June 18, 2023 will mark 40 years since 10 Baha’i women were hanged in Shiraz. Their only ‘crime’ was their refusal to renounce their beliefs in a faith that promotes the principles of gender equality, unity, justice, and truthfulness. This collection highlights Baha’i Blog content relating to the ongoing persecution of Baha’is in Iran.
Baha’i Blog Studio Sessions is an initiative where we invite Baha’is and their friends from around the world to come into a studio and share the Baha’i Writings put to music.
In this Baha’i Blog Studio Session, we’re in Seattle, USA with Yosi Mesbah and Shay Morris-Doty singing “O Friends” based on the Writings of Baha’u’llah.
This song was filmed and recorded in Seattle, USA, August 2019.
Lyrics & Quote
O Friends! Be not careless of the virtues with which ye have been endowed, neither be neglectful of your high destiny. Suffer not your labors to be wasted through the vain imaginations which certain hearts have devised. Ye are the stars of the heaven of understanding, the breeze that stirreth at the break of day, the soft-flowing waters upon which must depend the very life of all men, the letters inscribed upon His sacred scroll. Make me as a lamp shining throughout Thy lands that those in whose hearts the light of Thy knowledge gloweth and the yearning for Thy love lingereth may be guided by its radiance.
Baha’u’llah
Chords
D
O friends, Be not careless of the virtues Em
with which ye have been endowed,
G, A
neither be neglectful of your high
D, A
destiny
D, A
Suffer not your labors to be wasted through the vain
Em, G, A
imaginations which certain hearts have devised
D, A
Ye are the stars of the heaven of understanding
Em
the breeze that stirreth at the break of day
G, A
the soft-flowing waters upon which must
D, A
depend the very life of all men
Em, G, A
the letters inscribed upon His sacred
D, A, Em, G
scroll
D, A, Em, G
D, A
Make me as a lamp shining throughout Thy lands that those in Em, G, A
whose hearts the light of Thy knowledge gloweth
D, A
and the yearning for Thy love lingereth may be
Em, G, A
guided by its
D, A, Em, G
radiance
D, A, Em, G
D
O friends, Be not careless of the virtues Em
with which ye have been endowed,
G, A
neither be neglectful of your high
D, A
destiny
D, A
Suffer not your labors to be wasted through the vain Em, G, A
imaginations which certain hearts have devised
D, A
Ye are the stars of the heaven of understanding
Em
the breeze that stirreth at the break of day
G, A
the soft-flowing waters upon which must
D, A
depend the very life of all men
Em, G, A
the letters inscribed upon His sacred D, A, Em, G
scroll
D, A, Em, G
D, A, Em, G, A, D
Naysan is passionate about using the arts and media to explore the teachings of the Baha’i Faith. Back in 2011, Naysan started up the Baha’i Blog project, channeling his experiences in both media and technology companies to help create a hub for Baha’i-inspired content online.
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