Those who are near unto Thee
The bodies of Thy chosen ones lie quivering on distant sands:
Longing hands are uplifted to the heaven of Thy grace and generosity:
The infidels have arisen in tyranny on every hand:
The barking of dogs is loud on every side:
Coldness hath gripped all mankind:
Calamity hath reached its height:
Darkness hath enveloped most of the peoples:
The necks of men are stretched out in malice:
Abasement hath reached its lowest depth:
Sorrows have afflicted the Revealer of Thy Name, the All-Merciful:
Anguish hath befallen all the peoples of the earth:
Thou seest the Dawning Place of Thy signs veiled by evil suggestions:
Sore thirst hath overcome all men:
Greed hath made captive all mankind:
Thou seest this Wronged One lonely in exile:
I have been forsaken in a foreign land:
The agonies of death have laid hold on all men:
The whisperings of Satan have been breathed to every creature:
The drunkenness of passion hath perverted most of mankind:
Thou seest this Wronged One veiled in tyranny among the Syrians:
Thou seest Me forbidden to speak forth:
Most of the people are enwrapped in fancy and idle imaginings:
Baha is drowning in a sea of tribulation:
Thou seest the Dayspring of Thine utterance in the darkness of creation:
The lamps of truth and purity,
Canst Thou see any who have championed Thy Self,
The branches of the Divine Lote-Tree lie broken �
This Face is hidden in the dust of slander:
The robe of sanctity is sullied by the people of deceit:
The sea of grace is stilled for what the hands of men have wrought:
The door leading to the Divine Presence is locked
The leaves are yellowed by the poisoning winds of sedition:
The universe is darkened with the dust of sin:
This Youth is lonely in a desolate land:
Were it not for the cold,
Were it not for calamity,
Lament not because of the wicked.
How sweet was Thy dawning on the horizon of the Covenant
By Thee the banner of independence was planted on the highest peaks,
By Thine aloneness the Sun of Oneness shone,
We have made abasement the garment of glory,
Thou seest the hearts are filled with hate,
When the swords flash, go forward!
Dost Thou wail,
Verily,
and He hath risen up in faithfulness at the place of sacrifice,
O Ali-Akbar,
Should all the servants read and ponder this,
- Bah�'u'll�h
In the Name of God,
the Most Ancient,
the Most Great.
Where is the gleaming of the light of Thy Countenance,
O Beloved of the worlds?
have been abandoned in the darkness of desolation:
Where is the shining of the morn of Thy reunion,
O Desire of the worlds?
Where is the ocean of Thy presence,
O Enchanter of the worlds?
Where are the rains of Thy bestowal,
O Answerer of the worlds?
Where is the compelling power of Thine ordaining pen,
O Conqueror of the worlds?
Where is the lion of the forest of Thy might,
O Chastiser of the worlds?
Where is the warmth of Thy love,
O Fire of the worlds?
Where are the signs of Thy succor,
O Salvation of the worlds?
Where is the brightness of Thy splendor,
O Radiance of the worlds?
Where are the swords of Thy vengeance,
O Destroyer of the worlds?
Where are the emblems of Thy glory,
O Glory of the worlds?
Where is the joy of the Dayspring of Thy Revelation,
O Delight of the worlds?
Where are the ensigns of Thy gladness,
O Joy of the worlds?
Where are the fingers of Thy might,
O Power of the worlds?
Where is the river of Thy bounty,
O Mercy of the worlds?
Where are the embodiments of detachment,
O Lord of the worlds?
Where are the hosts of the heaven of Thy Command,
O Sovereign of the worlds?
Where are the emblems of Thy faithfulness,
O Trust of the worlds?
Where is the surging of Thine ocean of eternal life,
O Life of the worlds?
Where is the meteor of Thy fire,
O Light of the worlds?
Where are the daysprings of purity,
O Desire of the worlds?
Where is the radiance of Thy �dawning light,
O Light of the worlds?
Then from where will spring Thy melodies,
O Nightingale of the worlds?
Where are the exponents of Thy certitude,
O Assurance of the worlds?
Where is the Ark of Thy salvation,
O Savior of the worlds?
Where is the sun of the heaven of Thy grace,
O Lightgiver of the worlds?
of loyalty and honor,
have been put out:
Where are the signs of Thine avenging wrath,
O Mover of the worlds?
or who ponder on what hath befallen Him in the pathway of Thy love?
Now doth My pen halt,
O Beloved of the worlds?
by the onrushing gales of destiny:
Where are the banners of Thy succor,
O Champion of the worlds? �
Where are the breezes of Thy compassion,
O Mercy of the worlds?
Where is the vesture of Thy holiness,
O Adorner of the worlds?
Where are the waves of Thy bounty,
O Desire of the worlds?
through the tyranny of Thy foes:
Where is the key of Thy bestowal,
O Unlocker of the worlds?
Where is the downpour of the clouds of Thy bounty,
O Giver of the worlds?
Where are the breezes of Thy forgiveness,
O Forgiver of the worlds?
Where is the rain of Thy heavenly grace,
O Bestower of the worlds?
We have heard Thy most sweet call in the eternal realm:
Give Thou ear unto what the Tongue of Grandeur uttereth,
O �Wronged One of the worlds?
how would the heat of Thy words prevail,
O Expounder of the worlds?
how would the sun of Thy patience shine,
O Light of the worlds?
Thou wert created to bear and endure,
O Patience of the worlds.
among the stirrers of sedition,
and Thy yearning after God,
O Love of the worlds.
and the sea of bounty surged,
O Rapture of the worlds.
and by Thy banishment the land of Unity was adorned.
Be patient,
O Thou Exile of the worlds.
and affliction the adornment of Thy temple,
O Pride of the worlds.
and to overlook is Thine,
O Thou Concealer of the sins of the worlds.
When the �shafts fly, press onward!
O Thou Sacrifice of the worlds.
or shall I wail?
Rather shall I weep at the fewness of Thy champions,
O Thou Who hast caused the wailing of the worlds.
I have heard Thy call, O All-Glorious Beloved;
and now is the face of Baha flaming with the heat of tribulation
and with the fire of Thy shining word,
looking toward Thy pleasure,
O Ordainer of the worlds.
thank thy Lord for this Tablet
whence thou canst breathe the fragrances of My meekness,
and know what hath beset Us in the path of God,
the Adored of all the worlds.
there shall be kindled in their veins a fire
that shall set aflame the worlds.