‘Idál, 19 Qawl (Speech), 182 B.E.
Quotes for Reflection
Beautify your tongues, O people, with truthfulness, and adorn your souls with the ornament of honesty. Beware, O people, that ye deal not treacherously with anyone. Be ye the trustees of God amongst His creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people. They that follow their lusts and corrupt inclinations have erred and dissipated their efforts. They, indeed, are of the lost. 1 Strive, O people, that your eyes may be directed towards the mercy of God, that your hearts may be attuned to His wondrous remembrance, that your souls may rest confidently upon His grace and bounty, that your feet may tread the path of His good-pleasure. Such are the counsels which I bequeath unto you. Would that ye might follow My counsels! — Bahá’u’lláh 2
Question for Consideration
How does Bahá’u’lláh’s counsel, “Be ye the trustees of God amongst His creatures, and the emblems of His generosity amidst His people,” influence one’s truthfulness and honesty?
Perplexity Pro Response 3
Bahá’u’lláh’s counsel makes truthfulness and honesty not just good habits but sacred trusts: to be “trustees of God” and “emblems of His generosity” means that every truthful word and honest act is a way God’s qualities appear in the world through a person’s character. [1]
Trusteeship and inner motive
To be a “trustee of God” implies holding one’s capacities, relationships, and responsibilities as something entrusted by God for the benefit of others, not as private possessions to be used for selfish advantage. When a person sees life this way, dishonesty or deceit feel like a betrayal of a sacred trust, so integrity becomes the natural standard in all situations, even when lying or cutting corners might seem advantageous. [1]
Emblems of generosity and outward conduct
To be an “emblem of His generosity” means reflecting divine bounty in how one deals with people: being fair, transparent, reliable, and protective of others’ rights. This shifts honesty from merely “not lying” to actively safeguarding others from harm, fulfilling obligations, and dealing in such a way that people feel spiritually enriched and secure in one’s presence. [1]
Truthfulness as the form of trustworthiness
Bahá’í writings describe trustworthiness as a “vesture” and “sun,” and truthfulness and honesty as its fruits and adornments, linking them as inseparable aspects of one virtue. Seeing oneself as God’s trustee leads to consistent alignment of word and deed, so that truthfulness is no longer selective or situational but the coherent expression of a trustworthy life. [1]
Everyday implications
Under this counsel, a person asks in each choice: “Does this reflect the trust God has placed in me, and His generosity toward His creatures?” That perspective influences speech (avoiding exaggeration, flattery, or concealment), work (fair dealings, fulfilling contracts, avoiding exploitation), and relationships (reliability, discretion, and loyalty), making truthfulness and honesty the visible “emblems” by which others recognize a divine standard at work. [1]
Citations
- Trustworthiness: A Cardinal Bahá’í Virtue. Compiled by the Research Department of the Universal House of Justice, Revised August 1990 – Bahá’í Reference Library
Footnotes
- Research Department of the Universal House of Justice. “Trustworthiness: A Cardinal Bahá’í Virtue.” Bahá’í Reference Library, Revised August 1990. https://www.bahai.org/r/014975069 ↩︎
- Bahá’u’lláh. Gleanings from the Writings of Bahá’u’lláh. Translated by Shoghi Effendi. Bahá’í Reference Library, 1935. https://www.bahai.org/r/720224937. ↩︎
- Perplexity Pro. “Be Ye the Trustees of God amongst His Creatures.” Edited by Steve Bosserman. December 9, 2025. https://www.perplexity.ai/search/beautify-your-tongues-o-people-kUHS9FhKTGmyTf5e4OYm_g#0 ↩︎
Frameworks for Understanding the World 