Release Yourselves O Nightingales Of God
Sources: Gleanings From The Writings Of Baha'u'llahRelease yourselves, O nightingales of God, from the thorns and brambles of
wretchedness and misery, and wing your flight to the rose-garden of
unfading splendor. O My friends that dwell upon the dust! Haste forth unto
your celestial habitation. Announce unto yourselves the joyful tidings:
"He Who is the Best-Beloved is come! He hath crowned Himself with the
glory of God's Revelation, and hath unlocked to the face of men the doors
of His ancient Paradise." Let all eyes rejoice, and let every ear be
gladdened, for now is the time to gaze on His beauty, now is the fit time
to hearken to His voice. Proclaim unto every longing lover: "Behold, your
Well-Beloved hath come among men!" and to the messengers of the Monarch of
love impart the tidings: "Lo, the Adored One hath appeared arrayed in the
fullness of His glory!" O lovers of His beauty! Turn the anguish of your
separation from Him into the joy of an everlasting reunion, and let the
sweetness of His presence dissolve the bitterness of your remoteness from
His court.
Behold how the manifold grace of God, which is being showered from the
clouds of Divine glory, hath, in this day, encompassed the world. For
whereas in days past every lover besought and searched after his Beloved,
it is the Beloved Himself Who now is calling His lovers and is inviting
them to attain His presence. Take heed lest ye forfeit so precious a
favor; beware lest ye belittle so remarkable a token of His grace. Abandon
not the incorruptible benefits, and be not content with that which
perisheth. Lift up the veil that obscureth your vision, and dispel the
darkness with which it is enveloped, that ye may gaze on the naked beauty
of the Beloved's face, may behold that which no eye hath beheld, and hear
that which no ear hath heard.
Hear Me, ye mortal birds! In the Rose Garden of changeless splendor a
Flower hath begun to bloom, compared to which every other flower is but a
thorn, and before the brightness of Whose glory the very essence of beauty
must pale and wither. Arise, therefore, and, with the whole enthusiasm of
your hearts, with all the eagerness of your souls, the full fervor of your
will, and the concentrated efforts of your entire being, strive to attain
the paradise of His presence, and endeavor to inhale the fragrance of the
incorruptible Flower, to breathe the sweet savors of holiness, and to
obtain a portion of this perfume of celestial glory. Whoso followeth this
counsel will break his chains asunder, will taste the abandonment of
enraptured love, will attain unto his heart's desire, and will surrender
his soul into the hands of his Beloved. Bursting through his cage, he
will, even as the bird of the spirit, wing his flight to his holy and
everlasting nest.
Night hath succeeded day, and day hath succeeded night, and the hours and
moments of your lives have come and gone, and yet none of you hath, for
one instant, consented to detach himself from that which perisheth. Bestir
yourselves, that the brief moments that are still yours may not be
dissipated and lost. Even as the swiftness of lightning your days shall
pass, and your bodies shall be laid to rest beneath a canopy of dust. What
can ye then achieve? How can ye atone for your past failure?
The everlasting Candle shineth in its naked glory. Behold how it hath
consumed every mortal veil. O ye moth-like lovers of His light! Brave
every danger, and consecrate your souls to its consuming flame. O ye that
thirst after Him! Strip yourselves of every earthly affection, and hasten
to embrace your Beloved. With a zest that none can equal make haste to
attain unto Him. The Flower, thus far hidden from the sight of men, is
unveiled to your eyes. In the open radiance of His glory He standeth
before you. His voice summoneth all the holy and sanctified beings to come
and be united with Him. Happy is he that turneth thereunto; well is it
with him that hath attained, and gazed on the light of so wondrous a
countenance.
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