Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §93

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 93 of 268.

Source (Persian)

( الی ان قلنا ) لا تخونوا فی اموال النّاس کونوا امناء فی الارض و لا تحرموا الفقراء عمّا آتاکم اللّه من فضله انّه يعطيکم ضعف ما عندکم انّه هو المعطی الکريم * يا اهل البهاء سخّروا مدائن القلوب بسيوف الحکمة و البيان * انّ الّذين يجادلون باهواء انفسهم اولئک في حجاب مبين * قل سيف الحکمة احرّ من الصّيف واحدّ من سيف الحديد لو کنتم من العارفين * اخرجوه باسمی و سلطانی ثمّ افتحوا به مدائن افئدة الّذين اعتکفوا فی حصن الهوی کذلک يامرکم قلم الابهی اذ کان جالسا تحت سيوف الغافلين * ان اطّلعتم علی خطيئة استروها ليستر اللّه عنکم انّه هو السّتّار ذو الفضل العظيم * يا ملأ الاغنياء ان رأيتم فقيرا لا تستکبروا عليه تفکّروا فيما خلقتم منه قد خلق کلّ من ماء مهين

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And further We have said: "Deal not treacherously with the substance of your neighbor. Be ye trustworthy on earth, and withhold not from the poor the things given unto you by God through His grace. He, verily, will bestow upon you the double of what ye possess. He, in truth, is the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous. O people of Bahá! Subdue the citadels of men's hearts with the swords of wisdom and of utterance. They that dispute, as prompted by their desires, are indeed wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: The sword of wisdom is hotter than summer heat, and sharper than blades of steel, if ye do but understand. Draw it forth in My name and through the power of My might, and conquer, then, with it the cities of the hearts of them that have secluded themselves in the stronghold of their corrupt desires. Thus biddeth you the Pen of the All-Glorious, whilst seated beneath the swords of the wayward. If ye become aware of a sin committed by another, conceal it, that God may conceal your own sin. He, verily, is the Concealer, the Lord of grace abounding. O ye rich ones on earth! If ye encounter one who is poor, treat him not disdainfully. Reflect upon that whereof ye were created. Every one of you was created of a sorry germ."

Translation Notes

الی

ʾ-l-y

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

انّ

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

قلنا

q-w-l → “We have said”

literal: little; few; scanty; small in quantity

لا

l-ʾ → “or”

literal: no; not; negation particle

تخونوا

kh-w-n → “treacherously”

literal: blood

فی

f-y → “with”

literal: in a day; during a day; one day after another

اموال

m-w-l → “substance”

literal: hope; wish; desire; aspiration

النّاس

n-ʾ-s → “men”

literal: companionship; fellowship; familiarity; to keep company

کونوا

k-w-n → “Be ye”

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

امناء

ʾ-m-n → “trustworthy”

literal: to believe; to have faith; to be secure; trust; trustworthiness; covenant; deposit; believer, faithful

الارض

ʾ-r-ḍ → “earth”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

تحرموا

ḥ-r-m → “withhold”

literal: sanctity, inviolability, dignity, honor, respect

الفقراء

f-q-r → “poor”

literal: poor; needy; the poor one; pauper

آتاکم

ʾ-t-y → “come” Distinctive

literal: to come; to arrive; to bring; to go; coming; arrival; the one coming; to give; Revelation; came; gave; brought

اللّه

ʾ-l-h → “God”

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

من

m-n → “by” Distinctive

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

فضله

f-ḍ-l → “grace”

literal: grace; bounty; generosity; excellence

انّه

ʾ-n-n → “He, verily”

literal: I, verily; behold I

يعطيکم

ʿ-ṭ-y → “render thee” Distinctive

literal: bounty; gift; bestowal; grace; bountifulness

ضعف

ḍ-ʿ-f → “weakness”

literal: weak; feeble; imperfect

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

literal: what; which; that which; relative pronoun; interrogative

عندکم

ʿ-n-d → “ye possess”

literal: vessel; container; circumstance; adroitness

هو

h-w → “is”

literal: He; He is

المعطی

ʿ-ṭ-y → “of Thy bounty” Distinctive

literal: bounty; gift; bestowal; grace; bountifulness

الکريم

k-r-m → “the Most Generous”

literal: Carmel (Mount Carmel); vineyard, fruitful field; honor; generosity; nobility

يا

y-ʾ → “O”

literal: O; or

اهل

ʾ-h-l → “people”

literal: people; inhabitants; family; kin; worthy; deserving; my family; my people; my kin

البهاء

b-h-w → “the All-Glorious” Distinctive

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

سخّروا

s-kh-r → “Subdue”

literal: to subdue, subject, render submissive; to harness

مدائن

m-d-n → “citadels” Distinctive

literal: religion; faith; creed; belief

القلوب

q-l-b → “hearts”

literal: heart; to turn; to overturn

بسيوف

s-y-f → “with the swords”

literal: sword

الحکمة

ḥ-k-m → “wisdom”

literal: government; rule; governance; wisdom; firm; solid; strengthened

البيان

b-y-n → “utterance”

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

الّذين

l-dh-y → “They that”

literal: those who; the ones who (relative pronoun)

يجادلون

j-d-l → “conflict” Distinctive

literal: dispute; contention; disputation

باهواء

h-w-y → “by their desires”

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

انفسهم

n-f-s

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

اولئک

ʾ-w-l

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

حجاب

ḥ-j-b → “palpable veil”

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

احرّ

ḥ-r-r → “heat” Distinctive

literal: heat; writing; freedom

الصّيف

ṣ-y-f → “summer heat”

literal: summer

واحدّ

w-ḥ-d → “one”

literal: Divine unity; monotheism; belief in the oneness of God

الحديد

ḥ-d-d

literal: iron; sharp, keen, acute

لو

l-w → “If”

literal: if; would that; O that

العارفين

ʿ-r-f → “understand”

literal: to confess; to acknowledge; to recognize

اخرجوه

kh-r-j → “Draw it forth” Distinctive

literal: go out; exit; outside

باسمی

s-m-w → “in My name”

literal: heaven; sky

سلطانی

s-l-ṭ → “through the power of”

literal: dominion; authority; power; sovereignty; control

ثمّ

th-m-m → “then”

literal: then; thereafter; next; moreover

افتحوا

f-t-ḥ → “open”

literal: opening; opening up; conquests; revelations; disclosure

به

b-h → “with it” Distinctive

literal: by it; by him; with it

افئدة

f-ʾ-d → “hearts”

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

اعتکفوا

ʿ-k-f → “Seclude not yourselves” Distinctive

literal: seclude; devoted; retreat

حصن

ḥ-ṣ-n → “stronghold”

literal: fortress, stronghold, fortified place

الهوی

h-w-y → “their corrupt desires”

literal: desire; vain desire; inclination; passion; whim; realm; region

کذلک

dh-l-k → “Thus”

literal: thus; likewise; also

يامرکم

ʾ-m-r → “biddeth you”

literal: command; cause; matter; affair; Cause (of God); to command; to order

قلم

q-l-m → “Pen”

literal: pen; writing instrument

اذ

ʾ-dh-dh → “whilst”

literal: when; since

جالسا

j-l-s

literal: council; assembly; gathering; session

تحت

t-ḥ-t → “beneath”

literal: under; under, beneath; beneath

الغافلين

gh-f-l → “of the wayward”

literal: heedlessness; negligence; inattention

اطّلعتم

ṭ-l-ʿ → “become aware”

literal: rising; appearance; countenance; manifestation

علی

ʿ-l-w → “of” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

خطيئة

kh-ṭ-ʾ → “grievous transgression” Distinctive

literal: error; sins; sin

استروها

s-t-r → “conceal”

literal: to veil; to conceal; to cover; veil; covering

عنکم

ʿ-n → “from”

literal: with them; in their company

ذو

dh-w → “girded with”

literal: possessor of; one having; those having

العظيم

ʿ-ẓ-m → “Most Great”

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

ملأ

m-l-ʾ → “ye rich ones” Distinctive

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

الاغنياء

gh-n-y → “wealth” Distinctive

literal: to be independent of; to be in no need of; to dispense with; rich; wealthy; needless

رأيتم

r-ʾ-y → “Thou seest” Distinctive

literal: see; to see; see/behold

تستکبروا

k-b-r → “grandeur” Distinctive

literal: great; grand; mighty; large; greatness; majesty; sovereignty; arrogance

عليه

ʿ-l-y

literal: upon; on; exalted

تفکّروا

f-k-r → “Reflect”

literal: reflection; reflect; contemplation

خلقتم

kh-l-q → “ye were created”

literal: character; moral traits; disposition; conduct

قد

q-d

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

کلّ

k-l-l → “Every one”

literal: for us; to us

ماء

m-w-h → “water”

literal: water; shelter; refuge; dwelling; abode; essence

مهين

m-h-n → “germ”

literal: abasement; ignominy; disgrace; contempt

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Fire Tablet

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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

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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

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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 ¶