| 1 |
Kad promatramo bića okom koje vidi, uočavamo da su ona ograničena na tri vrste – što znači da ona, kao cjelina predstavljaju minerale, biljke ili životinje, a svaka od te tri vrste sadrži razne podvrste. Čovjekova vrsta je najviša jer posjeduje savršene odlike svih ostalih vrsta – tj. posjeduje tijelo koje raste i koje osjeća. Kao što posjeduje savršenosti minerala, biljaka i životinja, također posjeduje i posebnu odličnost koju druge životinje nemaju – a to su intelektualne savršenosti. Stoga je čovjek najplemenitije od svih bića. |
When we consider beings with the seeing eye, we observe that they are limited to three sorts—that is to say, as a whole they are either mineral, vegetable or animal, each of these three classes containing species. Man is the highest species because he is the possessor of the perfections of all the classes—that is, he has a body which grows and which feels. As well as having the perfections of the mineral, of the vegetable and of the animal, he also possesses an especial excellence which the other beings are without—that is, the intellectual perfections. Therefore, man is the most noble of beings. |
| 2 |
Čovjek je na najvišem stupnju materijalnosti, a na početku duhovnosti – tj. on je na kraju nesavršenstva i na početku savršenstva. On je na posljednjem stupnju mraka, a na početku svjetla; zato je rečeno da je stanje čovjeka kraj noći i početak dana, što znači da je on zbroj svih stupnjeva nesavršenstva, a da posjeduje stupnjeve savršenstva. On ima i životinjsku i anđeosku stranu, a cilj je odgajatelja obučiti ljudske duše da bi njihov anđeoski aspekt nadišao njihovu životinjsku stranu. Dakle, ako božanska moć u čovjeku, koja je njegova suštinska savršenost, pobijedi sotonsku moć, koja je apsolutno nesavršenstvo, on postaje najodličnije među stvorenjima; no, nadvlada li sotonska moć božansku, on postaje najniže među stvorenjima. Zato je on kraj nesavršenstva i početak savršenstva. Ni kod jedne druge vrste u svijetu postojanja nema toliko razlike, kontrasta, protuslovlja i opozicije kao kod čovjekove vrste. Tako je odraz Božanskog svjetla postojao kako u čovjeku, tako i u Kristu; stoga pogledajte kako je On voljen i poštovan! U isto vrijeme vidimo čovjeka kako štuje kamen, grudu zemlje ili drvo. Kako je prezira vrijedan kad mu je objekt štovanja najniža egzistencija – tj. kamen ili glina, bez duha; planina, šuma ili drvo. Ima li veće sramote za čovjeka od toga da štuje najniži oblik postojanja? Na isti način, znanje je svojstvo čovjeka, a isto tako i neznanje; istinoljubivost je svojstvo čovjeka; ali i lažljivost; pouzdanost i izdaja, pravda i nepravda čovjekova su svojstva i tako redom. Ukratko, sve savršenosti i vrline i svi poroci, svojstva su čovjeka. |
Man is in the highest degree of materiality, and at the beginning of spirituality—that is to say, he is the end of imperfection and the beginning of perfection. He is at the last degree of darkness, and at the beginning of light; that is why it has been said that the condition of man is the end of the night and the beginning of day, meaning that he is the sum of all the degrees of imperfection, and that he possesses the degrees of perfection. He has the animal side as well as the angelic side, and the aim of an educator is to so train human souls that their angelic aspect may overcome their animal side. Then if the divine power in man, which is his essential perfection, overcomes the satanic power, which is absolute imperfection, he becomes the most excellent among the creatures; but if the satanic power overcomes the divine power, he becomes the lowest of the creatures. That is why he is the end of imperfection and the beginning of perfection. Not in any other of the species in the world of existence is there such a difference, contrast, contradiction and opposition as in the species of man. Thus the reflection of the Divine Light was in man, as in Christ, and see how loved and honored He is! At the same time we see man worshiping a stone, a clod of earth or a tree. How vile he is, in that his object of worship should be the lowest existence—that is, a stone or clay, without spirit; a mountain, a forest or a tree. What shame is greater for man than to worship the lowest existences? In the same way, knowledge is a quality of man, and so is ignorance; truthfulness is a quality of man; so is falsehood; trustworthiness and treachery, justice and injustice, are qualities of man, and so forth. Briefly, all the perfections and virtues, and all the vices, are qualities of man. |
| 3 |
Promislite isto tako o razlikama između pojedinih ljudi. Krist je imao obličje čovjeka, a i Kaifa je bio u čovjekovu obličju; Mojsije i Faraon, Abel i Kain, Bahá’u’lláh i Yahyá158, bili su ljudi. |
Consider equally the differences between individual men. The Christ was in the form of man, and Caiaphas was in the form of man; Moses and Pharaoh, Abel and Cain, Bahá’u’lláh and Yaḥyá,158 were men. |
| 4 |
Kaže se da je čovjek najveći predstavnik Boga te da je Knjiga Stvaranja, jer svi misteriji postojanja prebivaju u njemu. Dođe li on u sjenu Istinskog Odgajatelja i bude li valjano obučen, postaje bît biti, svjetlo svjetala, duh duhova; postaje središte božanskih pojava, izvor duhovnih odlika, mjesto osvita nebeskih svjetala i posuda božanskih nadahnuća. Ako je lišen takva odgoja, on postaje objava sotonskih svojstava, zbroj životinjskih poroka i izvor svih mračnih stanja. |
Man is said to be the greatest representative of God, and he is the Book of Creation because all the mysteries of beings exist in him. If he comes under the shadow of the True Educator and is rightly trained, he becomes the essence of essences, the light of lights, the spirit of spirits; he becomes the center of the divine appearances, the source of spiritual qualities, the rising-place of heavenly lights, and the receptacle of divine inspirations. If he is deprived of this education, he becomes the manifestation of satanic qualities, the sum of animal vices, and the source of all dark conditions. |
| 5 |
Svrha je poslanja Proroka odgajati ljude tako da taj komadić uglja postane dijamant, a ovo jalovo drvo bude ucijepljeno i rodi najslađim, najslasnijim plodovima. Kad čovjek dostigne najplemenitiji položaj u svijetu čovječanstva, može dalje napredovati u stanjima savršenosti, ali ne i u položaju; jer takvi su položaji ograničeni, ali su božanske savršenosti beskrajne. |
The reason of the mission of the Prophets is to educate men, so that this piece of coal may become a diamond, and this fruitless tree may be engrafted and yield the sweetest, most delicious fruits. When man reaches the noblest state in the world of humanity, then he can make further progress in the conditions of perfection, but not in state; for such states are limited, but the divine perfections are endless. |
| 6 |
I prije i poslije odlaganja materijalnog obličja, napreduje se u savršenosti, ali ne i u položaju. Tako se bića ispunjavaju u savršenom čovjeku. Nema nijednog drugog bića višeg od savršenog čovjeka. Ali čovjek kad postigne taj položaj još uvijek može napredovati u savršenostima, ali ne i u položaju jer nema položaja višeg od onoga savršena čovjeka u kojega se on može preobraziti. On napreduje samo u položaju čovječnosti, jer ljudske savršenosti su beskonačne. Tako, ma koliko čovjek bio učen, uvijek možemo zamisliti učenijeg. |
Both before and after putting off this material form, there is progress in perfection but not in state. So beings are consummated in perfect man. There is no other being higher than a perfect man. But man when he has reached this state can still make progress in perfections but not in state because there is no state higher than that of a perfect man to which he can transfer himself. He only progresses in the state of humanity, for the human perfections are infinite. Thus, however learned a man may be, we can imagine one more learned. |
| 7 |
Prema tome, kako su savršenosti čovječanstva beskonačne, čovjek također može napredovati u savršenostima nakon napuštanja ovoga svijeta. |
Hence, as the perfections of humanity are endless, man can also make progress in perfections after leaving this world. |
