auty of God!

Verily I have read thy excellent letter and was gladdened by its wonderful
meaning. Blessed art thou, as thou hast been kindled like a lamp by the
fire of God's love and as thou hast supplicated unto God and communicated
with thy Lord with an eloquent tongue and excellent explanation.

Verily I pray unto my Lord with all humbleness, meekness, obedience and
submissiveness--which demolisheth every edifice of self-exaltation--that He
shall strengthen thee by the fragrances of holiness and the breath of the
Spirit of Truth and cause thee to be dedicated (or severed) unto God,
purged and purified from the dross of the world, holy and sanctified from
carnal passions, sacrificing thy soul to the beloved of God, contented
with that which the Lord hath granted thee in the world, anxious to
perform noble and good deeds while following the teachings of god, and in
all things adhering to the law of God!

As God liveth! shouldest thou be honored by attaining to this station,
thou wilt find thyself in the center of the Paradise (Ferdowce), the
highest of paradises!

"O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of god..."

O thou who art attracted by the Fragrances of god and steadfast in the
Covenant of god!

Verily I read thine eloquent letter, the composition of which was
beautiful, words excellent and significances interesting, and I thanked
God that He hath chosen certain souls for His knowledge and love,
deposited in their hearts His mysteries, manifested from their faces His
lights and made them the signs of His Kingdom, the banners of His majesty,
the trees of His paradise and the birds of the garden of His holiness.

O thou, my honorable friend! Verily I scented the fragrance of meekness
and humbleness from the orchard of the meanings of thy letter and was
caused to rejoice, smile and be made glad that God hath made thee humble
and submissive to His beloved. Verily this is the greatest bounty from God
and by it the breast of Abdul-Baha is dilated in this remote prison.

O friend! Verily the prison is my paradise and the chains my necklace; my
balance (or testing) is my redemption (or salvation) and the castle is my
fortified safety, for this imprisonment is in the path of my Lord and it
is my salvation, my joy, my gratitude and happiness. Verily, in calamity
the face of Abdul-Baha shineth and through hardship joy is attained by
this servant in all conditions.

O thou friend! Be not sorrowful beca