151 Ye have been enjoined to renew the furnishings of your homes after the passing of each nineteen years; thus hath it been ordained by One Who is Omniscient and All-Perceiving. He, verily, is desirous of refinement, both for you yourselves and for all that ye possess; lay not aside the fear of God and be not of the negligent. Whoso findeth that his means are insufficient to this purpose hath been excused by God, the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bounteous. 152 Wash your feet once every day in summer, and once every three days during winter. 153 Should anyone wax angry with you, respond to him with gentleness; and should anyone upbraid you, forbear to upbraid him in return, but leave him to himself and put your trust in God, the omnipotent Avenger, the Lord of might and justice.

It is incumbent upon you to renew the furnishings of your houses every nineteen years. Thus hath the matter been decreed on the part of one, omniscient and wise. Verily, he desireth to render beautiful all things. Fear God and be not of the negligent; but he who is devoid of means, whereby to execute this demand, is excused by God. Verily, He is the forgiver, the generous. Bathe your feet once a day in the summer time, and during winter every three days. Meet gently anyone who has offended you, and reproach him not who censures you; but leave him to himself and rely upon God, the avenger, the just, the mighty.

154 Ye have been prohibited from making use of pulpits. Whoso wisheth to recite unto you the verses of his Lord, let him sit on a chair placed upon a dais, that he may make mention of God, his Lord, and the Lord of all mankind. It is pleasing to God that ye should seat yourselves on chairs and benches as a mark of honour for the love ye bear for Him and for the Manifestation of His glorious and resplendent Cause. 155 Gambling and the use of opium have been forbidden unto you. Eschew them both, O people, and be not of those who transgress. Beware of using any substance that induceth sluggishness and torpor in the human temple and inflicteth harm upon the body. We, verily, desire for you naught save what shall profit you, and to this bear witness all created things, had ye but ears to hear. 156 Whensoever ye be invited to a banquet or festive occasion, respond with joy and gladness, and whoever fulfilleth his promise will be safe from reproof. This is a Day on which each of God's wise decrees hath been expounded.

Ye are forbidden to preach from the pulpits, he who reads the verses of his Lord to you, should sit upon a chair placed upon a platform and mention God, his Lord and the Lord of the Worlds. God desireth you to sit on chairs and divans in honor of that which ye have in you of the love of God, and the day-spring of His command, the brilliant, the illumined. Gambling and the use of opium are strictly prohibited, shun them, O assembly of creatures, and be not of the transgressors. Beware not to practice that which will enfeeble your temples and harm your bodies. Verily we do not desire unto you but what will profit you and in this all things will testify for me, were ye to hear! Should ye be invited to entertainments or banquets, accept such invitations with pleasure and cheerfulness; and he who fulfills his promise is protected against menace. (This shows the importance of fulfilling a promise, and acting to the contrary, calamities and troubles will ensue.) This is a day wherein every wise matter has been distinctly explained.

157 Behold, the "mystery of the Great Reversal in the Sign of the Sovereign" hath now been made manifest. Well is it with him whom God hath aided to recognize the "Six" raised up by virtue of this "Upright Alif"; he, verily, is of those whose faith is true. How many the outwardly pious who have turned away, and how many the wayward who have drawn nigh, exclaiming: "All praise be to Thee, O Thou the Desire of the worlds!" In truth, it is in the hand of God to give what He willeth to whomsoever He willeth, and to withhold what He pleaseth from whomsoever He may wish. He knoweth the inner secrets of the hearts and the meaning hidden in a mocker's wink. How many an embodiment of heedlessness who came unto Us with purity of heart have We established upon the seat of Our acceptance; and how many an exponent of wisdom have We in all justice consigned to the fire. We are, in truth, the One to judge. He it is Who is the manifestation of "God doeth whatsoever He pleaseth", and abideth upon the throne of "He ordaineth whatsoever He chooseth". 158 Blessed is the one who discovereth the fragrance of inner meanings from the traces of this Pen through whose movement the breezes of God are wafted over the entire creation, and through whose stillness the very essence of tranquillity appeareth in the realm of being. Glorified be the All-Merciful, the Revealer of so inestimable a bounty. Say: Because He bore injustice, justice hath appeared on earth, and because He accepted abasement, the majesty of God hath shone forth amidst mankind. 159 It hath been forbidden you to carry arms unless essential, and permitted you to attire yourselves in silk. The Lord hath relieved you, as a bounty on His part, of the restrictions that formerly applied to clothing and to the trim of the beard. He, verily, is the Ordainer, the Omniscient. Let there be naught in your demeanour of which sound and upright minds would disapprove, and make not yourselves the playthings of the ignorant. Well is it with him who hath adorned himself with the vesture of seemly conduct and a praiseworthy character. He is assuredly reckoned with those who aid their Lord through distinctive and outstanding deeds.

The secret of the reversion of the sign of the Rais hath appeared, blessed is he who is strengthened by God to declare his confession in Ess-Sit-Tat which was exalted by this Vertical Alef (|). Is he not indeed of the sincere?* How many hermits have turned away and how many negligent have come saying: "Praise be to Thee, O intended of the world." Verily, the affairs are in the hands of God! He giveth to whom He wisheth that which He pleaseth, and depriveth whom He willeth of that He desireth. He knows the secrets of hearts and that whereby the eyes of the slanderers are directed. How many heedless have advanced with sincerity, and we have made them to sit upon the throne of acceptance; and how many intelligent have we sent back to the fire as justice on our part. Verily, we are the controllers! Verily, He is the manifestation of "God doeth what He pleaseth", and the master upon the throne of "commandeth what He desireth." Blessed is he who inhales the perfume of the traces of this pen which it moveth, the breath of God will be diffused over all, and when it reposeth, the existence of tranquillity appears in the realm of creation. Exalted is the Merciful, the manifestation of this great bounty. Say, because of His endurance of oppression, justice hath become manifest in aught else; because of His acceptance of humility, the might of God hath shone forth amidst the worlds. Ye are forbidden to carry weapons of defense, save in time of necessity. Ye are permitted to wear silk, and that which refers to tresses and beards (as recorded in the Beyan) is hereby abolished by God as a bounty on His part. Verily He is the controller, the omniscient. Commit not that which is shunned by the righteous minded and make not yourselves a diversion for the ignorant. Blessed is he who adorns himself with the beautiful garment of refined manners and moral character. Verily, he is of those who render victorious their Lord by evident and manifest deeds.

* (The sign of the Rais, chief, means the power of the chief rulers, divines, and learned who have had perfect control over the people of the earth during the past ages and decades, but in this manifestation, affairs shall be changed, their banners reversed and the power will be taken out of their hands and given to the faithful believers of God, who will inherit the earth. Ess-Sit-Tat, means the number six (6) which corresponds to the Abjad quotation. In spelling the letter "Waw" (Arabic alphabet), according to the Abjad quotation the letter "Waw" is composed of three letters, two Waws and one Alef, the numerical value of which is thirteen (13), corresponding to the value of ahad (one) who is God. This means, "Blessed is the one who confesses the oneness of God" The vertical Alef (1) is the first letter of the Arabic alphabet, signifying Baha'o'llah the manifestation of God in whose person the confession of His oneness became manifest and exalted: altogether, this means, "Blessed is the one who is strengthened by God to confess and believe in His manifestation, Baha'o'llah" This refers to the very words as pronounced by Sheikh Ahmad El Ahsai, (an Arab) and his disciple Seyyid Kazim (Persian) regarding the appearances of El-Mahdi. Both of them have preached to the people of His nigh appearance and thus they prepared the way before Him. They are famous and their writings are greatly honored and respected by the people.)

160 Promote ye the development of the cities of God and His countries, and glorify Him therein in the joyous accents of His well-favoured ones. In truth, the hearts of men are edified through the power of the tongue, even as houses and cities are built up by the hand and other means. We have assigned to every end a means for its accomplishment; avail yourselves thereof, and place your trust and confidence in God, the Omniscient, the All-Wise. 161 Blessed is the man that hath acknowledged his belief in God and in His signs, and recognized that "He shall not be asked of His doings". Such a recognition hath been made by God the ornament of every belief and its very foundation. Upon it must depend the acceptance of every goodly deed. Fasten your eyes upon it, that haply the whisperings of the rebellious may not cause you to slip. 162 Were He to decree as lawful the thing which from time immemorial had been forbidden, and forbid that which had, at all times, been regarded as lawful, to none is given the right to question His authority. Whoso will hesitate, though it be for less than a moment, should be regarded as a transgressor.

Build the houses of God, and cultivate His countries; then mention Him therein with the hymns of those who are near unto Him; but the hearts are edified only by the tongue, as houses and homes are built up by the hands and other means. We have ordained a cause for everything on our part; take hold of such causes and rely upon God, the wise, the omniscient. Blessed is he who acknowledges God and His verses, and confesses that "He is not to be questioned of what He doeth." This is a word which God hath made the beauty of belief and the origin thereof: and by it is acceptable the labor of the laborers. Make the word the object of your regard, lest you stumble through illusions of those who have turned away. Should He proclaim lawful all that which was unlawful since eternity of eternities and vice- versa, no one has the right to object, and he who hesitates a moment in accepting this is indeed of the erring.

163 Whoso hath not recognized this sublime and fundamental verity, and hath failed to attain this most exalted station, the winds of doubt will agitate him, and the sayings of the infidels will distract his soul. He that hath acknowledged this principle will be endowed with the most perfect constancy. All honour to this all-glorious station, the remembrance of which adorneth every exalted Tablet. Such is the teaching which God bestoweth on you, a teaching that will deliver you from all manner of doubt and perplexity, and enable you to attain unto salvation in both this world and in the next. He, verily, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Bountiful. He it is Who hath sent forth the Messengers, and sent down the Books to proclaim "There is none other God but Me, the Almighty, the All-Wise". 164 O Land of Kaf and Ra! [Kirman] We, verily, behold thee in a state displeasing unto God, and see proceeding from thee that which is inscrutable to anyone save Him, the Omniscient, the All- Informed; and We perceive that which secretly and stealthily diffuseth from thee. With Us is the knowledge of all things, inscribed in a lucid Tablet. Sorrow not for that which hath befallen thee. Erelong will God raise up within thee men endued with mighty valour, who will magnify My Name with such constancy that neither will they be deterred by the evil suggestions of the divines, nor will they be kept back by the insinuations of the sowers of doubt. With their own eyes will they behold God, and with their own lives will they render Him victorious. These, truly, are of those who are steadfast. 165 O concourse of divines! When My verses were sent down, and My clear tokens were revealed, We found you behind the veils. This, verily, is a strange thing. Ye glory in My Name, yet ye recognized Me not at the time your Lord, the All-Merciful, appeared amongst you with proof and testimony. We have rent the veils asunder. Beware lest ye shut out the people by yet another veil. Pluck asunder the chains of vain imaginings, in the name of the Lord of all men, and be not of the deceitful. Should ye turn unto God and embrace His Cause, spread not disorder within it, and measure not the Book of God with your selfish desires. This, verily, is the counsel of God aforetime and hereafter, and to this God's witnesses and chosen ones, yea, each and every one of Us, do solemnly attest.

And he who does not attain unto this lofty root and this supreme station, is wafted by the winds of suspicions and overthrown by the sayings of infidels; but he who attains unto it hath arrived at the greatest uprightness. How good is this most glorious station by which name every impregnable tablet is adorned. Thus doth God teach you that which will rid you from doubts end perplexities, and save you in this world and the world to come. Verily He is the forgiver, the generous. He is the one who sent the messengers and revealed the books, to testify that there is no God but Me, the mighty, the wise. O land of Kaf and Ra (Karman)! We find thee in a condition acceptable to God and see in thee that whereof none knows save God, the omniscient, the learned. We know the mysteries of your mysteries for we have the knowledge of everything in a clear table. Grieve not for that, for out of thee shall appear people of vehement courage who will mention Me with such uprightness that neither the creeds of the learned, nor the suspicions of the doubter could ever withold or veil them; those will look to God with their eyes and assist Him with their souls. Are they not indeed of the firm? O assembly of the learned. When the verses were caused to descend and The evidences became manifest, we saw you behind the veils, verily, this is naught but an astounding matter! Ye have boasted of my name but became heedless of myself when the Merciful hath come with evidence end truth. Verily we have rent asunder the veils, beware not to cast over the people another veil. Break to pieces the chains of imaginations, in the name at the ruler of mankind and be not of the deceitful. Should ye advance unto God, and embrace this religion, work not sedition, and judge not the book of God according to your own desires. This is the sincere advice of God from first to last; to this will testify the witnesses of God and His elect. Verily we have been the witnesses.

166 Call ye to mind the shaykh whose name was Muhammad-Hasan, who ranked among the most learned divines of his day. When the True One was made manifest, this shaykh, along with others of his calling, rejected Him, while a sifter of wheat and barley accepted Him and turned unto the Lord. Though he was occupied both night and day in setting down what he conceived to be the laws and ordinances of God, yet when He Who is the Unconstrained appeared, not one letter thereof availed him, or he would not have turned away from a Countenance that hath illumined the faces of the well-favoured of the Lord. Had ye believed in God when He revealed Himself, the people would not have turned aside from Him, nor would the things ye witness today have befallen Us. Fear God, and be not of the heedless. 167 Beware lest any name debar you from Him Who is the Possessor of all names, or any word shut you out from this Remembrance of God, this Source of Wisdom amongst you. Turn unto God and seek His protection, O concourse of divines, and make not of yourselves a veil between Me and My creatures. Thus doth your Lord admonish you, and command you to be just, lest your works should come to naught and ye yourselves be oblivious of your plight. Shall he who denieth this Cause be able to vindicate the truth of any cause throughout creation? Nay, by Him Who is the Fashioner of the universe! Yet the people are wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: Through this Cause the day-star of testimony hath dawned, and the luminary of proof hath shed its radiance upon all that dwell on earth. Fear God, O men of insight, and be not of those who disbelieve in Me. Take heed lest the word "Prophet" withhold you from this Most Great Announcement, or any reference to "Vicegerency" debar you from the sovereignty of Him Who is the Vicegerent of God, which overshadoweth all the worlds. Every name hath been created by His Word, and every cause is dependent on His irresistible, His mighty and wondrous Cause. Say: This is the Day of God, the Day on which naught shall be mentioned save His own Self, the omnipotent Protector of all worlds. This is the Cause that hath made all your superstitions and idols to tremble. 168 We, verily, see amongst you him who taketh hold of the Book of God and citeth from it proofs and arguments wherewith to repudiate his Lord, even as the followers of every other Faith sought reasons in their Holy Books for refuting Him Who is the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. Say: God, the True One, is My witness that neither the Scriptures of the world, nor all the books and writings in existence, shall, in this Day, avail you aught without this, the Living Book, Who proclaimeth in the midmost heart of creation: "Verily, there is none other God but Me, the All- Knowing, the All-Wise."

Remember the Sheikh who was known by the name of Mohammed Kabl (meaning before) Hassan. He was the most learned of his time, but when the truth appeared he and those with him, have turned away from the truth while those who cleaned wheat and barley have advanced unto God. He wrote, according to his pretensions, the ordinances of God by day and night; but when the unconstrained appeared, he did not profit by them; had it been otherwise, he would not have turned from a face whereby the faces of the proximate were illumined. Had ye believed in God on His appearance, others would not have turned from Him, and that which you see today would not have befallen us. Fear God and be not of the heedless! Beware not to allow the names to withold you from their ruler; or any commemoration veil you from this wise commemoration! Seek refuge with God, O assembly of the learned, and make not yourselves as a barrier between Me and My creatures. Thus doth God admonish you and command you to be just lest your actions be frustrated while ye are heedless. Can any one objecting to this cause (religion) prove any claim in existence (prove the validity of his own religion or that of his prophet)? No, by the king of creation! The people are in evident darkness. Say! By Him the sun of proof hath shone and the orb of argument became manifest to whosoever is in the realm of creation. Fear God, O people of vision and deny not! Beware lest the mention of a prophet withold you from this most great mention, or the authority from the supremacy of God, which is the guardian to all the worlds. Every name was created by His name, and every command is related to His command, the wonderful, the decisive, the mighty. Say! This is the day of God wherein naught else must be mentioned, save, Himself, the protector over all the worlds. this is a matter which causes all you imaginations and idols to tremble. From amongst you we find some who take their books as a guide to God, just as all religious communities have taken their books as proofs of God, the protector, the self-existent. Say! By God, the truth, all the books of the world, and the records therein will not serve you in any stead, except this book which crieth out in the midst of this world, "Verily, there is no God but Me, the omniscient, the wise."

169 O concourse of divines! Beware lest ye be the cause of strife in the land, even as ye were the cause of the repudiation of the Faith in its early days. Gather the people around this Word that hath made the pebbles to cry out: "The Kingdom is God's, the Dawning-place of all signs!" Thus doth your Lord admonish you, as a bounty on His part; He, of a truth, is the Ever-Forgiving, the Most Generous. 170 Call ye to mind Karim, and how, when We summoned him unto God, he waxed disdainful, prompted by his own desires; yet We had sent him that which was a solace to the eye of proof in the world of being and the fulfilment of God's testimony to all the denizens of earth and heaven. As a token of the grace of Him Who is the All-Possessing, the Most High, We bade him embrace the Truth. But he turned away until, as an act of justice from God, angels of wrath laid hold upon him. Unto this We truly were a witness. 171 Tear the veils asunder in such wise that the inmates of the Kingdom will hear them being rent. This is the command of God, in days gone by and for those to come. Blessed the man that observeth that whereunto he was bidden, and woe betide the negligent.

O assembly of the learned! Beware not to be the means of discord throughout the countries as ye have been the cause of oppression in the beginning of this matter. Bring the people together to this word, whereby the people crieth out, "The kingdom is to God, the dayspring of the signs." (This means that everything in existence even the pebble, acknowledges God and testifies of HIS favor). Thus doth God admonish you as a bounty on His part. Verily, He is the forgiver, the generous. Remember El-Karim, when we summoned him unto God, how by following his own desires, felt himself great, after we sent unto him that which consoled the eye of argument in the realms of creation, and completed the proof of God to whosoever is in the heaven and earth. Verily, we have commanded him to come as a bounty on the part of Him the independent, the exalted; but he turned his back until he was seized upon by the Zabanict of torture (the infernal guards guards - the tormentors of the damned in hell) according to the justice of God. Verily you have been the witnesses. Render asunder the veils in such wise that the noise produced therefrom be heard by the people of the kingdom. This is the command of God from the first to last. Blessed is he who complies with that to which he is commanded, and woe to the neglectful.

172 We, of a certainty, have had no purpose in this earthly realm save to make God manifest and to reveal His sovereignty; sufficient unto Me is God for a witness. We, of a certainty, have had no intent in the celestial Kingdom but to exalt His Cause and glorify His praise; sufficient unto Me is God for a protector. We, of a certainty, have had no desire in the Dominion on high except to extol God and what hath been sent down by Him; sufficient unto Me is God for a helper. 173 Happy are ye, O ye the learned ones in Bahá. By the Lord! Ye are the billows of the Most Mighty Ocean, the stars of the firmament of Glory, the standards of triumph waving betwixt earth and heaven. Ye are the manifestations of steadfastness amidst men and the daysprings of Divine Utterance to all that dwell on earth. Well is it with him that turneth unto you, and woe betide the froward. This day, it behoveth whoso hath quaffed the Mystic Wine of everlasting life from the Hands of the loving-kindness of the Lord his God, the Merciful, to pulsate even as the throbbing artery in the body of mankind, that through him may be quickened the world and every crumbling bone. 174 O people of the world! When the Mystic Dove will have winged its flight from its Sanctuary of Praise and sought its far-off goal, its hidden habitation, refer ye whatsoever ye understand not in the Book to Him Who hath branched from this mighty Stock.

Dominion we did not desire but only the appearance of God end His authority, and God sufficeth as a witness; the kingdom we did not desire, but only the exaltation of the command of God and His praise, and God sufficeth as a guardian; might and power we did not desire, but the mention of God and that which was revealed on His part, and God sufficeth as a helper. Blessed are ye, O assembly of the learned of Baha! By God, ye are the waves of the greatest sea, the stars of' the heaven of grace, and the banners of victory betwixt the heaven and earth. Ye are the day-springs of uprightness amidst the creatures, and the dawning-places of wisdom to whosoever is in the created world. Blessed are they who come unto you and woe unto them who turn away. In this day it beseemeth every one who has drunk the pure wine of life from the hand of grace of His Lord, the merciful, to be as an artery; pulsating in the body of the realm of creation, whereby the world and all dry bones will be shaken. O people of creation! When the dove flyeth off from the branch of praise, and moveth towards the farthest and most hidden destination, refer that which ye do not understand of the book to the branch who is extended from this solid root.

175 O Pen of the Most High! Move Thou upon the Tablet at the bidding of Thy Lord, the Creator of the Heavens, and tell of the time when He Who is the Dayspring of Divine Unity purposed to direct His steps towards the School of Transcendent Oneness; haply the pure in heart may gain thereby a glimpse, be it as small as a needle's eye, of the mysteries of Thy Lord, the Almighty, the Omniscient, that lie concealed behind the veils. Say: We, indeed, set foot within the School of inner meaning and explanation when all created things were unaware. We saw the words sent down by Him Who is the All-Merciful, and We accepted the verses of God, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting, which He [The Báb] presented unto Us, and hearkened unto that which He had solemnly affirmed in the Tablet. This we assuredly did behold. And We assented to His wish through Our behest, for truly We are potent to command. 176 O people of the Bayán! We, verily, set foot within the School of God when ye lay slumbering; and We perused the Tablet while ye were fast asleep. By the one true God! We read the Tablet ere it was revealed, while ye were unaware, and We had perfect knowledge of the Book when ye were yet unborn. These words are to your measure, not to God's. To this testifieth that which is enshrined within His knowledge, if ye be of them that comprehend; and to this the tongue of the Almighty doth bear witness, if ye be of those who understand. I swear by God, were We to lift the veil, ye would be dumbfounded. 177 Take heed that ye dispute not idly concerning the Almighty and His Cause, for lo! He hath appeared amongst you invested with a Revelation so great as to encompass all things, whether of the past or of the future. Were We to address Our theme by speaking in the language of the inmates of the Kingdom, We would say: "In truth, God created that School ere He created heaven and earth, and We entered it before the letters B and E were joined and knit together." Such is the language of Our servants in Our Kingdom; consider what the tongue of the dwellers of Our exalted Dominion would utter, for We have taught them Our knowledge and have revealed to them whatever had lain hidden in God's wisdom. Imagine then what the Tongue of Might and Grandeur would utter in His All-Glorious Abode!

O supreme pen! Move upon this tablet, with the permission of thy Lord, the creator of heaven; then mention that the day-spring of unity hath purposed the Maktab (school) to be that of renunciation (of worldly things). (This is in reply to a passage in the Beyan which was understood as schools of learning). Perchance the true pure and religious learned men will be acquainted, even though measured by the eye of a needle, with what is existing behind the veils of the mysteries of thy Lord, the mighty, the omniscient. Say! Verily, we have entered the maktab of ideas and expressions at the time when all of the realm of creation were heedless, and witnessed that which was revealed by the Merciful; accepted that was given unto me of the verses of God, the protector, the self-existent; and heard that whereunto He testifieth in this tablet. Verily, we have been the witnesses - we have answered him by a command on our part - verily, we have been the commanders. O people of Beyan! Verily, we have entered the maktab of God while ye were reposing, and witnessed the tablet while ye were asleep. By God, the truth, we have read it, before its descension while ye were heedless. We have thoroughly comprehended the book while ye were yet unborn (in the loins); and what I have expounded unto you is in proportion to your limited knowledge of God, were ye to know! To this will bear witness that which is in the knowledge of God, were ye to know! To this will bear witness the tongue of God, were ye to comprehend! By God, had we to remove the veil, ye would be smitten. Beware not to contend with God and His commands - Verily it hath appeared in such wise that hath encompassed all that was and is. Should we speak of this station by the tongue of the people of the kingdom, we would say, "God hath created that maktab before the creation of heaven and earth, and we have entered it before the Kaf was attached to the Noon" (Kaf and Noon are two Arabic letters which, when united form the word kounn which means, Be; that is, before He said, Be, it was). This is that which was uttered by the tongue of my servants, in my kingdom. Ponder on that which was uttered by the tongue of the people of My might, on the signs which were given to them on My part; on that which was hidden in the knowledge of God; and on that which was uttered by the tongue of greatness and might and of His extolled station.

178 This is not a Cause which may be made a plaything for your idle fancies, nor is it a field for the foolish and faint of heart. By God, this is the arena of insight and detachment, of vision and upliftment, where none may spur on their chargers save the valiant horsemen of the Merciful, who have severed all attachment to the world of being. These, truly, are they that render God victorious on earth, and are the dawning-places of His sovereign might amidst mankind. 179 Beware lest aught that hath been revealed in the Bayán should keep you from your Lord, the Most Compassionate. God is My witness that the Bayán was sent down for no other purpose than to celebrate My praise, did ye but know! In it the pure in heart will find only the fragrance of My love, only My Name that overshadoweth all that seeth and is seen. Say: Turn ye, O people, unto that which hath proceeded from My Most Exalted Pen. Should ye inhale therefrom the fragrance of God, set not yourselves against Him, nor deny yourselves a portion of His gracious favour and His manifold bestowals. Thus doth your Lord admonish you; He, verily, is the Counsellor, the Omniscient. 180 Whatsoever ye understand not in the Bayán, ask it of God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers. Should He so desire, He will expound for you that which is revealed therein, and disclose to you the pearls of Divine knowledge and wisdom that lie concealed within the ocean of its words. He, verily, is supreme over all names; no God is there but Him, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

[no break] This is not a matter to play on with the imaginations, nor a place into which will enter the frightened cowards; rather, By God, it is the battlefield of revelation and devotion, and the race-course of beholding and exaltation, wherein none will move about except the knights of the Merciful, who have renounced the worldly things. They are indeed the assistants of God on the earth, and the dawning-places of might amongst the people of the world. Beware lest that which was revealed in the Beyan (of the Bab) withold you from your Lord, the Merciful. By God it hath caused to descend for my praise, were ye to know! The sincere will not find in the Beyan save the fragrance of My love, and that of My name, which is the protector against both the witness and the witnessed. Say! O people, turn unto that which was caused to descend from my supreme pen - should ye find therein the perfume of God, do not oppose Him, and deprive not yourselves from the bounty of God and His favors; thus doth God admonish you. Verily He is the admonisher, the knower. Ask God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers of that which ye do not understand of the Beyan. Verily if He will, He can disclose unto you what is revealed therein and that which is hidden of the pearls of science and wisdom in the sea of its words. Verily He is the protector of the names, and there is no God but He, the Guardian, the self-existent.

181 The world's equilibrium hath been upset through the vibrating influence of this most great, this new World Order. Mankind's ordered life hath been revolutionized through the agency of this unique, this wondrous System--the like of which mortal eyes have never witnessed. 182 Immerse yourselves in the ocean of My words, that ye may unravel its secrets, and discover all the pearls of wisdom that lie hid in its depths. Take heed that ye do not vacillate in your determination to embrace the truth of this Cause--a Cause through which the potentialities of the might of God have been revealed, and His sovereignty established. With faces beaming with joy, hasten ye unto Him. This is the changeless Faith of God, eternal in the past, eternal in the future. Let him that seeketh, attain it; and as to him that hath refused to seek it--verily, God is Self-Sufficient, above any need of His creatures. 183 Say: This is the infallible Balance which the Hand of God is holding, in which all who are in the heavens and all who are on the earth are weighed, and their fate determined, if ye be of them that believe and recognize this truth. Say: This is the Most Great Testimony, by which the validity of every proof throughout the ages hath been established, would that ye might be assured thereof. Say: Through it the poor have been enriched, the learned enlightened, and the seekers enabled to ascend unto the presence of God. Beware lest ye make it a cause of dissension amongst you. Be ye as firmly settled as the immovable mountain in the Cause of your Lord, the Mighty, the Loving.

[no break] The order of affairs has been disturbed through this most great one, and classification has been altered by this incomparable one, the like of which the eye of creation has never seen. Immerse yourselves in the sea of My utterance that you may be acquainted with what is therein of the pearls of wisdom and mysteries. Beware not to delay your coming to this cause whereby the authority of God and His might became manifest. Hasten unto it with pure faces. This is the religion of God from the beginning until the end. He who desires, let him come, and he who desires not, verily, God is independent of all people of the worlds. Say! This is indeed the balance of guidance to whosoever is in heaven and upon the earth, and greatest proof, were ye to know! Say! By it the poor became rich, the learned gained their knowledge, those wishing to ascend unto God, were borne aloft. Say! by this balance the proofs of all ages have been confirmed (missions of the messengers of God), were ye to believe. Beware not to disagree about this balance (book) and be as the solid mountains in the cause of your Lord, the mighty, the loving.

184 Say: O source of perversion! Abandon thy wilful blindness, and speak forth the truth amidst the people. I swear by God that I have wept for thee to see thee following thy selfish passions and renouncing Him Who fashioned thee and brought thee into being. Call to mind the tender mercy of thy Lord, and remember how We nurtured thee by day and by night for service to the Cause. Fear God, and be thou of the truly repentant. Granted that the people were confused about thy station, is it conceivable that thou thyself art similarly confused? Tremble before thy Lord and recall the days when thou didst stand before Our throne, and didst write down the verses that We dictated unto thee--verses sent down by God, the Omnipotent Protector, the Lord of might and power. Beware lest the fire of thy presumptuousness debar thee from attaining to God's Holy Court. Turn unto Him, and fear not because of thy deeds. He, in truth, forgiveth whomsoever He desireth as a bounty on His part; no God is there but Him, the Ever-Forgiving, the All- Bounteous. We admonish thee solely for the sake of God. Shouldst thou accept this counsel, thou wilt have acted to thine own behoof; and shouldst thou reject it, thy Lord, verily, can well dispense with thee, and with all those who, in manifest delusion, have followed thee. Behold! God hath laid hold on him who led thee astray. Return unto God, humble, submissive and lowly; verily, He will put away from thee thy sins, for thy Lord, of a certainty, is the Forgiving, the Mighty, the All-Merciful. 185 This is the Counsel of God; would that thou mightest heed it! This is the Bounty of God; would that thou mightest receive it! This is the Utterance of God; if only thou wouldst apprehend it! This is the Treasure of God; if only thou couldst understand! 186 This is a Book which hath become the Lamp of the Eternal unto the world, and His straight, undeviating Path amidst the peoples of the earth. Say: This is the Dayspring of Divine knowledge, if ye be of them that understand, and the Dawning-place of God's commandments, if ye be of those who comprehend.

Say! O source of perversion (Subhe Ezel)! Cease closing thine eyes, then confess the truth among mankind. By God, my tears have flowed over my cheeks for that I beheld thee advancing towards thy lust and turning aside from Him who created and fashioned thee. Remember the favor of thy Master, when we brought thee up during nights and days, for the service of the religion. Fear God and be of those who repent. Grant that thine affair is doubtful unto man, is it before the throne, and didst write what we conveyed unto thee of the signs of God, the guardian, the mighty, the powerful. Beware lest jealousy withold thee from the shore of unity. Turn unto Him, and fear not because of thy deeds. verily, He pardoneth whom He pleaseth by a favor on His part; there is no God but Me, the forgiving, the generous. Verily, we advised thee for the sake of God. If thou advancest it is for thyself and if thou turnest aside, verily thy Lord is independent of thee and of those who follow thee in manifest error. Goth hath taken away him who then led thee astray - return unto Him, humble, abased, trembling. Verily He will put away from thee, thy sins. Verily thy Lord is swift to relent. He is the precious, the merciful. This is the sincere advice of God, wert thou of those who hear; this is the bounty of God, wert thou of those who perceive; this is the treasure of God, wert thou of those who know; this is the book which hath become the lamp of the ancient to the world and His straightened path amidst the creatures. Say! Verily, it is the day-spring of the knowledge of God, were ye to know, and the dawning- place of the ordinances of God, were ye to understand.

187 Burden not an animal with more than it can bear. We, truly, have prohibited such treatment through a most binding interdiction in the Book. Be ye the embodiments of justice and fairness amidst all creation. 188 Should anyone unintentionally take another's life, it is incumbent upon him to render to the family of the deceased an indemnity of one hundred mithqals of gold. Observe ye that which hath been enjoined upon you in this Tablet, and be not of those who overstep its limits. 189 O members of parliaments throughout the world! Select ye a single language for the use of all on earth, and adopt ye likewise a common script. God, verily, maketh plain for you that which shall profit you and enable you to be independent of others. He, of a truth, is the Most Bountiful, the All-Knowing, the All-Informed. This will be the cause of unity, could ye but comprehend it, and the greatest instrument for promoting harmony and civilization, would that ye might understand! We have appointed two signs for the coming of age of the human race: the first, which is the most firm foundation, We have set down in other of Our Tablets, while the second hath been revealed in this wondrous Book. 190 It hath been forbidden you to smoke opium. We, truly, have prohibited this practice through a most binding interdiction in the Book. Should anyone partake thereof, assuredly he is not of Me. Fear God, O ye endued with understanding!

Do not overload the beasts of burden - Verily it is strictly prohibited in the book. Be the manifestation of justice and equity betwixt the earth and heaven. He who commits accidental homicide must pay a compensation of one hundred mithkal of gold to the relations of the deceased. Conform to that whereunto ye are commanded in the tablet and be not of the trespassers. O people of authority throughout countries! Select one language and one character of those which exist, for all people of the earth.