Will and Testament — §4

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 4 of 59.

Source (Persian)

از جملهٔ از بلایای جمال قدم ظلم و عدوان و ستم و طغیان میرزا یحیی بود که آن مظلوم مسجون با وجود آنکه او را از صغر سنّ در آغوش عنایت پرورش داد و در هر دمی انواع نوازش مبذول فرمود و ذکرش را بلند کرد و از هر آفات محافظه نمود و عزیز دو جهان فرمود و با وجود وصایا و نصائح شدیدۀ حضرت اعلی و تصریح بنصّ قاطع ایّاک ایّاک ان تحتجب بالواحد الأوّل و ما نزّل فی البیان و واحد اوّل نفس مبارک حضرت اعلی و هجده حروف حیّ هستند باز میرزا یحیی انکار نمود و تکذیب کرد و القای شبهات نمود و از آیات بیّنات چشم پوشید و اغماض کرد ای کاش باین اکتفا مینمود بلکه دم اطهر را هدر کرد و فریاد واویلا بلند نمود و نسبت ظلم و ستم داد در ارض سرّ چه فساد و فتنه‌ئی برپا کرد تا آنکه سبب شد که نیّر اشراق باین سجن اعظم سرگون شد و در مغرب این زندان مظلوماً افول فرمود

Shoghi Effendi Translation

And still another of His trials was the hostility, the flagrant injustice, the iniquity and rebellion of Mírzá Yaḥyá. Although that Wronged One, that Prisoner, had through His loving-kindness nurtured him in His own bosom ever since his early years, had showered at every moment His tender care upon him, exalted his name, shielded him from every misfortune, endeared him to them of this world and the next, and despite the firm exhortations and counsels of His Holiness the Exalted One (the Báb) and His clear and conclusive warning: “Beware, beware, lest the Nineteen Letters of the Living and that which hath been revealed in the Bayán veil thee!”—yet notwithstanding this, Mírzá Yaḥyá denied Him, dealt falsely with Him, believed Him not, sowed the seeds of doubt, closed his eyes to His manifest verses and turned aside therefrom. Would that he had been content therewith! Nay, he even attempted to shed the sacred blood (of Bahá’u’lláh) and then raised a great clamour and tumult around him, attributing unto Bahá’u’lláh malevolence and cruelty towards himself. What sedition he stirred up and what a storm of mischief he raised whilst in the Land of Mystery (Adrianople)! At last, he wrought that which caused the Day-Star of the world to be sent an exile to this, the Most Great Prison, and sorely wronged, and in the West of this Great Prison He did set.

Translation Notes

از

ʾ-z → “of”

literal: from

جملهٔ

j-m-l → “another”

literal: beauty; comeliness

بلایای

b-l-w → “trials”

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

قدم

q-d-m

literal: ancientness; antiquity; foot; to come forward

ظلم

ẓ-l-m → “flagrant injustice” Distinctive

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

عدوان

ʿ-d-w → “enemies” Distinctive

literal: hostility, aggression, enmity, transgression

ستم

s-t-m → “iniquity”

literal: oppression, tyranny, cruelty

طغیان

ṭ-gh-y → “oppressors” Distinctive

literal: transgression; rebellion; tyranny; insolence

یحیی

ḥ-y-y → “life” Distinctive

literal: life; living; shame

بود

b-w-d → “was”

literal: to be; to exist; to have been

که

k-h → “of” Distinctive

literal: that; who; who, that

آن

ʾ-n → “that”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

مسجون

s-j-n → “that Prisoner”

literal: prison, imprisonment; to imprison

با

b-ʾ-ʾ → “have clung”

literal: to; with; by

وجود

w-j-d → “being”

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

او

h-w-w → “is”

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

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

صغر

ṣ-gh-r → “young” Distinctive

literal: smallness; insignificance; youth; to belittle

سنّ

s-n-n → “early years”

literal: year; years; spear

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

آغوش

gh-w-sh → “His own bosom”

literal: bosom; embrace; lap; arms

عنایت

ʿ-n-y → “through His loving-kindness”

literal: to concern; to mean; to turn away from; bounty; loving-kindness; grace; divine care; attention; meaning; significance; inner sense

پرورش

p-r-w-r → “We beg of Thee” Distinctive

literal: nourishment; education; upbringing; rearing; sustenance

داد

d-ʾ-d → “of equity”

literal: to give; to grant; to present; justice; judgment; to see; sight; eye; seen

هر

h-r → “every”

literal: whatever; all that; whatever thing

دمی

d-m-y → “blood”

literal: breath; moment; instant

انواع

n-w-ʿ

literal: type; kind; species

نوازش

n-w-z → “tender care”

literal: tenderness; caressing; tender care; comfort

مبذول

b-dh-l

literal: to give; to bestow; to expend

فرمود

f-r-m → “he” Distinctive

literal: to say; to decree; to ordain; to command

ذکرش

dh-k-r → “his name” Distinctive

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

بلند

b-l-n-d → “lofty”

literal: high; lofty; raised; to raise

کرد

k-r-d → “made”

literal: to do; to make; to perform; deed; action; conduct; behavior

آفات

ʾ-f-t → “Daystar” Distinctive

literal: sun; calamity; calamity, misfortune

محافظه

ḥ-f-ẓ → “shielded”

literal: guardian; preserver; keeper

نمود

n-m-ʾ → “believed Him not” Distinctive

literal: to become; to be

عزیز

ʿ-z-z → “glory” Distinctive

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

دو

d-w

literal: two; run; running

جهان

j-h-ʾ-n → “world”

literal: world; universe

وصایا

w-ṣ-y → “testaments” Distinctive

literal: admonition; admonish; testament

نصائح

n-ṣ-ḥ → “exhortations” Distinctive

literal: counsel; advice; admonition

شدیدۀ

sh-d-d

literal: become; became; severe

حضرت

ḥ-ḍ-r → “His Holiness the” Distinctive

literal: presence; majesty; His/Your Excellency

اعلی

ʿ-l-w → “Exalted One” Distinctive

literal: highest; most high; supreme

تصریح

ṣ-r-ḥ → “explicitly”

literal: explicit statement; clear declaration

بنصّ

n-ṣ-ṣ

literal: explicit text; clear statement

قاطع

q-ṭ-ʿ

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

ایّاک

ʾ-y-y → “verse” Distinctive

literal: beware (imperative); you; would that, I wish, if only (optative particle)

تحتجب

ḥ-j-b → “veil”

literal: to veil oneself, to be veiled

بالواحد

w-ḥ-d → “one”

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

الأوّل

ʾ-w-l → “beginning”

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

ما

m-ʾ → “that”

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

نزّل

n-z-l → “hath been revealed”

literal: to descend, to be revealed

فی

f-y → “in”

literal: in; in-it; in it

البیان

b-y-n → “the Bayán”

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

اوّل

ʾ-w-l

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

نفس

n-f-s

literal: self; soul; psyche; person; essence

مبارک

b-r-k

literal: blessed; auspicious; fruitful; blest; blessed word

حروف

ḥ-r-f → “deviation” Distinctive

literal: letter; character; edge

هستند

h-s-t

literal: to be; to exist

باز

b-ʾ-z → “whence”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

انکار

n-k-r → “denied”

literal: denial; rejection; repudiation; wrong; evil; to deny; to reject

تکذیب

k-dh-b → “dealt falsely” Distinctive

literal: denial; belying; falsification; rejection; liar; lying; false

القای

l-q-y → “Presence”

literal: suggestion; instilling; casting; throwing

شبهات

sh-b-h → “seeds of doubt”

literal: doubt; uncertainty; suspicion; resemblance; semblance

آیات

ʾ-y-y → “manifest verses”

literal: beware (imperative); you; would that, I wish, if only (optative particle)

چشم

ch-sh-m → “closed his eyes”

literal: eye; vision; sight

پوشید

p-وش-y-d

literal: he covered

اغماض

gh-m-ḍ → “ignore the”

literal: closing of the eye; overlooking; disregarding

ای

ʾ-y-y

literal: beware (imperative); you; would that, I wish, if only (optative particle)

کاش

k-ʾ-sh → “Would that”

literal: would that; O that; if only

باین

b-y-n → “utterance”

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

اکتفا

k-f-y → “suffice” Distinctive

literal: recompense; reward; requital; equal, match, peer; worthy, suitable

بلکه

b-l-k → “Nay”

literal: nay; but rather; on the contrary; but

دم

d-m-m → “sacred blood”

literal: blood; moment, breath; moment

اطهر

ṭ-h-r

literal: to purify; to cleanse

هدر

h-d-r → “cooing” Distinctive

literal: to waste; to squander; vain; futile

فریاد

f-r-y → “calumniated” Distinctive

literal: unique; singular; rare; peerless

واویلا

w-y-l

literal: woe; alas; grief

نسبت

n-s-b → “relationship”

literal: relation; relationship; connection; attribution; proportion

ارض

ʾ-r-ḍ → “Land of Mystery”

literal: earth; land; ground; country

سرّ

s-r-r → “Land of Mystery”

literal: throne; couch; seat of authority

چه

ch-h → “For”

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

فساد

f-s-d → “mischief”

literal: corruption; ruin; discord; mischief; decay

فتنه‌ئی

f-t-n → “sedition”

literal: end, limit, utmost, extreme; final; the end, limit, utmost bound; Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing; end; limit; terminus

برپا

b-r-p-ʾ → “stirred up”

literal: erected; established; set up

تا

t-y-y → “so that”

literal: so that/until

سبب

s-b-b → “caused”

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

شد

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

نیّر

n-w-r → “Day-Star”

literal: fires; blazes; luminary; celestial body; light-giver

اشراق

sh-r-q

literal: radiance; splendor; dawn; illumination

اعظم

ʿ-ẓ-m

literal: greatest; supreme; mightiest

سرگون

s-r-g-w-n → “sent”

literal: cypress (tree); call, voice; joy

مغرب

gh-r-b → “West”

literal: west; sunset; place of setting

این

ʾ-y-n → “this”

literal: this; these

زندان

z-n-d → “life” Distinctive

literal: prison; jail

افول

ʾ-f-l → “be extinguished”

literal: setting; decline; passing away; eclipsing

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Bahá’u’lláh

The last outstanding Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh, written around 1891 and addressed to Shaykh Muḥammad-Taqí of Iṣfahán. It calls upon that rapacious priest to repent, quotes the most celebrated passages from Bahá’u’lláh’s own writings, and adduces proofs establishing the validity of His Cause.

268 ¶

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 ¶