Typed by Robert Stauffer, 1998;
Formatted for the web by Jonah Winters, 10/01.
See also the authorized translation of this tablet.

The Fire Tablet

by Baha'u'llah

Translated by

Dr. Ali Kahn and Marzieh Gail

1937

"In 1971 an individual believer asked the Universal House of Justice if there were any restrictions on the distribution of the so-called "Fire Tablet" and at that time we were asked to tell the individual that there is no reason why this Tablet cannot be shared with individuals who wish to have it, but it should not be printed for general distribution."
The Universal House of Justice to an individual believer, June 4, 1973
The Universal House of Justice had the Fire Tablet translated in 1979 and published shortly thereafter; see authorized translation of Tablet online at http://bahai-library.com/compilations/prayers/BP-170.html. See Taherzadeh, Adib, The Revelation of Baha'u'llah, vol. 2, Oxford: George Ronald, p. 275. [R.S.]

In His Name, the Mighty, the Ancient of Days!

Indeed the hearts of the sincere are flaming in the fire of separation: Where are the gleaming of the lights of union, O Beloved of the world!

Thy chosen ones are lost in utter darkness: Where is the dawning of the morn of Thy reunion, O Desire of the world!

The unbelieving rise in tyranny on every hand: Where is the victory of Thine ordaining pen, O Victor of the world!

The howl of dogs is loud on every side: Where is the lion of the jungle of Thine anger, O Chastiser of the world!

Winter hath fastened on men's hearts: Where is the blazing of Thy love, O Fire of the world!

Calamity hath reached its height: Where are the emblems of Thy succor, O Savior of the world!

Darkness hath all but wrapped Thy creatures: Where is the shining of Thy brightness, O Radiance of the world!

Misery hath reached its lowest depth: Where are the tokens of Thy glory, O Glory of the world!

Sorrows have beset the Dayspring of Thy clement name: Where is the joy of the Revealer of Thy Presence, O Gladness of the world!

Dire suffering hath gripped mankind: Where are the emblems of Thy gladness, O Bliss of all the world!

Thou seest the Revealer of Thy verses in a veil of mockery: Where are the rendering fingers of Thy power, O Power of the world!

Sore thirst hath overcome all men: Where is the river of Thy bounty, O Mercy of the world!

Greed hath imprisoned all creation: Where are the people of detachment, O Master of the world!

Thou seest this Wronged One lonely in an alien land: Where are the legions of the heavens of Thy power, O Sovereign of the world!

I am forsaken in the land of exile: Where are Thy friendly hosts, O Friend of all the world!

The agony of death hath seized all regions: Where is the surging of Thy living ocean, O Life of all the world!

The whisperings of Satan have bewitched all men: Where is the meteor of Thy fiery wrath, O Radiance of the world!

The wine of passion hath beclouded many men: Where are the holy souls, O Desire of the world!

Thou seest this Wronged One veiled in gloom among the Syrians: Where is the rising of Thy morning light, O Lamp of all the world!

Thou seest Me forbidden to speak forth: Then from whence will spring Thy melodies, O Songster of the world!

The greatest part of men are cloaked in doubt and fancy: Where are Thy people of assurance, O Asylum of the world!

Baha is drowning in a sea of torment: Where is the ark of Thy deliverance, O Savior of the world!

Thou seest the Dayspring of Thine utterance in the blackness of creation: Where is the sun of the heaven of Thy grace, O Light of all the world!

The lamps of truth and righteousness, of loyalty and honor, are put out: Where are the signs of vengeance, O Mover of the world!

Dost Thou see Him the champion of Thyself?

Dost Thou know what hath beset Him in the pathway of Thy love?

...Now doth My pen halt, O Beloved of the world!

The branches of the Lote-Tree lie shattered by the gales of fate: Where are the banners of Thy triumph, O Victor of the world!

My face is shadowed with the dust of slander: Where is the breeze of Thy compassion, O Mercy of the world!

The robe of holiness is sullied by the people of deceit: Where are the trappings of Thy purity, O Adorner of the world!

Mine enemies have locked the gates before My visitants: Where is the key of Thy bestowal, O Master of the world!

The leaves are yellowed by the poisoned winds of hate: Where is the downpour of Thy clouds of bounty, O Bounty of the world!

The world is darkened with the dust of sin: Where are the gales of Thy forgiveness, O Forgiver of the world!

This Youth is captive in a barren land: Where is Thy rain of heavenly grace, O Savior of the world!

O Thou Supreme Pen!

We have heard Thy stirring cry from the eternal realm: Then hear what the Tongue of Grandeur speaks, O Wronged One of the world!

Were is not for the cold, how would the heat of Thy words prevail, O Revealer of the world!

Were it not for the pain, how would the sun of Thy patience shine, O Radiance of the world!

Fail not before the sinful - Thou were created to withstand them, O Patience of the world!

How glorious is the dawning from the heaven of the Covenant among the followers of hate, and Thy yearning after God, O Love of all the world: Through Thee the flag of freedom stands on the highest peaks, through Thee the sea of bounty swells, O Beloved of the world!

By Thy aloneness the sun of openness shone, and by Thy banishment the land of singleness grew fair: Then endure, O Thou Exile of the world!

We have made misery the garment of Thy glory, and anguish the raiment of Thy temple, O Thou Prize of all the world!

Thou seest men's hearts abrim with hate and shalt absolve them, Thou Who dost hide the sins of all the world!

When the swords flash, go forward; when the shafts fly, press onward, O Thou Ransom of the world!

Dost Thou wail or shall I wail, rather shall I weep at the fewness of Thy helpers, Thou Who has caused the wailing of the world!

Surely I have heard Thy call, O Abha Beloved, wherefore the face of Baha flameth with the heat of tribulation and the radiance of Thy shining words: And He hath risen up in faithfulness at the place of martyrdom, looking forward Thy pleasure, O Desire of the world!

Thou Ali-Qabli-i-Akbar!

Praise thou God for this Tablet, when thou hast breathed the fragrance of My Patience, and know that what hath beset Us in the path of God, the Adorned of all the world!

Should all the servants read and ponder this, there shall be enkindled in their veins a fire that shall set aflame the world!

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