Will and Testament — §9

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 9 of 59.

Source (Persian)

و همچنین مرکز بغضا در فکر قتل عبدالبهآء و این بخطّ میرزا شعاع که در طیّ این وصیّت است ثابت و واضح و محقّق که بکمال تدبیر در صدد قتل هستند و این نصّ عبارت میرزا شعاع در مکتوبست که مرقوم داشته "هر آن مسبّب این اختلاف را نفرین میکنم و بربّ لا یرحمه ناطقم و امیدوارم بزودی مظهر یبعث ظاهر شود اگرچه ظاهر شده و بغیر لباس مشهود نمیتوانم زیاده شرح دهم" مقصود از این عبارت آیۀ مبارکۀ من ادّعی قبل الألف است ملاحظه شود که چگونه در صدد قتل عبدالبهآء هستند از کلمۀ نمیتوانم زیاده شرح دهم بفراست بفهمید که چه تمهید و تدبیر در اینخصوص نموده‌اند که زیاده اگر بیان نمایند شاید ورقه بدست افتد و آن تمهید و تدبیر بهم خورد این عبارت مجرّد تبشیر است که در این خصوص قرار و تدبیر لازم تحقّق یافت

Shoghi Effendi Translation

In like manner, the focal Centre of Hate hath purposed to put ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá to death and this is supported by the testimony written by Mírzá Shu‘á‘u’lláh himself and is here enclosed. It is evident and indisputable that they are privily and with the utmost subtlety engaged in conspiring against me. The following are his very words written by him in this letter: “I curse at every moment him that hath kindled this discord, imprecate in these words ‘Lord! Have no mercy upon him’, and I hope ere long God will make manifest the one that shall have no pity on him, who now weareth another garb and about whom I cannot any more explain.” Reference he doth make by these words to the sacred verse that beginneth as followeth: “He that layeth a claim ere the passing of a thousand years…” Reflect! How intent they are upon the death of ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá! Ponder in your hearts upon the phrase “I cannot any more explain” and realize what schemes they are devising for this purpose. They fear lest, too fully explained, the letter might fall into alien hands and their schemes be foiled and frustrated. The phrase is only foretelling good tidings to come, namely that regarding this all requisite arrangements have been made.

Translation Notes

همچنین

ch-n-n → “like manner, the” Distinctive

literal: always; ever; forever; at all times; constantly

مرکز

r-k-z → “focal Centre”

literal: center; focal point; axis

بغضا

b-gh-ḍ → “of Hate”

literal: hatred; enmity; animosity

در

d-r-r → “in”

literal: in; in, at; radiant

فکر

f-k-r → “ponder” Distinctive

literal: thoughts; ideas; fancies; opinions; to think; to reflect; to contemplate

قتل

q-t-l → “to put ‘Abdu’l‑Bahá to death”

literal: slayer; killer; murderer

عبدالبهآء

ʿ-b-d → “servants”

literal: servant; slave; worshipper

این

ʾ-y-n → “this is” Distinctive

literal: this; these

بخطّ

kh-ṭ-ṭ → “handwriting”

literal: line; writing; path; course

شعاع

sh-ʿ-ʿ → “gleaming” Distinctive

literal: ray; light; beam; radiance

که

k-h → “that”

literal: that; who; who, that

طیّ

ṭ-y-y → “traverse”

literal: traverse; folding

وصیّت

w-ṣ-y

literal: counsel; commandment; bequest

است

b-w-d → “is”

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

ثابت

th-b-t → “established”

literal: firm; steadfast; established; fixed

واضح

w-ḍ-ḥ → “evident”

literal: clear; evident; manifest; obvious

محقّق

ḥ-q-q → “truth” Distinctive

literal: truth; right; that which is true or just

بکمال

k-m-l → “with the utmost subtlety”

literal: perfection; completeness; fully; with full; in complete; to complete, perfect, fulfill

تدبیر

d-b-r

literal: deliberation; consideration; prudence; management; planning; counsel

صدد

ṣ-d-d → “arisen to”

literal: intention; purpose; direction; to intend; to aim at

هستند

h-s-t → “they are”

literal: to be; to exist

نصّ

n-ṣ-ṣ

literal: explicit text; clear statement

عبارت

ʿ-b-r → “very words”

literal: expression; tear; interpretation

مکتوبست

k-t-b → “Book” Distinctive

literal: book; books; Book

مرقوم

r-q-m → “written by”

literal: written; inscribed; marked; recorded

داشته

d-sh-t → “without” Distinctive

literal: to have; to possess; to hold

آن

ʾ-n → “to”

literal: that; those; he; she; it

مسبّب

s-b-b

literal: cause; reason; means; instrument

اختلاف

kh-l-f

literal: opposing; contrary; conflicting

را

r-ʾ-ʾ

literal: object marker; object-marker; to

نفرین

n-f-r → “men” Distinctive

literal: person; frightened, affrighted; detested

میکنم

k-r-d → “hath” Distinctive

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

بربّ

r-b-b → “‘Lord”

literal: by, with, through (preposition)

لا

l-ʾ

literal: no; not; negation particle

یرحمه

r-ḥ-m → “mercy” Distinctive

literal: mercy; merciful; the Merciful

ناطقم

n-ṭ-q

literal: speak; speaking; spoke

امیدوارم

w-ʾ-r → “I hope”

literal: I hope

بزودی

z-w-d → “too soon” Distinctive

literal: soon; quickly; early

یبعث

b-ʿ-th

literal: sent; send; resurrection

ظاهر

ẓ-h-r → “manifest”

literal: manifestation; appearance; to appear; to manifest

شود

sh-w-d

literal: to come; to go; to arrive; came

شده

sh-d

literal: to become; to be

بغیر

gh-y-r → “another garb”

literal: without; besides; other than; except; other; different

لباس

l-b-s

literal: garment; clothing; raiment; vesture

مشهود

sh-h-d

literal: witnessed; observed; seen; evident; manifest

نمیتوانم

t-w-n → “cannot any more explain.””

literal: to be able, can; power, strength

زیاده

z-y-d → “increase” Distinctive

literal: increase; excess; more; additional; to increase; to grow; to be added

شرح

sh-r-ḥ → “dilated” Distinctive

literal: explanation; commentary; to explain; to open

دهم"

d-h-y

literal: give; give not

مقصود

q-ṣ-d → “purpose”

literal: intention; purpose; aim; goal; to seek; to direct oneself

از

ʾ-z → “by” Distinctive

literal: from

آیۀ

ʾ-y-y → “sacred verse”

literal: verse; sign; miracle; proof; sign, verse, miracle, token, indication; ayah; he; him; it

مبارکۀ

b-r-k → “blessed”

literal: blessed; pool; blessing

من

m-n → “from”

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

ادّعی

d-ʿ-y → “claims” Distinctive

literal: to claim; to allege; claim; assertion; to assert

قبل

q-b-l

literal: group; company; tribe; sort; kind

الألف

ʾ-l-f → “thousand years…””

literal: word; expression; utterance; to reconcile; to compose; to compile; to unite

ملاحظه

l-ḥ-ẓ → “Reflect” Distinctive

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

چگونه

ch-g-n → “How intent”

literal: how; in what manner

کلمۀ

k-l-m → “words” Distinctive

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

دهم

d-h-n

literal: dark; darkness

بفراست

f-r-s

literal: to send; sent

بفهمید

f-h-m → “understanding” Distinctive

literal: understanding; comprehension; to understand; to comprehend

چه

ch-h → “For”

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

تمهید

m-h-d → “couch” Distinctive

literal: preparation; smoothing; paving the way; to prepare

اینخصوص

kh-ṣ-ṣ → “singled out” Distinctive

literal: specific matter; particularity; especially; in this matter

نموده‌اند

n-m-w → “have”

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

اگر

ʾ-g-r

literal: although; even if; though; notwithstanding

بیان

b-y-n

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

نمایند

n-m-ʾ → “will” Distinctive

literal: do; show; make

شاید

sh-y-d → “haply”

literal: perhaps, perchance, haply, maybe, possibly; to become; to be; to happen; to occur

ورقه

w-r-q → “leaf”

literal: leaf, page, sheet, parchment, document

بدست

d-s-t → “fall into alien hands”

literal: hand; control, power, authority

افتد

f-t-y → “decreed” Distinctive

literal: to fall, drop, befall, happen, come to pass

بهم

h-m → “all”

literal: them (feminine or general); by them; through them

خورد

kh-w-r → “Daystar” Distinctive

literal: sun; eat; consumed

مجرّد

j-r-d → “detachment”

literal: neck; throat

تبشیر

b-sh-r → “foretelling good tidings”

literal: human; mankind; human nature

قرار

q-r-r → “acknowledged” Distinctive

literal: stability; firmness; establishment

لازم

l-z-m → “necessary”

literal: necessary, incumbent, obligatory, essential

یافت

y-f-t → “have kept both” Distinctive

literal: to find; to discover; to obtain

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 ¶