Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §208

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 208 of 268.

Source (Persian)

يوئيل ميفرمايد [ لانّ يوم الرّبّ عظيم و مخوف جدّا فمن يطيقه ] اوّل در بيان جليل مرقوم در انجيل ميفرمايد [ احدی بحين ظهور اگاه نه لم يحط به الّا اللّه العليم الخبير ] و در ثانی عظمت ظهور را ذکر مينمايد * و همچنين در فرقان ميفرمايد ﴿عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ عَنِ النَّبَأِ العَظِيم﴾ اينست ان نبايکه عظمتش در اکثری از کتب قبل و بعد مذکور * اينست ان نبايکه ارتعدت به فرائص العالم الّا من شاء اللّه الحافظ النّاصر المعين * چنانچه بابصار ظاهره مشاهده شد که جميع عباد و من فی البلاد منقلب و متحيّر گشتند الّا من شاء اللّه *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Joel saith: "For the Day of the Lord is great and very terrible; and who can abide it?" Firstly, in the sublime utterance set forth in the Gospel He saith that none is aware of the time of the Revelation, that none knoweth it except God, the All-Knowing, Who is cognizant of all. Secondly, He setteth forth the greatness of the Revelation. Likewise, in the Qur’án He saith: "Of what ask they of one another? Of the Great Announcement." This is the Announcement, the greatness of which hath been mentioned in most of the Books of old and of more recent times. This is the Announcement that hath caused the limbs of mankind to quake, except such as God, the Protector, the Helper, the Succorer, hath willed to exempt. Men have indeed with their own eyes witnessed how all men and all things have been thrown into confusion and been sore perplexed, save those whom God hath chosen to exempt.

Translation Notes

ميفرمايد

f-r-m → “saith”

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

لانّ

ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

يوم

y-w-m → “Day”

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

الرّبّ

r-b-b → “of the Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

عظيم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “great”

literal: strong; severe; intense; violent

مخوف

kh-w-f → “fear” Distinctive

literal: to fear; to be afraid; fear

جدّا

j-d-d → “new” Distinctive

literal: new; renewal; renew

فمن

m-n-n → “of”

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

يطيقه

ṭ-w-q → “who can abide”

literal: endure; capacity; power/capacity

اوّل

ʾ-w-l → “Firstly”

literal: first; beginning; at first; the first; former; possessors of; those who have; masters of

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

بيان

b-y-n → “utterance”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident; in; among; between; at this moment

جليل

j-l-l → “glory” Distinctive

literal: majesty; glory; exaltation; magnificence

مرقوم

r-q-m → “recorded”

literal: written; inscribed; marked; recorded

انجيل

n-j-l → “Gospel”

literal: Gospel; the Good Tidings

احدی

ʾ-ḥ-d → “none”

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

بحين

ḥ-y-n → “time”

literal: time; moment; while; season

ظهور

ẓ-h-r → “Revelation”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

اگاه

ʾ-g-h → “aware”

literal: aware; cognizant; informed; apprised; awareness; knowledge; consciousness

نه

n-h-y → “forbidden”

literal: end; ended; utmost

لم

l-y-s

literal: to reproach; blame; censure

يحط

ḥ-y-ṭ

literal: encompassing; encompass; encompassed

به

b-h → “of” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

الّا

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

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

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

العليم

ʿ-l-m → “the All-Knowing”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

الخبير

kh-b-r → “the All-Informed”

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

ثانی

th-n-y

literal: praise; commendation; eulogy; glorification; praise, commendation, eulogy

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

ذکر

dh-k-r → “mentioned”

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

مينمايد

n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

literal: to show, to display, to manifest, to exhibit; to manifest; to display; to show

همچنين

ch-n-n → “Likewise”

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

فرقان

f-r-q → “Qur’án”

literal: faction; sect; group; company

﴿عَمَّ

ʿ-m-m → “all” Distinctive

literal: with them; in their company

يَتَسَاءَلُونَ

s-ʾ-l → “beseech” Distinctive

literal: ask; question; to ask/beseech

عَنِ

ʿ-n → “from”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

النَّبَأِ

n-b-ʾ → “Announcement”

literal: prophet; messenger

اينست

h-s-t → “is”

literal: is; be; are

ان

ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

اکثری

k-th-r → “most”

literal: majority; multitude; abundance; multiplicity

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

کتب

k-t-b → “Books”

literal: book; scripture; writing

قبل

q-b-l → “of old”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

بعد

b-ʿ-d → “after”

literal: after; behind; distance

مذکور

dh-k-r

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

ارتعدت

r-ʿ-d → “quake”

literal: trembled; quaked; shook

فرائص

f-r-ṣ → “limbs”

literal: opportunity; chance

من

m-n → “from”

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

شاء

sh-y-ʾ → “hath willed” Distinctive

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

الحافظ

ḥ-f-ẓ → “Protector” Distinctive

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

النّاصر

n-ṣ-r → “Helper”

literal: aid, help, succor, victory, support

المعين

ʿ-w-n → “aid” Distinctive

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

بابصار

b-ṣ-r → “eyes”

literal: sight; insight; discernment; spiritual perception

مشاهده

sh-h-d → “witnessed”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

شد

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

عباد

ʿ-b-d → “men”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

فی

f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

البلاد

b-l-d

literal: city; land; country

منقلب

q-l-b → “hearts” Distinctive

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

متحيّر

ḥ-y-r → “perplexed”

literal: bewildered; perplexed; confused; astounded; amazed; bewilderment; perplexity; wonder; amazement

گشتند

g-sh-t → “have been”

literal: to become; to turn; to be

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 ¶