Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §218

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 218 of 268.

Source (Persian)

و همچنين در لوح فؤاد و لوح پاريس و الواح اخری نازل شده انچه که هر صاحب انصافی شهادت ميدهد بر قدرت و عظمت و علم حقّ جلّ جلاله * اگر بعدل ملاحظه نمايند بر سرّ اين ايه مبارکه ﴿لَا رَطْبٍ وَ لَا يَابِسٍ إِلَّا فِی کِتَابٍ مُبِينٍ﴾ اگاه ميشوند و ادراک مينمايند * و لکنّ اليوم منع النّاس اعراضهم عن ادراک ما نزّل بالحقّ من لدن منزل قديم * سبحان اللّه آيات باهرات از جميع جهات احاطه نموده مع ذلک اکثری از عباد از مشاهده و اگاهی ان محرومند * از حقّ ميطلبم توفيق عطا فرمايد تا جميع بر لالی مستوره در اصداف بحر اعظم اگاه شوند و به لک الحمد يا اله العالم ناطق گردند *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And likewise, in the Lawh-i-Fu'ad, and in the Tablet of the King of Paris (Napoleon III), and in other Tablets, there hath been revealed that which will lead every fair-minded person to testify unto the power, and the majesty, and the wisdom of God - exalted be His glory. Were men to observe with the eye of justice, they would be made aware of the secret of this blessed verse: "Neither is there a thing green or sere, but it is noted in a distinct writing," and would comprehend it. On this day, however, men's repudiation of the truth hath prevented them from understanding what hath been sent down in truth by Him Who is the Revealer, the Ancient of Days. Gracious God! Perspicuous signs have appeared on every side, and yet men are, for the most part, deprived of the privilege of beholding and of comprehending them. We beseech God to bestow His aid, that all men may recognize the pearls that lie hid within the shells of the Most Great Ocean, and exclaim: "Praised be Thou, O God of the world!"

Translation Notes

همچنين

ch-n-n → “likewise”

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

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

لوح

l-w-ḥ → “Tablet”

literal: tablet; panel; divine decree; revelation

فؤاد

f-ʾ-d

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

اخری

ʾ-kh-r → “other”

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

نازل

n-z-l → “revealed”

literal: to descend, to be revealed

شده

sh-d → “hath been”

literal: to become; to be

انچه

ʾ-n → “that which”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

هر

h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

صاحب

ṣ-ḥ-b → “person”

literal: possessor; those who have; companion; followers

انصافی

n-ṣ-f → “fair-minded”

literal: justice; fairness; equity

شهادت

sh-h-d → “testify”

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

ميدهد

d-h → “imputed” Distinctive

literal: give; grant; bestow; award

بر

b-r-r → “unto”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

قدرت

q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

عظمت

ʿ-ẓ-m → “majesty”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

علم

ʿ-l-m → “wisdom” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

حقّ

ḥ-q-q → “God”

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

جلّ

j-l-l → “exalted”

literal: majesty; glory; exaltation; magnificence

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

بعدل

ʿ-d-l → “justice”

literal: justice; equity

ملاحظه

l-ḥ-ẓ → “observe”

literal: assembly; multitude; chiefs; to fill; people of rank; fullness, assembly

نمايند

n-m-ʾ → “may”

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

سرّ

s-r-r → “secret”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

ايه

ʾ-y-y → “verse”

literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof; sign, verse, miracle, token, indication; ayah; he; him; it

مبارکه

b-r-k → “blessed”

literal: blessed; auspicious; fruitful

﴿لَا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

رَطْبٍ

r-ṭ-b → “green”

literal: moisture; dampness; humidity

يَابِسٍ

y-b-s → “sere”

literal: to wither; dry up; desiccate

فِی

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

کِتَابٍ

k-t-b → “Book”

literal: book; scripture; writing

مُبِينٍ﴾

b-y-n → “utterance” Distinctive

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

اگاه

ʾ-g-h → “aware”

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

ميشوند

sh-w-d → “would be made”

literal: become; to become; became

ادراک

d-r-k → “comprehend”

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

لکنّ

l-k-n → “however”

literal: but; however; yet; nevertheless

اليوم

y-w-m → “On this day”

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

منع

m-n-ʿ → “prevented”

literal: forbidden; prevented; deprived

النّاس

n-ʾ-s → “men’s repudiation”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

اعراضهم

ʿ-r-ḍ

literal: to turn away; to avert; to abstain; heedless

عن

ʿ-n → “from”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

من

m-n → “by Him” Distinctive

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

لدن

l-d-n → “by”

literal: from; on the part of; from before; near

قديم

q-d-m → “Ancient of Days”

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

سبحان

s-b-ḥ → “Gracious God”

literal: glorified; the All-Praised; exalted; dawn; daybreak; morning

اللّه

ʾ-l-h

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

باهرات

b-h-r → “resplendent”

literal: portion, share; for the sake of; spring (season)

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “every”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

جهات

j-h-t → “side”

literal: direction; aspect; side; regard

احاطه

ḥ-w-ṭ → “have appeared on” Distinctive

literal: to encompass, surround, envelop, embrace

نموده

n-m-ود → “hath”

literal: do; to do; do/make

مع

m-ʿ

literal: with; together with; alongside

ذلک

dh-l-k → “yet” Distinctive

literal: abasement; humiliation; lowliness; to be abased

اکثری

k-th-r → “most part”

literal: majority; multitude; abundance; multiplicity

عباد

ʿ-b-d → “men”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

محرومند

ḥ-r-m → “deprived”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

ميطلبم

ṭ-l-b → “beseech”

literal: seeker, one who seeks; those who seek

توفيق

w-f-q → “aid”

literal: accord, agreement, harmony; to agree, accord with

عطا

ʿ-ṭ-w → “bestow”

literal: the letter Ṭá; refers to Ṭihrán (also spelled Ṭehran)

فرمايد

f-r-m

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

تا

t-y-y → “that”

literal: so that/until

لالی

l-ʾ-l → “pearls”

literal: pearls; gems; precious things

مستوره

s-t-r → “lie hid”

literal: to veil; to conceal; to cover; veil; covering

اصداف

ṣ-d-f → “shells”

literal: shell; oyster shell

بحر

b-ḥ-r → “Ocean”

literal: sea; ocean

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

لک

literal: for; for you; for him

الحمد

ḥ-m-d → ““Praised”

literal: praise; to praise

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

اله

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

ناطق

n-ṭ-q → “spoken” Distinctive

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

گردند

g-r-d → “become”

literal: to become; to happen; to come to pass

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 ¶