with Thee may be clearly recognized at
the appearance of the Light of Thy unity, and the revelation of the
splendors of the Sun of Thy oneness? I ask pardon of Thee, O my God, for
all that hath been said, and for whatsoever hath flowed out, and is now
flowing out from my Pen in Thy days. I testify that Thou hast decreed that
the offering of prayer should befit not me, but Him Who hath, at Thy
bidding and in conformity with Thy pleasure, preceded me. Rather hast Thou
ordained that the revelation of verses should be specially attributed unto
this mighty Manifestation, and to This Announcement that hath adorned the
Scrolls of Thy majesty and Thy Tablet in which account is kept.

I render Thee thanks, O Thou Who hast lighted Thy fire within my soul, and
cast the beams of Thy light into my heart, that Thou hast taught Thy
servants how to make mention of Thee, and revealed unto them the ways
whereby they can supplicate Thee, through Thy most holy and exalted
tongue, and Thy most august and precious speech. But for Thy leave, who is
there that could venture to express Thy might and Thy grandeur; and were
it not for Thine instruction, who is the man that could discover the ways
of Thy pleasure in the kingdom of Thy creation?

I beseech Thee, O God of bounty and King of all created things, to guard
Thy servants from the imaginations which their hearts may devise. Raise
them up, then, to such heights that their footsteps may slip not in the
face of the evidences of Thy handiwork, which the manifold exigencies of
Thy wisdom have ordained, and whose secrets Thou hast hid from the face of
Thy people and Thy creatures. Withhold them not, O my Lord, from the ocean
of Thy knowledge, neither do Thou deprive them of what Thou didst destine
for such of Thy chosen ones as have near access to Thee, and those of Thy
trusted ones as are wholly devoted to Thy Self. Supply them, then, from
Thy sea of certainty with what will calm the agitation of their hearts.
Turn, O Lord my God, the darkness of their fancies into the brightness of
certitude, and cause them to arise, and to walk steadfastly in Thy
straight Path, that haply Thy Book may not hinder them from recognizing
Him Who is its Revealer, and Thy names from acknowledging the One Who is
their Creator, and their Provider, and their Origin, and their King, and
their Begetter, and their Destroyer, and their Glorifier, and their
Abaser, and their Governor, and the Sovereign Protector of their Be