Original title: unnamed

Translated by Juan Cole

 

On the first day that the Ancient Beauty (Baha'u'llah) seated himself upon the Most Great Throne at the garden that was entitled "Ridvan" ["paradise"], the tongue of grandeur uttered three blessed verses. One was that in this dispensation, the sword has been sheathed. Another was that anyone who put forward a claim [to be a Manifestation] before the expiration of a thousand years is an impostor. (And by a "year" is meant a full year; subjecting this verse to a figurative interpretation is forbidden). The third is that the Eternal Truth, may his splendor be glorified, had, at that moment, shed his effulgence upon all things with all the divine names. Yet another verse in fact was revealed a little later, but he said that this passage had the same station as the other three. It is that when any names of individuals are mentioned before the Countenance [of Baha'u'llah], all, whether living or dead, attain to the mention of the Preexistent King. Blessed are they that attain.