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Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §41

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 41 of 268.

Source (Persian)

و در مقام ديگر * يا ملأ الارض سارعوا الی مرضاة اللّه و جاهدوا حقّ الجهاد فی اظهار امره المبرم المتين * قد قدّرنا الجهاد فی سبيل اللّه بجنود الحکمة و البيان و بالاخلاق و الاعمال کذلک قضی الامر من لدن قویّ قدير * ليس الفخر لمن يفسد فی الارض بعد اصلاحها اتّقوا اللّه يا قوم و لا تکونوا من الظّالمين *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And in another connection: "O peoples of the earth! Haste ye to do the pleasure of God, and war ye valiantly, as it behooveth you to war, for the sake of proclaiming His resistless and immovable Cause. We have decreed that war shall be waged in the path of God with the armies of wisdom and utterance, and of a goodly character and praiseworthy deeds. Thus hath it been decided by Him Who is the All-Powerful, the Almighty. There is no glory for him that committeth disorder on the earth after it hath been made so good. Fear God, O people, and be not of them that act unjustly."

Translation Notes

در
d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

مقام
q-w-m → “another connection”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

ديگر
d-g-r

literal: home; place; land; abode

يا
y-ʾ → “O ye”

literal: O; or

ملأ
m-l-ʾ → “peoples” Distinctive

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

الارض
ʾ-r-ḍ → “the earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

سارعوا
s-r-ʿ → “Haste ye”

literal: speed; swiftness; haste

الی
ʾ-l-y → “towards”

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

مرضاة
r-ḍ-y → “pleasure”

literal: good-pleasure, consent, satisfaction; satisfaction; pleasure; approval; contentment

اللّه
ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

جاهدوا
j-h-d → “Strive” Distinctive

literal: effort; striving; exertion; endeavor

حقّ
ḥ-q-q → “truth”

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

فی
f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

اظهار
ẓ-h-r → “proclaiming”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest; to display; to reveal; ظهور here means ‘backs’ (plural of ظهر), different semantic use than manifestation

امره
ʾ-m-r → “Cause”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair

المبرم
b-r-m → “resistless”

literal: to bind firmly; compelling, irresistible, immovable

المتين
m-t-n → “mighty”

literal: firm, strong, robust, steadfast

قد
q-d

literal: verily; indeed; certainly (particle of emphasis)

قدّرنا
q-d-r → “decreed”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

سبيل
s-b-l → “path”

literal: path; way; road; cause; means

بجنود
j-n-d → “hosts”

literal: hosts, armies, troops

الحکمة
ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom

البيان
b-y-n → “utterance”

literal: to manifest; to make clear; clear, evident

بالاخلاق
kh-l-q → “character”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

الاعمال
ʿ-m-l → “deeds”

literal: to work; to act; to do; to perform

کذلک
dh-l-k → “Thus”

literal: thus; likewise; also

قضی
q-ḍ-y → “decree”

literal: requirement; exigency; what demands or calls for; to require; to necessitate; to demand

لدن
l-d-n → “by”

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

قویّ
q-w-y → “All-Powerful”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

ليس
l-y-s → “There is no”

literal: is not; to be not

الفخر
f-kh-r → “glory”

literal: glory; boasting; pride

لمن
m-n → “for him” Distinctive

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

يفسد
f-s-d → “mischief” Distinctive

literal: corruption; corrupt; corrupter

بعد
b-ʿ-d → “after”

literal: after; behind; distance

اصلاحها
ṣ-l-ḥ → “hath been made”

literal: peace; reconciliation

اتّقوا
w-q-y → “Fear”

literal: to fear; to frighten; afraid

لا
l-ʾ → “not”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تکونوا
k-w-n → “be”

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

الظّالمين
ẓ-l-m → “that act unjustly” Distinctive

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

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

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