POETRY

The Houri of Wonder Baha'u'llah

Translation by Juan R. I. Cole

The Houri of Wonder by Baha'u'llah

The beauty of holiness has risen from behind her veil-- and that is a wondrous thing;
And spirits have fainted from the fire of their attraction, and that is a wondrous affair.
Then they awoke and soared into the pavilions of sanctity at the throne of domes, and that is a wondrous mystery.
Say: the houri of eternity removed the veil from her face-- exalted be the wondrous beauty of newness!
The lights of her visage shone from the earth to the clouds, and that is a wondrous radiance.
She threw a glance like a shooting star, and that is a wondrous glance.
By the fire of her countenance she burned up all names and designations, and that is a wondrous deed.
She cast her gaze upon the people of earth and dust, and that is a wondrous gaze.
Behold, the temples of existence quivered and then vanished, and that is a wondrous death.
Then a black strand of hair appeared from her, an adornment for the soul in the gloom of hindrances, and that is a wondrous hue.
The fragrance of scents and perfumes wafted from her, and that is a wondrous musk.
In her right hand she holds red wine and in her left, kebab, and that is a wondrous grace.
Her palm is dyed crimson with the blood of lovers, and that is a wondrous thing.
She passed around the wine of life in jugs and cups, and that is a wondrous fountain;
And sang of the beloved's name, strumming on lute and rebec, and that is a wondrous song.
Then hearts melted from fire and blaze, and that is a wondrous passion.
She bestowed the nourishment of beauty without measure, and that is a wondrous food.
The sword of allusion struck at necks, and that is a wondrous blow.
She smiled, and the pearls of her teeth were manifest, and that is a wondrous gleam.
Then the hearts of those who understand cried out, and that is a wondrous self-denial.
All those filled with pride and suspicion turned away from her, and that is nothing but a wondrous opponent.
When she heard, she returned to her palace in grief and regret, and that is a wondrous sorrow.
She went and returned, may her to and fro be exalted, and this is a wondrous decree;
And she uttered within her soul a cry that annihilated existence and then was made to vanish, and that is a wondrous grief.
She opened her lips for a river of advice and reproof to flow, and that is a wondrous spring.
She said, "Do not reject me, people of the Book." And that is a wondrous affair.
"Are you the people of guidance and are you the friends?" And that is a wondrous falsehood.
She said, "We shall not return to you, my companions." And that is a wondrous return.
"We shall conceal the mysteries of God that are in his scriptures." And this matter is from the All-Glorious, the Giving.
"You shall not find me until the promised one appears on the Day of Return." By my life, that is a wondrous abasement. Source: Baha'u'llah, Ad`iyyih-`i Hadrat-i Mahbub (Hofheim-Langenhain: Baha'i Publishing Trust, 1980), pp. 153-158.

posted by Unknown @ 1/04/2005 07:31:00 pm