| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| O Pen of the Most High! Say: O people of the world! We have enjoined upon you fasting during a brief period, and at its close have designated for you Naw-Ruz as a feast. Thus hath the Day-Star of Utterance shone forth above the horizon of the Book as decreed by Him Who is the Lord of the beginning and the end. |
يا قلم الاعلىٰ قل يا ملأ الانشآء قد كتبنا عليكم الصّيام ايّاماً معدودات وجعلنا النّيروز عيداً لكم بعد اكمالها كذٰلك اضآئت شمس البيان من افق الكتاب من لدن مالك المبدء والمئاب |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| O supreme pen! Say - O concourse of creation! We have ordained unto you the fast during a limited number of days, and we have appointed the Nayrooz as a festival after the completion thereof. Thus doth the sun of revelation shine forth from the horizons of the book on the part of the Lord of origin and return. (Beginning and end) | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| O Pen of the Most High, say: O multitudes of creation (al-insha'), we have ordained the Fast for you, certain limited days. After the completion of them we have made al-Nayruz (Nawruz) a feast for you. [Note 3] Thus has the Sun of Explanation shone from the horizon of the Book from before the presence of the Possessor of the Place of Beginning and Return. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Let the days in excess of the months be placed before the month of fasting. We have ordained that these, amid all nights and days, shall be the manifestations of the letter Ha, |
واجعلوا الايّام الزّآئدة عن الشّهور قبل شهر الصّيام انّا جعلناها مظاهر الهآء بين اللّيالي والايّام |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Place the days which are in excess over the months, (that is, the days required to bring the Baha'i year 361 [19 times 19] days, into correspondence with the solar year) before the month of fasting. Verily we have made them types of the letter Ha (value is five) chosen from the nights and days. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| And place prior to the month of fasting the (intercalary) days which are in excess of the months. [Note 1] We have, indeed, made them manifestations of al-ha' [Note 2] among the nights and days. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| and thus they have not been bounded by the limits of the year and its months. It behoveth the people of Baha, throughout these days, to provide good cheer for themselves, their kindred and, beyond them, the poor and needy, and with joy and exultation to hail and glorify their Lord, to sing His praise and magnify His Name; |
لذا ما تحدّدت بحدود السّنة والشّهور ينبغي لاهل البهآء ان يطعموا فيها انفسهم وذوي القربىٰ ثمّ الفقرآء والمساكين ويهلّلنّ ويكبّرنّ ويسبّحنّ ويمجّدنّ ربّهم بالفرح والانبساط |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Therefore they are not included in the months of the year. During these five days it is incumbent on the people of Baha to feast themselves and their relatives, then the poor and the needy, and to praise, magnify and glorify and thank their Lord with joy and gladness | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| Therefore these five days are not included in the year and the months. It is fitting, then, that in them the People of Baha' (Splendour) feed themselves and their relatives, then the poor and poverty-stricken. They must exalt, magnify, praise, and glorify their Lord with joy and gladness. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| and when they end --these days of giving that precede the season of restraint--let them enter upon the Fast. Thus hath it been ordained by Him Who is the Lord of all mankind. |
واذا تمّت ايّام الاعطآء قبل الامساك فليد خلنّ في الصّيام كذٰلك حكم مولي الانام |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| - and when the days of giving which precede the days of abstinence are ended; then let them enter upon the fast - thus ordaineth the Lord of men. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| And whenever the days of giving [Note 3] are completed, before the refraining (from food) let them enter upon the fast. So has the Master of Mankind (mawla al- anam) commanded. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| The traveller, the ailing, those who are with child or giving suck, are not bound by the Fast; they have been exempted by God as a token of His grace. He, verily, is the Almighty, the Most Generous. |
ليس على المسافر والمريض والحامل والمرضع من حرج عفا اللهٰ عنهم فضلاً من عنده انّه لهو العزيز الوهّاب |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| There is no obligation (to fast) upon the traveller, upon the sick, upon the pregnant woman, nor upon her who giveth suck - these hath God excused a favor on His part. Verily He is the mighty, the bountiful! | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| This does not cause difficulty for the one who is on a journey, for the ill, for
the pregnant woman, or the one who is nursing. God has exempted them as a Grace on His
part. He is the Mighty One, the Free Giver. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| These are the ordinances of God that have been set down in the Books and Tablets by His Most Exalted Pen. |
هٰذه حدود اللهٰ الّتي رقمت من القلم الاعلىٰ في الزّبر والالواح |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| These are the ordinances of God which have been written by the supreme pen in the books and the tablets. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| These are the stipulations of God which were written by the Most High Pen in the books and tablets. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Hold ye fast unto His statutes and commandments, and be not of those who, following their idle fancies and vain imaginings, have clung to the standards fixed by their own selves, and cast behind their backs the standards laid down by God. |
تمسّكوا باوامر اللهٰ واحكامه ولا تكونوا من الّذين اخذوا اصول انفسهم ونبذوا اصول اللهٰ ورآئهم بما اتّبعوا الظّنون والاوهام |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Hold firmly to the commands of God and His ordinances, and be not of those who adopt their own principles and fling God's principles behind them, because they follow imagination and fancies. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| Hold fast to the orders and commandments of God. Be not of those who have held to their own principles (usul) and have cast behind them the principles of God in following their opinions and illusions. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Abstain from food and drink from sunrise to sundown, and beware lest desire deprive you of this grace that is appointed in the Book. |
كفّوا انفسكم عن الاكل و الشّرب من الطّلوع الى الافول ايّا كم ان يمنعكم الهوىٰ عن هٰذا الفضل الّذي قدّر في الكتاب |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Abstain from eating and drinking from sunrise until sunset. Beware lest lust withhold you from this favor which hath been decreed in the book. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| Restrain yourselves from eating and drinking from the rising (of the sun) until its setting. Beware lest passion hinder you from obtaining this grace which has been decreed to you in the Book. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| It hath been ordained that every believer in God, the Lord of Judgement, shall, each day, having washed his hands and then his face, seat himself and, turning unto God, repeat "Allah-u-Abha" ninety-five times. Such was the decree of the Maker of the Heavens when, with majesty and power, He established Himself upon the thrones of His Names. |
قد كتب لمن دان باللهٰ الدّيّان ان يغسل في كلّ يوم يديه ثمّ وجهه ويقعد مقبلاً الى اللهٰ ويذكر خمساً وتسعين مرّة اللهٰ ابهىٰ كذٰلك حكم فاطر السّمآء اذ استوىٰ علىٰ اعراش الاسمآء بالعظمة والاقتدار |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| God hath ordained unto him who professeth faith in God, to bathe every day his hands and face, then sit down, turn to God and say: "Allah'ho'Abha" ninety-five times. Thus hath it been decreed by the creator of the earth and heaven, when with greatness and might He descended upon the throne of names. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| It has been ordained that whoever professes the religion of God, the Rewarder (al-dayyan), should wash his hands every day, then his face, and sit facing toward God [Note 1] and say ninety-five times, "Allahu abha" (God is most Splendid). So did the Former (fatir) of the heavenly command as He sits on the Thrones of the Names (al- asrna') with Greatness and Power. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Perform ye, likewise, ablutions for the Obligatory Prayer; this is the command of God, the Incomparable, the Unrestrained. |
كذٰلك توضّأوا للصّلوٰة امراً من اللهٰ الواحد المختار |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Perform ablutions before prayer as a command on the part of God, the One, the unconstrained. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| In like manner, perform ablutions before Worship because of a command from God, the Only One, the Choosing One. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |