arthra
Baha'i
The Poem of Rashh-i-'Ama [The Mist of Unknown]
Aside from alluding to Himself, Baha'u'llah employs two refrains throughout this poem: the first having to do with divine inspiration pouring, flowing or emanating from Him; and the other exhorting the reader to see, listen, absorb and acknowledge these outpourings of providential grace.
Finally, Arabic and Persian words have not been transliterated owing to electronic document formatting and transportability considerations.
Provisional Translation -- by Ramin Neshati
Our charm bids waft the Mist of Unknown
Mystery of fidelity thus flows from Our tone
The east wind, musk-laden, from Cathay(2) whirls
Its scent so sweet streams forth from Our curls
The ornamented sun from the True One hath risen
Mystery of reality from Our(3) visage doth blazon
The sea of purity roars from waves of rapture(4)
This gift bestowed from His essence(5) We capture
Love's treasures lie hid in the bosom of Fars(6)
Out this treasure-trove Pearls of Fidelity pours
Delight of wine evinced when All(7) was manifested
To songs of providence8 this Sublime Token attested
A blast on the trumpet, the attraction divine
These two in one blow flow from the Exalted Clime
Confessed Our face to the cycle of: "I am He"
Baha(9) is brimming with the epoch of: "He is He"(10)
The river of life shimmers in the closet(11) of the heart
This sweet wine the ruby lips of Baha doth part
The day of God by the Lord's effulgence is complete
The warbling in Tehran(12) from these novel words is replete
Glory overflowing, behold! Misty unknowing, behold!
All this from one melody thy Lord doth sing, behold!
Lo! The immortal Perfect Mystic(13), the Pristine Dawn
The Pure Breast from the Highest Throne out drawn
Lo! The Tree of Paradise, heard the Nightingale's song
This Glorious warbling from the Light of Purity hath sprung
Hearken the Persian(14) melody, the Arabian tambourine
Hearken the 'No' rhythm(15) from the Hand of Divine
See dawning of the Godhead, the Maid of Paradise
How mystery of Unknown from earthly appearance doth arise
Lo! Remnant's Countenance, Cupbearer's Face
Lo! The translucent glass pouring out from Our Chalice
Behold the Burning Bush, see the Hand so white
Behold Mount Sinai radiating from the Palm so bright
Hear his intoxicated moans, see the mystic ecstatic(16)
In the precincts of rapture(3) all living beings are charismatic
From His peek, observe the amorous glance of Baha
From His reed, hearken the Farsi melody of Baha(17)
Emergence of Revelation 'tis, Effusion of Purity 'tis
Warbling of Nightingales 'tis, that pours out of Nothingness!
Notes
1. This translation is a personal project and is not commissioned, authorized or approved by any Baha'i administrative institution. The translation is based on the text released by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice as distributed at Irfan Colloquia. This text differs from the published version of the poem that appears in Ishraq Khavari's Maida-yi Asmani, volume 4. The Maida text is deficient by one couplet; also, other minor variations exist between the two texts as noted below.
2. The Persian spelling for khata given here (with 'ta') means sin or error. When spelled with 't' it means China (Cathay). The latter is more likely the intent as the symbolism pertains to the musk-laden wind blowing from the Far East.
3. There is a discrepancy between the published version in the Maida…where the word given is ma (our)…and the text used in this translation where 'tha' appears, a reference to the Imam Ali whose name is shared by both the Bab and Baha'u'llah. I am indebted to Mr. Moeen Afnani for his clarifications and insightful comments in this regard and elsewhere throughout this translation.
4. By liqa is meant (literally) The Countenance (i.e. of God). I have rendered it here as rapture. One of the meanings of rapture is 'the transportation of a person to heaven' which presumably may yield a face-to-face encounter with God.
To see the complete site visit:
Baha'i Historical Facts: Possibly the first fruit of Baha’u’llah’s Divine Pen and the only preserved Tablet revealed in Iran: -- The Poem of Rashh-i-'Ama [The Mist of Unknown]
Aside from alluding to Himself, Baha'u'llah employs two refrains throughout this poem: the first having to do with divine inspiration pouring, flowing or emanating from Him; and the other exhorting the reader to see, listen, absorb and acknowledge these outpourings of providential grace.
Finally, Arabic and Persian words have not been transliterated owing to electronic document formatting and transportability considerations.
Provisional Translation -- by Ramin Neshati
Our charm bids waft the Mist of Unknown
Mystery of fidelity thus flows from Our tone
The east wind, musk-laden, from Cathay(2) whirls
Its scent so sweet streams forth from Our curls
The ornamented sun from the True One hath risen
Mystery of reality from Our(3) visage doth blazon
The sea of purity roars from waves of rapture(4)
This gift bestowed from His essence(5) We capture
Love's treasures lie hid in the bosom of Fars(6)
Out this treasure-trove Pearls of Fidelity pours
Delight of wine evinced when All(7) was manifested
To songs of providence8 this Sublime Token attested
A blast on the trumpet, the attraction divine
These two in one blow flow from the Exalted Clime
Confessed Our face to the cycle of: "I am He"
Baha(9) is brimming with the epoch of: "He is He"(10)
The river of life shimmers in the closet(11) of the heart
This sweet wine the ruby lips of Baha doth part
The day of God by the Lord's effulgence is complete
The warbling in Tehran(12) from these novel words is replete
Glory overflowing, behold! Misty unknowing, behold!
All this from one melody thy Lord doth sing, behold!
Lo! The immortal Perfect Mystic(13), the Pristine Dawn
The Pure Breast from the Highest Throne out drawn
Lo! The Tree of Paradise, heard the Nightingale's song
This Glorious warbling from the Light of Purity hath sprung
Hearken the Persian(14) melody, the Arabian tambourine
Hearken the 'No' rhythm(15) from the Hand of Divine
See dawning of the Godhead, the Maid of Paradise
How mystery of Unknown from earthly appearance doth arise
Lo! Remnant's Countenance, Cupbearer's Face
Lo! The translucent glass pouring out from Our Chalice
Behold the Burning Bush, see the Hand so white
Behold Mount Sinai radiating from the Palm so bright
Hear his intoxicated moans, see the mystic ecstatic(16)
In the precincts of rapture(3) all living beings are charismatic
From His peek, observe the amorous glance of Baha
From His reed, hearken the Farsi melody of Baha(17)
Emergence of Revelation 'tis, Effusion of Purity 'tis
Warbling of Nightingales 'tis, that pours out of Nothingness!
Notes
1. This translation is a personal project and is not commissioned, authorized or approved by any Baha'i administrative institution. The translation is based on the text released by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice as distributed at Irfan Colloquia. This text differs from the published version of the poem that appears in Ishraq Khavari's Maida-yi Asmani, volume 4. The Maida text is deficient by one couplet; also, other minor variations exist between the two texts as noted below.
2. The Persian spelling for khata given here (with 'ta') means sin or error. When spelled with 't' it means China (Cathay). The latter is more likely the intent as the symbolism pertains to the musk-laden wind blowing from the Far East.
3. There is a discrepancy between the published version in the Maida…where the word given is ma (our)…and the text used in this translation where 'tha' appears, a reference to the Imam Ali whose name is shared by both the Bab and Baha'u'llah. I am indebted to Mr. Moeen Afnani for his clarifications and insightful comments in this regard and elsewhere throughout this translation.
4. By liqa is meant (literally) The Countenance (i.e. of God). I have rendered it here as rapture. One of the meanings of rapture is 'the transportation of a person to heaven' which presumably may yield a face-to-face encounter with God.
To see the complete site visit:
Baha'i Historical Facts: Possibly the first fruit of Baha’u’llah’s Divine Pen and the only preserved Tablet revealed in Iran: -- The Poem of Rashh-i-'Ama [The Mist of Unknown]