: "In the year nine ye will attain unto the Presence of God." These melodies, uttered by the Birds of the cities of Knowledge, conform with that which hath been sent down by the All-Merciful in the Qur’án. Blessed are the men of insight; blessed they that attain thereunto.
Translation Notes
عليا
literal: exalted; highest; supreme; most high; upon you; on; over; Ali (name); upon
الظّهور
literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest
آمنت
literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure; trust; trustworthiness; covenant; deposit; believer, faithful
بآياته
literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof; sign, verse, miracle, token, indication; ayah; he; him; it
برای
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
للفائزين
literal: benefit, profit, advantage; usefulness; bounty; effusion; grace
