ntion are powerless to recount. I
swear by Thy might, O my Beloved! Every morning I waken to find that I am
made a target for the darts of their envy, and every night, when I lie
down to rest, I discover that I have fallen a victim to the spears of
their hate. Though Thou hast made known unto me the secrets of their
hearts, and hast set me above them, I have refused to uncover their deeds,
and have dealt patiently with them, mindful of the time which Thou hast
fixed. And when Thy promise came to pass, and the set time was fulfilled,
Thou didst lift, to an imperceptible degree, the veil of concealment, and
lo, all the inmates of the kingdoms of Thy Revelation and of Thy creation
shook and trembled, except those who were created by Thee, through the
fire of Thy love, and the breath of Thine eagerness, and the water of Thy
loving-kindness, and the clay of Thy grace. These are they who are
glorified by the Concourse on high and the denizens of the Cities of
eternity.

I give praise to Thee, therefore, O my God, that Thou hast preserved them
that have acknowledged Thy unity, and hast destroyed them that have joined
partners with Thee, and hast divided the one from the other through yet
another word that hath proceeded out of the mouth of Thy will, and flowed
down from the pen of Thy purpose. Thereby have Thy servants, who were
created through the word of Thy commandment, and were begotten by Thy
will, caviled at me, and so fiercely opposed me that they repudiated Thee,
and have rejected Thy signs, and have risen up against Thee.

Thy glory beareth me witness, O my Beloved! My pen is powerless to
describe what their hands have wrought against Him Who is the
Manifestation of Thy Cause, and the Day-Spring of Thy Revelation, and the
Dawning-Place of Thine inspiration. For all this I give praise to Thee. I
swear by Thy glory, O my God! My heart yearneth after the things ordained
by Thee in the heaven of Thy decree and the kingdom of Thine appointment.
For whatsoever befalleth me in Thy path is the beloved of my soul and the
goal of my desire. This, verily, is to be ascribed to naught except Thy
power and Thy might.

I am the one, O my God, who, through the love I bear to Thee, hath been
able to dispense with all who are in heaven and on earth. Armed with this
love, I am afraid of no one, though all the peoples of the world unite to
hurt me. Oh, that my blood could, this very moment, be shed on the face of
the earth before Thee,