conceptions of His servants.

O Lord! Thou beholdest this lifeless one before Thy face; suffer him,
through Thy generosity and bountiful favour, not to be deprived of the
chalice of immortal life. And Thou seest this afflicted one standing
before Thy throne; turn him not away from the ocean of Thy healing. I
entreat Thee to enable me at all times and under all conditions to
remember Thee, to magnify Thy Name and to serve Thy Cause, though I am
well aware that whatever proceedeth from a servant cannot transcend the
limitations of his soul, nor beseem Thy Lordship, nor be worthy of the
court of Thy glory and Thy majesty.

Thy might beareth me witness! Were it not to celebrate Thy praise, my
tongue would be of no use to me, and were it not for the sake of rendering
service to Thee, my existence would avail me not. But for the pleasure of
beholding the splendours of Thy realm of glory, why should I cherish
sight? And but for the joy of giving ear to Thy most sweet voice, of what
use is hearing?

Alas! Alas! I know not, O my God, my Mainstay, my heart's Desire, whether
Thou hast ordained for me that which shall bring solace to mine eyes,
gladden my bosom and rejoice my heart, or whether Thine irrevocable
decree, O King of eternity and the sovereign Lord of all nations, will
debar me from presenting myself before Thy throne. I swear by Thy glory
and majesty and by Thy dominion and power, the darkness of my remoteness
from Thee hath destroyed me. What hath become of the light of Thy
nearness, O Desire of every understanding heart? The tormenting agony of
separation from Thee hath consumed me. Where is the effulgent light of Thy
reunion, O Well-Beloved of such as are wholly devoted to Thee?

Thou seest, O my God, what hath befallen me in Thy Path at the hand of
those who have denied Thy Truth, have violated Thy Covenant, cavilled at
Thy signs, rejected the blessings Thou didst vouchsafe, disbelieved the
verses Thou didst send down and have refused to acknowledge the testimony
Thou didst fulfil.

O Lord! The tongue of my tongue and the heart of my heart and the spirit
of my spirit and my outward and inmost beings bear witness to Thy unity
and Thy oneness, Thy power and Thine omnipotence, Thy grandeur and Thy
sovereignty, and attest Thy glory, loftiness and authority. I testify that
Thou art God and that there is none other God besides Thee. From
everlasting Thou hast been a treasure hidden from the sight and minds of
men an