Endnotes

NOTE ON THE TRANSLATION

Wherever possible, translations made by Shoghi Effendi have been incorporated in the present volume. These passages account for approximately one third of the text. The committees and individuals appointed to prepare the translations faced the challenge of rendering the balance of the Text in a manner at once faithful to the meaning of the original and consistent with the exalted English style established by the Guardian for the translation of Bahá'u'lláh's matchless utterance.

In the translation of the Lawḥ-i-Sulṭán the translators benefited from consulting the earlier, pioneering translation of the English orientalist E. G. Browne as it appeared in ‘Abdu'l-Bahá's A Traveller's Narrative, first published by Cambridge University Press in 1891.

KEY TO PASSAGES TRANSLATED BY SHOGHI EFFENDI

Abbreviation of Sources

ESW Bahá'u'lláh. Epistle to the Son of the Wolf. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1988.

GPB Shoghi Effendi. God Passes By. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1974.

GWB Bahá'u'lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá'u'lláh. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1976.

KI Bahá'u'lláh. The Kitáb-i-Íqán. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1994.

HW Bahá'u'lláh. The Hidden Words. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1994. (PHW are from the Persian Hidden Words.)

PDC Shoghi Effendi. The Promised Day Is Come. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, rev. ed., 1996.

WOB Shoghi Effendi. The World Order of Bahá'u'lláh: Selected Letters. Wilmette: Bahá'í Publishing Trust, 1991.

PARAGRAPH PASSAGE SOURCE

Súriy-i-Haykal

6-7 "While engulfed in tribulations … of them that perceive." GPB 101-102

8 "The day is approaching when God … the Self-Subsisting." WOB 109-110

34 "Erelong shall God draw forth … how vehement is His might" WOB 110

42 "Beware lest ye shed the blood … if ye do but understand." ESW 25

44 "Naught is seen in My temple … could be seen but God." WOB 109

47 "the fertilizing winds … whether seen or unseen!" WOB 169, PDC ¶112

50 "The Holy Spirit Itself … of them that comprehend" WOB 109

66 "Within the treasury of Our Wisdom … the All-Wise." WOB 109

75 "It is in Our power, should We wish it, to enable … future ages." WOB 107

88 "Great is the blessedness … the Almighty, the All-Wise." PDC ¶271

89 "O ye the dawning-places … and unto others." PDC ¶208

89 "Ye are even as a spring … it fruits, will be corrupted." PDC ¶208

96 "Had the Primal Point … with each other in My Days." WOB 138

Pope Pius IX (Lawḥ-i-Páp)

102 "O Pope!… the Almighty, the Unrestrained." PDC ¶71

102 "He, verily, hath again come … hath been illumined." PDC ¶71

203 "Dwellest thou in palaces … towards the Kingdom." PDC ¶71

105 "Arise in the name of thy Lord …peoples of all faiths." PDC ¶71

106 "Call thou to remembrance … away from His light." PDC ¶72

108 "Consider those who opposed … disputed with Him." PDC ¶72

108 "None save a very few … eventide and at dawn." PDC ¶72

109 "Read ye the Evangel … concourse of learned men!" PDC ¶256

111 "The fragrances of the … fast hold of guidance." PDC ¶256

112 "The Word which the Son … of the righteous!" PDC ¶73

113 "This is the day … Kingdom is fulfilled!" PDC ¶73

114 "My body longeth … from its transgressions." PDC ¶73

115 "The people of the Qur'án … clouds wept over Us." PDC ¶247

116 "And if they cast … the Gracious, the All-Powerful!" WOB 108

118 "O Supreme Pontiff … the book of creation." PDC ¶74

120 "Should the inebriation … Revealer of all power." PDC ¶74

126 "Verily, the day of ingathering … the All-Compelling." PDC ¶74

127 "Say: O concourse of Christians … turn ye unto Him." PDC ¶261

127 "The Beloved One … heedless of My Revelation" PDC ¶261

128 "O people of the Gospel! … everlasting life." PDC ¶261

129 "We behold you … Direct yourselves towards Him." PDC ¶261

129 "Verily, He said … quickeners of mankind." PDC ¶261

Napoleon III (Lawḥ-i-Napulyún II)

131-5 "O King of Paris! … near access to God to flow." ESW 46-49

136-9 "Say: O concourse of monks ... wrapped in a thick veil!" ESW 49-52

140 "More grievous ... kingdoms of earth and heaven." ESW 52

141 "Upon Our arrival ... token of God's grace." GPB 206

142-43 "As My tribulations multiplied ... poor and the desolate." ESW 52-53

143 "Abandon thy palaces ... them that turn unto Him." PDC ¶70

143 "Shouldst thou desire … All-Knowing, the All-Wise." PDC ¶70

144 "Arise thou ... Lord of strength and of might." ESW 53

145 "Adorn the body ... peoples of the earth." ESW 53-54

146 "Doth it behove you ... shining and resplendent Seat." ESW 54

147 "Shed not the blood ... abode of the transgressors!" ESW 54

148 "God hath prescribed ... influence his hearers." GWB CLVIII

149 "Deal not treacherously … the Most Generous." ESW 54-55

150-51 "O people of Bahá … created of a sorry germ." ESW 55

152 "Regard ye the world … such as create dissension." ESW 55-56

154 "He Who is your Lord … among God's blessed ones." GWB CVII

156 "Meditate on the world … this sublime Vision." ESW 56

Czar Alexander II (Lawḥ-i-Malik-i-Rús)

158 "O Czar of Russia … barter away this sublime station." PDC ¶75

159-60 "Beware lest thy sovereignty … sword of the oppressor." PDC ¶75-76

162-3 "Again I say … the Mighty, the Glorified." PDC ¶77-78

164 "Some lamented … Evangel were adorned." PDC ¶78

170 "Blessed be the king … the All-Powerful, the Almighty." PDC ¶78

Queen Victoria (Lawh-i-Malikih)

171-3 "O Queen in London … the Ruler, the All-Wise." PDC ¶79-81

173 "And if any one of them … of the blissful." ESW 61-62

174-6 "O ye the elected … all else naught but error." GWB CXX

176-7 "Each time that Most Mighty … what I say." ESW 63-64

178-82 "O ye rulers … naught but manifest justice." GWB CXIX

185 "Turn thou unto God … heavens and of the earth." PDC ¶82

Násiri'd-Dín Sháh (Lawḥ-i-Sulṭán)

192-95 "O King! I was but a man … derived from the Name of God!" PDC ¶97-99

217 "A just king is the shadow … that hath surpassed the worlds." PDC ¶182

221 "Would that the world-adorning wish ... for Me or against Me." PDC ¶110

225 "O ye that are foolish ... the paths of perdition." PHW #24

226 "O ye seeming fair ... immeasurable is the difference!" PHW #25

227 "O essence of desire! ... unto the hosts of holiness." PHW #28

228 "O bondslave of the world! ... returned whence it came." PHW #30

230 "O King of the age! ... a sufficient witness unto Me." PDC ¶100

231 "The religious doctors ... and unto them shall it return." KI 247-48

231 "When the Standard of Truth ... shall curse it." KI 238

232 "Those doctors who have indeed drunk of the cup of renunciation" GPB 143

242 "Each nation hath plotted darkly ... invalidate the truth." KI 5

242 "No Messenger cometh unto them but they laugh Him to scorn." KI 5

244 "But if their opposition be grievous ... a ladder into heaven" KI 109-10

249 "O would that thou wouldst ... knowledge of the Book." PDC ¶101

249 "But for the repudiation ... no God is there but He!" PDC ¶101

258 "By Him Who is the Truth! ... lighteth earth and heaven." ESW 17

265 "I have seen, O Sháh ... nor ear heard." PDC ¶102

265-6 "How numerous the tribulations ... in the path of My Lord!" PDC ¶102

267 "According to what they say ... metropolis of the owl" GPB 186

268 "By God! Though weariness ... such as commune with Him." PDC ¶102

273 "But for the tribulations ... the Lord of the worlds." ESW 94

276 "Thus have We built the Temple ... Be and it is." PDC ¶113

Súriy-i-Ra'ís

1 "Hearken, O chief … the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting." WOB 178

2 "Thou hast, O Chief, committed that ... evident loss!" WOB 178

5 "The day is approaching … in sore distress." PDC ¶152

11 "the loved ones of God ... on the first night without food." GPB 179

12 "The people surrounded the house ... wept over Us" GPB 179

12 "We perceived that the weeping ... such as ponder." GPB 179-180

13 "unheard of in bygone centuries ... the power of His might" GPB 180

13 "King and Beloved of Martyrs" GPB 136-137

14 "Say: This Youth hath departed ... the power of truth" GPB 181

18 "Had Muḥammad ... privileged to behold Thy face!" WOB 105-106

21 "Ere long will God ... the Almighty, the Beneficent" PDC ¶185

Lawḥ-i-Ra'ís

6 "From the foundation of the world ... nor heard of." GPB 187

7 "Soon will He seize you ... none to help or succour you." PDC ¶153

9 "Several times calamities ... the Pen of My command." PDC ¶153

25-26 "There is a matter ... may be made known unto you." PDC ¶111

Lawḥ-i-Fu'ád

13 "Soon will We dismiss ... the All-Compelling." PDC ¶156

Súriy-i-Mulúk

2 "O kings of the earth! … the All-Powerful, the All-Wise." PDC ¶41

2-3 "Fear God, O concourse … and be not of the heedless." PDC ¶41

4 "My face hath come forth … could ye but know it." PDC ¶41

6 "Arise, then, … may be revealed unto you." PDC ¶41

6 "Beware lest ye hinder … can be quickened." PDC ¶41

7-14 "Lay not aside the fear … the right course." PDC ¶42-46

15 "O kings of Christendom! … the entire creation." PDC ¶64

20-23 "Twenty years have passed … turn his face towards Thee." GWB CXVI

24-30 "Call Thou to remembrance … Himself a witness." GWB LXV

36 "Know ye that the world … all things hath testified." GWB LXV

37-47 "Fear God, ye inhabitants … the path of resignation." GWB LXVI

53-54 "The day is approaching … of the past or of the future." GWB LXVI

58-72 "Hearken, O King … abide and rule therein." GWB CXIV

74 "They expelled Us … on earth can compare" GPB 161

74 "the place which none entereth … authority of the sovereign" GPB 161

75 "Neither My family … that freezing weather." GPB 161

78-83 "I swear by God, O King! … the Lord of all worlds!" GWB CXIV

84-107 "Dost thou imagine … trust and confidence in their Lord." GWB CXIII

108 "O ye divines of the City! … than all your doings." PDC ¶224

109-111 "Know ye, that had your leaders … turn upon their heels." PDC ¶224

111 "Know ye that God will not … could ye but perceive it." PDC ¶224