A Futher Scriptural Tablet of Mirza Husayn `Ali Nuri Baha'-Allah (1817-1892) to Faris Effendi the Christian.
Trans. Stephen N. Lambden, 1980s,
Revised 25-05-2020.
[I]
[0]
The One, the Eternal, the Ancient.
[l] Thy missive was presented before the Countenance and from it did We find the fragrance of love and affection. [2] Wherefore did We send down for thee this Mighty Tablet. [3] It is incumbent upon you that you render thanks unto He Who enabled you to hear the cooing of the Dove and caused you to comprehend this Straight Path. [4] Rise up for the victory of the Cause of thy Lord, with wisdom and perspicuity. [5] He, verily, aides whomsoever He desires through a sovereignty which cometh from Him. He assuredly is the All-Powerful, the Omnipotent. [6] We ask God that He make thee the horseman of realities (fāris al-haqā'iq) in this battlefield and make thee of such as are not witheld by idle fancies from God, thy Lord, and Lord of all the worlds.
[II]
[1] Take ye hold of the Goblet of Eternity (qadah al-baqā) in the Name of thy Lord, the King of Names. [2] Then drink therefrom and say: "Unto Thee be Praise, O Thou Rivulet of mystic knowers (misqa al-`ārifīn). [3] The Breath (al-nafha) hath been wafted and the Breeze (al-nasama) hath blown. [4] From Zion hath appeared that which was hidden and from Jerusalem is heard this Voice of God (nidā' Allāh), the One, the Incomparable, Omniscient.
[III]
[1] This is that which was sent down aforetime by this Wondrous Pen (al-qalam al-badī`). [2] Say: `The Bearer of Infirmity (malik al-`ilal) hath built (bani) the Temple (al-haykal) with the Hands of Power and the All-Merciful hath manifested His glory (tajallī) from this Luminous Orient (al-mashriq al-munīr).
[IV]
[1] Say: `Is He Who built [the Temple] with the hands of the All-Merciful (al-raḥman) supreme (khair) or He Who has built [the Temple] from [mere] clay (al-tīn)?' [2] God hath cried out and gives them the glad tidings of this Cause which hath radiated and sparkled from the Horizon of the Will of your Lord, the Ancient.
[V]
[1] So know that We, when We adorned the Kingdom (al-malakūt) with the ornament of the Name of thy Lord, the Supreme (al-mukhtar), the fishes in the oceans were thunderstruck; [2] the fruits fell down from the trees; [3] the inmates of the spiritual dominion (ahl al-jabarūt) were confounded; [4] the tribes of the mundane world (qabāil al-nasūt) wailed; [5] the inmates of the Midian of Names (ahl madyan al-asmā') were halted and [6] such pillars (arkān) as are on earth and in heaven were convulsed; save, that is, such as thy Lord, the Wise, hath willed.
[VI]
[1] Blessed be thou in that thy name hath been mentioned in the Kingdom of thy Lord and there has been sent down for thee that through which thy remembrance will be maintained throughout the everlastingness of God. This is an expression of His bounty unto thee if thou be of such as are numbered among the mystic knowers (al-`arifīn).
[VII]
[1] The Spirit (al-rūḥ) [Jesus] hath assuredly come with the Ornament of God (bi-tirāz Allāh) and every one of His pillars (kull rukn min arkānihi) crieth out, `I, verily, am the Beloved of the worlds' (maḥbūb al-`alamīn). [2] And when the promise was fulfilled and the veil was rent asunder through the Fingers of the Divine Decree, then such as were in creation were terrified and the fire of hatred was inflamed in the hearts of the iniquitous. [3] And they committed that which caused the inmates of Paradise to lament and the Spirit of Faith (rūḥ al-aymān) tore its garments asunder.
[VIII]
[1]
Say:
`The tribulations shall in no wise withold Us from what We have desired. [2] We shall in truth cry out even if the swords of all the worlds be unsheathed against My Face.'
[3]
Say: `O concourse of [Christian] Patriarchs (yā mashar al-batariqa)!
[4] He Whom ye were promised in the Tablets is come! [5] Fear ye God! and follow not the vain imaginings of the superstitious. [6] Lay aside the things ye possess, and take fast hold of the Tablet of God by His sovereign power. [7] Better is this for you than all that ye possess. [8] Unto this doth testify every understanding heart, and every man of insight. [9] Pride ye yourselves on My Name and yet shut yourselves out as by a veil from Me ? [10] This indeed is a strange thing.
[IX]
[1]
Say: `O Concourse of Archbishops!
[Metropolitans] (yā ma`shar al-maxrina)
He Who is the Guiding Patron of all men (walī al-barrīya) hath appeared. [2] In the plain of guidance (barr al-ahādiyya) He calleth humannkind, whilst ye are numbered with the dead! [3] Great is the blessedness of him who is stirred by the Breeze of God and hath arisen from amongst the dead through this Perspicuous Name (al-ism al-mubīn).
[X]
[1]
Say: `O concourse of bishops!
(yā malā' al-asāqif)
[2] Trembling (al-zalāzil) [earthquakes]) hath seized all the kindreds [tribes] of the earth (al-qabāil) and He Who is the Everlasting Father [lit. Everlasting Lord], (al-rabb al-abadī) calleth aloud between earth and heaven. [3] Blessed the ear that hath heard, and the eye that hath seen, and the heart that hath turned unto Him Who is the Point of Adoration (qiblah) of all who are in the heavens and all who are upon earth.
[XI]
[1]
0 concourse of Christian priests!
(yā ma`shar al-qissīs)
[2] The Day of Reckoning (yawm al-dīn) hath appeared, the Day whereon He Who was in heaven hath come. [3] He, verily, is the One Whom ye were promised in the Books of God (fi kitab Allah) [lit., `in the Book of God'], the Holy, the Almighty, the All-Praised. [4] How long will ye wander in the wilderness of heedlessness and superstition. [5] Turn with your hearts in the direction of your Lord, the Forgiving, the Generous.
[XII]
[1] Thus did We send down the verses to the end that you be gladdened through My remembrance of thee and be numbered among those firmly established (al-rāsikhīn). [2] I recollect when thy missive (kitāb) was received the first time, when the Most Great Ocean (baḥr al-a`ẓam) ascended over the Ark (al-fulk) in view of that which the hands of the polytheists had committed. [3] And [I am mindful of] this latter time when it [thy letter] was presented before the Face (al-wajh [= Bahā'-Allāh]). We recited it and We replied to thee by means of this irrevocable, all-embracing Message (al-khitab al-mubram al-muhit). [4] In all circumstances be observant of the necessity of wisdom (shar al-ḥikmat) and address the people in accordance with their intellectual capacity, [5] for sucking infants die that eat meat at the beginning of their days. Thus does thy Lord, the All Merciful counsel you.
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