LAWH-I ẒUHŪR (I)

THE TABLET OF MANIFESTATION

A FRESH PROVISIONAL TRANSLATION


Being revised and completed

2006

Stephen N. Lambden

 

The Arabic text translated below in that printed in Ishrāq Khavarī (comp.), Mā'idih-yi asmani   4 : 16X-16X. An earlier partial translation (made by ??) here identified as the "Tablet of Manifestation" appeared in the volume edited by Horris Holley entitled Bahā'ī Scriptures (2nd ed. New York: Bahá'í Publishing Committee 1923 ) pp. 20X -- 2XX Nos 3XX--3XX).


[I]

In the Name of God, the Most Holy,

the Supremely Knowing, the Mighty, the All-Powerful.

        [1] O thou who gazes  in the direction of God and are one submerged in the Ocean of His Nearness and His Good Pleasure. [2] Know thou that the Manifestation (of God, ẓūhur) is not compounded of the four elements. [3] Nay rather, He is the Mystery of the Divine Oneness (sirr al-aḥadiyya), the Pre-existent Being (kaynunat al-qidamiyya), the All-Enduring Essence (al-jawhar al-samadiyya) and the Hidden Ipseity (al-huwiyya al-ghaybiyya). [4] He can in no wise be known apart from His Own Self. [5] It is not possible for anyone to establish that He was made manifest from the four elements (`anāṣir), from such elements (usuqusāt  = Gk. stoicheion) as are mentioned by the tongue of the practitioners of philosophy (ahl al-ḥikmat), or from any of the four natures (al-tabai`). [6] All such as this was created as a result of His Logos-Command (amr) and through His Will (mashiyya). [7] For all eternity hath He been alone without a single thing besides Him; like the time when "it is" was realized (yakūn bi'l-ḥaqq; cf. Q. ). [8] And He established Himself upon the Heavenly Throne (cf Q. ) then sent down the Bird of Divine Verses (dīk al-ayat) in view of the fact that there was found in your  heart the Fire of His love.

[II]

        [1] Could there be in the dominion any possessor of exposition who could befittingly discourse with Him? [2] Or any Revealer of verses (manzil) who could compete with Him in His Cause? (fī amrihi) [3] Or, indeed, any existing being who could summon all-existence unto His Own Logos-Self (li-nafsihi)?  [4] Nay! By my Lord the All-Merciful! Before Him all are but poor and needy. [5] Were He to become known through any besides His Own Logos-Self, the transcendence of  His Essence would never be established as beyond similitude  neither would the sanctity of His Being be found to be beyond likeness,  nor His Singleness  be reckoned beyond mundane appearances. [6] This is an Ocean  which it is not fitting that anyone should voyage [dispute] since all that you witness, whether in the heavens or on the earth, was assuredly created by His Utterance (qawl). [7] So by My Logos-Soul (nafsī), the Ultimately Real (al-ḥaqq) ! [8] Were His servants to become aware of His Logos-Self according to what He actually is, they would assuredly one and all disassociate Him from everything and would dwell [dumbfounded] in His Sanctuary.

[--]

        [1] In every world (`ālam), He [the Manifestation of God] is manifested according to the capacity (bi-isti`dād) of that world. [2] In the world of spirits (`ālam al-arwāḥ), for example, He reveals Himself and becomes manifest unto them [the spirits] through the vestiges [traces, signs] of the Spirit (āthār al-rūḥ). [3] So, likewise, in [the world of] bodies (ajsād), in the world of names and attributes (`awālim al-asmā wa'l-ṣifāt) and in other worlds (al-awālim) which none comprehends save God. [4] All [of these worlds] derive their good-fortune from this Theophany (Manifestation, ẓuhūr). [5] Wherefore, He appears unto them according to the requisite form (sūrat) in order that He might guide them unto God, His Lord, and draw them nigh unto the Abode of His Cause. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

BAHA'U'LLAH  baha'u'llah  Bahá'u'lláh Baha'-Allah  Bahá