Chapter 68
---------------
A more detailed look at alterations to the Tablet of the Branch published in the Baha'i Sacred Writings.
Further below is a roughly paragraph by paragraph comparison of the Tablet of the Branch from the Baha'i World Faith, which has been in use by Baha'is for many decades; and a new translation (shown in italics) in the Baha'i Sacred Writings,
published in April 2026; which also includes extracts previously
translated by Shoghi Effendi. Each section under comparison is
separated by a solid
line. As a preface, following are two related brief passages from the
writings
of Baha'u'llah.
Whoso interpreteth what hath been sent down from the heaven of Revelation, and altereth its evident meaning, he, verily, is of them that have perverted the Sublime Word of God, and is of the lost ones in the Lucid Book.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Kitab-i-Aqdas, p. 57
Take heed lest ye alter or pervert the text of the Word of God. Walk ye in the fear of God, and be numbered with the righteous.
-- Baha'u'llah, Surih of the Temple, The Summons of the Lord of Hosts, p. 18
Paragraph by paragraph comparisons follow:
a)
Verily, the Cause of God hath come upon the clouds of utterances and
the polytheists are in this day in great torment! Verily, the hosts of
revelation have descended with banners of inspiration from the heaven
of the Tablet in the name of God, the powerful, the mighty! At this
time the monotheists all rejoice in the victory of God and His
dominion, and the deniers will then be in manifest perplexity.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.1
The Cause of God hath come down upon the clouds of utterance, while
they that have joined partners with Him are afflicted with a sore
torment. The hosts of Divine Revelation, bearing the banners of
celestial inspiration, have descended from the heaven of His Tablet in
the name of God, the Almighty, the Most Powerful, and the faithful
rejoice in His victory and dominion, while the deniers are filled with
dismay.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
b)
O ye people! Do ye flee from the mercy of God after it has encompassed
the existent things created between the heavens and earths? Beware lest
ye prefer your own selves before the mercy of God, and deprive not
yourselves thereof! Verily, whosoever turneth away therefrom will be in
great loss. Verily, mercy is like unto verses which have descended from
the one heaven, and from them the monotheists drink the choice wine of
life, whilst the polytheists drink from the fiery water; and when the
verses of God are read unto them, the fire of hatred is enkindled
within their breasts. Thus have they preferred their own selves before
the mercy of God, and are of those who are heedless.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.2
O people! Do ye flee from the mercy of God after it hath pervaded all
that is in the heavens and on the earth? Barter not away that mercy
wherewith God hath favoured you, nor withhold yourselves therefrom, for
they that turn away are indeed in grievous loss. The mercy of God is
like unto the verses that are sent down from one same heaven: The true
believers quaff therefrom the wine of everlasting life, while the
ungodly drink a scalding draught. And whensoever the verses of God are
rehearsed unto them, the fire of hatred is kindled in their breasts.
Thus do they barter away the bounty that God hath bestowed upon them
and are reckoned among the heedless.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
c)
Enter, O people, beneath the shelter of the Word! Then drink therefrom
the choice wine of inner significances and utterances; for therein is
hidden the kawther of the glorious One and it hath appeared from the
horizon of the Will of your Lord, the merciful, with wonderful lights.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.3
Strive, O people, to enter beneath the sheltering shadow of the Word of
God. Quaff, then, from it the choice wine of inner meaning and
explanation, for it is the repository of the living waters of the
All-Glorious and hath appeared from the horizon of the Will of the
All-Merciful with matchless splendour.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
d)
Say: Verily, the ocean of pre-existence [Abdu'l-Baha, the Branch, the Dependent Prophet] hath branched forth from this
most great Ocean [Baha'u'llah, the Root, the Independent Prophet]. Blessed, therefore, is he who abides upon Its shores,
and is of those who are established thereon. Verily, this most sacred
temple of Abha [Glory] -- the Branch of Holiness hath branched forth from the
Sadratu'l-Muntaha. Blessed is whosoever sought shelter beneath it and
is of those who rest therein.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
Say: Out of this Most Great
Ocean there hath branched the Pre-existent Sea; blessed the one that
hath attained and found repose upon its shores.
5.4
["Verily, this most sacred temple of Abha" is missing.] There hath branched from the Sadratu’l-Muntahá this sacred and glorious
Being, this Branch of Holiness; well is it with him that hath sought
His shelter and abideth beneath His shadow.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
There hath branched from the
Sadratu'l-Muntaha this sacred and glorious Being, this Branch of
Holiness; well is it with him that hath sought His shelter and abideth
beneath His shadow
-- Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 133
e)
Say: Verily, the branch of command [Abdu'l-Baha, the Dependent Prophet] hath sprung forth from this root
[Baha'u'llah, the Independent Prophet] which God hath firmly planted in the ground of the will, the limb of
which has been elevated to a station which encompasses all existence.
Therefore, exalted be He for this creation, the lofty, the blessed, the
inaccessible, the mighty!
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
Verily the Limb of the Law
of God hath sprung forth from this Root which God hath firmly implanted
in the Ground of His Will, and Whose Branch hath been so uplifted as to
encompass the whole of creation. Magnified be He, therefore, for this
sublime, this blessed, this mighty, this exalted Handiwork!
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
Verily the Limb of the Law of God
hath sprung forth from this Root which God hath firmly implanted in the
Ground of His Will, and Whose Branch hath been so uplifted as to
encompass the whole of creation. Magnified be He, therefore, for this sublime, this blessed, this mighty, this exalted Handiwork!
-- Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 134
f)
O ye people! Draw nigh unto It, and taste the fruits of its knowledge
and wisdom on the part of the mighty, the knowing One. Whosoever will
not taste thereof shall be deprived of the bounty, even though he hath
partaken of all that is in the earth -- were ye of those who know.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
Draw nigh
unto Him, O people, and taste the fruits of wisdom and knowledge that
have proceeded from Him Who is the Almighty, the All-Knowing. Whoso
hath failed to taste thereof is deprived of God’s bounty, though he
partake of all that the earth can produce, could ye but perceive it!
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
g)
Say: Verily a word hath gone forth in favor from the most great Tablet
and God has adorned It with the mantle of Himself, and made it
sovereign over all in the earth and a sign of His grandeur and
omnipotence among the creatures; in order that through it, the people
shall praise their Lord, the mighty, the powerful, the wise; and that,
through it, they shall glorify their creator and sanctify the self of
God which standeth within all things. Verily, this is naught but a
Revelation upon the part of the wise, the ancient One!
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.5
A Word hath, as a token of Our grace, gone forth from the Most Great
Tablet—a Word which God hath adorned with the ornament of His own Self,
and made it sovereign over the earth and all that is therein, and a
sign of His greatness and power among its people, that all may glorify
thereby their Lord, the Almighty, the All-Powerful, the All-Wise, and
extol the praise of their Creator and the sanctity of the Soul of God
that holdeth sway over all created things. ["Verily, this is naught but a Revelation" is missing.] This, verily, is none other
than a Word sent down by Him Who is the All-Knowing, the Ancient of
Days.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
A Word hath, as a token of Our grace,
gone forth from the Most Great Tablet -- a Word which God hath adorned
with the ornament of His own Self, and made it sovereign over the earth
and all that is therein, and a sign of His greatness and power among
its people
-- Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 134
h)
Say: O people, praise ye God, for its Manifestation, for verily it is
the most great favor upon you and the most perfect blessing upon you;
and through Him every moldering bone is quickened Whosoever turns to
Him hath surely turned unto God, and who soever turneth away from Him
hath turned away from My beauty denied My proof and is of those who
transgress. Verily, He is the remembrance of God amongst you and His
trust within you, and His manifestation unto you and His appearance
among the servants who are nigh.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.6
Render thanks unto God, O people, for His appearance; for verily He is
the most great Favour unto you, the most perfect bounty upon you; and
through Him every mouldering bone is quickened. Whoso turneth towards
Him hath turned towards God, and whoso turneth away from Him hath
turned away from My Beauty, hath repudiated My Proof, and transgressed
against Me. ["Verily, He is the remembrance of God amongst you" is missing.] He is the Trust of God amongst you, His charge within you,
His manifestation unto you and His appearance among His favoured
servants.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
...Render thanks unto God, O people, for His appearance;
for verily He is the most great Favor unto you, the most perfect bounty
upon you; and through Him every mouldering bone is quickened. Whoso
turneth towards Him hath turned towards God, and whoso turneth away
from Him hath turned away from My beauty, hath repudiated My Proof, and
transgressed against Me. ["Verily, He is the remembrance of God amongst you" is missing.] He is the Trust of God amongst you, His charge within you, His manifestation unto you and His appearance among His favored servants...
-- Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 134
i)
Thus have I been commanded to convey
to you the message of God, your Creator; and I have delivered to you
that of which I was commanded. Whereupon, thereunto testifieth God,
then His angels, then His messengers, and then His holy servants.
Inhale the fragrances of the Ridvan from His roses and be not of those
who are deprived. Appreciate the bounty of God upon you and be not
veiled therefrom --
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.7
Thus was I bidden to deliver unto you the message of God, your Creator,
and I have fulfilled that whereunto I was bidden. Unto this bear
witness God, and His angels, and His Messengers, and His sanctified
servants. [The two paragraphs above are combined into one.] Inhale, then, the sweet savours of Paradise from its roses
and be not of them that are deprived. Hasten to win your share of the
grace which God hath bestowed upon you and suffer not yourselves to be
veiled therefrom.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
j)
and, verily, We have sent Him forth in the temple
of man. Thus praise ye the Lord, the Originator of whatsoever He
willeth through His wise and inviolable Command!
Verily, those who withhold themselves from the shelter of the Branch
are indeed lost in the wilderness of perplexity and are consumed by the
heat of self-desire, and are of those who perish.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.8
We have sent Him down in the form of a human temple. Blest and
sanctified be God Who createth whatsoever He willeth through His
inviolable, His infallible decree. [The two paragraphs above are combined into one.] They who deprive themselves of the
shadow of the Branch are lost in the wilderness of error, are consumed
by the heat of worldly desires, and are of those who will assuredly
perish.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
We have sent Him down in the form of a human temple. Blest and sanctified be God Who createth whatsoever He willeth through His inviolable, His infallible decree. [The two paragraphs above are combined into one.] They who deprive themselves of the shadow of the Branch, are lost in
the wilderness of error, are consumed by the heat of worldly desires,
and are of those who will assuredly perish
-- Shoghi Effendi, The World Order of Baha'u'llah, p. 134
k)
Hasten, O people, unto the shelter of God, in order that He may protect
you from the heat of the Day whereon none shall find for himself any
refuge or shelter except beneath the shelter of His Name, the clement,
the forgiving! Clothe yourselves, O people, with the garment of
assurance, in order that He may protect you from the dart of doubts and
superstitions, and that ye may be of those who are assured in those
days wherein none shall ever be assured and none shall be firmly
established in the Cause, except by severing himself from all that is
possessed by the people and turning unto the holy and radiant Outlook.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.9
O people! Hasten to enter beneath the shadow of God, that it may shield
you from the blazing heat of this Day wherein none shall find shelter
or refuge save under the shadow of His Name, the Ever-Forgiving, the
Most Compassionate. Attire yourselves, O people, with the raiment of
certitude, that it may protect you from the darts of idle fancy and
vain imaginings and that ye may be numbered with the faithful in these
days—days wherein none may attain certitude nor achieve constancy in
the Cause of God save by renouncing that which is current amongst men
and by turning towards this hallowed and refulgent Beauty.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
l)
O ye people! Do ye take unto yourselves the Jebt as a helper other than
God, and do ye seek the Taghoot as a Lord besides your Lord the
almighty, the omnipotent? Forsake, O people, their mention, then hold
the chalice of life in the Name of your Lord, the merciful. Verily, by
God, the existent world is quickened through a drop thereof, were ye of
those who know.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.10
O people! Will ye take a false deity for your helper rather than God?
Will ye follow the Most Great Idol before your Lord, the Almighty, the
Most Powerful? Forsake their mention, O people, and seize the cup of
life in the name of your Lord, the All-Merciful. By the righteousness
of God! A single drop from this cup quickeneth all humankind, could ye
but know it.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
m)
Say: In that Day there is no refuge for any one save the command of
God, and no salvation for any soul but God. Verily, this is the truth
and there is naught after truth but manifest error.
Verily, God hath made it incumbent upon every soul to deliver His Cause
according to his ability. Thus hath the command been recorded by the
finger of might and power upon the Tablet of majesty and greatness.
Whosoever quickens one soul in this Cause is like unto one quickening
all the servants and the Lard [Lord] shall bring him forth in the day of
resurrection into the Ridvan of oneness, adorned with the Mantle of
Himself, the protector, the mighty, the generous! Thus will ye assist
your Lord, and naught else save this shall ever be mentioned in this
day before God, your Lord and the Lord of your forefathers.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.11
Say: None shall be immune in this Day from God’s decree; none shall
find refuge save in Him. This, verily, is the truth, and aught else is
but manifest error. God hath made it incumbent upon all to teach His
Cause to the extent of their ability. Such is the decree that the
Finger of might and power hath recorded in the Tablets of supernal
glory. [The three paragraphs above are combined into one.] Whoso quickeneth but a single soul in this Revelation, it is as
though he had quickened all humanity: Him will God, on the Day of
Resurrection, raise again to life in the paradise of His oneness,
adorned with the raiment of His own Self, the Sovereign Protector, the
Almighty, the All-Bountiful. Such is the nature of the assistance ye
can render to your Lord, and naught else is worthy of mention in this
Day in the presence of God, your Lord and the Lord of your sires of old.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
n)
As to thee. O servant, hearken unto the admonition given unto thee in
the Tablet; then seek the grace of thy Lord at all times. Then spread
the Tablet among those who believe in God and in His verses; so that
they may follow that which is contained therein, and be of those who
are praiseworthy.
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.12
As for thee, O servant, give ear unto that which We have admonished
thee in this Tablet, and seek at all times the grace of thy Lord.
Disseminate this Tablet amongst them that have believed in God and in
His signs, that they may observe its injunctions and be numbered with
the righteous.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
o)
Say: O people, cause no corruption in the earth and dispute not with
men; for, verily, this is not worthy of those who have chosen in the
shelter of their Lord a station which shall indeed remain secure.
If ye find one athirst, give him to drink from the chalice of Kawtha
and Tasneen; and if ye find one endowed with an attentive ear, read
unto him the verses of God, the mighty, the merciful, the
compassionate! Unloose the tongue with excellent utterance, then
admonish the people if ye find them advancing unto the sanctuary of
God; otherwise abandon them unto themselves and forsake them in the
abyss of hell. Beware lest ye scatter the pearls of inner significance
before every barren, dumb one. Verily, the blind are deprived of
witnessing the lights and are unable to distinguish between the stone
and the holy, precious pearl.
Verily, wert thou to read the most mighty, wonderful verses to the
stone for a thousand years, will it understand, or will they take any
effect therein? No! by thy Lord, the merciful, the clement! If thou
readest all the verses of God unto the deaf, will he hear a single
letter? No! Verily, by the beauty, the mighty, the ancient!
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith.
5.13
Say: O people! Spread not disorder on the earth nor dispute with your
fellow men, for this would ill beseem them that occupy, beneath the
shadow of their Lord, the station of such as are faithful to the one
true God. [The three paragraphs above are combined into one.] Whensoever ye encounter a thirsty soul, give him to drink
from the cup of everlasting life; and whensoever ye find a hearing ear,
recite unto him the verses of God, the Powerful, the Mighty, the
Compassionate. Unloose your tongues with kindly words and, should ye
find the people inclined towards the Sanctuary of God, summon them to
the truth; otherwise leave them to their own selves and to that
condition which is the reality of the nethermost fire. Beware lest ye
cast the pearls of inner meaning before the blind and the barren in
heart, inasmuch as they are deprived of beholding the light and are
unable to distinguish the worthless pebble from the precious and
gleaming pearl. Wert thou for a thousand years to recite unto a stone
the verses of wondrous glory, would it ever be affected by them or
comprehend their significance? Nay, by thy Lord, the All-Merciful, the
Most Compassionate! Wert thou to recite unto the deaf all the verses of
God, would they hear a single letter thereof? Nay, by His ancient and
glorious Beauty!
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
p)
Thus have We delivered unto thee some of the jewels of wisdom and
utterance, in order that thou mayest gaze unto the direction of thy
Lord and be severed from all the creatures. May the spirit and glory
rest upon thee, and upon those who dwell upon the plain of holiness and
who remain in the Cause of their Lord in manifest steadfastness!
-- Baha'u'llah, The Tablet of the Branch - from Bahá'í World Faith, Pages: 204-207
5.14
Thus have We imparted unto thee the gems of divine wisdom and
utterance, that thou mayest fix thy gaze upon thy Lord and rid thyself
of all attachment to the world. May His spirit rest upon thee and upon
them that abide within the habitation of holiness and that are endued
with true constancy in the Cause of their Lord.
-- Baha'u'llah, Bahá’í Sacred Writings, Tablet of the Branch (new translation).
Back to Table of Contents.