Skip to main content

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §57

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 57 of 268.

Source (Persian)

در اين اراضی هر هنگام نوبت عسکريّه ميشود از هر جهتی فزع اکبر ظاهر * و هر يک از دول در هر سنه بر عساکر ميافزايد چه که وزرای حرب در اين فقره حريصند و بهل من مزيد ناطق * از قرار مذکور دولت ايران ايّدها اللّه هم اراده نموده‌اند بر عسکر بيافزايند * نزد مظلوم حال صد هزار عسکر منظّم مرتّب کفايت مينمايد * اميد انکه ان حضرت بر نور عدل بيفزايند * لعمر اللّه عدل جنديست قوی اوست در مقام اوّل و رتبه اولی فاتح افئده و قلوب و اوست مبيّن اسرار وجود و دارای رايت محبّت و جود *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In this land, every time men are conscripted for the army, a great terror seizeth the people. Every nation augmenteth, each year, its forces, for their ministers of war are insatiable in their desire to add fresh recruits to their battalions. We have learned that the government of Persia - may God assist them - have, likewise decided to reinforce their army. In the opinion of this Wronged One a force of one hundred thousand fully-equipped and well-disciplined men would suffice. We hope that thou wilt cause the light of justice to shine more brightly. By the righteousness of God! Justice is a powerful force. It is, above all else, the conqueror of the citadels of the hearts and souls of men, and the revealer of the secrets of the world of being, and the standard-bearer of love and bounty.

Translation Notes

جهتی
jhtí j-h-t

literal: direction; reason; directions

SE rendered هنگام (hngám)نوبت (núbt)عسکريّه (ʿskrírh)ميشود (míshúd)از (iz)هر (hr)جهتی (jhtí)فزع (fzʿ)اکبر (ikbr)ظاهر (ẓáhr)هر (hr)يک (yk)از (iz) as “time, men, are, conscripted, for, Every, terror, great, seizeth, one”

side 50% incline 50%
سنه
snh s-n-h

literal: year; years; year-old

SE rendered ظاهر (ẓáhr)هر (hr)يک (yk)از (iz)دول (dúl)هر (hr)سنه (snh)بر (br)عساکر (ʿsákr)ميافزايد (míáfzáyd)چه (chh)وزرای (wzráy) as “seizeth, each year, one, for, nation, forces, augmenteth, ministers of war”

years 59% year 22% many 4% centuries 4% aeons 4% “the 4% ere 4%
بر
br b-r-r

literal: on; on, upon; upon

SE rendered ظاهر (ẓáhr)هر (hr)يک (yk)از (iz)دول (dúl)هر (hr)سنه (snh)بر (br)عساکر (ʿsákr)ميافزايد (míáfzáyd)چه (chh)وزرای (wzráy) as “seizeth, each year, one, for, nation, forces, augmenteth, ministers of war”

land 33% upon 11% piety 11% unto 11% pious 6% righteousness 6% beseech 6% good 6% against 6% indignities 6%
چه
chh ch-h

literal: what; what/for; whatsoever, that which

SE rendered هر (hr)سنه (snh)بر (br)عساکر (ʿsákr)ميافزايد (míáfzáyd)چه (chh)وزرای (wzráy)حرب (ḥrb)فقره (fqrh)حريصند (ḥríṣnd) as “each year, forces, augmenteth, ministers of war, insatiable”

what 50% whatsoever 50%
حرب
ḥrb ḥ-r-b

literal: war; warfare

SE rendered عساکر (ʿsákr)ميافزايد (míáfzáyd)چه (chh)وزرای (wzráy)حرب (ḥrb)فقره (fqrh)حريصند (ḥríṣnd) as “forces, augmenteth, ministers of war, insatiable”

war 50% ravaged 50%
فقره
fqrh f-q-r

literal: poor; poverty; matter

SE rendered ميافزايد (míáfzáyd)چه (chh)وزرای (wzráy)حرب (ḥrb)فقره (fqrh)حريصند (ḥríṣnd)بهل (bhl)مزيد (mzíd) as “augmenteth, ministers of war, insatiable, add fresh recruits”

بهل
bhl h-l-l

literal: have

SE rendered وزرای (wzráy)حرب (ḥrb)فقره (fqrh)حريصند (ḥríṣnd)بهل (bhl)مزيد (mzíd) as “ministers of war, insatiable, add fresh recruits”

ناطق
náṭq n-ṭ-q

literal: speak; speaking

SE rendered فقره (fqrh)حريصند (ḥríṣnd)بهل (bhl)مزيد (mzíd)ناطق (náṭq)از (iz)قرار (qrár)مذکور (mdhkúr)دولت (dúlt)ايران (iyrán) as “insatiable, add fresh recruits, the government, Persia”

uttering 25% speak 15% utterance 10% rational 10% uttered 10% speaketh 10% reciteth 5% voice 5% recite 5% say 5%
قرار
qrár q-r-r

literal: established

SE rendered حريصند (ḥríṣnd)بهل (bhl)مزيد (mzíd)ناطق (náṭq)از (iz)قرار (qrár)مذکور (mdhkúr)دولت (dúlt)ايران (iyrán)ايّدها (iyydhá) as “insatiable, add fresh recruits, the government, Persia, God assist”

مذکور
mdhkúr dh-k-r

literal: mention; mentioned

SE rendered مزيد (mzíd)ناطق (náṭq)از (iz)قرار (qrár)مذکور (mdhkúr)دولت (dúlt)ايران (iyrán)ايّدها (iyydhá)اللّه (al-lh) as “add fresh recruits, the government, Persia, God assist”

بيافزايند
bíáfzáynd f-z-y “augmenteth” Distinctive

literal: increase

This form usually rendered as “reinforce” (1 occurrences)

نزد
nzd n-z-d

literal: near; near, with; near/with

SE rendered نموده‌اند (nmúdh‌ánd)بر (br)عسکر (ʿskr)بيافزايند (bíáfzáynd)نزد (nzd)مظلوم (mẓlúm)حال (ḥál)صد (ṣd)هزار (hzár)عسکر (ʿskr)منظّم (mnẓẓm) as “have learned, force, reinforce, Wronged One, hundred, thousand, fully-equipped”

unto 23% sight 15% have 8% estimation 8% whenever 8% visited 8% all 8% eyes 8% came 8% compared 8%
حال
ḥál ḥ-w-l

literal: state; now

SE rendered عسکر (ʿskr)بيافزايند (bíáfzáynd)نزد (nzd)مظلوم (mẓlúm)حال (ḥál)صد (ṣd)هزار (hzár)عسکر (ʿskr)منظّم (mnẓẓm)مرتّب (mrttb)کفايت (kfáyt) as “force, reinforce, Wronged One, hundred, thousand, fully-equipped, well-disciplined, suffice”

now 57% consider 11% present 8% reflect 5% behold 5% state 4% how 3% today 3% what 3% ponder 3%
انکه
inkh ʾ-n “that”

literal: that; indeed; that, to

SE rendered مرتّب (mrttb)کفايت (kfáyt)مينمايد (mínmáyd)اميد (imíd)انکه (inkh)حضرت (ḥḍrt)بر (br)نور (núr)عدل (ʿdl)بيفزايند (bífzáynd) as “well-disciplined, suffice, may, hope, that, thou, light, justice, shine”

have 10% behold 10% will 10% such 10% either 10% \‘verily 10% verily 10% truth 10% \‘they 10% although 10%
قوی
qúy q-w-y

literal: strength; power; strong

SE rendered بيفزايند (bífzáynd)لعمر (lʿmr)اللّه (al-lh)عدل (ʿdl)جنديست (jndíst)قوی (qúy)اوست (iwst)مقام (mqám) as “shine, By the righteousness, God, Justice, is a powerful force, It is, above all else”

اوّل
iwwl ʾ-w-l

literal: first; firstness; beginning

SE rendered عدل (ʿdl)جنديست (jndíst)قوی (qúy)اوست (iwst)مقام (mqám)اوّل (iwwl)رتبه (rtbh)اولی (iwlí)فاتح (fátḥ)افئده (ifʾdh)قلوب (qlúb) as “Justice, is a powerful force, It is, above all else, conqueror, hearts, souls”

رايت
ráyt r-ʾ-y

literal: see; mirror; to see

SE rendered اوست (iwst)مبيّن (mbíbn)اسرار (isrár)وجود (wjúd)دارای (dáráy)رايت (ráyt)محبّت (mḥbbt)جود (júd) as “are, revealer, secrets, the world of being, standard-bearer, love, bounty”

found 25% flash 25% thou 25% perceived 25%

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

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Fire Tablet cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 cover

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 ¶