Insights from a prayer
by 'Abdu'l-Baha:
- “we come with no provision but our sins,”, “with no good deeds to tell of, only hopes.”
- “Unless” Baha’u’llah’s “concealing veil” would cover us and His “protection shield and cradle us, what power” do we “helpless souls” have to rise and serve” Him, “what substance” do we the “wretched ones” have “to make a brave display?”
- We need Him to “help us”, to “favour us”;
- “ withered as we are,” we need Baha’u’llah to “revive us with showers from” His “clouds of grace”;
- “lowly as we are,” we need Baha’u’llah to “illumine us with bright rays from the Day-Star” of His “oneness.”
- We need Baha’u’llah to “Cast” “these thirsty fish into the ocean of Thy mercy,”
- We need Baha’u’llah to “guide … this lost caravan to the shelter” of His “singleness;”
- We need Baha’u’llah to “lead... the ones who have wandered far astray” to the “wellspring of guidance”;
- We need Baha’u’llah to “grant to those who have missed the path a haven within the precincts” of His “might”;
- We humbly ask Baha’u’llah to:
- “Lift Thou to these parched lips the bounteous and soft-flowing waters of heaven,”
- “raise up these dead to everlasting life.”
- “Grant Thou to the blind eyes that will see.”
- “Make Thou the deaf to hear, the dumb to speak.”
- “Set Thou the dispirited ablaze,”
- “make Thou the heedless mindful,”
- “warn Thou the proud,”
- “awaken those who sleep.”
