EdBerg/Baha_1 · Datasets at Hugging Face

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servants, and the gentle winds of Thy grace were wafted over the hearts of
Thy creatures, and the overflowing rains of Thy bounty were showered upon
Thy people and the dwellers of Thy realm.

I know full well Thou hast delayed to manifest Thy triumph in the kingdom
of creation by reason of Thy knowledge which embraceth both the mysteries
of Thy decree, and the hidden things ordained behind the veils of Thine
irrevocable purpose, that thereby those who have entered beneath the
shadow of Thy transcendent mercy may be separated from those who have
dealt disdainfully with Thee, and turned back from Thy presence at the
time when Thou didst manifest Thy most exalted Beauty.

Exalted, immeasurably exalted art Thou, therefore, O my Beloved! Forasmuch
as Thou hast divided, in Thy realm, Thy loved ones from Thine enemies, and
hast perfected Thy most weighty testimony and Thy most infallible Proof
unto all who are in heaven and on earth, have mercy, then, upon those who
were brought low in Thy land, by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy
path. Exalt them, then, O my God, through the power of Thy might and the
potency of Thy will, and raise them up to proclaim Thy Cause through Thine
omnipotent sovereignty and purpose.

I swear by Thy glory! My sole purpose in showing forth Thine ascendancy
hath been to glorify Thy Cause, and to magnify Thy word. I am persuaded
that if Thou wert to delay to send down Thy victory and to demonstrate Thy
power, the signs of Thy sovereignty would assuredly perish in Thy land,
and the tokens of Thy rule would be blotted out throughout Thy dominion.

My breast is straitened, O my God, and sorrows and vexations have
compassed me round, for I hear among Thy servants every praise except Thy
wondrous praise, and behold amidst Thy people the evidences of all things
save the evidences of what Thou hast prescribed unto them by Thy behest,
and destined for them through Thy sovereign will, and ordained unto them
by Thine overruling decree. They have strayed so far from Thee that should
any of Thy loved ones deliver unto them the wondrous tokens of Thy unity,
and the gem-like utterances that attest Thy transcendent oneness, they
would thrust their fingers into their ears, and would cavil at him and
mock him. All this hast Thou set down through Thine all-encompassing
sovereignty, and apprehended through Thine omnipotent supremacy.

Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my Master! Look, then, upon
the hearts which, in their love for Thee, have been transfixed by the
darts of Thine enemies, and the heads which were borne on spears for the
sake of the exaltation of Thy Cause and the glorification of Thy name.
Have pity, then, upon those hearts which have been consumed by the fire of
Thy love, and been touched by such tribulations as are known only unto
Thee.

All laud and honor to Thee, O my God! Thou well knowest the things which,
for a score of years, have happened in Thy days, and have continued to
happen until this hour. No man can reckon, nor can any tongue tell, what
hath befallen Thy chosen ones during all this time. They could obtain no
shelter, nor find any refuge in which they could abide in safety. Turn,
then, O my God, their fear into the evidences of Thy peace and Thy
security, and their abasement into the sovereignty of Thy glory, and their
poverty into Thine all-sufficient riches, and their distress into the
wonders of Thy perfect tranquillity. Vouchsafe unto them the fragrances of
Thy might and Thy mercy, and send down upon them, out of Thy marvelous
loving-kindness, what will enable them to dispense with all except Thee,
and will detach them from aught save Thyself, that the sovereignty of Thy
oneness may be revealed and the supremacy of Thy grace and Thy bounty
demonstrated.

Wilt Thou not, O my God, look upon the tears which Thy loved ones have
shed? Wilt Thou not pity, O my Beloved, the eyes which have been dimmed by
reason of their separation from Thee, and because of the cessation of the
signs of Thy victory? Wilt Thou not behold, O my Master, the hearts
wherein have beaten the wings of the dove of longing and love for Thee? By
Thy glory! Things have come to such a pass that hope hath well nigh been
banished from the hearts of Thy chosen ones, and the breaths of despair
are ready to seize them, by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy days.

Behold me, then, O my God, how I have fled from myself unto Thee, and have
abandoned my own being that I may attain unto the splendors of the light
of Thy Being, and have forsaken all that keepeth me back from Thee, and
maketh me forgetful of Thee, in order that I may inhale the fragrances of
Thy presence and Thy remembrance. Behold how I have stepped upon the dust
of the city of Thy forgiveness and Thy bounty, and dwelt within the
precincts of Thy transcendent mercy, and have besought Thee, through the
sovereignty of Him Who is Thy Remembrance and Who hath appeared in the
robe of Thy most pure and most august Beauty, to send down, in the course
of this year, upon Thy loved ones what will enable them to dispense with
any one except Thee, and will set them free to recognize the evidences of
Thy sovereign will and all-conquering purpose, in such wise that they will
seek only what Thou didst wish for them through Thy bidding, and will
desire naught except what Thou didst desire for them through Thy will.
Sanctify, then, their eyes, O my God, that they may behold the light of
Thy Beauty, and purge their ears, that they may listen to the melodies of
the Dove of Thy transcendent oneness. Flood, then, their hearts with the
wonders of Thy love, and preserve their tongues from mentioning any one
save Thee, and guard their faces from turning to aught else except
Thyself. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the
Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Protect, moreover, O my Beloved, through Thy love for them and through the
love they bear to Thee, this servant, who hath sacrificed his all for
Thee, and expended whatsoever Thou hast given him in the path of Thy love
and Thy good pleasure, and preserve him from all that Thou abhorrest, and
from whatsoever may hinder him from entering into the Tabernacle of Thy
holy sovereignty, and from attaining the seat of Thy transcendent oneness.
Number him, then, O my God, with such as have allowed nothing whatever to

servants, and the gentle winds of Thy grace were wafted over the hearts of

Thy creatures, and the overflowing rains of Thy bounty were showered upon

Thy people and the dwellers of Thy realm.

I know full well Thou hast delayed to manifest Thy triumph in the kingdom

of creation by reason of Thy knowledge which embraceth both the mysteries

of Thy decree, and the hidden things ordained behind the veils of Thine

irrevocable purpose, that thereby those who have entered beneath the

shadow of Thy transcendent mercy may be separated from those who have

dealt disdainfully with Thee, and turned back from Thy presence at the

time when Thou didst manifest Thy most exalted Beauty.

Exalted, immeasurably exalted art Thou, therefore, O my Beloved! Forasmuch

as Thou hast divided, in Thy realm, Thy loved ones from Thine enemies, and

hast perfected Thy most weighty testimony and Thy most infallible Proof

unto all who are in heaven and on earth, have mercy, then, upon those who

were brought low in Thy land, by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy

path. Exalt them, then, O my God, through the power of Thy might and the

potency of Thy will, and raise them up to proclaim Thy Cause through Thine

omnipotent sovereignty and purpose.

I swear by Thy glory! My sole purpose in showing forth Thine ascendancy

hath been to glorify Thy Cause, and to magnify Thy word. I am persuaded

that if Thou wert to delay to send down Thy victory and to demonstrate Thy

power, the signs of Thy sovereignty would assuredly perish in Thy land,

and the tokens of Thy rule would be blotted out throughout Thy dominion.

My breast is straitened, O my God, and sorrows and vexations have

compassed me round, for I hear among Thy servants every praise except Thy

wondrous praise, and behold amidst Thy people the evidences of all things

save the evidences of what Thou hast prescribed unto them by Thy behest,

and destined for them through Thy sovereign will, and ordained unto them

by Thine overruling decree. They have strayed so far from Thee that should

any of Thy loved ones deliver unto them the wondrous tokens of Thy unity,

and the gem-like utterances that attest Thy transcendent oneness, they

would thrust their fingers into their ears, and would cavil at him and

mock him. All this hast Thou set down through Thine all-encompassing

sovereignty, and apprehended through Thine omnipotent supremacy.

Glorified, immeasurably glorified art Thou, O my Master! Look, then, upon

the hearts which, in their love for Thee, have been transfixed by the

darts of Thine enemies, and the heads which were borne on spears for the

sake of the exaltation of Thy Cause and the glorification of Thy name.

Have pity, then, upon those hearts which have been consumed by the fire of

Thy love, and been touched by such tribulations as are known only unto

Thee.

All laud and honor to Thee, O my God! Thou well knowest the things which,

for a score of years, have happened in Thy days, and have continued to

happen until this hour. No man can reckon, nor can any tongue tell, what

hath befallen Thy chosen ones during all this time. They could obtain no

shelter, nor find any refuge in which they could abide in safety. Turn,

then, O my God, their fear into the evidences of Thy peace and Thy

security, and their abasement into the sovereignty of Thy glory, and their

poverty into Thine all-sufficient riches, and their distress into the

wonders of Thy perfect tranquillity. Vouchsafe unto them the fragrances of

Thy might and Thy mercy, and send down upon them, out of Thy marvelous

loving-kindness, what will enable them to dispense with all except Thee,

and will detach them from aught save Thyself, that the sovereignty of Thy

oneness may be revealed and the supremacy of Thy grace and Thy bounty

demonstrated.

Wilt Thou not, O my God, look upon the tears which Thy loved ones have

shed? Wilt Thou not pity, O my Beloved, the eyes which have been dimmed by

reason of their separation from Thee, and because of the cessation of the

signs of Thy victory? Wilt Thou not behold, O my Master, the hearts

wherein have beaten the wings of the dove of longing and love for Thee? By

Thy glory! Things have come to such a pass that hope hath well nigh been

banished from the hearts of Thy chosen ones, and the breaths of despair

are ready to seize them, by reason of what hath befallen them in Thy days.

Behold me, then, O my God, how I have fled from myself unto Thee, and have

abandoned my own being that I may attain unto the splendors of the light

of Thy Being, and have forsaken all that keepeth me back from Thee, and

maketh me forgetful of Thee, in order that I may inhale the fragrances of

Thy presence and Thy remembrance. Behold how I have stepped upon the dust

of the city of Thy forgiveness and Thy bounty, and dwelt within the

precincts of Thy transcendent mercy, and have besought Thee, through the

sovereignty of Him Who is Thy Remembrance and Who hath appeared in the

robe of Thy most pure and most august Beauty, to send down, in the course

of this year, upon Thy loved ones what will enable them to dispense with

any one except Thee, and will set them free to recognize the evidences of

Thy sovereign will and all-conquering purpose, in such wise that they will

seek only what Thou didst wish for them through Thy bidding, and will

desire naught except what Thou didst desire for them through Thy will.

Sanctify, then, their eyes, O my God, that they may behold the light of

Thy Beauty, and purge their ears, that they may listen to the melodies of

the Dove of Thy transcendent oneness. Flood, then, their hearts with the

wonders of Thy love, and preserve their tongues from mentioning any one

save Thee, and guard their faces from turning to aught else except

Thyself. Potent art Thou to do what pleaseth Thee. Thou, verily, art the

Almighty, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting.

Protect, moreover, O my Beloved, through Thy love for them and through the

love they bear to Thee, this servant, who hath sacrificed his all for

Thee, and expended whatsoever Thou hast given him in the path of Thy love

and Thy good pleasure, and preserve him from all that Thou abhorrest, and

from whatsoever may hinder him from entering into the Tabernacle of Thy

holy sovereignty, and from attaining the seat of Thy transcendent oneness.

Number him, then, O my God, with such as have allowed nothing whatever to