149 They who exhort others unto justice, while themselves committing
iniquity, stand accused of falsehood by the inmates of the Kingdom and by
those who circle round the throne of their Lord, the Almighty, the
Beneficent, for that which their tongues have uttered. Commit not, O
people, that which dishonoureth your name and the fair name of the Cause
of God amongst men. Beware lest ye approach that which your minds abhor.
Fear God and follow not in the footsteps of them that are gone astray.
Deal not treacherously with the substance of your neighbour. Be ye
trustworthy on earth, and withhold not from the poor the things given unto
you by God through His grace. He, verily, will bestow upon you the double
of what ye possess. He, in truth, is the All-Bounteous, the Most Generous.
150 Say: We have ordained that our Cause be taught through the power of
utterance. Beware lest ye dispute idly with anyone. Whoso ariseth wholly
for the sake of his Lord to teach His Cause, the Holy Spirit shall
strengthen him and inspire him with that which will illumine the heart of
the world, how much more the hearts of those who seek Him. O people of
Bahá! Subdue the citadels of men’s hearts with the swords of wisdom and of
utterance. They that dispute, as prompted by their desires, are indeed
wrapped in a palpable veil. Say: The sword of wisdom is hotter than summer
heat, and sharper than blades of steel, if ye do but understand. Draw it
forth in My name and through the power of My might, and conquer then with
it the cities of the hearts of them that have secluded themselves in the
stronghold of their corrupt desires. Thus biddeth you the Pen of the
All-Glorious, whilst seated beneath the swords of the wayward.
151 If ye become aware of a sin committed by another, conceal it, that God
may conceal your own sin. He, verily, is the Concealer, the Lord of grace
abounding. O ye rich ones on earth! If ye encounter one who is poor, treat
him not disdainfully. Reflect upon that whereof ye were created. Every one
of you was created of a sorry germ.(18) It behoveth you to observe
truthfulness, whereby your temples shall be adorned, your names uplifted,
your stations exalted amidst men, and a mighty recompense assured for you
before God.
152 Give ear, O peoples of the earth, unto that which the Pen of the Lord
of all nations commandeth you. Know ye of a certainty that the
Dispensations of the past have attained their highest, their final
consummation in the Law that hath branched out from this Most Great Ocean.
Haste ye thereunto at Our behest. We, verily, ordain as We please. Regard
ye the world as a man’s body, which is afflicted with divers ailments, and
the recovery of which dependeth upon the harmonizing of all of its
component elements. Gather ye around that which We have prescribed unto
you, and walk not in the ways of such as create dissension.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
Reviews
Reviews
No reviews yet
Be the first to share your thoughts on this work.
Elsewhere in the archive
Join the Discussion
Join the discussion
Sign in to leave a comment or review.
Sign InorCreate an account