Lawḥ-i milād-i ism-i a`ẓam (1)
(A Tablet for the Birthday of the Greatest Name).
Lawḥ-i milād-i ism-i a`ẓam
The Tablet of the Birthday of the Greatest Name, Bahā'-Allāh.
Trans. Stephen N. Lambden
Translated from Mā'ida-yi āsmānī 4:342.
♦
He is the Most Holy, the Most Great
[1] This is the month in which the Greatest Name (al-ism al-a`ẓam) was born, the one through whom the limbs of all mankind (farā’iṣ al-`alam) were made to quake, through whose footsteps the Supreme Concourse (al-malā’ al-a`lā) and the denizens of the Cities of Names (madā’in al-asmā) were blessed. [2] At this did such [elevated beings] shout with joy, magnified exceedingly and gave praise with their very soul and spirit (al-rūḥ wa’l-rīḥān). [3] They exclaimed, ‘By God! This is indeed the month through which all other months were made resplendent, through which the Hidden Treasure (al-kanz al-makhzūn) and the Concealed Secret (al-ghayb al-maknūn) were made manifest.’ [4] They did indeed cry out with the most elevated Call (al-nidā’) amongst the denizens of the kingdom (bayn al-warā al-mulk), exclaiming, [5] ‘This assuredly is the Day of the birth (al-mawlūd) [Bahā’u’llāh] through which the Countenance of all Existence (thaghr al-imkān) beamed with joy, [6] when trees were weighed down [with fruit,] [7] oceans were made to surge, [8] every mountain rejoiced, [9] Paradise did cry out, [10] the Rock (al-sakhra) did shout
[11]
Then did all things exclaim,
‘O concourse of created existence!
Speed ye unto the Dawning-Place of the Countenance of thy Lord, the Merciful, Compassionate.’ [12] This is the month whose Paradises attained unto the Lights of the Countenance (anwār wajh) of their Lord, the All-Merciful and the Nightingale (Dove, al-warqā’) warbled upon the Lote-Tree beyond which there is no passing (sidrat al-muntahā). [13] Thereat were the hearts of those nigh unto God enraptured, though most of the people remain among the heedless. [14] Blessed be unto whomsoever hath realized the [identity of the messianic person] of the One Promised in the Books of God, the Mighty, the Praised One. [15] And woe unto whosoever hath turned aside from he who hath been approached by the Supreme Concourse (malā’ al-a`lā) and caused every wayward unbeliever to be thunderstruck.
© Hurqalya Publications
