TABLET TO AN
ORIENTAL· JEW
Translation revised from Baha'i Scriptures (ed. Horace Holley)
New York: Brentano's Publishers, 1923. pp. 118-124.
Stephen Lambden
2006
In Progress
Note
This Tablet of Baha'-Allah to an `Oriental Jew' has much in common with
sections of Baha'-Allah's Persian (and Arabic) Lawh-i Shaykh or Lawh-i
Ibn-i Dhi`b (Epistle to the Son of the Wolf) and may be a partial
rewriting of this important very late scriptural Tablet of Baha-Allah
which dates to around 1891 CE.
O Shaykh!
Be directed to the shore of the Greatest Ocean, and enter the Crimson
Ark, which God hath prepared for the people of Baha in the omnipotence
of the names. Verily, It (the Crimson Ark) passeth over land and sea,
and he who entereth it is saved, but he who entereth it not is lost. If
thou shouldst succeed and enter, direct thy face toward the Holy of
Holies of God, the Omnipotent, the Omnipresent, and say : "Verily, I beg
of Thee, O God, by the greatest splendor of Thy most glorious Baha, and,
verily, all Thy Baha contains the greatest Glory!" Then the doors of the
Kingdom shall be opened before thy face, and thou shalt see that which
the eyes did not see, and hear that which the ears did not hear. Verily,
the Wronged One admonish-eth thee as He did before. He desireth for thee
to enter the ocean of the Oneness of God, the Lord of the creatures.
This is a Day wherein all things declare and announce to the people this
Manifestation, through Whom all that was hidden and stored in the
knowledge of God, the Dear, the Glorious, was manifested.
O Shaykh! Thou didst listen to the
delightful cooing of the Dove of Beyan, while on the branches of the
Lotus Tree of knowledge ; and now hear the delightful chanting of the
birds of wisdom that are raised and lifted up into the Supreme Paradise.
Verily, He maketh thee understand that of which thou wert heedless.
Listen to that which the Tongue of Power and Might hath announced in the
Books of God, the Desired One of all, the Wise. In this time the voice
was assuredly exalted from the Lotus Tree in the supreme paradise and
commanded Me to mention unto thee that which My Forerunner, who
redeemeth Himself for this greatest Message and this right path, hath
declared. He (the Bab) said, and that which He said is the truth, "I
have already written a gem concerning Him (the Manifestation) ; but
verily, He is beyond My power of expression; and He cannot be reached,
even by that which was mentioned in the Beyan. And until He (exalted and
magnified is His Name!) spake concerning this greatest Manifestation and
this greatest Gospel, verily, He, [119] the Manifestation, was magnified
and exalted. (So that it is impossible) that He should be known by that
which is beside Him, and become identified by the expression of His
creatures. And, verily, I am the first servant who believed in Him and
in His texts (revelations) and who partook of the first fruits of the
gardens of the paradise of His knowledge, -- the gardens of His
utterances. Yes, by His Majesty, He is the truth and there is no God but
He! And all are made steadfast by His command.” So chirped the real Dove
on the branches of the Godly Lotus Tree. Blessed is the soul who
succeedeth by listening to it, and who partaketh and drinketh from the
ocean of Godly revelations hidden in Its Word. And He (blessed and
exalted is He!) said also in the Bayān, whose declaration is uplifted:
“In the ninth year ye shall attain unto all the good.” And in another
place He announced: “And in the ninth year ye shall surely meet God.”
All these chantings that were manifested through the birds of the cities
of knowledge coincide with that which was. Verily, I am God! And thus
until the end of what He hath expressed (in that passage), magnified and
exalted is He! The explanation of Lordliness and Godliness hath been
mentioned before. We have already torn the veils asunder and disclosed
that which bringeth the people nigh unto God, the possessor of the
lives. Blessed is the one who succeedeth in attaining justice and equity
in this bounty which envelopeth those in the heavens and earth, as a
command on the part of God, the Lord of the creatures.
O Shaykh! Listen with the ear of equity to the chanting of the Gospel.
Christ said: (Exalted is His Revelation) after stating the references
concerning His return: “But of that Day and Hour no man knoweth; no, not
the angels of Heaven, not even the Son of Man Himself, but the Father
only.” (Matthew xxiv, 36) The meaning of Father in this passage is God
(Glory be to His Majesty!) and He is the true trainer and the real
teacher. Joel said: “For verily the Day of the Lord is great and very
terrible and who can abide it?” (Joel ii, 11) The first verse mentioned
of the references given (Matthew xxiv, 36) means that no one knoweth the
time of the Manifestation save God, the All-knowing, the Informed. And
the second quotation (Joel) expresseth the greatness of the
Manifestation. In the same [120] way it is stated in the Qur’ān:
“They questioned Thee (Muhammad) concerning the great News.” Verily,
this is the News whose greatness is mentioned in most of the Books (of
different Dispensations). This is the News whereby all the limbs of the
people were shaken, save Him whom God, the Protector, the Victor, the
Assister, wisheth. As (this News) was looked upon by the physical eye,
all the people and inhabitants of different countries became upset and
bewildered, save him whom God desireth.
O Shaykh! The Cause is so great and also the News! Meditate with clear
insight and keenness upon the clear texts, the supreme Words, and that
which hath been manifested in these days, that thou mayest discover the
hidden mysteries in the Books, and to the uttermost exert thine energy
in guiding the people. Hear with thy real hearing the declaration of
Jeremiah: “Alas, for verily that Day is great, so that none is like it!”
If thou shouldst look and reflect with the sight of equity thou wilt
immediately recognize the greatness of this Day. Hear the voice of this
Advisor, the All-knowing, and let not thy souls be excluded from the
Mercy of God, which anticipated all existence -- of the unseen and the
seen. Hear what David chanted: “Who will bring me unto the fortified
City?” (Psalms cviii, 10) O Shaykh! Read what Isaiah hath announced in
his Book: “O thou that bringest good tidings to Zion, get thee up into
the high mountain! O thou that tellest good tidings to Jerusalem! Lift
up thy voice with strength; be not afraid. Say unto the cities of Judah:
Behold your God! Behold, the Lord God will come with power and His Arm
shall rule for Him!” (Isaiah xl, 9-10) In this Day, all the signs
(references) are disclosed and fulfilled. The Great City hath descended
from heaven and Zion is re-vivified and rejoiced, by the appearance of
the Manifestation of God; and it hath heard the voice of God from all
directions and places. In this Day, Jerusalem hath gained the new glad
tidings, while the sycamore (wild, natural condition) becomes the
cypress (nobility). Amos said: “Verily, the Lord will rear from Zion and
utter His voice from Jerusalem; and the habitation of the shepherds
shall mourn and the top of Carmel shall withdraw.” (Amos i,2) Carmel in
the Books of God is termed “The Heap of God,” “The Vine of God” and
sometimes the Heap of Wilderness (bewilderment); [121] and this is
the station for the bounty of the Manifestation. The Tent of Glory was
raised upon it (Carmel) in these days. Blessed are those who advance!
Also it was recorded: “Our Lord shall come, and shall not keep silence.”
(Psalms 1, 53) O Shaykh! Meditate on the expression which was revealed
unto Amos, because it is the desired of all people: “Prepare to meet thy
God, O Israel; for lo! he that formeth the mountains. ...” Revealed by
the Merciful in the Qur’ān: “Blessed are those who look carefully with
clear insight, and blessed are the winners!”
O Shaykh! By the Self (Life) of God! The river of Mercy is flowing, the
ocean of Revelation is rolling and the Sun is shining and illuminating.
Now, with an emptied heart, dilated breast and a tongue of
righteousness, read these supreme words that were manifested through the
Forerunner; (that is to say, the First Point or the Bāb). This is what
He said when He was addressing his eminence Azīm: “This is what He
promised thee before answering thee: Wait until nine years have elapsed
from the time of the Bayān; then say: ‘Blessed is God, the best of all
Creators!’ And also say, ‘It is a Revelation of which no one could have
the full knowledge save God, -- not ye people who are heedless.’“ In the
ninth year this greatest Manifestation shone forth (in His full Glory)
from the Dayspring of God’s Will (in such a station) that no one could
deny Him save those who are neglectful and doubtful. We ask God to
strengthen His creatures to be directed to Him and to forgive the deeds
they have committed in this impermanent life. Verily, He is the
Pardoner, the Forgiver, the Merciful. In another place the Bāb declared:
“Verily, I am the first servant who believed in Him (Bahā’-Allāh) and
His texts.” And he (the Bāb) also said in the Persian Bayān: “Verily, He
(Bahā’u’llāh) is the one who pronounceth in all conditions and createth
the winds and treadeth upon the high places of the earth. The Lord, the
God of Hosts, is His Name.” (See Amos iv, 12-13) He said: “The dawn
shall be darkened”; that is to say, if any one in the time of the
Manifestation of the speaker of Torus consider himself the true morning,
he will be darkened by the power [122] and might of God. He is a
false morning; but considereth himself the true one. Woe unto him and
woe unto those who follow him without proof from God, the Lord of the
creatures.
Isaiah said: “And the Lord alone
shall be exalted in that Day.” (Isaiah ii, 11) And concerning the
greatness of the Manifestation, he (Isaiah) said: “Enter into the rock
and hide thee in the dust for the fear of the Lord and the Bahā of His
Majesty.” (Isaiah ii, 19) “The wilderness and the solitary place shall
be glad for them; and the desert shall rejoice and blossom as the rose.
It shall blossom abundantly and rejoice even with joy and singing; the
glory of Lebanon shall be given unto it; the Bahā of Carmel and Sharon.
They shall see the excellency of the Lord and the Bahā of our God.”
(Isaiah xxxv, 1-2). These expressions need no interpretation. They
are clear like the sunshine, and like the light gleaming and radiating.
Every just and equitable one can attain the Paradise of knowledge
through inhaling the perfume of these meanings; and he will succeed in
gaining that wherefrom most people are excluded and veiled.
Say: Be pious toward God, O people, and follow not the false statement
of the croakers (Nakazeen) who violated the Testament of God and His
Covenant and denied His Mercy which anticipated all in earth and heaven.
Also he (Isaiah) said: “Say to them that are of a fearful heart: Be
strong, fear not; behold your Lord!” (Isaiah xxv, 4) This blessed verse
demonstrateth the greatness of the Cause, because the sound of the
Trumpet will agitate the people, while trembling and fear will possess
them.
Blessed is the soul who is illumined by the light of reliance (upon God)
and enlightened by the light of self-dedication and withdrawal from all
else save God. Verily, such an one will never be prevented by the
hardships and calamities of that Day; neither will he be frightened.
Thus the tongue of Revelation hath declared as a command on the part of
the Merciful. Verily, He is the Almighty, the Powerful, the Conqueror,
the Omnipotent! It is incumbent on all who have ears and clear insight
to meditate and ponder carefully upon these supreme words, in each of
which oceans of meanings and distinct explanations are hidden, that the
revelation of the Possessor of all religions may cause all [123] His
creatures to attain the desire and that supreme station which is the
dawning of the horizon of this Declaration.
O Shaykh! If thou inhalest from the fragrance of the Revelation even
less than the amount contained by the eye of a needle, thou wilt leave
the whole universe and advance toward the light of the Face of His
Presence, the Desired One. Indeed there are many hidden meanings in the
utterances of His Presence the Spirit (Christ). He mentioned many
things, but lack of prepared listeners and of people of insight, caused
Him to withhold or seclude them; as He said: “But ye cannot bear them
now.” (St. John xvi, 12) That dawning of the Revelation (Christ) meant
that “His Presence, the Promised One, would mention them” (the many
things). As it was revealed by the Supreme Pen in Kitāb-i Aqdas: “The
many things which occurred on the earth after revealing the texts.” In
Kitāb-i Aqdas it was revealed as follows: “O land of Tā (Tehran)! Thou
shouldst not grieve on account of anything, because God hath already
made thee the dawning-place of rejoicing for the creatures. If He
wisheth, He may bless Thy throne by one who judgeth with justice and
gathereth the sheep of God who are scattered by the wolves. Verily, he
meeteth the people of Bahā with joy and gladness, and verily, he is the
best of creatures in the presence of God. The Bahā of God and the
splendor of those who are in the Kingdom of the Cause be upon him in
every time.” Now, the foregoing texts were revealed before, but in this
moment the following verse is revealed: “My God, my God! Bahā [-Allah]
prayeth Thee and asketh Thee, by the illumination of Thy Face, by the
waves of the ocean of Thy Cause, and the shining of the sun of Thy
Revelation, to strengthen the royal justice and equity, and, if Thou
desirest, bless the throne and the judgment by him. Verily, Thou art the
Powerful above what Thou wishest, and there is no God but Thee, the
Hearer and the Answerer! “Be rejoiced, O Land of Tehrān! As God hath
made thee the horizon of the Illumination, because the dawn of the
Manifestation was born in thee and thou hast been named by that name,
whereby the Orb of Bounty hath shone and the heaven and earth were
illumined, afterward thy circumstances will be changed and the people of
the Republic shall govern thee. Verily, thy Lord is the [124]
All-knowing, the Pacific. Be tranquil through the bounty of thy Lord.
Verily, thou wilt be engulfed by tranquillity after agitation. Thus it
was preordained in a wonderful new Book."
