Rashh 2

TRANSLATIONS OF

AN EARLY POEM OF BAHĀ'-ALLĀH

رَشْح  عَمَا

 THE RASHḤ-I `AMĀ' 

("THE SPRINKLING OF THE CLOUD OF UNKNOWING").

Trans. Stephen N. Lambden

First translated 1982, revised 1990s, 2006 and now being further revised 2014-5.

Last revised March 31st 2015

The Persian Qaṣīdah rashḥ-i `amā' ("The Sprinkling of the Theophanic Cloud") commences as follows :

  رَشْح عَمَاء از جَزب مَا مِيرِزَد

Below are my provisional translations of several versions of the Rashḥ-i `amā' :  including

  • (1)  my first translation from the text printed in Ishrāq Khavārī (comp.) Mā'idih-yi āsmānī  4:184-6 with minor adjustments (see below on this Webpage),
  • (2) translation from the photocopied ms.  in INBMC 36: 460-461,
  • (3) translation of the text cited by Vahid Rafati in "Lights of Irfan" ( XX ) from a ms. deriving from the Apostle of Baha'-Allah Nabīl-i Zarandī (d.1892 CE).
  • (4) translation of an unpublished typescript (Haifa, BWC supplied) of a ms. in the hand of Bahā'-Allāh's major amanuensis Zayn al-Muqarrabīn.
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Other  mss. and printed source versions will in due course be added. The above Zayn al-Muqarrabīn ms.  (= 4) seems to be a post-1863  recension of the Rashḥ-i `amā' . My earlier translation in the  BSB 3/2: 4-114 (=1 with slight revisions) is  largely identical and may be a quite  early version of the text. In 2015 I shall speculate further as to the textual history of the Rashh-i `ama'  and propose a chart as to its possible evolution.

 Actual and probable variant readings in the (not very legible) INBMC 36:460-461 (= 2) and in other manuscripts leads me to suppose that the Zayn al-Muqarrabin text (= 4) to some extent represents a developed tradition of the Rashḥ-i `amā'  text, which most likely went through multiple re-creations or revisions (reflected in texts 1-3, see below) partly or  wholly originating with Bahā'-Allāh himself. Textual variants will be registered and commented upon in the detailed exegetical notes in the revised and expanded Web version of BSB2 3:2 and/ or on these webpages. Everything is curently under revision after more than 30 years!

  • [2] Translation of the Rashḥ-i `amā'  رَشْح عَمَاء  ADD

TRANSLATION OF THE RASHḤ-I `AMĀ' 

رَشْح  عَمَا

OF BAHĀ-ALLĀH.

[1]

Text translated as corrected from Mā'ida-yi āsmanī (The Heavenly Table) 4:184-6  (19 verses)

Reproduced with revisions from Bahā'ī Studies Bulletin  3:2 (Sept.1984). Rev.2003-4 AND March 2015.

هوالله

He is God

[1]

رشحعما از جذبه ما ميريزد 

سّر وفا از نغمه ما ميريزد

On account of our rapture the sprinkling of the Theophanic Cloud rains down;

The Mystery of fidelity pours forth from Our melody.

[2]

از باد صبا مشك خطا گشته پديد

         اين نفحه خوش از جعده ما ميريزد

The musk of Cathay hath appeared from the zephyr;

this Sweet-Scented Breeze wafts down from Our Ringlet.

[3]

شمس طراز از طلعت حق كرده طلوع    

 سّر حقيقت بين كز وجهه ما ميريزد

 The ornamented Sun hath arisen from the Countenance of the True One;

See thou that the Mystery of Reality rains down from Our Face!

[4]

بحر صفا از موج لقا كرده خروش

 اين طرفه عطا از جذبه ها ميريزد

Out of a Wave of the Ocean of the Meeting with God the Sea of purity has cried out;

 On account of Our rapture this Precious favour pours forth.

[5]

بهجت مل از نظره  گل شد ظاهر   

 اين رمز مليح از رنّه را ميريزد

At the sight of the Rose was the delight of the wine apparent;

This sweet Cipher rains down through the ringing sound of [the letter]  "R" ( ر = rā').

[6]

نقره ناقوری جذبه لاهوتی      

  اين  هردو بيك نفحه از جوّ سما ميريزد

The Stunning Trump!

The Celestial Rapture!

In the firmament of Heaven they twain rain down as a single Blast [Breath].

[7]

دور  انا هو از چهره ما كرده بروز   

كور هوهو از نفحه ما ميريزد  

 On account of Our Visage  the dispensation of "I am He" hath commenced;

The cycle of "He is He"  reverberates from Our Trumpet-Blast .

[8]

كوثر حق از كاسه دل گشته ه

 وين ساغر شهد از لعل بها ميريزد

From the goblet of the Heart the Kawthar  (Fount) of Reality has appeared.

Out of the vermilion lips of Bahā'  this Cup of honey pours forth.

[9]

يوم خدا از جلوه رب شد ظاهر

  اين لغز حديث از غنه طا ميريزد    

The "Day of God has been fully realized on account of the effulgence of the Lord

Through the warbling of [the letter ط   ( "Ṭ") this New Beauty pours forth.

[10]

طفح بهائی بين رشح عمائی بين

   كين جمله زيك نغمه از لحن خدا ميريزد   

Observe the Glorious Overflowing!

Behold the beclouded Sprinkling !

Through the Melody of God all this pours forth as a single Song.

[11]

ماهی سرمد بين طلع منزه بين

صدر ممرّد بين كز عرش علا ميريزد  

      Observe the eternal Moon!

Behold the pristine ascendant Sun!

 See thou that the pure Breast sprinkles forth from the elevated Throne

[12]

نخله طوبی بين رنّه ورقا بين

غنّه ابهی بين كز لمع صفا ميريزد

Observe the Blessed Palm-Tree!

Behold the cooing of the Dove!

See thou that the All-Glorious lament  rains down from the brilliancy of Purity

[13]

آهنگ عراقی بين دفّ حجازی  بين

كف الهی بين كز جذبه لا ميريزد

Observe the Iraqi harmony! 

Behold the Hijazi tambourine!

Envisage that the rapture of  "No"     (lā )   diffuses from the divine Hand

[14]

طلعت لاهوتی بين حوری هاهوتی بين

 جلوه ناسوتی بين كز سّر عما ميريزد   

Observe the deified Countenance!

Behold the God-like Maiden!

See thou that the terrestrial Effulgence  rains down from the mysterious depth of the Theophanic Cloud!

[15]

  وجهه باقی بين چهره ساقی بين

رق زجاجی بين كز كوبهء ما ميريزد

Observe the All-Enduring Face!

Behold the Visage of the Cupbearer!

See thou that the Sparkling draught pours down from Our Goblet!

[16]

آتش موسی بين بيضه بيضا بين      

 سينه سينا بين كز كفّ سنا ميريزد

 Observe the Fire of Moses!

Behold the Snow-White Brightness!

See thou that the Sinaitic bosom rains down through the radiant Palm!

[17]

ناله مستان بين حالت  بستان بين 

   هستان بين كز صحن لقا ميريزد

Observe the state of the Intoxicated!

Behold the verdure of Orchard!

See thou that the rapture of existent being is diffused  from the court of the Meeting with God!

[18]

غنچه هائی بين طرزه بائی بين

 رنّه فائی بين كز كلك بها ميريزد

   Observe the [letter] "H"-like () rosebud

Behold the [letter] "B"-like ( ) ringlet!

See thou that the timbre of the Flute reverberates through the hollow-reed of Bahā !

[19]

طفّ ظهوراست اين رشح طهوراست

اين غنّ طيوراست اين كز عين  فنا ميريزد

This is the overflowing theophany!

This is the sprinkling of manifestation!

Such is the warbling of the heavenly birds which sing nigh the wellspring of mystical death