What follows is my provisional translation (in other words, not official or authorized; see here for more) of a talk given by ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in Port Sa‘íd on 21 June 1913, the original text of which is published in Khiṭábát-i-Ḥaḍrat-i-‘Abdu’l-Bahá, vol. 3, pp. 103–04.
Although you all have waited very long, praise be to God that the circumstances for us to meet were brought about. I, too, very much wished to meet with you.
Praised be God that you have come—that you had the privilege of making pilgrimage to the Shrine of Baháʼuʼlláh, that Sacred Spot, and perfuming yourselves therewith! To make pilgrimage to the sacred Threshold in this day is like attaining to the blessed Presence Himself; there is no difference whatsoever. All the souls circle round that Spot; indeed, the souls of the Supreme Concourse circumambulate the Shrines of the Báb and Baháʼuʼlláh. Praise be to God that you have reached them!
The people of Persia have now wakened. They know where they come from—that God has accorded them such a peerless bestowal as this, that He has ordained for them such a bounty as this, that He has placed on their heads such a crown as this. It is not yet known, but in time the gift that God has given Persia and the Persian people will become apparent. Should the Persians become aware of this, they would perpetually pride themselves on it and soar with fervent delight.*
Jesus Christ appeared amidst the Jews. At first, they strove to keep their distance from Him; they scorned Him and rejoiced at His misfortune. Only later did they realize what a bounty they had lost. It was only when the people of Europe professed their belief in Him that the Jews realized that they had been given so precious a bounty, only to have lost it for nothing.
The present condition of the Persians is much the same; they do not know what a bounty has been given them. It has ever been the highest hope of all humanity to attain the presence of a blessed Soul. Praised be God that you all were alive at the time of the Blessed Beauty—a time when the splendors of the Most Great Luminary were shining, the showers of mercy were raining, and the breeze of bounty was blowing. Be thankful to God for this. Exert yourselves and teach the Cause! Strive to awaken the Persians! Say to them:
“O Persians! Are you at all aware of what a Star has ascended the horizon of Persia? O Persians! Are you at all aware of what a blessed Tree has been planted in your midst? O Persians! Are you at all aware of what an Ocean has billowed among you? Arise, arise from your slumber! How long will you persist in your heedlessness? How long will you stay silent? How long will you remain unaware of this gift? Now is the time for awakening; now is the time for vigilance!”
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* This paragraph seems inconsistent with the rest of ʻAbdu’l-Bahá’s theme in this talk and may have been printed erroneously in Khiṭábát. An alternative version of this passage—transcribed by Mírzá Maḥmúd Zarqání and published in Badáyi‘u’l-Áthár, vol. 2, p. 358—appears to be more correct: “Now that you are returning, guide your compatriots and say to them: ‘Do you know what land you come from? Do you know what a bounty has been granted you? Do you know how esteemed is the crown that rests on your heads, or what gifts and favors have been bestowed on you?’ The value of these bounties is not yet known; only later will it be made abundantly clear. Were the Persians to appreciate that value, they would soar with fervent delight” (provisional translation mine).
A typescript of the original Persian text of this talk appears below.
Adib Masumian 