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Praised Be Thou, O My God, That Thou Hast Been

Sources: Prayers And Meditations

Praised be Thou, O my God, that Thou hast been true to what the Pen of Thy

Revelation hath inscribed upon the Tablets sent down by Thee unto Them

Whom Thou hast chosen above all Thy creatures, and through Whom Thou hast

unlocked the doors of Thy mercy, and shed abroad the radiance of the light

of Thy guidance. Glory to Thee that Thou hast laid bare what had from

eternity been wrapped up within the Tabernacle of Thy majesty, Thine
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omnipotence and glory, and through which Thou hadst decked forth the

heaven of Thy Revelation and adorned the pages of the book of Thy

testimony.



And when the Pledge was fulfilled and the Promised One appeared, He was

rejected by such of Thy servants as profess to have believed in Him in

Whom Thy Godhead was manifested, Whom Thou didst ordain to be the Herald

of this Revelation, and through Whose advent the eyes of the inmates of

the sanctuary of Thy unity were cheered.



I know, O my Lord, neither their reasoning with which they have

acknowledged Thee and believed in Thy signs, nor their argument whereby

they have repudiated Thy sovereignty. Every time I call them to Thee and

say: O people! Consider the utterances of the Lord your God which are in

your possession and those that have been sent down from the heaven of His

will and power, they cavil at Thee, and turn their backs to Thee,

though--as Thou art aware--each of the words that have gone out of the mouth

of Thy will sheddeth the fragrance of the breaths of Thy mercy.



Some have chosen to cleave to him who is counted unworthy to converse with

any of Thy servants that watch at Thy door (Mirza Yahya), how much more to

enter into the court in which the Tongue of Thy majesty speaketh. Cleanse

Thou their hearts and their eyes, O my Lord, that they may see with their

eyes and understand with their hearts, that haply they may be attracted by

Thine utterances to the Day-Spring of Thine inspiration, and draw nigh

unto the soft-flowing stream of Thy knowledge.



Thou art He, O my Lord, Who hath, in every line of Thy Book, entered into

covenant with them for me, and made it so sure that none of Thy creatures

can any longer evade it. Thou didst say--and Thy word is the truth: One

single letter from Him excelleth all that hath been sent down in the

Bayan.



Thou dost consider, therefore, O my God, how they have transgressed

against Thy Cause, and beholdest what their hands have wrought in Thy

days. They have so grievously wronged me that the Lote-Tree of Thy

Revelation moaneth, and the inmates of the Tabernacle of Thy majesty and

the dwellers of the cities of Thy names lament. I know not, O my God, for

what reason they have risen up to oppress me, and by what proof they have

turned aside from Him Who is the Day-Spring of Thy signs. I beseech Thee,

O Thou Who art the Lord of all names and the Creator of the heavens, to

aid them to act equitably in Thy Cause, that haply they may discover the

sweet smell of the robe of Thy mercy, and set their faces towards the

horizon that shineth with the brightness of the light of Thy face. Weak

are they, O my Lord, and Thou art the Lord of strength and power. They are

but paupers, and Thou art the All-Possessing, the Most Generous.



Thou art well aware, O my God, that throughout my life I have sought no

advantage for myself. I have offered up my spirit and my whole being for

the exaltation of Thy word amidst Thy creatures and the glorification of

Thy name among Thy servants. Thou didst send me with such a Testimony that

They Who are the Exponents of Thy Revelation and the Day-Springs of Thine

inspiration were stirred up with vehement longing. Through it, Thy proof

was established, and Thy bounty fulfilled, and Thy Cause perfected, and

Thine utterances released, and Thy clear tokens uncovered.



Thou knowest, O my God, that I have wished only what Thou hast wished, and

desire what Thou dost desire. Were I to speak forth before Thy servants

the things wherewith Thou didst, through Thy bounty, inspire me and which

Thou didst command me to utter amidst Thy creatures, the oppressors among

Thy people would cavil at me. And were I to hold my peace and cease to

celebrate the wonders of Thy praise, all the limbs of my body would be

stirred up to extol Thee. I know not what the water is with which Thou

didst create me, or what the fire Thou didst kindle within me. I swear by

Thy glory! I shall not cease to mention Thee, though all that are in Thy

heaven and on Thy earth rise up against me. Thee will I magnify, in all

circumstances, with a heart wholly rid of all attachment to the world and

all that is therein.



Praised be Thou, the Well-Beloved of the hearts of all such as have

recognized Thee.



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