Tablet of Maryam by Bahá’u’lláh

Tablet revealed by Bahá’u’lláh in honor of Jinab-i Maryam.

In a moving Tablet addressed to Maryam, Bahá’u’lláh – the prophet-founder of the Bahá’í Faith- first describes the devastating effect of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ.  He then says that the illumined breast of the lovers is a worthy target for the shafts of the divine decree and their neck an eager recipient for the lasso of infinite ordeals.  Where there is an arrow, He says, its recipient is the friends’ bosom and where there is a sorrow, it descends on their heart.  He says that it behooves the lovers to have moist eyes and the loved ones to be demure and distant.  He advises Maryam to be ready to sacrifice her life if she desires the chalice of reunion and to enter the valley of privation if she seeks the wine of His Countenance.  He then says:

“O Maryam!  Exchange thy sorrow for happiness and drink thy sadness from the cup of joy.  Shouldst thou desire to enter the path of search, thou must needs be patient; lacerate not thy face, cease thy weeping and be not of those who are impatient.  Put on the garb of submissiveness, drink the wine of contentment and barter for a penny the world of being.  Accept the decree of fate and be at one with what hath been preordained.  Open the eye of true learning and close it to all that is not of the Friend, for erelong we shall gather in the presence of the Sanctified One and turn our faces towards the Exalted Companion.  From the Iraqi Songster we shall hear the Hijazi melody.  We shall be united with the Friend, speak that which cannot be spoken, see that which cannot be seen and hear that which cannot be heard.  We shall cause the temple of the spirit to dance to the melody of light.  In the sanctified arena of the Beloved convene a delightful feast, seize from the cupbearer of glory the chalice of His beauty and quaff the peerless wine in memory of the countenance of the Beauteous One. “

At the end of the Tablet Bahá’u’lláh exhorts Maryam to wipe her eyes dry, to drive despondency away from her heart, to free her bosom from sorrow, and sing with the sweetest of melodies:

If swords rain down in the Beloved’s abode
We lay low our necks for God’s decree to hold.*

*   Leaves of the Twin Divine Trees, pp 303-304

For a provisional translation and further background on this tablet, please see this link, page 287.

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2 Responses to Tablet of Maryam by Bahá’u’lláh

  1. Norbert DuBois says:

    At what website can I find a copy of this tablet of The Blessed Beauty [to Maryam] in Farsi or Arabic?

  2. admin says:

    Thank you for your comment on Amin’s web site and your question about the Lawh Maryam in its original language. You can find it at http://reference.bahai.org/fa/t/c/BN/bn-43.html#pg37 on pages 37 and 38. It is a beautiful tablet in Persian and we you’ll enjoy it.

    Please note that there are multiple Tablets of Baha’u’llah address to one or more Maryam’s (Mary).

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