Tuesday, April 27, 2021

"I beseech Thee, O Lord of the world, by Thy Most Great Name whereby the limbs of the people were shaken ..."

 
"O my God! O my God! I testify that this is Thy Day which hath been mentioned in Thy Books, Thy Epistles, Thy Psalms and Thy Tablets. In it Thou hast manifested that which was hidden in Thy Knowledge and stored up in the repositories of Thine unfailing protection. I beseech Thee, O Lord of the world, by Thy Most Great Name whereby the limbs of the people were shaken, to assist Thy servants and Thy handmaidens to become steadfast in Thy Cause and to arise in Thy service.


Verily, Thou art potent to do whatsoever Thou willest, and in Thy grasp are the reins of all things. Thou protectest whomsoever Thou willest through Thy Power and Dominion. And verily, Thou art the Almighty, the All-Subduing, the Most Powerful."


—Bahá’u’lláh


(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/921482489

Monday, April 26, 2021

“Thou seest me, O my God, detached from all save Thee and cleaving unto Thee. Guide me, then, in all mine affairs unto that which profiteth me for the glory of Thy Cause and the loftiness of the station of Thy loved ones.”

 
Eyeglasses of Bahá'u'lláh
"In regard to his affairs, let him repeat nineteen times: “Thou seest me, O my God, detached from all save Thee and cleaving unto Thee. Guide me, then, in all mine affairs unto that which profiteth me for the glory of Thy Cause and the loftiness of the station of Thy loved ones.” Let him then reflect upon the matter and undertake whatever cometh to mind. This vehement opposition of the enemies will indeed give way to supreme prosperity."


—Bahá’u’lláh


(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/050834733

Sunday, April 25, 2021

" ... those who believe in God and the Last Day and who do good have their reward with their Lord. They have nothing to fear, and they will not sorrow."


The Cow (42-46)

And do not obscure truth by falsehood,
or knowingly conceal the truth;

and be constant in prayer,
and give charity,
and worship with the worshipful.

Do you command people to be just
when you forget yourselves
even though you read the Book?
Now won't you understand? 

And seek help
with patience and prayer;
though it is indeed hard
except for the humble,

those who consider
that they will meet their Lord,
and that they will return to God.

(48)

And be wary of a day
when no soul can compensate
for another soul at all,
and no intercession is accepted from it,
and no ransom is taken from it,
and they will not be helped.

(62)

Be they Muslims, Jews,
Christians, or Sabians,
those who believe in God and the Last Day
and who do good
have their reward with their Lord.
They have nothing to fear,
and they will not sorrow.

(83)

Worship nothing but God;
be good to your parents and relatives,
and to the orphan and the poor.
Speak nicely to people,
be constant in prayer,
and give charity.

The Essential Koran, The Heart of Islam, pp. 8-9
Translated and presented by Thomas Cleary

Saturday, April 24, 2021

"In hunger, all justice is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and in satiety, all grace is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!"



"He is God, exalted is He, the Lord of might and grandeur!


O God, my God! I yield Thee thanks at all times and render Thee praise under all conditions.


In prosperity, all praise is Thine, O Lord of the Worlds, and in its absence, all gratitude is Thine, O Desire of them that have recognized Thee!


In adversity, all honour is Thine, O Adored One of all who are in heaven and on earth, and in affliction, all glory is Thine, O Enchanter of the hearts of those who yearn after Thee!


In hardship, all praise is Thine, O Thou the Goal of them that seek after Thee, and in comfort, all thanksgiving is Thine, O Thou whose remembrance is treasured in the hearts of those who are nigh unto Thee!


In wealth, all splendour is Thine, O Lord of them that are devoted to Thee, and in poverty, all command is Thine, O Thou the Hope of them that acknowledge Thy unity!

In joy, all glory is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and in sorrow, all beauty is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!


In hunger, all justice is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and in satiety, all grace is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!


In my homeland, all bounty is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and in exile, all decree is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!


Under the sword, all munificence is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and in the safety of home, all perfection is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!


In the lofty mansion, all generosity is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God, and upon the lowly dust, all favour is Thine, O Thou besides Whom there is none other God!


In prison, all fidelity is Thine, O Thou the Bestower of gifts, and in confinement, all eternity is Thine, O Thou Who art the ever-abiding King!


All bounty is Thine, O Thou Who art the Lord of bounty, and the Sovereign of bounty, and the King of bounty! I bear witness that Thou art to be praised in Thy doings, O Thou Source of bounty, and to be obeyed in Thy behests, O Thou Ocean of bounty, He from Whom all bounty doth proceed, He to Whom all bounty doth return!"


—Bahá’u’lláh


(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/715760313

Friday, April 23, 2021

"Mystics! What was hidden now stands for all to see."

 
Crimson Clover © 2021 Chuck Egerton

O Nightingales!
An Ode by Bahá’u’lláh


Nightingales! The season of flowers and trees has come. Mystics! What was hidden now stands for all to see.

 
Lovers! Look! Your Beloved just unveiled her face. Seekers! Look now on the One you had longed to see. 


Beauty has dawned, the lights of God shine bright. Flee the prison of your self—Rise up and be free.


That veiled Beloved, Ruler of the highest realm, now walks here, as Joseph did, through square and alley.

 
She was hidden ‘neath the Mount of infinity. 
She was there concealed from us for eternity. 


Look! She has dawned now, like the morning sun, 
shedding her light from mountain to prairie. 

 
For the fragrance of Her musk-laden locks, 
for the sweetness, the sugar of Her lips, 


Her lovers now will roam the marketplace
seeking the door of the perfumery. 


Wine jars overflow, reason is struck dumb. 
Mortal poison turns to balm—the Cup of God is heavy.

 
Prayer beads for infidels, hypocrisy no more. 
The men devoted to Her love drink in the winery. 


False piety in hiding now, deceit is so ashamed. 
Her slender body floats like a bird over land and sea. 


The hidden Treasure manifest, 
now the phoenix of soul flies free. 


All mysteries have been unveiled, 
and all the veils burned utterly. 


The nightingale leaps to the rose. 
The lover dives into love’s sea. 


The caged parrot returns to the forest. 
Strangers are friends: and strangers friends will be.


Provisional Translation by Nader Saiedi and Anthony A. Lee

http://www.elixir-journal.org/issue6/translation1.php

Thursday, April 22, 2021

"Give me then to drink from the cup that brimmeth with the sealed wine of Thy glory."

 
"Praised be Thou, O Lord my God! Sanctify mine eye, and mine ear, and my tongue, and my spirit, and my heart, and my soul, and my body, and mine entire being from turning unto anyone but Thee. Give me then to drink from the cup that brimmeth with the sealed wine of Thy glory."


—Bahá’u’lláh
(Additional Prayers Revealed by Bahá’u’lláh)
www.bahai.org/r/533738942

Wednesday, April 21, 2021

"But high endeavour and self-sacrifice are needed and the concentration of one’s thoughts is required for the tree of hope to yield its fruit and results to be achieved."

 ...


White Iris © 2021 Chuck Egerton
"Speak openly of all the signs of the Kingdom of God that ye have witnessed with your own eyes and share with the utmost happiness and exultation all that ye have heard of the divine teachings. I fervently supplicate God to bring assurance to your souls and to raise you up with such steadfastness that each of you may withstand an entire nation. May you become so inebriated with the wine of the love of God that ye may cause your hearers to dance with blissful rapture to the song and melody of the love of God.

 
This is the time for gladness, the day of joy and exhilaration, for, praised be God, all doors are opened wide through the bounty of the Abhá Beauty. But high endeavour and self-sacrifice are needed and the concentration of one’s thoughts is required for the tree of hope to yield its fruit and results to be achieved."


('Abdu'l-Bahá, Additional Tablets, Extracts and Talks)
www.bahai.org/r/600834684