Lawḥ Shams-i jamāl-i ilāhī
The Tablet of the Sun of the Divine Beauty of Mirza Husayn `Ali Nuri, Baha'-Allah (1817-1892).
Stephen Lambden UCMerced.
1990s - 2006-7+ 2015.
Last updated 29-08-2015 - under correction and completion.
This scriptural Tablet of Baha'-Allah commencing Shams-i jamāl-i ilāhī ("The Sun of the Divine Beauty") exists in the INBMC Vol. 32: 31-4 collection of mss. of the writings of Baha'-Allah. Another text was supplied to me some years ago by my colleague and friend Nejati Alkan (now in Istanbul), a clearer complete text in the Ottoman archives in Istanbul (Arsivi confiscated alwah, Iradeler, Meclis-i Mahsus no. 1475/35, 7-13). The original text of the Lawh-i Shams-i jamāl-i ilāhī sometimes alternates between Persian and Arabic, with constant headings and often with a recreated alternating refrain. I have named this perhaps Istanbul period (c. 1863??) Tablet of Bahā'-Allāh after its opening words. The date is unknown though it might at the earliest be assigned it to the Sulaymaniyya interregnum years (1854-1856 CE) if the address "O Darvish" is indicative of Baha'-Allah himself and not another unknown recipient of this Arabo-Persian poetic writing. As a wandering mystic Bahā'-Allāh was known as Darvish Muhammad during this time. A currently unidentified `Ali is thus twice addressed. If these addresses are not directed to Baha'-Allah himself, then the `Ali here would most likely be Darvish Siddiq/ Sidq-`Ali Qazvini (d.1299/1882) who had been a Babi-Baha'i from the late 1850s if not earlier.
Mss. of the Lawh-i Shams-i Jamal-i Ilahi
- Text in INBMC 32 : 31-34. PDf. L-Shams-i jamal.pdf
Translation Stephen Lambden (ongoing).
[I]
He is God
The Sun of the Divine Beauty (shams-i jamāl-i ilāhī) beameth forth from the Lordly Orient of the Unseen (mashriq-i ghayb-i rabbānī) and hath thereby shed illumination upon all realms of existence (mumkinat).
So Oh! Blessed be thou!
who art made luminous through its radiant effulgences (ishraqat).
[II]
He is God
The Lamp of God (sirāj Allāh) radiateth light such that through its intrinsic Splendour (ḍiyā'-yi khud) the candles of the hearts of humankind are ignited!
So Oh! Blessed be thou!
who art rendered resplendent through its splendours!
[III]
He is God
In this land the [Abstracted] Tree of Detachment (shajarah-i inqata`a) hath been purified at the hand of the One Beloved (mahbub) and inclineth towards the Blessed Paradise of Holiness (firdaws-i quds).
So Oh! Blessed be thou! for thou art in its shade which is alotted unto such as seek its shadow; from its fruit is providence for such as seek sustenance therefrom.
[IV]
He is God
The Sinaitic Lote Tree (sidrih-yi sina'i ) crieth out with the tongue of "I, verily, am God".
So Oh! Blessed be thou! who hast hearkened unto its melodies
[V]
He is God
The Sanctified Phoenix (huma-yi quds)
eternally casteth a shadow upon the realms of contingent being (ka'inat).
So Oh! Blessed be thou! who seeketh shelter neath its shade.
[VI]
O Darvish!
Be thou detatched from the world of the nullification of selfhood (`alam-i fani) that thou mayest ever soar up within the world of eternal subsistence (`alam-i baqi)! Then cut thyself off from this mortal world (al-dunya') until God enableth thee to ascend unto the lofty heights of the heaven of holiness (sama' quds marfu` an).
[VII]
O Darvish!
Be thou free of the tincture of the world (sibagh-i `alam) that thou mayest be ornamented with the wondrous tincture of the lovers (sibagh-i badī`-yi janan)!
So Oh! Blessed be thou! who art numbered among such as take action!
[VIII]
He is God the Desired One!
The Beauty of the Lord of Divine Majesty (jamāl dhū'l-jalāl) eternally riseth up as a Similitude (mithal) from the Dawning-Place of the Unseen (mashriq-i ghayb).
So Oh! Blessed be thou!
who werepresent between His hands and art numbered among such as are ennobled through His manifest and resplendent Beauty (bi-jamālihi al-zahir al-mubīn).
[IX]
He is God
The Divine Cupbearer (saqi-yi ilahi) proferred the Lordly wine (khamr-i rahmani) from the Goblet of the All-Merciful (khamm-i rahmani)!
So Oh! Blessed be thou! that thou art numbered among such as have drunk deep of this Wine (khamr)!
[X]
O`Ali
May the annihilated soul (jan fani) become the Immortalized soul (jan baqi) such that by means of the Divine Names of the Deity Most proximate (asma'-i aqrab) thou be carried aloft.
So Oh! Blessed be thou! that thou art numbered among such have are efficacious (al-fa`alain).
[XI]
He is God
Take ye flight on the wings of mystic meaning (bi-pir-i ma`ani) towards the heaven of Lordly Holiness (sama'-i quds-i rabbani) and bypass this world (jahan) until thou hast entered the worlds of souls (jahan-i janan) nigh the Gate of the Divine Splendor (bab-i subhan).
So Oh! Blessed be thou! that thou art numbered among such have hearkened aright (al-sami`in).
[XII]
He is God
The Divine Fire (nar-i ilahi) blazeth forth from the Sinaitic Lote Tree (sidra-' sina') and the Moses of the Spirit (musa-yi ruh) discourses saying, "I, verily am God! Thy God! And the Deity of all the worlds!"
So Oh! Blessed be thou! that thou hast hearkened with the ear of Reality (sam` al-haqiqat) unto its words (kalimat) and visioned therein with the eye of the Fire (bi-basar al-nar) its fiery blazing (lahab).
[XIII]
He is God
In the Name of Eternity (bi-nami-yi baqa') through the Lote-Tree of the Encounter with God (sidra-' liqa') and with the melodies of the Dove (varqa'), it warbleth forth and saith: `O People! This is the Greatest Beauty of God (jamal Allah al-akbar) who hath risen up from this Dawning-Place of Lights (mashriq al-anwar) and discloses the Veil (al-niqab) from the Supremely Pure Countenance (wajh al-athar).
So Oh! Blessed be thou! that thou art to be numbered among such as have attained unto His Beauty (jamal)!
[XIV]
He is God
Envision with the insight born of Reality (basar-i haqiqi) such that the Pearl encrusted Beauty (jamal-i durri) might glisten forth! And thus, with the tongue of the inward Mystery (lisan-i sirr), thou shall utter the [words] "O Thou Best of Creators" (ya ahsan al-khaliqin) [= Q. 23:14b].
O thou who art the Ornamented Garment of Reality (ay mutarraz az haqiqat)!
The Nightingale of the Mystic Holiness (bulbul-i quds-i ma`ani) in the best of accents warbleth forth the words, "Regenerate anew with every Melody!" (abda` min kull naghmat).
So Oh! Blessed be thou! that thou art numbered among such as have truly hearkened!!
[XV]
O `Ali
Peel away the husks the world of contingency (imkan) so that thou might ascend to the Pre-Existent Throne of the Placeless (`arsh-i la makan-i qidam)!
[XVI]
He is God
The Falcon of Rapture [Love] (shahbaz-i `ishq) hath been made manifest from the Horizon of Divine Holiness (ufq-i quds-i ilahi) such that all of the [heavenly] birds sing out with wondrous new melodies (bi-naghmat-i badi`) thereby inducing intoxication and drunkenness.
[XVII]
He is God
The Peacock (tawus-i baha) of Baha'
So Oh! Blessed be thou!
that thou art, on account of His Glory (jalal), numbered among such as have envisioned through the ....
[XVIII]
He is God
The XXX of Eternity ( ) ...
[XIX]
This is the rose of Eternity (ward al-baqa')
[XX]
He is the Beloved One (al-mahbub)!
This is the rose of Eternity (ward al-baqa')
[XXI]
He is God
[XXII]
He is God! The Beloved One (al-mahbub)!
[XXIII]
He is God
The Lordly Hoopoe (hudhud-i rabbani) from the Horizon of the Holiness of the Glorification (ufq-i quds-i subhani)
So Oh! Blessed be thou! in that thou hast gazed upon His Beauty (jamal)!
[XXIV]
He is God!
This is the Tree of Holiness (shajarat al-quds)!
It hath indeed been planted in the Sinai of the Spirit (sina' al-ruh) and crieth out [with the words], `Indeed He, no God is there except Him'.
So Oh! Blessed be whomsoever hearkeneth unto its melodies then findeth repose in its shade; then, furthermore, is given Providence by virtue of its fruits.
♦
