the All-Glorious, the Most Powerful.

Intone, O My servant, the verses of God that have been received by thee,
as intoned by them who have drawn nigh unto Him, that the sweetness of thy
melody may kindle thine own soul, and attract the hearts of all men. Whoso
reciteth, in the privacy of his chamber, the verses revealed by God, the
scattering angels of the Almighty shall scatter abroad the fragrance of
the words uttered by his mouth, and shall cause the heart of every
righteous man to throb. Though he may, at first, remain unaware of its
effect, yet the virtue of the grace vouchsafed unto him must needs sooner
or later exercise its influence upon his soul. Thus have the mysteries of
the Revelation of God been decreed by virtue of the Will of Him Who is the
Source of power and wisdom.

O _Kh_alil! God beareth Me witness. Though My Pen be still moving on My
Tablet, yet, in its very heart, it weepeth and is sore distressed. The
lamp burning before the Throne, likewise, weepeth and groaneth by reason
of the things which the Ancient Beauty hath suffered at the hands of them
who are but a creation of His Will. God, Himself, knoweth and testifieth
to the truth of My words. No man that hath purged his ear from the loud
clamor of the infidels, and inclined it to all created things, can fail to
hear the voice of their lamentation and weeping over the trouble that hath
befallen Us at the hands of those of Our servants that have disbelieved
in, and rebelled against, Us. Thus have We disclosed to thee a glimmer of
the woes that have come upon us, that thou mayest be made aware of Our
sufferings, and patiently endure thy sorrows.

Arise to aid thy Lord at all times and in all circumstances, and be thou
one of His helpers. Admonish, then, the people to lend a hearing ear to
the words which the Spirit of God hath uttered in this irradiant and
resplendent Tablet. Say: Sow not, O people, the seeds of dissension
amongst men, and contend not with your neighbor. Be patient under all
conditions, and place your whole trust and confidence in God. Aid ye your
Lord with the sword of wisdom and of utterance. This indeed well becometh
the station of man. To depart from it would be unworthy of God, the
Sovereign Lord of all, the Glorified. The people, however, have been led
astray, and are truly of the heedless.

Unlock, O people, the gates of the hearts of men with the keys of the
remembrance of Him Who is the Remembrance of God and the Source o