Gleanings — Paragraph 637

Source (Arabic)

الله إلّا ککفّ من التّراب بل أحقر لو کان النّاس في أنفسهم بصیرًا طهّروا أنفسکم یا ملأ البهآء عن الدّنیا وما فیها تالله إنّها لا ینبغي لکم دعوها لأهلها وتوجّهوا إلی منظر قدس منیرًا و ما ینبغي لکم هو حبّ الله ومظهر نفسه واتّباعکم بما یظهر من عنده إن أنتم بذلک علیمًا قل زیّنوا نفوسکم بالصّدق والأدب ولا تحر

Translation

By the righteousness of God! The world and its vanities, and its glory, and whatever delights it can offer, are all, in the sight of God, as worthless as, nay, even more contemptible than, dust and ashes. Would that the hearts of men could comprehend it! Cleanse yourselves thoroughly, O people of Bahá, from the defilement of the world, and of all that pertaineth unto it. God Himself beareth Me witness. The things of the earth ill beseem you. Cast them away unto such as may desire them, and fasten your eyes upon this most holy and effulgent Vision.