The Lawḥ al-Baqā’(Tablet of Eternity) of Baha’-Allah.
Trans. Stephen Lambden June, 2000.
This translation is a Beta draft currently under revision.
[I]
In the Name of God, the Most Holy, the All Glorious.
[1] This is the Tablet of Eternity (Lawḥ al-Baqā’) which cometh from the All-Glorious (al-Bahā’ [Allāh]) unto he who hath attained the deep knowledge of God (irfān Allāh) and did drink of the Kawthar of Life from the Goblet of the words of his Lord, the All-Merciful. [2] In his heart did he orient himself towards the Greatest Panorama (al-manẓar al-akbar) in whom the Countenance of God radiated forth, the All-Knowing, the All-Wise. [3] Hearken ye then unto My Call from the shore of calamity (shaṭr al-balā’) : `He, verily, no God is there except Him.’ [4] He is the One Who hath, in very Truth, been made manifest. [5] The Divine Decree in no wise preventeth him from the commemoration of King of Names neither is he veiled by whatsoever He [God] hath permitted of the self-glorifications (subuḥāt al-jalal) of such amongst them who have disbelieved in God, the Exalted, the Mighty.
[II]
[1] Know O servant that thy letter [treatise] was received by Us. We took hold thereof with the hands of the Divine Favour. Therein thou didst denounce him [Mīrzā Yaḥyā Nūrī?] through the Utterance of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Praised. [2] We beamed forth beyond what was [written] therein and decreed for thee in the Tablet [al-Baqā] a [special] rank (maqām) if thou shouldst vision him and fall prostrate and proclaim, `Praised be God, Lord of all the worlds’. [3] We wrote down for thee such benefits as are the lot of such as have attained the Meeting with God (liqā’Allāh). [4] And We decreed for thee such as We desired for thee, for thy Lord is indeed One Powerful and Mighty. [5] Render thanks unto thy Lord in that He revealed for thee this Luminous and Resplendent Tablet from the heaven of the Divine Bounty. [6] In all circumstances be content through the Divine Bounty and rise up for His Victory betwixt earth and heaven. [7] Beware lest the croaking of such as have disbelieved in God withhold thee or thou be veiled by the veils of such as have sought [benediction] from the Divine Countenance after he had shone forth with manifest Sovereignty from the horizon of the Will of thy Lord, the All-Merciful. [8] He indeed is One Who bestoweth favour upon such as rise up in the service of His Cause and summoneth the people unto Him. [9] So Blessing be upon whomsoever attained detachment from all that is other than Him and orienteth his heart towards whatsover was commanded by One Mighty and All-Knowing.
[III]
[1] Know thou that We cast upon the kings a Word (kalimat) from before Us that provided sustenance. [2] We beseech God that He guide them unto His straight Path. [3] We indeed raised up one of Our servants whom We clothed in the garment of detachment and ornamented with the ornament of power and contentment (ṭaraz al-quwwat wa’l-iṭimān). [4] We dispatched him [Aqa Badí` Khurasani] unto him [Nāṣir al-Dīn Shāh (r. 1846-1896)] with a Manifest Book (al-kitāb al-mubīn). [5] And We communicated unto him the treatises (risalāt) of his Lord perchance he would utter remembrance and incline to the fear of God, for thy Lord is indeed One Who Ruleth according to what He willeth and is not witheld by the insinuations of such as have spread iniquity. [6] Wherefore do We announce unto thee the glad-tidings. This to the end that thou might arise according to whatsoever hath been decreed on the part of thy Lord, One Mighty, Beautiful (al-jamīl).
[IV]
[1] We indeed did send aforetime unto the Messenger of the Spirits (mursal al-aryāḥ) that with the mounting up of the Temple of Pre-Existence (haykal al-qidam) upon the Most Great Throne (al-arsh al-a`ẓam) and the dawning forth of the Sun from the horizon of the Prison [of `Akkā’], there are assuredly signs for such as are possessed of insight! [2] So turn ye aside O people of guidance! that thou be not controlled by base passion. [3] Take ye hold of this Cord which, when it was set in motion, caused the very heavenly spheres (al-akwān) to revolve and He dawned forth from the horizon of Names with the permission of the Cleaver of Heaven (fātir al-samā’).
[V]
[1] Then render thy Lord victorious amidst the concourse of existing beings. [5] Thus hast thou been commanded on the part of the Dawning-Place of Inspiration (mashriq al- ilhām). Assuredly doth My Remembrance (bi-dhikrī) cause those who confess the Oneness of God to soar up through the night journeys of realities (ma`ārij al-ḥaqā’iq) [6] It likewise causeth the sincere ones to soar up unto the Dawning-Place of Lights (mashāriq al-anwār). [7] This in My Name which transformeth copper into gold and filleth with ardent love the company of the pious (madhhāb al-abrār). [8] This through My Most-Sweet Call which hath emblazoned all the worlds. [8] Through My All-Glorious Name (ismī al-abhā) streams hath been made to flow from rocks. [9] The Pen hath undoubtedly been stupefied with the love of the King of Pre-Existence (malik al-qidam) for, should We command it, it would undoubtedly enrapture all such as inhabit the countries of the world (al-bilād).
[VI]
[1] Say: Through My Transcendent Name (al-ism al-a`lā) the Kawthar of Life hath been actualized for all who inhabit existent reality. [2] And through My Name the All-Merciful (al-raḥman) the Breeze of forgiveness hath wafted. [3] Exalted then be My Most Evident Name (ismī al-mashūr) which, when I make mention thereof, houris emerge from their chambers inclining towards the locale of the theophany (maqarr al-ẓuhūr), unto His Ultimate Pillar, the Fire of the Supreme Panorama (manẓar al-akbar). [4] We visioned the Ruler [angel] of Our proximate servant a Tablet which delighted the very eyes of the sincere servants. [5] So O Blessed be He and thou in that thou hast attained unto that whereby most of the servants were deprived. [6] Those, that is, who summoned the faith within themselves and when the All-Merciful came unto them in the Kingdom of the Bayān they disbelieved in him. [7] Let the curse of God be upon those who spread tyranny or were even as vipers among those of the corrupt.
[VII]
[1] Today is not the Day of Forbearance [patience, perseverance, endurance] (al-isṭibār). [2] It assuredly is beloved by virtue of My mention, the Mighty, the Wondrous. [3] Rising up in all circumstances according to my remembrance and the victory of My cause! This to such a degree that neither of these twain will be witheld from the locus of darknesses. [4] Make mention of those who have believed aforetime in thy Lord. Clothe then in the garment of praise (takbir) and explanation from the tongue of their Lord, the all-Merciful. [5] This indeed is a mighty bounty. [6] Beware lest you turn aside from that wisdom which is in accordance with Our command from the servants who stand before thy Lord, the Forgiving, the all-Merciful. [7] He shall surely send down for you from the heaven of divine providence (taqdir) what is sufficient before your Lord, the all-Knowing, the All-Informed. [8] Wherefore hath the Tablet of thy Lord betokened deliverance! Then so take it with the hand of peacefulness (taslim) and say, ‘Praise be unto Thee, O Lord of all the worlds.’
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