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TB Shams-i jamal -i Ilahi 1 Text + Lambden Trans

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

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.