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Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §21

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 21 of 268.

Source (Persian)

جهد نمائيد تا باين مقام بلند اعلی که مقام صيانت و حفظ عالم انسانيست فائز شويد اين قصد سلطان مقاصد و اين امل مليک امال * و لکن تا افق افتاب عدل از سحاب تيره ظلم فارغ نشود ظهور اين مقام مشکل بنظر می‌ايد و سحاب تيره مظاهر ظنون و اوهامند يعنی علمای ايران * گاهی بلسان شريعت و هنگامی بلسان حقيقت و طريقت نطق نموديم و مقصد اقصی و غايت قصوی ظهور اين مقام بلند اعلی بوده و کفی باللّه شهيدا *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Exert yourselves that ye may attain this transcendent and most sublime station, the station that can insure the protection and security of all mankind. This goal excelleth every other goal, and this aspiration is the monarch of all aspirations. So long, however, as the thick clouds of oppression, which obscure the day-star of justice, remain undispelled, it would be difficult for the glory of this station to be unveiled to men's eyes. These thick clouds are the exponents of idle fancies and vain imaginings, who are none other but the divines of Persia. At one time We spoke in the language of the lawgiver; at another in that of the truth-seeker and the mystic, and yet Our supreme purpose and highest wish hath always been to disclose the glory and sublimity of this station. God, verily, is a sufficient witness!

Translation Notes

جهد
j-h-d → “Strive”

literal: effort; striving; exertion; endeavor

نمائيد
n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

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

تا
t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

باين
b-y-n → “utterance”

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

مقام
q-w-m → “station”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

بلند
b-l-n-d → “lofty”

literal: high; lofty; raised; to raise

اعلی
ʿ-l-w → “exalted”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

که
k-h → “station that can”

literal: that; who; who, that

صيانت
ṣ-w-n → “insure the protection”

literal: preservation; safeguarding; protection

حفظ
ḥ-f-ẓ → “security” Distinctive

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

عالم
ʿ-l-m → “mankind” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

انسانيست
ʾ-n-s → “mankind”

literal: human; mankind; of humanity

فائز
f-w-z

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

اين
ʾ-y-n → “This”

literal: this; these

قصد
q-ṣ-d → “goal excelleth every other goal”

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

سلطان
s-l-ṭ → “monarch of all” Distinctive

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

امل
ʾ-m-l → “desire”

literal: hope; expectation; aspiration; desire; wish; to hope; to wish

مليک
m-l-k

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

لکن
l-k-n → “So long, however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

افق
ʾ-f-q

literal: horizon; sphere; realm; quarter

افتاب
ʾ-f-t-ʾ-b → “Day-Star”

literal: horizon, direction, region; horizon; sun

عدل
ʿ-d-l → “justice”

literal: justice; equity

از
ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

سحاب
s-ḥ-b → “thick clouds”

literal: cloud; clouds

تيره
t-y-r → “obscured”

literal: arrow; dark; gloomy

ظلم
ẓ-l-m

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

فارغ
f-r-gh

literal: free; detached; empty; unoccupied

نشود
sh-w-d → “be”

literal: to become; to be

ظهور
ẓ-h-r → “Revelation”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

مشکل
sh-k-l → “difficult”

literal: formation; constitution; establishment; composition; to form; to establish

بنظر
n-ẓ-r → “eyes” Distinctive

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

می‌ايد
ʾ-y-d

literal: sign; verse; miracle; token; verses; signs; proofs

ظنون
ẓ-n-n → “idle fancies”

literal: fancy; supposition; vain imagination; idle conjecture

اوهامند
w-h-m → “vain imaginings”

literal: illusion; fancy; illusions

يعنی
ʿ-n-y → “who are none other”

literal: that is; meaning; i.e.

گاهی
g-ʾ-h → “At one time”

literal: sometimes; at times; occasionally

بلسان
l-s-n → “in the language”

literal: tongue; language

شريعت
sh-r-ʿ → “lawgiver”

literal: law; legislation; religious law; canon; ordinance

هنگامی
h-n-g → “time” Distinctive

literal: time; when; occasion

حقيقت
ḥ-q-q → “truth-seeker”

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

طريقت
ṭ-r-q → “mystic”

literal: path; way; road; method

نطق
n-ṭ-q → “spoke”

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

اقصی
q-ṣ-w → “Supreme”

literal: utmost; furthest extent; supreme

غايت
gh-y-t → “highest wish”

literal: purpose; aim; goal; end; ultimate

بوده
b-w-d → “hath always been” Distinctive

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

کفی
k-f-y → “sufficient”

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

باللّه
ʾ-l-h → “God, verily”

literal: supplication; earnest entreaty; imploring

شهيدا
sh-h-d → “witness”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

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