Nightingale Of Paradise Will Warble Its Melody

by Glenn Franco Simmons

The war hysteria being discussed in world media and by various nations’ leaders is truly alarming. 

It is reminiscent of the eras of disquiet before the 20th Century’s two world wars.

And it brings to mind an excerpt from “Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh”: “The world is in travail, and its agitation waxeth day by day. Its face is turned towards waywardness and unbelief. Such shall be its plight, that to disclose it now would not be meet and seemly. Its perversity will long continue. And when the appointed hour is come, there shall suddenly appear that which shall cause the limbs of mankind to quake. Then, and only then, will the Divine Standard be unfurled, and the Nightingale of Paradise warble its melody.”

In explaining its understanding of the excerpt, Grok wrote: “The passage describes a world in a state of turmoil (‘in travail’) and increasing agitation, marked by moral and spiritual decline (‘waywardness and unbelief’). Bahá’u’lláh suggests that the world’s condition is so dire that fully revealing its future state at the time of writing would be inappropriate (‘not meet and seemly’). This implies a period of prolonged moral and social decay (‘its perversity will long continue’).

“The ‘appointed hour’ refers to a divinely ordained time when a transformative event or revelation will occur, shaking humanity to its core (‘cause the limbs of mankind to quake’). This event will mark the unveiling of the ‘Divine Standard,’ a symbol of divine guidance or truth, and the ‘Nightingale of Paradise’ will ‘warble its melody,’ signifying a message of spiritual renewal and divine revelation.”

One of my first memories is seeing the term “nightingale of paradise” in the writings. I had never seen a nightingale until today when I looked one up. I guess I got so used to visualizing a bird in my head before the Internet made it so easy to find out information, that I never thought to look it up when praying or reading the Writings.

“In Bahá’í writings, the ‘Nightingale of Paradise’ is a poetic metaphor often used to represent Bahá’u’lláh Himself or the divine message he brings,” Grok explained. “The nightingale, a bird known for its beautiful song, symbolizes the messenger of God who delivers a transformative, soul-stirring message to humanity. ‘Paradise’ indicates the divine or spiritual realm from which this message originates. The ‘melody’ signifies the teachings or revelation that will guide humanity toward unity, peace, and spiritual awakening. In this context, the Nightingale’s song is the call of Bahá’u’lláh’s revelation, which is intended to awaken humanity from its spiritual slumber and guide it toward a new era of divine guidance, once the world reaches the "appointed hour" of readiness or necessity.

“The passage reflects a Bahá’í perspective on the cyclical nature of human history and Divine Revelation. It suggests that humanity must pass through a period of crisis and moral decline before it is ready to receive a new divine message. The "quaking" of mankind’s limbs implies a profound, collective awakening or upheaval — potentially through global challenges or crises — that prepares the world for spiritual renewal. The ‘Divine Standard’ and the Nightingale’s melody represent the establishment of God’s will through a new revelation, which Bahá’ís believe is fulfilled in Bahá’u’lláh’s teachings, emphasizing unity, justice, and the oneness of humanity. The ‘Nightingale of Paradise’ symbolizes Bahá’u’lláh or his Divine Message, which will bring spiritual renewal to a troubled world at a divinely appointed time. The passage portrays a world in decline, awaiting a transformative moment when humanity, shaken by crises, will be ready to embrace this message of hope and unity.”

(Editor’s notes: This article was assisted by Grok, xAI's AI model. Use does not imply endorsement of such use. Please note the disclaimer near the bottom of this page about discussing the writings. Whenever anything on this blog contradicts an authoritative source, please default to the authoritative source and kindly notify me of my error or errors, so that I may immediately correct them. I am not an authority on the Writings; just a layman trying to learn more and chronicle my journey as I go.)