Tablet of the Bell (Lawh-i-Naqus)

by Bahá'u'lláh

        He is the Mighty.

        This is the Garden of Paradise, wherein hath been raised the melody of God, the Protector, the Self-Subsisting. Wherein have been established the maidens of eternity whom none hath touched save God, the Mighty, the Holy. Wherein the Nightingale of Eternity hath warbled upon the branches of the Lote-tree beyond which there is no passing, with a melody that hath filled with astonishment the minds of all men. Wherein is that which bringeth the poor ones nigh unto the shores of the ocean of wealth and guideth mankind unto the word of God. This, verily, is a manifest truth.

        In Thy name "He", for Thou art, verily, He O He.

        O monk of divine unity, toll the bell, for the Day of God hath been made manifest and the Beauty of the All-Glorious hath been established upon the Throne of manifest holiness.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Hud of the decree, blow upon the trumpet in the name of God, the Mighty, the Generous, for the tabernacle of holiness bath been established upon the throne of inaccessible glory.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Countenance of Eternity! Strike with the fingers of the spirit upon the rebec of a wondrous holiness, for the Beauty of the Essence hath appeared clothed in a robe of shining silk.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O angel of light, blow into the horn in this revelation, for the letter ha' hath come riding upon a letter of ancient majesty.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Nightingale of Splendour, warble upon the twigs in this garden, singing the name of the Beloved, for the Beauty of the Rose hath appeared from behind a heavy veil.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Songbird of Paradise, trill thou upon the branches in this wondrous age, for God hath shone forth upon all that dwell in the kingdom of earth.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Bird of Eternity, soar in this sky, for the bird of faithfulness bath winged its flight in an atmosphere of blessed nearness.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Inhabitants of Paradise, sing and chant in the most melodious and charming of voices, for the song of God hath been raised behind pavilions of exalted holiness.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Inhabitants of the Kingdom, intone the name of the Beloved, for the Beauty of the Cause bath shone forth from behind the veils adorned with a shining spirit.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Names, bedeck the farthest reaches of heaven, for the Greatest Name hath come riding upon the clouds of a mighty holiness.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Inhabitants of the Kingdom of Attributes upon the most glorious horizon, make yourselves ready to enter the presence of God, for the breezes of holiness have breathed from the Spot wherein His Essence is hidden, and this is, verily, a manifest grace.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Paradise of oneness, rejoice within thyself, for there hath appeared the paradise of God, the Exalted, the Powerful, the Knowing.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Heaven of Glory, give thanks unto God in thine essence, for the heaven of holiness hath been lifted up in the sky of a gracious heart.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Sun of the kingdom of the world, cover thy face, for the Sun of Eternity bath shone forth from the horizon of a resplendent dawn.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O earth of knowledge, swallow all that you know, for the Earth of Knowledge hath been spread out within the Self of God, the Exalted, the Mighty, the Generous.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Lamp of the kingdom of the world, extinguish thyself, for the Lamp of God hath shone within the niche of eternity and the peoples of the heavens and the earth have been illumined by it.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O oceans of the earth! Cease ye the rolling of your waves, for the Red Sea bath surged at a wondrous command.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Peacock of Oneness, cry out amidst the bushes of the heavenly kingdom, for the melody of God hath appeared from every direction, near at hand.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Bird of Eternity, crow in the thicket of the kingdom on high, for the Herald of God hath cried out from every unapproachable direction.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O Concourse of lovers, rejoice in your souls, for the days of separation are come to an end and the appointed time is come wherein the Best-Beloved hath appeared in the Beauty of an inaccessible glory.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        O People of mystic knowledge, be ye glad in your inmost beings, for the days of parting are past and certitude is come and the Beauty of the Youth hath shone forth with the ornament of holiness in the paradise of a mighty name.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is.none other than He.

        Praised be Thou, O my God, I beseech Thee by Thy Day, whereon all days have been resurrected, and by Thy enumerating from it both former and latter times.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is. none other than He.

        And by Thy Name which Thou hast made a monarch in the kingdom of names and a ruler over all that are in heaven and on earth.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        That Thou mayest make these souls independent of all save Thee and bring them nigh unto Thee and cause them to be detached from all others save Thee. Thou, verily, art the Powerful, the Mighty, the Compassionate.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        Make them, then, O my God, among those who testify to Thy oneness and among those who submit their selves to Thy singleness, in such wise that they may behold none else but Thee and gaze upon none save Thee. Thou art, verily, Powerful and Mighty to accomplish this.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        Create, then, in their hearts, O my Beloved, the fire of Thy love, to such an extent that the mention of all save Thee may be consumed by it, that they may witness within their selves that Thou hast ever been in the loftiness of eternity, and that there has never been anything with Thee, and that Thou art as Thou bast ever been; no god is there save Thee, the Generous, the Mighty.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        For, should Thy servants who seek to ascend unto the heights of Thy oneness, establish themselves in the mention of aught else save Thee, the decree of unity shall have no validity in respect of them, nor shall the title of singleness find any conformation in them.

        Praised be Thou, O He; O He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.

        And Praised be Thou, O God, my God. Since this is how matters stand, send down from the clouds of Thy compassion that which shall cleanse the hearts of Thy lovers and sanctify the breasts of them that adore Thee. Raise them up, then, through Thy exaltation and cause them to be victorious over all that dwell on earth. This is that which Thou didst promise Thy friends by Thy unerring words: "We desire to show Our grace unto them that have been made wretched on the earth and to make them leaders and to make them Our heirs."

Praised be Thou, O He; He that is He; O He that there is none other than He.