Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §22

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 22 of 268.

Source (Persian)

ای اهل بها با جميع اهل عالم برَوح و ريحان معاشرت نمائيد اگر نزد شما کلمه و يا جوهريست که دون شما از ان محروم بلسان محبّت و شفقت القا نمائيد و بنمائيد اگر قبول شد و اثر نمود مقصد حاصل و الّا او را باو گذاريد و درباره او دعا نمائيد نه جفا * لسان شفقت جذّاب قلوب است و مائده روح و بمثابه معانيست از برای الفاظ و مانند افق است از برای اشراق افتاب حکمت و دانائی

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Consort with all men, O people of Bahá, in a spirit of friendliness and fellowship. If ye be aware of a certain truth, if ye possess a jewel, of which others are deprived, share it with them in a language of utmost kindliness and good-will. If it be accepted, if it fulfill its purpose, your object is attained. If anyone should refuse it, leave him unto himself, and beseech God to guide him. Beware lest ye deal unkindly with him. A kindly tongue is the lodestone of the hearts of men. It is the bread of the spirit, it clotheth the words with meaning, it is the fountain of the light of wisdom and understanding.

Translation Notes

ای

ʾ-y-y → “O”

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

اهل

ʾ-h-l → “people”

literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin

بها

b-h-w → “All-Glorious” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

با

b-ʾ-ʾ → “with”

literal: to; with; by

جميع

j-m-ʿ → “all”

literal: to gather; to assemble; group; number

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “men” Distinctive

literal: world; universe; the worlds

برَوح

r-w-ḥ → “spirit”

literal: to go; to depart; to rest; spirit; soul

معاشرت

ʿ-sh-r → “associated”

literal: association; companionship; social interaction

نمائيد

n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

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

اگر

ʾ-g-r → “were they”

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

نزد

n-z-d → “unto”

literal: near; beside; with; in the presence of

شما

sh-m-ʾ → “ye”

literal: you (plural); your

کلمه

k-l-m → “words”

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

يا

y-ʾ

literal: O; vocative particle; oh (vocative particle)

جوهريست

j-w-h-r → “Essences” Distinctive

literal: jewel; essence; gem; substance

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

دون

d-w-n → “others”

literal: below; lower than; beneath

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

ان

ʾ-n → “it” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

محروم

ḥ-r-m → “deprived”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

بلسان

l-s-n → “language”

literal: tongue; language

محبّت

ḥ-b-b → “love”

literal: love; affection

شفقت

sh-f-q → “kindliness”

literal: tenderness; compassion; mercy; pity

القا

l-q-y → “share”

literal: to cast, throw, utter; to impart

قبول

q-b-l → “accepted”

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

شد

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

اثر

ʾ-th-r → “signs” Distinctive

literal: effect; trace; influence; imprint; sign; mark; vestige

مقصد

q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

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

حاصل

ḥ-ṣ-l → “attained”

literal: obtained; result; sum

الّا

ʾ-kh-r

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

او

h-w-w → “is”

literal: he; it (third person pronoun); refuge; shelter; dwelling place; abode; lamentation, cry, woe; melody, song

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

باو

ʾ-w-w → “himself”

literal: sale; to sell; to swear allegiance; to pledge; to make covenant

گذاريد

g-dh-r → “leave”

literal: to place, leave; to set

درباره

d-r-b → “door”

literal: concerning, about; in connection with

دعا

d-ʿ-w → “beseech”

literal: to let, allow, leave

نه

n-h-y

literal: end; ended; utmost

جفا

j-f-w → “unkindly”

literal: cruelty, harshness, wrong

جذّاب

j-dh-b → “attract” Distinctive

literal: to draw, attract, pull; to be enraptured

قلوب

q-l-b → “hearts”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

است

b-w-d → “is”

literal: to be; are (third person plural present copula)

مائده

m-y-d → “bread”

literal: extended; outstretched; sustained

بمثابه

m-th-l

literal: like; example; parable; similitude

معانيست

ʿ-n-y → “meaning”

literal: care; meaning; meanings

برای

b-r-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

الفاظ

l-f-ẓ → “words”

literal: word; utterance; expression

مانند

m-ʾ-n

literal: to remain; to stay; to be left

افق

ʾ-f-q → “horizon”

literal: horizon; sphere; realm; quarter

اشراق

sh-r-q → “light” Distinctive

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

افتاب

ʾ-f-t-ʾ-b

literal: horizon, direction, region; horizon; sun

حکمت

ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

دانائی

d-ʾ-n → “understanding”

literal: knowledge; wisdom; understanding

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 ¶