| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Such are the words with which My Forerunner hath extolled My Being, could ye but understand. |
 |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| This is what He revealed for the commemoration of myself, were ye to know! |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
This is what was sent down from Him as a remembrance of Myself, if you only knew. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Whoso reflecteth upon these verses, and realizeth what hidden pearls have been enshrined within them, will, by the righteousness of God, perceive the fragrance of the
All-Merciful wafting from the direction of this Prison and will, with his whole heart, hasten unto Him with such ardent longing that the hosts of earth and heaven would be powerless to deter him. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| He who ponders over these texts and understands what is hidden therein of
the treasured pearls, by God, he will inhale the perfume of the merciful from the region of the prison, and hasten with his heart unto Him with such longing and yearning that the hosts of heaven and earth could not withold him. |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
Whoever thinks on these verses and is informed of what is concealed in them of
treasured pearls, by God, he will perceive the odour of the Merciful from the direction of the Prison. [i.e., Acre] And he will hasten with all his heart to Him with a longing which the hosts of the heavens and the worlds can not hold back. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Say: This is a Revelation around which every proof and testimony doth
circle. Thus hath it been sent down by your Lord, the God of Mercy, if ye be of them that judge aright. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Say, this is indeed a manifestation round which proofs and evidences revolve. Thus hath the merciful caused it to descend. Were ye of the just! |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
Say: Proof and Demonstration encompass this Manifestation. Thus did the Merciful send it down — if you are of the fair-minded. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Say: This is the very soul of all Scriptures which hath been breathed into
the Pen of the Most High, causing all created beings to be dumbfounded, save only those who have been enraptured by the gentle breezes of My loving-kindness and the sweet savours of My bounties which have pervaded the whole of creation. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Say, it is the spirit of the books, and is produced by the breath of God through
the supreme pen, and by it is smitten whomsoever is in the world of creation, except those who are seized upon by the fragrances of mercy and the wafts of the odor of my benevolence, the guardian of all the worlds. |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
Say: This is the spirit of the books. With it He has breathed in the Highest Pen
and those who are of creation (i.e., all creatures) fainted except the one on whom the odour of My Mercy and the perfume of My benefits, which supervise the worlds, took hold. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| O people of the Bayan! Fear ye the Most Merciful and consider what He hath revealed in another passage. He said: "The Qiblih is indeed He Whom God will make manifest;
whenever He moveth, it moveth, until He shall come to rest." Thus was it set down by the Supreme Ordainer when He desired to make mention of this Most Great Beauty. Meditate on this, O people, and be not of them that wander distraught in the wilderness of error. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| O people of Beyan! Fear the Merciful, then, consider what he (the Bab) hath revealed in another place. He said;- "Verily, the Kibla (object of worship to which faces turn)
is "He whom God shall manifest", and when he moves, the Kibla moves with him. Thus hath it been revealed on the part of the Ruler of Fate when He desired to mention this chiefest outlook.
Reflect, O people, and be not of those who are straying madly! |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
O multitude of al-Bayan, fear the Merciful One, then see what He sent
down in another place. [note 2] He said, "Indeed, the Worship-Direction (al-qibla) is He whom God manifests and wherever He turns, it turns till He is settled." [note
3] Thus was it sent down from the Possessor of Destiny, when He desired to mention this greatest Spectacle. [note 4] Think, People, be not of the bewildered ones! |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| If ye reject Him at the bidding of your idle fancies, where then is the Qiblih to which ye will turn, O assemblage of the heedless? |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Should ye, through your lust, deny him, to what Kibla would ye turn, O assembly of the heedless? |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
If you were to deny Him by your passions to what Prayer-Direction would you turn your faces, O assembly of the careless? |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Ponder ye this verse, and judge equitably before God, that haply ye may
glean the pearls of mysteries from the ocean that surgeth in My Name, the All-Glorious, the Most High. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Reflect on this, then, be just, perhaps ye may find the pearls of secrets in the Sea which is moved by My name, the mighty, the impregnable. |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
Think on this verse, then be fair to God. Perhaps you will find pearls of mysteries in the sea, the waves of which swell by My Mighty, Unapproachable Name. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Let none, in this Day, hold fast to aught save that which hath been manifested in this Revelation. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| No one must cleave to aught else, today, save him who hath appeared in this manifestation. |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
One needs to-day to hold only to what has been manifested in the Manifestation. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Such is the decree of God, aforetime and hereafter--a decree wherewith the
Scriptures of the Messengers of old have been adorned. Such is the admonition of the Lord, aforetime and hereafter--an admonition wherewith the preamble to the Book of Life hath been
embellished, did ye but perceive it. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| This is the decree of God from first to last, and by it the books of ... in His
days. This is the commemoration of God from the beginning till the end, and by it, the preface of the book of existence was adorned if ye are of those who perceive. |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
This is the commandment of God both before and afterwards, and by it the books
of the ancients were adorned. This is the remembrance of God both before and afterwards, and by it the preface of the Book of Existence has been embellished, if you are of those who perceive!
|
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Such is the commandment of the Lord, aforetime and hereafter; beware lest ye choose instead the part of ignominy and abasement. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| This is the command of God from before and after. Beware lest ye be of the vile. |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
This is the order of God both before and afterwards. Take care that you are not of the contemptible. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Naught shall avail you in this Day but God, nor is there any refuge to flee to save Him, the Omniscient, the All-Wise. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Nothing sufficeth you today, and there is no refuge to any one save God, the omniscient, the wise. |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
Nothing avails you to-day and no one has a refuge other than God, the Wise, the Knower. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Whoso hath known Me hath known the Goal of all desire, and whoso hath
turned unto Me hath turned unto the Object of all adoration. Thus hath it been set forth in the Book, and thus hath it been decreed by God, the Lord of all worlds. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| He who knows Me has known the intended; and he who turns unto me, has turned unto the Adored. Thus hath the matter been decreed and been explicitly shown in the Book, on the part of God, the Lord of the worlds. |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
Whoever knows Me, knows the Desired One. Whoever turns his face to Me,
turns his face to Him who is Worshipped. Thus has it been told in detail in the Book and thus decided by God, the Lord of the Worlds. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| To read but one of the verses of My Revelation is better than to peruse the Scriptures of both the former and latter generations. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| He who reads one verse of My verses is more benefitted than if he reads the books of both the ancients and moderns. |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
It is better for a person to read one of my verses than for him to read the books of the ancients and the moderns. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| This is the Utterance of the All-Merciful, would that ye had ears to hear! Say: |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| This is the utterance of the Merciful, were ye of those who hear! |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
This is the Explanation (a1-Bayan) of the Merciful, if you are of those who listen. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) |
Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| This is the essence of knowledge, did ye but understand. |
|
| Haddad translation (1900-01) |
Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Say, this is the certainty of knowledge, were ye of those who know! |
|
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) |
Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
|
Say: This is the truth of what can be known, if you were of those who know. |
| Notes to Translations (1998) |
Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |