Introduction
Several years ago, I provisionally translated this substantial, and in many respects remarkable, supplication by Bahá’u’lláh. Not being altogether content with the translation, I neglected it for years as it sat lonely and unread on my computer, and only edited it occasionally. Although I remain discontent with the quality of this rendering, I thought it was time to make it available since there has not yet been an English translation of this supplication—which I venture may be titled the Tablet of the Quickener given its opening declaration—and because I have heard a number of inquiries about it over the years. A more befittingly literary rendering, and an analysis of its historical and theological import, remain to be done.
A interlinear file containing the original Arabic may be found at the end of this page. The various manuscripts and publications containing the Tablet of the Quickener are detailed in the Phelps Inventory, under entry BH00160.
The Tablet of the Quickener (Lawḥ-i-Muḥyí’l-Anám fí’l-Ayyám)
Provisional Translation
An Invocation Revealed by the Quickener of all Men in His Days
In the Name of God, the Supreme, the Unapproachable, the Most Holy, the Exalted, the All-Glorious
Glory be to Thee, O Lord my God! Thou hearest how I weep with a weeping like that of a mother bereaved of her child; Thou seest how I have fixed my gaze upon the Most Exalted Horizon, from which Thou art all-seeing yet unseen. How long, O God, shalt Thou abandon me with them that have denied Thy blessings, spurned Thy signs, reneged Thy Truth, resisted Thee and turned aside from Thee? Do Thou deliver me, O God, in Thy grace and mercy, and make manifest what Thou didst promise me in Thy Covenant made ere the creation of the heavens and earth.
By Thy Glory! Whensoever I summoned Thy servants unto Thee, their wretchedness waxed greater; whensoever I recited unto them Thy profoundest verses, they protested and exclaimed, “He hath uttered lies against God!” Thus have they deceived themselves, seduced by their corrupt desires, despite that Thou, O my God, hast revealed to them naught else but that wherewith ՚Alí was invested aforetime, and hast set forth naught but that which was sent down in the Bayán itself.
Thou seest and knowest well, O Lord of the worlds and Desire of all them that have recognized Thee, that they have sought not the holy sanctuary of Thy Cause, have set not their faces toward Thy countenance, and heed not what Thou hast charged me to reveal. Do Thou separate me from them, O Thou in Whose grasp lies the dominion of divine command and creation, the kingdom of the heavens and the earth. Thou doest as Thou willest in Thy might, and rulest as Thou desirest at Thine own behest.
O Thou Beloved of Bahá, Desire of Bahá! Whenever I concealed myself, Thou didst bid I be revealed; whenever I would fain flee from them, Thou didst irresistibly return me unto them; whenever I retired to my abode, silent to thy praise, Thou didst loose my tongue as was ordained, and didst light in me Thy love, such that the reins of patience from my grasp were seized, and I departed my abode thus enthralled by Thee, and called aloud amidst the concourse of creation, and summoned them unto remembrance of Thy Self, the Exalted, the Most High, from this Most Effulgent Horizon. Thereupon, the tumult of the infidels was raised and the clamor of the disbelievers resounded, and they arose to slay me and to vanquish Thy Cause. Thou verily, by Thy hidden knowledge, hast reckoned all that they have done and are doing. Such as Thou hast decreed hath come to pass, O my God, and that which Thou didst destine to be hath been revealed, by Thy behest and by virtue of Thy might.
Thou seest, moreover, O my God, how they took the Calf unto themselves as their lord beside Thee, and how they worship it at eve and morn, while vindicated neither by clear proof nor holy writ. So severe waxed they in heedlessness that they clung to their vain fancies and turned aside from Him Who is the Lord of all knowledge, bidding others to observe what Thou revealdst in the books of Thy Law, whilst forgetting themselves and opposing the very One by Whom Thy Cause had been revealed, Thine evidence made manifest, Thy signs confirmed, and the glory of Thy countenance unveiled.
These are the ilk of those Thou hast described in Thy perspicuous Book, which Thou revealdst to Him Who was Thy Prophet and the Seal of Thine elect; Thou saidst, and Thy word is the truth: “Would ye bid others to be righteous whilst ye forget your own selves?” And whensoever it be asked them— “O people, by what evidence have ye believed in your Lord, the All-Merciful, and in His Manifestation, unto Whom the Bayán was revealed; and on what proof have ye denied the One Who hath come unto you from the dayspring of divine command invested with the signs of God and His testimony, His majesty and sovereignty?”—they but repeat that which the former generations had maintained, such generations as had arisen against the Manifestations of Thy Self, the Dawning-Places of Thy Revelation, the Daysprings of Thine inspiration, the Treasuries of Thy knowledge, the Repositories of Thy wisdom, the Morns of Thy guidance, the Ways unto Thy will, the Paths unto Thy nearness, the Wellsprings of Thy bounties, the Mysteries of Thy oneness, the Embodiments of Thy singleness, and the Effulgences of Thy beauty.
And when it be said unto them, “O people, have I not revealed Myself with signs incontrovertible? Have I not come unto you arising from the dawning-place of names and attributes divine? Have I not recited unto you the glorious verses of the Lord? Have We not bedecked the firmament of utterance with the adornment of signification and of exposition? Have We not called you to God, your Lord, the All-Merciful? Have We not set forth the mysteries of knowledge unequivocally? Have I not revealed the Cause of God amongst His servants? Have I not sent forth the Writ of God amidst His peoples? Why then have ye turned away from Me and disbelieved in these My verses?” they reply with such as I cannot recount before Thy face, O Thou Who art my Best Beloved, the Object of my heart’s remembrance.
O my God and Master, how long shalt Thou forsake me midst Thy servants? By Thy glory! If no proof were revealed from Thee amidst Thy creatures, Thy forbearance despite Thine omnipotence, Thy long-suffering despite Thy puissance, would suffice to establish Thy majesty and sovereignty.
Why, O my Lord, hast Thou left me with such as have disbelieved in Thine own Self? How long shalt Thou not heed my pleas? Whensoever I exclaim, “O Lord, raise me, I pray Thee, unto Thyself, and deliver me from the tyrants amidst Thy creatures, for Thou seest my woes and tribulations,” Thou sayest, “My own Self beareth Me witness! I testify that all that hath befallen thee hath befallen Myself, yet I have sacrificed thee in My path; lovest Thou what I love not, or desirest Thou what I desire not?”
I reply, “May I be Thy sacrifice! My object is Thy purpose, and my aim, Thy desire.
By Thy might! I fain would have for every moment a thousand lives to offer in Thy path! Yet I must remain and look upon those who have blasphemed Thy sanctity and persecuted Thy Manifestation, although I know full well that they were created at Thy command. My soul is thus sore shaken, mine eyes tearful, my heart grieved, and my very skin creeping in revulsion.”
And Thou sayest, “I swear by My own Self! I know what lieth in Thy soul and I see what Thou seest. Forbear as Thou hast forborne. I have written for thee such as I have not ordained forany other, and have chosen for thee such as I have chosen for none other. I have offered thee as a sacrifice to quicken the world and all who dwell therein.”
And I say, “Praise be to Thee, O Beloved of the worlds! I extol Thee for what Thou hast destined for me and I yield Thee thanks for that which Thou hast purposed. Thou art verily the Lord of the worlds.”
O my God! Do Thou inspire me with the marvels of the remembrance of Thee. I swear by Thine own Self! No pleasure nor happiness have I save in mention of Thee, in such wise that if Thou wert to forbid me from the same, my soul would be sorely agitated and the quintessence of my being would be nigh rendered to nothingness. No man hath life save in remembrance of Thee and love for Thee; no soul hath existence save in praise of Thee and lauding Thee . And yet I know well that my mention of Thee is as utter nothingness making mention of the absolute being. No, I beseech Thee for Thy forgiveness! Rather should it be said that all are bereft of existence and are unworthy of mention when face to face with but one of Thy signs, how much more when confronted by Thine own Self! Too exalted, too immeasurably exalted, is Thy remembrance for the mention made by creatures to ascend unto it; too exalted, too immeasurably exalted, is Thy praise than that a description voiced by any created thing attain unto it. The loftiest of words expressed by contingent beings cannot transcend the limit of the contingent realm, much less rise unto Thee, O Thou Who inspirest wonder and bewilderment in the hearts of such of Thy chosen ones as are nigh unto Thee, and such of Thy loved ones as are wholly devoted to Thee, whensoever they attempt to fathom Thee! Thy mention of Thine own Self is a testament that the mention made by aught else beside Thee can neither befit Thee nor be worthy of Thee. In
Whensoever I make mention of Thee, O my God, by Thy name the Ever-Abiding, I perceive the Manifestation of this Name standing before my face, saying: “I am He Who is ever-abiding, Who shall always be as He hath ever been. Neither death nor entropy shall ever touch My eternity. Too exalted, too immeasurably exalted, is He Who created Me by a word from Him than that He be described by Me.”
And if I were to call upon Thee by Thy Name, the Pre-Existent, the Manifestation of this Name would address me saying: “Such as Thou hast mentioned is verily to be attributed unto Me. Open thine eyes that thou mayest see Me as a Beginning which hath preceded all beginning, an End which shall endure every end, a Revelation above all things. Exalted be My Lord Who created Me by a command issued from His Supreme Pen. Too exalted, too immeasurably exalted, is He Who created Me by His sublime, His most lofty remembrance, than that He be remembered by virtue of aught composed in the kingdom of creation.”
And if I beseech Thee by Thy name, the Omnipotent, I would behold the Manifestation of this Name looking towards me while saying: “If thou look upon Me, thou shalt see Me standing supreme, all-powerful, and all-encompassing over all things. Exalted is He Who called Me into being and created Me by His Most Exalted Word. Immeasurably exalted is He Who fashioned Me, and Who made Me manifest in the kingdom of creation.”
And if I were to beseech Thee by Thy name, the All-Knowing, I would behold the Manifestation of this Name weeping and lamenting, whilst saying: “I am He who was all-perceiving ere the creation of all things, and who shall so remain after their extinction. This is My robe whereby those who are My manifestations become shut out from recognizing My King and Sovereign. I have ever been fearful and shall ever remain sorely perturbed. My Lord hath numbered me as among the Most Exalted Names, and the most abased, as the greatest among them, as well as the most wretched. Blessed are My manifestations if they suffer not that the branches of learning they have acquired become veils between them and Him Who is the Possessor of all names and attributes—these, indeed, are the most heavenly beings of all creation. Woe, then, unto him whom knowledge hath withheld from Him Who is the Lord of Knowledge—such a one is verily the lowest of all creation. Too exalted, to immeasurably exalted, is My Creator from being praised with any praise save that uttered by His own Self, and from being described by the description of aught else beside Himself.”
And if I were to describe Thee, O my God, by saying, “None is there like unto Thee”, then the Manifestation of this Name would exclaim these words whilst standing before my face: “I am He Who hath no likeness; and if aught were to be regarded as being like unto Me, then the verses attesting the Divine Unity and the revelations of divine transcendence could not be confirmed. I testify that in all things the Most High Pen hath written, in a hidden script, “This is a testimony unto the oneness and singleness of God!” Blind is the eye that doth not perceive Me as supreme over all things, more manifest than all things, and encompassing all things. Too exalted, too immeasurably exalted, is My Lord than that He be mentioned with the words uttered by His creatures, or be described by the description of aught else beside Him. All are His servants, held in the grasp of His might, and created at the word of His command. Too exalted is He, too immeasurably exalted, than that He be joined unto His creation, or that the birds of the hearts of men soar into the atmosphere of His knowledge. Too glorious is He than that He ever descend from the exaltation of His Essence and the sublimity of His Being. He hath, from everlasting, been sanctified from ascent and descent, and shall, unto everlasting, be too exalted for the hearts and minds of men to attain unto Him. All that hath been expressed, or shall ever be, is circumscribed by the bounds of the contingent world, and shall forever be attributable thereto. The earthly realm hath ever existed in its own kingdom, and the ultimate attainment of the creature is that which is of its own nature.”
Would that I could find, O my God, receptive ears, pure hearts, chaste souls, illumined breasts, and seeing eyes, that I might recite unto them that which Thou hast inspired me in Thy munificence, and taught me in Thy grace and heavenly favor. And Thou, O my God, didst awaken in Thy generosity, didst raise me unto the station of Thy Self, didst enable me to speak forth Thy praise, and didst charge me to rend asunder the veils; and when I had lifted them, though for but a span to slight to be reckoned, all in the realm of command and creation were struck with terror, and all in the heavens and on earth swooned away, save a select number of those who stood faithful unto their covenant, and who turned toward Thee, detached from aught else beside Thee, and devoted wholly unto Thee. They became intoxicated by the wine of Thy knowledge in this Dispensation, in such wise that they hastened unto the field of sacrifice, uttering Thy praise and making mention of Thy name. They laid down their lives, desiring Thy presence, longing for Thy nearness, yearning to exalt Thy word, manifest Thy sovereignty, and spread abroad Thy writings, and proclaim Thy remembrance. I testify that they are among the letters of the word of Thy unity, the manifestations of Thy oneness, and the dawning-places of the revelations of Thy command, and the daysprings of the signs of Thy might. By them hath Thy name filled heaven and earth, and Thy Word been exalted above all in the realm of Thy command and creation. By virtue of their blood hath the earth borne the resplendent revelations of Thy power, and the gem-like tokens of Thy majesty; and Thou shalt verily recount the tales thereof when the appointed time is come.
I beseech Thee by Thy Self and by them, and by the manifestations of Thy most beauteous names and exalted attributes, to number them, in every world amongst Thy worlds, with those who speak of Thee and revolve about the tabernacle of Thy glory. Quicken them with the splendors of Thy countenance in Thy worlds, and suffer not that there be separation between them and Thee, O my God. Reveal them, moreover, invested with the manifestations of Thy power, the evidences of Thy might, the signs of Thy grandeur and the traces of Thy majesty. By them, do Thou establish Thy Cause that all may enter the precincts of Thy mercy which proceedeth all things. At all times, do Thou send down upon them the tokens of Thy hidden mercy and Thy treasured bounty.
They have verily, O my God, stood faithful unto their covenants; wherefore, do Thou stand faithful unto Thine own covenant. I testify that Thou art the Best of all them that are faithful, the Most Merciful of all them that show mercy, and the Guarantor of what is due to the righteous. Doubly blest are they for they have come before Thee and Thou art well-pleased with them. O Lord, rend asunder the veils from the eyes of Thy creatures, that they may perceive what hath been concealed from them of the manifestations of Thy grace in Thy days. Make known unto them, furthermore, O my God, their abominable deeds and acts, that haply they may hasten toward Thee, enter the precincts of Thy mercy, and be wholly persuaded that Thou desirest for them naught but that which is better for them than possession of the kingdom of the heavens and earth.
O Lord, illumine the understanding of their hearts, that they may recognize what Thou hast ordained for them in Thy generosity and beneficence, and know that Thou hast desired not the hardship of Thy loved ones, save that it enable Thy servants to attain unto pinnacle of knowledge, O Thou in Whose hand is the realm of Revelation and the kingdom of creation. None other god is there but Thee, the Almighty, the Omnipotent, the Beneficent.
O Lord, purge the ears of mankind of past tales in their entirety, that they may hearken unto the melodies which the Dove of Thy Cause hath warbled in the inmost being of all things, lest they weigh Thy Cause with such as they possess of the vain imaginations of those who disbelieve in Thee and Thy verses. and who cast doubt into the hearts of Thy creatures; for I find that the generality of Thy servants have been shut out from Thee on account of their attachment to the idols that have been amongst them, and the tales that they heard from their fathers. O Lord, make them into a new creation, and enable them to hear what Thou hast desired. Potent art Thou to do whatsoever Thou willest. None other god is there but Thee, the Almighty, the Munificent.
O my God and Master! Thou seest the tribulation that I have sustained amidst Thy creatures, and that which hath befallen me on account of the oppressors amongst Thy creation; and this despite that Thou hast promised all of my manifestation, and hast imparted unto all the glad-tidings of myself, and desired naught of the Bayán save my beauty, and revealed naught therein save my mention and praise; indeed, in every mode the Manifestation of Thy Self had purposed naught else save my delight, my happiness and felicity. Inasmuch as Thou didst take the covenant of myself with all in the heavens and on earth, Thou didst decree that none should ask aught of me, lest the least weariness afflict me. Thou didst say, and Thy word is verily the truth: “Whosoever desireth to ask aught of Him in the time of His Manifestation, let him rather ask it of Me.” And this was lest anything befall me which would grieve me or agitate my soul. And Thou didst establish Thy laws and lay down Thy precepts and commandments, in such wise that naught remained save that Thou didst ordain for it such as was becoming thereof, lest aught touch my heart that would withhold from it my love-thralls for Thee, and becoming immersed in the depth of the ocean of Thy oneness and busied with the revelations of the signs of Thy transcendent glory.
Thou didst inform them through the tongue of the Manifestation of Thy Self and the Dawning-Place of Thy oneness that He speaketh in all things, saying, “Verily, I am God; none other god is there beside Me. Look ye upon Me, O my Creatures.” And Thou didst make this testimony a token unto my remembrance amidst Thy servants, and a sign of my glory in Thy realm. Thou didst sanctify my court of all things, and from the mention of aught else beside Thee, and Thou didst not utter this testimony save by reason of Thy recognition of the tenderness of my heart, the kindliness of my soul, and the sincerity of my spirit. O Thou Who art the Beloved of my heart, the Desire of my inmost being and the Object of my adoration! Despite this tenderness which none save Thee have apprehended, Thou seest what hath befallen me from Thine enemies who read Thy book and seek to justify themselves through its verses, and who make Thy Scripture to be a shield unto their authority and bulwark unto that which is dictated by their worldly passions.
Would that they had been content to allege with regard to me what the idolaters had said of Them Who are the Repositories of Thy knowledge and the Manifestations of Thy Self! There hath befallen me from them such as hath caused the greatest agitation to arise amidst the concourse on high and the denizens of the cities of names, whilst the former rejoice in their stations and exult in their habitations. Would that had looked on me as they would the most piteous of Thy creatures! All this hath been inflicted upon Thy Well-Beloved, for Whom, hadst Thou been in those days, Thou wouldst have made Thine own Self to be shield to protect Him from the darts of the infidels amidst Thy creatures. He Who cannot pass by anything existent in the kingdom creation without hearing it cry out, “This is verily the Best Beloved of the Worlds” hath been mocked by Thine idolatrous servants. Thy glory beareth me witness! He desireth to strip His body, sever Himself from all, venture into the wilderness and take the beasts as His companions.
I know not, O my God, what crime hath been confirmed against me, that they should maintain, “He hath laid claim unto that which is above His station” for it is Thou that hast claimed this for me, and ordained this ere my revelation, and informed all thereof. And if they were to aver, “Wherefore doth He speak forth in verses?” I would uphold that it is not I who am their revealer; rather Thou hast revealed them and Thou revealest as Thou willest, even as Thou hast revealed Thy revelations unto Thy Messengers and Thy Chosen Ones before me. Thou knowest, O my God, that had the authority been in my grasp, I would never have revealed myself nor have spoken a single word amongst them. Whensoever I desired to conceal myself from the wolves of the earth, Thou didst make me manifest by Thy power and sovereignty. Whensoever I desired concealment, Thou purposed revelation and disclosure. Thy desire conquered my own desire and Thy will subdued my own will, such that Thou didst raise me unto the station of Thy Self and bade me to cry out in ringing tones amidst Thy creatures. I find in myself no motion save by reason of the winds of Thy purpose, and no stillness save after Thy behest. Blessed is he who seeth in my manifestation the revelations of Thy will, and in my burning fervor the fire of Thy love.
Do Thou open the eyes of Thy servants, O my God, that they may behold Thee manifest in Thy revelation. Blind is the eye that beholdeth Thee not standing supreme over all things, and encompassing all things. Thou didst make the names, O my God, as naught but garments for Thy Chosen Ones; yet when one was exchanged for another, all in the heavens and on earth were sore shaken, save he whose gaze was set firmly on Thy most exalted horizon, and who drank deep of the wine of true signification from the cup of eternity, in Thy Most Great Name, whereby the idols of passion have been shattered and the veils of names rent asunder. Such a one is indeed among those who have recognized Thee and worshiped Thee . Those who have been shut out as by a veil from Thee on account of names are verily of such as have been inordinately attached thereto, and they are worthy of no mention before the throne of Thy majesty, nor is there any portion for them of this Ocean which hath surged in Thy days.
I have reached such a state of abasement that the infidels have stated with regard to me, “He hath but a come with a word or two, and those He stole from the Bayán;” and this they maintain, after my having explicated revelations the equivalent of the books of the former and latter generations. And that which is extant amongst Thy loved ones is equal to that which was sent down unto ‘Alí qabla Nabíl, whom Thou didst ordain to be the Manifestation of Thy oneness, the Dawning-Place of Thy sovereignty, the Revelator of Thy verses, and the Herald of Thine unseen Identity, whom Thou didst make supreme over all in the heavens and on earth, and sovereign over all in the dominion of revelation and creation, after Thou hadst revealed in the Bayán that but a word from Him is unequaled by all the books of the world; for if one in the time of His Manifestation read every book and believe not in Him, it shall never profit him but if he recite but one of His verses, then this shall verily suffice him. Wherefore do I exclaim that there is no power or might save in Thee, and in Thy trust do I place my Cause, and with Thee do I invest my whole confidence. Thou art my helper, my champion, and my companion, in this world and the world to come.
I testify that Thou hast by this word distinguished the very atoms one from another, and hath taken from them their very essences, and by this the difference between them that have circled round me, and those from whose hearts the odors of self and passion have wafted, become manifest. This is that which Thou didst inform me, and that which I informed Thy servants ere my departure from Iraq in the tablet wherein Thou didst reveal the secrets of Thy decree and such as had been ordained by Thine immutable judgement.
O my God! Have mercy on Thy servants and Thy loved ones, and moreover shelter them under Thy protection, lest the darts of wayward suggestions cast by them that have disbelieved in Thee befall them, O Thou the Revelator of the verses and Lord of all names and attributes! Enable them to ascend to such a station that if Thou wert to forbid them from committing blameworthy acts, they would not protest against Thee, or see in Thy command and prohibition aught except the tokens of Thy compassion and the evidences of Thy bounteousness. I testify that in Thy command Thou hast desired naught except that they be immersed in the depths of the ocean of Thy mercy.
Thy Self beareth me witness, O Thou the Beloved of the worlds, and the Adored One of all them in the heavens and on earth! Sorrows have so encompassed me that the Supreme Pen is withheld from exposition, and the tongue of the Glorious from elucidation and utterance. I have beheld in my love for Thee, O my God, that which none of the former generations had beheld, and have heard what no man in all the world hath heard.
I see, O my God, that Thy servants unto whom Thou hast revealed the Bayán and Whom Thou didst create for my sake, are more grievously veiled than all the communities of the past, in such wise that they pride themselves on Thy Seal, and set it upon the tablets to confirm their own positions of leadership, though I have sent it unto them that haply they might understand. By The glory! Thy Seal is placed firmly betwixt my fingers, and never shall it be parted from me, nor shall any have the power to take it from me. Blessed is he who readeth such of Thy hidden mysteries, divine verses and set dispositions as are engraved thereon.
Wherefore, O my God, I know not whether it be Thou that makest mention of me, or rather I who maketh mention of Thee. For distinction hath been lifted and union confirmed. My mention of Thee is Thy mention of me, and Thy mention of me my mention of Thee. Separation hath been abrogated by the verse of nearness, and the reign of doubt hath been abolished by the revelation of certitude, and Thy beauty hath shone forth from this effulgent horizon. If my sin be that I revealed Thy power and extolled Thy virtues, then I desire to be proclaimed a sinner to all the earth. And if my fault be that I exalted Thy Cause, then I desire to be so condemned before the two worlds. Thou knowest that when I beheld the abasement into which Thy Cause had fallen amidst Thy creatures, I strove to exalt it in Thy realm. None was there in those days who made mention of Thee amongst Thy servants, in Thy sovereignty and Thy dominion. And those who protested against me were hiding their faces in fear for themselves! Since it was Thy desire that Thy Word be revealed and Thy Cause glorified, Thou didst bid me rise, didst enable me to speak forth, and didst reveal me amidst men, until the horizons were illuminated with the splendors of this Dawn and the sweet fragrances of majesty and assurance were wafted over creation. When Thy Word was exalted, Thy majesty made manifest, and Thy Cause and sovereignty revealed, they came forth out of their concealment in hatred for Thee and repudiation against Thee, and then purposed my murder, though Thou hadst made me a refuge unto them and a haven for their souls.
I therefore sit before, O my God, Thee and await what Thou hadst purposed for me by Thy irrevocable decree that is hidden from the gaze of Thy creatures. By Thy Self! All of my limbs and all of my members pine to be rent asunder piece by piece in Thy path! O would that I were in such a state in this very moment, O Thou Creator of All, Who art remembered in the hearts of men! How sweet therefore is mention of Thee unto my taste, and how delightful is servitude to Thee unto my soul! I have attained to such a station therein that whensoever I look upon the earth, I wish to fall down on my face upon it, in humility before Thy Face and prostate in adoration before Thy Self.
By Thy glory! Were it not that I had an eye for Thy sealed decree, never would I have revealed myself save in the deportment of pure servitude amidst Thy creatures; Thou didst, however, ordain in Thy might what Thou desiredst and madst come to pass such as Thou willedst, that such as was revealed in the Bayán might be fulfilled. Otherwise, I desired to humble myself before every face that itself had bowed before Thy Face. Those who transgress the bounds of servitude are such as have not savored the deliciousness thereof. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the realms of eternity, to assist me and my loved ones to serve Thee and evince servitude to Thee under all conditions. Accept, then, from us what we have done and what is left from us of what Thou didst write down for us.
O Lord, make us steadfast in Thy love and in traversing the paths of Thy good-pleasure. Grant, then, that we be champions of Thy Cause in such wise that nothing will hinder us from rendering Thee victorious and exalting Thy word. Set us so aflame, O Lord, with the fire of love for Thee that thereby the flames of Thy love will be kindled amidst Thy servants and that we shall help Thee under all conditions in such wise that neither the repudiation of any man nor the opposition of any soul will hinder us. Potent art Thou to as Thou willest. None other god is there beside Thee, Almighty, the Munificent.
Do Thou bestow Thy blessings, O my God, upon the Point by Whom Thy hidden knowledge was explicated and Thy treasured mysteries revealed, by Whom Thou enteredst Thy Covenant with the Dawning-place of Thine Essence and the Manifestation of Thine Invisible Unity; and do Thou bestow Thy blessings on those that had been beset by suffering and hardship in their love for Thee until such time as they were martyred in Thy path; and upon those who sincerely believe in Thee, who forsook their native homes to exalt Thy word and to establish Thy Cause, and who bore naught in Thy path save love for Thee and Thy verses. Such as they bore was no burden unto them, for theirs was no concern save to spread abroad the traces of Thy pen and confirm Thy truth, and theirs was no object save to fix their gaze upon Thee.
O Lord, do Thou bestow Thy blessings unto them through the tongue of Thy grandeur; vouchsafe them moreover the wonders of Thy mercy at all times, O Thou who art the most merciful of all who show mercy! Glorify, O God my God, such as are the manifestations of martyrdom, who sacrificed their very souls and flesh for the sake of this Cause whereby the Most Great Terror was made manifest and the denizens of the cities of divine names wailed and lamented. These are they by whom Thy Cause was revealed, Thy name proclaimed, and Thy Manifestation made effulgent. Send down upon them, O Lord, that which is befitting of Thy station and is becoming of Thy presence, for they performed such as was incumbent upon them and their doth remain such as Thou didst charge Thyself in regard to them.
I beseech Thee, O my God, by Thee and by them and by these five, to waft over us the breezes of forgiveness, that they may cleanse us of sin. Forgive moreover, O my God, our fathers and our relations among those who have turned unto the holy sanctuary of Thy Cause, who have set their faces toward the direction of Thy good-pleasure. Thou art verily potent to do as Thou willest. None other God is there beside Thee, the Almighty, the Transcendent, Whom we beseech for help.
This is that with which I supplicated God in the language of allegory and metaphor. Let him read it who desires to drink the water of life from the hands of the abundant, the incomparably bounteous Lord. Thereby shall the beauty of truth be revealed to him, and the veils burned away that covered inner meaning behind metaphorical expression.