“…If the pen of this servant hath fallen short in writing, it hath been due to insurmountable obstacles…”

What follows is my provisional translation (in other words, not official or authorized; see here for more) of a Tablet of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, the original text of which has been published in Zia Eblaghi, Gul-háy-i-‘Ishq dar Shúrih-zár-i-Tárík, p. 345. 

Bandar ‘Abbás

To Jináb-i-Áqá Ma‘ṣúm-‘Alí, upon him be the Glory of God

He is God

O thou who art firm in the Covenant! Thy letter was received, and thine intent became clear and evident. If the pen of this servant hath fallen short in writing, it hath been due to insurmountable obstacles—but the bond of our hearts and souls hath, even as a firm foundation and a solid structure, endured and persisted. In that connection between our hearts, no disruption hath occurred whatsoever, rather have I set my face day and night toward the Supreme Horizon. For my spiritual friends do I implore the utmost happiness. As thou art a wanderer in the wilderness of the love of God, thou must bear in mind that bond of the heart, for it is a continual channel and a perpetual means of communication. Strive as much as thou canst to offer the sweet savor of the love of God to the senses of humanity. This is today the power that attracteth divine confirmations.

Announce unto all the friends the glad-tidings of the freshness and delicacy of the celestial rose-garden.

Upon thee be salutations and praise.

A typescript of the original Persian text of the Tablet appears below (all punctuation mine). 

بندر عبّاس

جناب آقا معصوم‌علی، علیه بهاءالله

هوالله

ای ثابت بر پیمان، نامه رسید و مقصود ظاهر و پدید گشت. اگر خامۀ این عبد در نگارش قصور نمود، از موانع غیر محصور بود، امّا ارتباط دل و جان مانند بنیان رزین و بنیاد متین باقی و برقرار. در تعلّق قلبیّه ابداً فتور نه، بلکه شب و روز توجّه به افق اعلی نمود. از برای یاران روحانی نهایت سرور را نیاز می‌نمایم. شما که سرگشتۀ صحرای محبّت اللّهید باید به آن تعلّق قلبی نظر داشته باشید، زیرا آن واسطۀ مستمرّه است و مخابرۀ دائمه. تا توانید بکوشید که نفحۀ محبّت الله را به مشام عالمیان عرضه دارید. اینست الیوم قوّه جاذبۀ توفیقات الهیّه. دیگر جمیع دوستان را به طراوت و لطافت گلستان الهی بشارت دهید. و علیک التّحیّة و الثّناء. ع‌‌ع