Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §63

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 63 of 268.

Source (Persian)

* اين ايّام بعضی از عدل و انصاف گذشته‌اند و با سيف ضغينه و سنان بغضاء هجوم نموده‌اند و حال انکه شان منصفين انکه مردود عالم و مطرود امم را اعانت نمايند و به برّ و تقوی تمسّک جويند * اکثری الی حين ندانسته‌اند که اراده اين مظلوم چيست و بچه جهت حمل بلايای لا تحصی نموده * باری لسان قلب به يا ليت قومی يعلمون ناطق * و مظلوم منقطعا عن الکلّ باين کلمه عليا متکلّم * قد احاطت الامواج سفينة اللّه المهيمن القيّوم * انّک يا ملّاح لا تضطرب عن الارياح انّ فالق الاصباح معک فی هذه الظّلمة الّتی بها اضطربت افئدة العباد الّا من شاء اللّه العزيز المختار *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In these days there are some who, far from being just and fair-minded, have assaulted Me with the sword of hatred and the spear of enmity, forgetting that it behooveth every fair-minded person to succor Him Whom the world hath cast away and the nations abandoned, and to lay hold on piety and righteousness. Most men have until now failed to discover the purpose of this Wronged One, nor have they known the reason for which He hath been willing to endure countless afflictions. Meanwhile, the voice of Mine heart crieth out these words: "O that My people knew!" This Wronged One, rid of attachment unto all things, uttereth these exalted words: "Waves have encompassed the Ark of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Fear not the tempestuous gales, O Mariner! He Who causeth the dawn to appear is, verily, with Thee in this darkness that hath struck terror into the hearts of all men, except such as God, the Almighty, the Unconstrained, hath been pleased to spare."

Translation Notes

اين

ʾ-y-n → “this Chapter”

literal: this; these

ايّام

y-w-m → “days”

literal: day; age; period; era; a day

بعضی

b-ʿ-ḍ → “there are some”

literal: part; some; portion

از

ʾ-z

literal: from

عدل

ʿ-d-l → “just”

literal: justice; equity

انصاف

n-ṣ-f → “equity”

literal: justice; fairness; equity

گذشته‌اند

g-dh-r

literal: to leave; to pass; to abandon

با

b-ʾ-ʾ → “with”

literal: to; with; by

سيف

s-y-f → “sword”

literal: sword

ضغينه

ḍ-gh-n → “hatred”

literal: rancor, hatred, malice, spite

سنان

s-n-n → “years” Distinctive

literal: arrow; pointed weapon; spear-point; edge

بغضاء

b-gh-ḍ → “enmity”

literal: hatred; enmity; animosity

هجوم

h-j-m → “onslaught”

literal: to attack; assault; rush; onslaught

نموده‌اند

n-m-w → “have”

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

حال

ḥ-w-l

literal: state; condition; circumstance

انکه

ʾ-n → “to” Distinctive

literal: that; those; he; she; it

شان

sh-ʾ-n → “in such wise”

literal: affair; concern; matter; aspect; quality; state; affairs; matters; conditions; circumstances; affair, matter, station, rank, dignity; station; rank; importance; matter, affair, concern, dignity, rank

مردود

r-d-d → “reject”

literal: rejected; repudiated

عالم

ʿ-l-m → “world”

literal: world; universe; the worlds

مطرود

ṭ-r-d → “Cast me” Distinctive

literal: cast out; driven away; expelled

امم

ʾ-m-m → “nations”

literal: mother; to lead; to head; matter; affair; people; nation; community; female servant; handmaiden; umma

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

اعانت

ʿ-w-n → “aid”

literal: help; aid; helper; supporter

نمايند

n-m-ʾ

literal: do; show; make

به

b-h

literal: by it; by him; with it

برّ

b-r-r → “righteousness” Distinctive

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

تقوی

w-q-y → “Fear”

literal: to protect, safeguard, shield

تمسّک

m-s-k → “lay hold on” Distinctive

literal: musk; to seize; grip

جويند

j-w-y → “take fast hold”

literal: to seek; to quest; to look for; to search for

اکثری

k-th-r → “Most men”

literal: majority; multitude; abundance; multiplicity

الی

ʾ-l-y → “until now”

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

حين

ḥ-y-n

literal: time; moment; while; season

ندانسته‌اند

d-n-sh → “knowledge” Distinctive

literal: to know; to understand

که

k-h

literal: that; who; who, that

اراده

r-w-d → “purpose” Distinctive

literal: to will; to intend; to wish; will, volition, intention, desire

مظلوم

ẓ-l-m → “This Wronged One”

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

بچه

ch-h → “reason for which”

literal: how; by what means; with what

جهت

j-h-t

literal: direction; aspect; side; regard

حمل

ḥ-m-l → “hath been willing to endure” Distinctive

literal: to bear; to endure; to carry; to tolerate

بلايای

b-l-w → “countless afflictions”

literal: affliction; trial; calamity; trial, tribulation, affliction, calamity; yes; indeed; verily

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تحصی

ḥ-ṣ-y

literal: unnumbered, innumerable, countless, beyond count; to count; to enumerate; to be reckoned

نموده

n-m-ود → “they” Distinctive

literal: do; to do; do/make

باری

b-r-y → “Briefly”

literal: well; cistern; pit

لسان

l-s-n → “tongue”

literal: tongue; language

قلب

q-l-b → “heart”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

يا

y-ʾ → “O ye”

literal: O; or

ليت

l-y-t → “that My” Distinctive

literal: would that; oh that; expressing a wish

قومی

q-w-m → “people knew”

literal: rising; standing; uprising; resurrection

ناطق

n-ṭ-q → “crieth out these words” Distinctive

literal: to speak; to utter; to pronounce; to articulate

منقطعا

q-ṭ-ʿ → “rid of attachment”

literal: to be severed; to be cut off; to detach oneself; to abstain

عن

ʿ-n → “from”

literal: from; about; concerning; away from

الکلّ

k-l-l → “all things”

literal: for us; to us

باين

b-y-n → “these exalted words” Distinctive

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

کلمه

k-l-m

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

عليا

ʿ-l-w

literal: highest; most high; supreme

متکلّم

k-l-m → “words” Distinctive

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

قد

q-d

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

احاطت

ḥ-w-ṭ → “have encompassed”

literal: to encompass, surround, envelop, embrace

الامواج

m-w-j → ““Waves”

literal: wave; billows; surge

سفينة

s-f-n → “Ark”

literal: ship; ship/ark; ship, ark

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

المهيمن

h-m-n → “Help in Peril”

literal: the Protector; the Overseer; the Guardian; inspiration; revelation; intuition

انّک

ʾ-n-n

literal: that; those; he; she; it

ملّاح

m-l-ḥ → “Mariner”

literal: mariner; salt, bitter; salt

تضطرب

ḍ-r-b → “tremble” Distinctive

literal: to be disturbed; to tremble; to be troubled; to be shaken

الارياح

r-y-ḥ

literal: rest; ease; comfort; tranquility; wind; breeze; spirit; fragrance; scent; aroma

فالق

f-l-q → “Who causeth”

literal: opposite; facing; in front of; towards

الاصباح

ṣ-b-ḥ → “the dawn to appear”

literal: glorified; the All-Praised; exalted; dawn; daybreak; morning

معک

m-ʿ → “notwithstanding”

literal: with you; alongside you

فی

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

هذه

h-dh-ʾ

literal: this; this (masculine); this (feminine)

الّتی

ʾ-l-l

literal: who; which/that; which

بها

b-h-w

literal: glory; most glorious; most-glorious

افئدة

f-ʾ-d → “hearts”

literal: heart, innermost soul, mind; heart; inner consciousness; mind; one who benefits; advantageous

العباد

ʿ-b-d → “all men”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

الّا

ʾ-kh-r → “end”

literal: end; hereafter; other

من

m-n

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

شاء

sh-y-ʾ → “hath been pleased to”

literal: thing; something; to will; to wish; to desire; to open; to unfold; to reveal

العزيز

ʿ-z-z → “the Almighty”

literal: glory; might; honor; dignity; power; majesty

المختار

kh-y-r → “the Unconstrained”

literal: west; the western region

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 ¶