| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| This is not a Cause which may be made a plaything for your idle fancies, nor is it a field for the foolish and faint of heart. | |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| This is not a matter to play on with the imaginations, nor a place into which will enter the frightened cowards; | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| This is not something to be played with by your illusions. This is not a Station into which every illusioned coward enters. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| By God, this is the arena of insight and detachment, of vision and upliftment, where none may spur on their chargers save the valiant horsemen of the Merciful, who have severed all attachment to the world of being. These, truly, are they that render God victorious on earth, and are the dawning-places of His sovereign might amidst mankind. | |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| rather, By God, it is the battlefield of revelation and devotion, and the race-course of beholding and exaltation, wherein none will move about except the knights of the Merciful, who have renounced the worldly things. They are indeed the assistants of God on the earth, and the dawning-places of might amongst the people of the world. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| By God, this is the training-place (midmar) for unveiling and separation (from the world) and the race-ground (maydan) of Vision and Exaltation. Only the horsemen of the Merciful, who disregard the (realm of) possibility, go about in it. Those are the helpers of God in the earth and in the Sunrise-places of power among the worlds. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Beware lest aught that hath been revealed in the Bayan should keep you from your Lord, the Most Compassionate. God is My witness that the Bayan was sent down for no other purpose than to celebrate My praise, did ye but know! | |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Beware lest that which was revealed in the Beyan (of the Bab) withold you from your Lord, the Merciful. By God it hath caused to descend for my praise, were ye to know! | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| Take care that what is in al-Bayan does not keep you away from your Lord, the Merciful. By God, it was sent down as a reminder of Me, if you only knew. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| In it the pure in heart will find only the fragrance of My love, only My Name that overshadoweth all that seeth and is seen. | |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| The sincere will not find in the Beyan save the fragrance of My love, and that of My name, which is the protector against both the witness and the witnessed. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| The sincere find in it only the odour of My love and of My Name, which oversees every witness and thing witnessed. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Say: Turn ye, O people, unto that which hath proceeded from My Most Exalted Pen. Should ye inhale therefrom the fragrance of God, set not yourselves against Him, nor deny yourselves a portion of His gracious favour and His manifold bestowals. Thus doth your Lord admonish you; He, verily, is the Counsellor, the Omniscient. | |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Say! O people, turn unto that which was caused to descend from my supreme pen - should ye find therein the perfume of God, do not oppose Him, and deprive not yourselves from the bounty of God and His favors; thus doth God admonish you. Verily He is the admonisher, the knower. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| Say: O People, face towards what has been sent down from My Highest Pen. If you find in it an odour of God, do not turn away from it and do not deprive yourselves of the Grace and benefits of God. Thus does God counsel you; indeed, He is the Counsellor who knows. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Whatsoever ye understand not in the Bayan, ask it of God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers. | |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Ask God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers of that which ye do not understand of the Beyan. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| What you do not understand of al-Bayan ask God, your Lord, and the Lord of your fathers, the ancient ones. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |
| Authorized translation (ca. 1953-1992) | Authorized Arabic text (1995) |
| Should He so desire, He will expound for you that which is revealed therein, and disclose to you the pearls of Divine knowledge and wisdom that lie concealed within the ocean of its words. He, verily, is supreme over all names; no God is there but Him, the Help in Peril, the Self-Subsisting. | |
| Haddad translation (1900-01) | Provisional Arabic transliteration (1998) |
| Verily if He will, He can disclose unto you what is revealed therein and that which is hidden of the pearls of science and wisdom in the sea of its words. Verily He is the protector of the names, and there is no God but He, the Guardian, the self-existent. | |
| Provisional Literal translation (1998) | Earl E. Elder translation (1961) |
| Indeed, if He wills, He will explain (from the same root as al-Bayan) to you what came down in it, and what pearls of knowledge and wisdom are hidden in the seas of its words. Indeed, He is the Overseer of the Names. There is no god besides Him, the Self-Subsistent Overseer. | |
| Notes to Translations (1998) | Correspondence on Literal trans. (1998) |