Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §52

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 52 of 268.

Source (Persian)

کلمه ثانی که در ورق ثانی از فردوس ذکر نموديم اين است * قلم بيان در اين حين مظاهر قدرت و مشارق اقتدار يعنی حضرات ملوک و سلاطين ايّدهم اللّه را نصيحت مينمايد و به دين و تمسّک بان وصيّت ميکند اوست سبب بزرگ از برای نظم جهان و اطمينان من فی الامکان * سستی ارکان دين سبب قوّت جهّال و جرئت و جسارت شده * براستی ميگويم انچه از مقام بلند دين کاست بر غفلت اشرار افزود و نتيجه بالآخره هرج و مرج است * اسمعوا يا اولی الابصار ثمّ اعتبروا يا اولی الانظار *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

The second word We have recorded on the second leaf of Paradise is the following: "The Pen of the Divine Expounder exhorteth, at this moment, the manifestations of authority and the sources of power, namely the kings and rulers of the earth - may God assist them - and enjoineth them to uphold the cause of religion, and to cleave unto it. Religion is, verily, the chief instrument for the establishment of order in the world, and of tranquillity amongst its peoples. The weakening of the pillars of religion hath strengthened the foolish, and emboldened them, and made them more arrogant. Verily I say: The greater the decline of religion, the more grievous the waywardness of the ungodly. This cannot but lead in the end to chaos and confusion. Hear Me, O men of insight, and be warned, ye who are endued with discernment!"

Translation Notes

کلمه

k-l-m → “word”

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

ثانی

th-n-y → “second”

literal: praise; commendation; eulogy; glorification; praise, commendation, eulogy

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

در

d-r-r → “on”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

ورق

w-r-q → “leaf”

literal: leaf, page, sheet, parchment, document

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

فردوس

f-r-d-w-s → “Paradise”

literal: paradise; garden

ذکر

dh-k-r → “recorded” Distinctive

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

نموديم

n-m-ʾ → “may” Distinctive

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

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

است

b-w-d → “is”

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

قلم

q-l-m → “Pen”

literal: pen; writing instrument

بيان

b-y-n → “Divine Expounder” Distinctive

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

حين

ḥ-y-n → “moment”

literal: time; moment; while; season

مظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “manifestations”

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

قدرت

q-d-r → “power”

literal: power; might; decree; measure; worth

مشارق

sh-r-q → “Dayspring”

literal: honor; nobility; eminence; to honor

يعنی

ʿ-n-y → “meaning” Distinctive

literal: that is; meaning; i.e.

حضرات

ḥ-ḍ-r

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

ملوک

m-l-k → “kings”

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

سلاطين

s-l-ṭ → “rulers”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

ايّدهم

ʾ-y-d → “assist” Distinctive

literal: to support, assist, strengthen, confirm; to support; to assist; to strengthen; to aid; confirmation; support; strengthening

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

نصيحت

n-ṣ-ḥ → “exhorteth” Distinctive

literal: counsel; advice; admonition

به

b-h → “as”

literal: by it; by him; with it

دين

d-y-n → “religion”

literal: religion; faith; creed; belief

تمسّک

m-s-k → “cleave”

literal: musk; to seize; grip; to hold fast; to cling to; to grasp

بان

ʾ-n-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

وصيّت

w-ṣ-y → “testaments”

literal: counsel; commandment; bequest; will; testament; admonition; command

ميکند

k-r-d → “made” Distinctive

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

اوست

h-s-t → “is”

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

سبب

s-b-b → “cause”

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

بزرگ

b-z-r-g

literal: great; large; important; grandeur

برای

b-r-y → “for the establishment of”

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

نظم

n-ẓ-m → “order”

literal: order; arrangement; organization; system

جهان

j-h-ʾ-n → “world”

literal: world; universe

اطمينان

ṭ-m-n → “tranquillity”

literal: to be at peace; to be reassured; to settle down

من

m-n

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

فی

f-y

literal: in; in-it; in it

الامکان

m-k-n → “all created things”

literal: establishment; confirmation; empowerment; firm settlement; place; possibility; being (negated as ‘non-being’)

سستی

s-s-t → “weakening”

literal: praise; glorification; laudation; level; equal; balanced

ارکان

r-k-n → “pillars” Distinctive

literal: pillar; cornerstone; support; fundamental element; limb; member

قوّت

q-w-t → “power”

literal: strength; power; might

جهّال

j-h-l → “foolish”

literal: ignorant; foolish; the ignorant ones

جرئت

j-r-ʾ → “courage”

literal: trade; commerce; business; to flow; to run; to be in effect; flowing

جسارت

j-s-r → “audacious”

literal: daring; bold; audacious; emboldened

شده

sh-d → “made” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

براستی

r-s-t → “Verily”

literal: truth; verily; truly

ميگويم

g-w-y → “say”

literal: speech; utterance; saying; word

انچه

ʾ-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

مقام

q-w-m

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

بلند

b-l-n-d → “lofty”

literal: high; lofty; raised; to raise

کاست

k-ʾ-s-t → “decline”

literal: to diminish; diminished; foul; lacking

بر

b-r-r

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

غفلت

gh-f-l → “waywardness”

literal: heedlessness; negligence; inattention

اشرار

sh-r-r → “ungodly”

literal: evil; harm; wickedness

افزود

f-z-ʾ → “more grievous”

literal: increase/add; increase; to-increase

نتيجه

n-t-j → “ultimate Purpose”

literal: result; consequence; outcome; fruit

بالآخره

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

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

هرج

h-r-j → “chaos”

literal: tumult; corruption; disorder

مرج

m-r-j → “meadow”

literal: return; place of return; pasture

اسمعوا

s-m-ʿ → “Hear”

literal: heard, hearkened to, acceptable, worthy of attention

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

اولی

ʾ-w-l → “first” Distinctive

literal: first; beginning; at first; the first; former; possessors of; those who have; masters of

الابصار

b-ṣ-r → “insight”

literal: sight; insight; discernment; spiritual perception

ثمّ

th-m-m → “and” Distinctive

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

اعتبروا

ʿ-b-r → “tears” Distinctive

literal: expression; phrase; utterance; statement; passage; wording

الانظار

n-ẓ-r → “discernment”

literal: sight; view; spectacle; appearance

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 ¶