Skip to main content

Epistle to the Son of the Wolf — §113

Persian source with Shoghi Effendi’s authorized English translation. Paragraph 113 of 268.

Source (Persian)

بعضی از بزرگان ايران هر هنگام وارد ان مدينه شده‌اند درب خانه ها لاجل شهريّه و انعام کمال جدّ و جهد را مبذول داشته‌اند و اين مظلوم اگر سبب اعزاز نبوده علّت ذلّت هم نشده * و اين عمل حضرت مرحوم مغفور اعلی اللّه مقامه نظر بدوستی اين مظلوم نبوده بلکه نظر بمقتضيات حکمت و خدمتی که سرّا در نظر داشته‌اند بوده * شهادت ميدهم که در خدمت دولت امين بوده بشانيکه خيانت را در عرصه‌اش راهی و مقامی نبوده * و سبب ورود اين مظلومان در سجن اعظم هم او بوده و لکن چون در عمل خود صادق بود لائق ذکر خير است * اين مظلوم لازال همّش و قصدش ارتفاع و ارتقاء دولت و ملّت بوده نه ارتفاع مقام خود * حال جمعی جمعی را جمع نموده‌اند و بر هتک حرمت اين مظلوم قيام کرده‌اند * و لکنّ المظلوم يسأل اللّه تبارک و تعالی ان يؤيّدهم علی الرّجوع و يوفّقهم علی تدارک ما فات عنهم و الانابة لدی باب عطائه انّه هو الغفور الرّحيم *

Shoghi Effendi Translation

Whenever high dignitaries of Persia came to that city (Constantinople) they would exert themselves to the utmost soliciting at every door such allowances and gifts as they might obtain. This Wronged One, however, if He hath done nothing that would redound to the glory of Persia, hath at least acted in a manner that could in no wise disgrace it. That which was done by his late Excellency (Mushiru'd-Dawlih) - may God exalt his station - was not actuated by his friendship towards this Wronged One, but rather was prompted by his own sagacious judgment, and by his desire to accomplish the service he secretly contemplated rendering his Government. I testify that he was so faithful in his service to his Government that dishonesty played no part, and was held in contempt, in the domain of his activities. It was he who was responsible for the arrival of these wronged ones in the Most Great Prison (‘Akká). As he was faithful, however, in the discharge of his duty, he deserveth Our commendation. This Wronged One hath, at all times, aimed and striven to exalt and advance the interests of both the government and the people, not to elevate His own station. A number of men have, now, gathered others about them, and have arisen to dishonor this Wronged One. He, nevertheless, beseecheth God - hallowed and glorified be He - to aid them to return unto Him, and assist them to compensate for that which escaped them, and repent before the door of His bounty. He, verily, is the Forgiving, the Merciful.

Translation Notes

از
iz ʾ-z “of”

literal: from

SE rendered بعضی (bʿḍí)از (iz)بزرگان (bzrgán)ايران (iyrán)هر (hr)هنگام (hngám)وارد (wárd) as “Whenever, of, high dignitaries, Persia, came”

23 occurrences in corpus

هر
hr h-r

literal: every; every/each; each

SE rendered بعضی (bʿḍí)از (iz)بزرگان (bzrgán)ايران (iyrán)هر (hr)هنگام (hngám)وارد (wárd)مدينه (mdính)شده‌اند (shdh‌ánd) as “Whenever, of, high dignitaries, Persia, came, city, was”

هنگام
hngám h-n-g

literal: time

SE rendered بعضی (bʿḍí)از (iz)بزرگان (bzrgán)ايران (iyrán)هر (hr)هنگام (hngám)وارد (wárd)مدينه (mdính)شده‌اند (shdh‌ánd)درب (drb)خانه (khánh) as “Whenever, of, high dignitaries, Persia, came, city, was, door”

time 75% another 25%
درب
drb d-r-b “door”

literal: door

3 occurrences in corpus

ها
w-j-h

literal: face; attention; turning

SE rendered وارد (wárd)مدينه (mdính)شده‌اند (shdh‌ánd)درب (drb)خانه (khánh)ها (há)لاجل (lájl)شهريّه (shhrírh)انعام (inʿám)کمال (kmál) as “came, city, was, door, to, allowances, gifts, to the utmost”

face 35% faces 12% countenance 10% set 10% sake 9% turn 8% turning 7% turned 4% setting 3% have 2%
لاجل
lájl ʾ-j-l “to”

literal: sake; term; for the sake of

SE rendered مدينه (mdính)شده‌اند (shdh‌ánd)درب (drb)خانه (khánh)ها (há)لاجل (lájl)شهريّه (shhrírh)انعام (inʿám)کمال (kmál)جدّ (jdd) as “city, was, door, to, allowances, gifts, to the utmost”

inasmuch 33% own 33% death 33%
جدّ
jdd j-d-d

literal: new; renewal; renew

SE rendered لاجل (lájl)شهريّه (shhrírh)انعام (inʿám)کمال (kmál)جدّ (jdd)جهد (jhd)مبذول (mbdhúl)داشته‌اند (dáshth‌ánd) as “to, allowances, gifts, to the utmost, exert”

new 57% fresh 11% renew 9% again 4% put 4% renewed 4% present 4% thyself 2% supplant 2% regenerated 2%
جهد
jhd j-h-d

literal: effort; striving; striver

SE rendered لاجل (lájl)شهريّه (shhrírh)انعام (inʿám)کمال (kmál)جدّ (jdd)جهد (jhd)مبذول (mbdhúl)داشته‌اند (dáshth‌ánd)مظلوم (mẓlúm) as “to, allowances, gifts, to the utmost, exert, One, however,”

strive 45% exert 18% energies 9% efforts 9% all 9% ways 9%
علّت
ʿllt ʿ-l-l

literal: cause; reason

SE rendered مظلوم (mẓlúm)سبب (sbb)اعزاز (iʿzáz)نبوده (nbúdh)علّت (ʿllt)ذلّت (dhllt)نشده (nshdh)عمل (ʿml)حضرت (ḥḍrt) as “One, however,, the glory, hath done, disgrace, was, Him”

cause 20% caused 13% motive 13% source 13% causeth 7% pretext 7% reason 7% essential 7% cannot 7% fix 7%
حکمت
ḥkmt ḥ-k-m

literal: wisdom

SE rendered نبوده (nbúdh)بلکه (blkh)نظر (nẓr)بمقتضيات (bmqtḍíát)حکمت (ḥkmt)خدمتی (khdmtí)سرّا (srrá)نظر (nẓr)داشته‌اند (dáshth‌ánd) as “was not, but rather, was prompted, by his own sagacious judgment, service, secretly, contemplated”

ميدهم
mídhm d-ʾ-d

literal: give; to give; given

SE rendered نظر (nẓr)داشته‌اند (dáshth‌ánd)شهادت (shhádt)ميدهم (mídhm)خدمت (khdmt)دولت (dúlt)امين (imín) as “contemplated, I testify, service, Government, faithful”

hath 20% have 20% delivered 13% equity 7% allowed 7% laid 7% regarded 7% applicable 7% offer 7% accused 7%
راهی
ráhí r-w-h

literal: path; way; path, way

SE rendered بشانيکه (bsháníkh)خيانت (khíánt)عرصه‌اش (ʿrṣh‌ásh)راهی (ráhí)مقامی (mqámí)نبوده (nbúdh)سبب (sbb)ورود (wrúd) as “that, dishonesty, domain, played no part, responsible, arrival”

access 33% led 33% another 33%
اعظم
iʿẓm ʿ-ẓ-m

literal: greatest; great; greatness

SE rendered سبب (sbb)ورود (wrúd)مظلومان (mẓlúmán)سجن (sjn)اعظم (iʿẓm)لکن (lkn)چون (chún)عمل (ʿml) as “responsible, arrival, Most Great Prison, however, in, as, discharge”

نه

literal: end; ended; utmost

SE rendered ارتفاع (irtfáʿ)ارتقاء (irtqáʾ)دولت (dúlt)ملّت (mllt)نه (nh)ارتفاع (irtfáʿ)مقام (mqám)حال (ḥál)جمعی (jmʿí)جمعی (jmʿí) as “elevate, advance, government, people, not, station, now, others”

end 16% forbidden 12% ended 12% infinite 12% highest 12% forbiddeth 8% most 8% utmost 8% last 8% unnumbered 4%
بر

literal: on; on, upon; upon

SE rendered جمعی (jmʿí)جمعی (jmʿí)جمع (jmʿ)نموده‌اند (nmúdh‌ánd)بر (br)هتک (htk)حرمت (ḥrmt)مظلوم (mẓlúm)قيام (qíám)کرده‌اند (krdh‌ánd) as “others, gathered, for, dishonor, Wronged One, arisen”

land 33% upon 11% piety 11% unto 11% pious 6% righteousness 6% beseech 6% good 6% against 6% indignities 6%
لدی
ldí l-d-y

literal: at; with; near

SE rendered تدارک (tdárk)فات (fát)عنهم (ʿnhm)الانابة (an-nábh)لدی (ldí)باب (báb)عطائه (ʿṭáʾh)الغفور (al-ghfúr)الرّحيم (ar-rḥím) as “compensate, escaped, before, repent, door, bounty, the Forgiving, the Merciful”

before 36% sight 18% guidance 9% face 9% when 9% after 9% beside 9%

Source: Bahá'u'lláh, Epistle to the Son of the Wolf

Model Translations by Shoghi Effendi

Fire Tablet cover

Fire Tablet

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in late 1871 during a period of severe hardship in ‘Akká, this Tablet takes the form of an anguished dialogue between Bahá’u’lláh and God. Questions about the sufferings of the faithful are answered with divine assurances, building to a crescendo of triumph over tribulation.

50 ¶

Gleanings cover

Gleanings

Bahá’u’lláh

A compilation of 166 selections from Bahá’u’lláh’s Tablets, spanning the Baghdad, Adrianople, and ‘Akká periods (1853–1892). George Townshend assisted with English refinement. Shoghi Effendi wrote that it gives the friends a splendid opportunity to acquire knowledge and understanding of the Faith.

729 ¶

Kitáb-i-'Ahd cover

Kitáb-i-’Ahd

Bahá’u’lláh

The Book of the Covenant — Bahá’u’lláh’s Will and Testament, written entirely in His own hand and unsealed on the ninth day after His ascension. It designates ‘Abdu’l-Bahá as His successor and establishes what Shoghi Effendi called the mightiest Covenant in all religious history.

16 ¶

Kitáb-i-Íqán cover

Kitáb-i-Íqán

Bahá’u’lláh

The principal doctrinal work of the Faith, revealed in Baghdad within the space of two days and two nights in response to questions from the Báb’s maternal uncle. Shoghi Effendi described it as occupying a position unequalled by any work except the Kitáb-i-Aqdas — a model of Persian prose, at once original, chaste, vigorous, and remarkably lucid.

291 ¶

Prayers and Meditations cover

Prayers and Meditations

Bahá’u’lláh

Published in 1938, this companion volume to Gleanings contains 184 prayers and meditations selected by Shoghi Effendi from Bahá’u’lláh’s devotional writings revealed across successive exiles from Baghdad to ‘Akká. Shoghi Effendi described it as a volume whose perusal would deepen the spirit of devotion and faith.

858 ¶

Tablet of Aḥmad cover

Tablet of Aḥmad

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed in Adrianople and addressed to a believer named Aḥmad, this Tablet has been invested by Bahá’u’lláh with a special potency and significance. Its central imagery draws on the metaphor of fire and water: “Be thou as a flame of fire to My enemies and a river of life eternal to My loved ones.”

17 ¶

Tablet of Carmel cover

Tablet of Carmel

Bahá’u’lláh

Revealed during a visit to Mount Carmel, this Tablet addresses the mountain directly and prophesies its future as the world spiritual and administrative center of the Faith. Shoghi Effendi designated it one of three foundational Charters. Its imagery of the Ark and the dwellers therein prefigures the Universal House of Justice.

5 ¶

Tablet of the Holy Mariner cover

Tablet of the Holy Mariner

Bahá’u’lláh

Chanted aloud in the outskirts of Baghdad just weeks before the Declaration in the Garden of Riḍván, its gloomy prognostications aroused the grave apprehensions of all who heard it. Only the Arabic portion has an authorized translation; the Persian portion remains untranslated.

57 ¶

The Hidden Words cover

The Hidden Words

Bahá’u’lláh

Seventy-one Arabic and eighty-two Persian aphorisms revealed around 1858 while walking along the banks of the Tigris in Baghdad. Originally designated the “Hidden Book of Fáṭimih,” Shoghi Effendi described it as a marvelous collection of gem-like utterances occupying a position of unsurpassed preeminence among the ethical writings of the Faith.

160 ¶

Will and Testament cover

Will and Testament

‘Abdu’l-Bahá

Written by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in three parts between 1901 and 1908, opened and read after His passing on 28 November 1921. Shoghi Effendi designated it the Charter of the New World Order — the mightiest instrument forged to ensure the continuity of the three ages of the Bahá’í Dispensation.

59 ¶