Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §23

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 23 of 268.

Source (Persian)

* مقصود از علماء در اين موارد که ذکر شده نفوسی هستند که خود را در ظاهر بلباس علم می‌ارايند و در باطن از ان محروم * در ذکر اين مقام در لوح حضرت سلطان چند فقره از فقرات کلمات مکنونه که باسم صحيفه فاطميّه صلوات اللّه عليها از قلم ابهی ظاهر ذکر ميشود *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

By "divines" in the passage cited above is meant those men who outwardly attire themselves with the raiment of knowledge, but who inwardly are deprived therefrom. In this connection, We quote from the Tablet addressed to His Majesty the Sháh, certain passages from the "Hidden Words" which were revealed by the Abhá Pen under the name of the "Book of Fáṭimih," the blessings of God be upon her!

Translation Notes

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “meant those”

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

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

موارد

w-r-d

literal: to enter, to come, to befall, to arrive

که

k-h → “which”

literal: that; who; who, that

ذکر

dh-k-r → “mention”

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

شده

sh-d → “is” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

نفوسی

n-f-s → “men”

literal: self; soul; psyche

هستند

h-s-t → “are”

literal: to be; to exist

خود

kh-w-d → “their own”

literal: self; himself; herself; itself; own

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “outwardly” Distinctive

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

بلباس

l-b-s → “garb” Distinctive

literal: garment; clothing; raiment; vesture

علم

ʿ-l-m → “knowledge”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

می‌ارايند

ʾ-r-y → “attire”

literal: to will; to intend; to desire; to display; to show; to present

باطن

b-ṭ-n → “inwardly”

literal: inner; hidden; inward; esoteric

ان

ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

محروم

ḥ-r-m → “deprived”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

مقام

q-w-m

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

لوح

l-w-ḥ → “Tablet”

literal: tablet; panel; divine decree; revelation

حضرت

ḥ-ḍ-r → “His Majesty”

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

سلطان

s-l-ṭ → “Sháh”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

چند

ch-n-d → “while” Distinctive

literal: some; several; a few; how many

فقره

f-q-r → “passages” Distinctive

literal: poor; needy; the poor one; pauper

کلمات

k-l-m → “Words”

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

مکنونه

k-n-n → ““Hidden”

literal: to do; to make; to perform

باسم

s-m-w → “under the name”

literal: harm; strength; blame; hardship, adversity, tribulation, distress

صحيفه

ṣ-ḥ-f → ““Book”

literal: pages; scriptures; book

فاطميّه

f-ṭ-m → “his mother’s milk”

literal: Fatimah; weaning

صلوات

ṣ-l-w → “blessings”

literal: blessings; prayers; salutations

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

عليها

ʿ-l-y → “be upon her”

literal: highest; most high; supreme

قلم

q-l-m → “Pen”

literal: pen; writing instrument

ابهی

b-h-w → “Abhá” Distinctive

literal: splendor; glory; magnificence; Bahá (Proper Name in Bahá’í texts)

ميشود

sh-w-d

literal: perhaps, perchance, haply, maybe, possibly; to become; to be; to happen; to occur

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 ¶