THE UNIVERSAL HOUSE OF JUSTICE  %% ENNYUMBA EY’ENSI YONNA EY’OBWENKANYA
Riḍván 2020  
To the Bahá’ís of the World %% Eri abaBahá’í b’ensi yonna
Dearly loved Friends, %% Ab’emikwano Abaagalwa ennyo,
Two emerging realities have prompted us to address these words to you. %% Ebiriwo ebyamirundi ebiri bye bituleetedde okuwandiika ebigambo bino eri mmwe. 
The first reality is the growing consciousness around the world %% Ekiriwo ekisooka y’entegeera ekula okwetoloola ensi 
of the looming and appalling dangers carried by the coronavirus pandemic. %% ey’obuzibu obuli buli wamu era obwewunyisa obuleeteddwa ekirwadde kya ssenyiga omukambwe. 
In many countries, despite valiant and determined collective efforts to avert disaster, %% Mu mawanga mangi, yadde nga obumalirivu obw’amaanyi obwawamu bukoleddwa okumalawo ekizibu,  
the situation is already grave, %% embeera ya kufanakuwona ??,
creating tragedies for families and individuals %% ereseewo obutyabaga mu maka n’eri bassekinoomu 
and plunging whole societies into crisis. %% era ebbise entababantu ?? zonna mu kazigizigi. 
Waves of suffering and sorrow are breaking over one place after another, %% Amayengo g’okubonabona n’okunakuwala agava mu kifo ekimu nga gadda mu kirala, 
and will weaken different nations, %% era nga gajja kunafuya amawanga ag’enjawulo, 
at different moments, in different ways. %% mu biseera eby’enjawulo, mu ngeri ez’enjawulo.
 
The second reality, one that is daily more apparent, %% Ekiriwo eky’okubiri, ekyeyongera okweyoleka kkaati ?? buli lunaku,
is the resilience and undiminished vitality of the Bahá’í world %%  bwe bugumiikiriza n’amaanyi agatakendeera ag’ensi ya Bahá’í 
in the face of a challenge which has no likeness in living memory. %% mu maaso g’ekizibu ekitalina kijjukizo kyonna.  
Your response has been outstanding.  %% Okuddamu kwammwe kubadde kwa kitalo. 
When we wrote to you a month ago at Naw-Rúz, %% Bwe twabawandiikira ku Naw-Rúz nga kati wayise omwezi,
we were keen to stress the impressive qualities being demonstrated by communities %% twali bankaliriza okubategeeza ku bubonero obusuffu obwali bwoleseddwa ebintundu 
whose normal pattern of activity had been disrupted. %% ebyo ebyali bifunye okugootaana mu nsengeka y’emirimu gyabyo.  
All that has transpired in the intervening weeks, %% Ebyo byonna ebigenze mu maaso wakati mu ssabiiti ezo,
during which many friends have had to comply with increasingly stringent restrictions, %% mu biseera ab’emikwano bangi mwebabadde balina okugondera amateeka agakanya okubakugira, 
has only deepened our feelings of admiration. %% byongedde okunnyikiza empulira zaffe ez’ettendo.  
Learning from the experience gained in other parts of the world, %% Okuyiga okuva mu bumanyirivu bwe bafunye okuva mu bitundu by’ensi ebirala,
some communities have found safe and creative ways %% ebitundu ebimu bifunye engeri ezitaliimu kabi era ez’obuyiiya  
to raise awareness of public health requirements within populations. %% okumanyisa abantu ebyetaagisa mu by’obulamu obwa abantu bonna. 
Special attention is being paid to those %% Okufaayo okw’enjawulo kuteereddwa ku abo  
who are most at risk from the virus %% abasinga okubeera mu lusuubo lw’okufuna akawuka ??
and the economic hardship arising from its spread; %% n’ebizibu mu byenfuna ebinaava mu kusaasaana kwako; 
the initiatives featured on the Bahá’í World News Service in this regard %% ebimu ku bitandikiddwawo ebirabikidde ku Mukutu gw’Amawulire g’Ensi ya Bahá’í  
are but a mere handful of the countless number under way. %% mu ngeri eno bino byalubatu kw’ebyo enkuyanja ebigenda mu maaso. 
These are being complemented by efforts to examine, promote, %% Bino byeyongera kwegyo emirimu egy’okwekenneenya, okutumbula, 
and cultivate those spiritual qualities %% n’okusiga eby’obubonero obw’omwoyo 
which are most needed at this time. %% obwetagisa ennyo mu kiseera kino. 
Many such efforts are necessarily taking place %% Emirimu egyo gisinga kugenda mu maaso 
in family units or in solitude, %% mu maka oba mu masosso, 
but where conditions allow  %% naye embeera webeera ekiriza 
or communication tools make it possible, %% oba ebikozesebwa eby’empuriziganya bwe bikisobozesa,  
a sense of extraordinary solidarity is being actively nurtured %% okuwulira obumu obusukulumye kuli mu kukula 
among souls sharing similar circumstances. %% mu massekati g’emyoyo egigabana embeera ezifaanana. 
The dynamics of community life, %% Embeera ez’enjawulo ez’obulamu bw’ekitundu, 
so important for collective progress,  %% ezetagisa ennyo mu nkulaakulana ey’awamu, 
will not be subdued. %% tezijja kufeebezebwa.
 
Our spirits have been lifted %% Emmeeme zaffe ziyimusibbwa 
by seeing how capably National Spiritual Assemblies, %% mu kulaba nga Enkiiko z’Amawanga ez’Omwoyo, 
the unflagging generals of the Army of Light, %% abo abaduumizi abatawanika ab’Eggye ly’Ekitangaala, 
have guided their communities %% ziruŋŋamizza ebitundu byazo 
and shaped their response to the crisis. %% n’okubumba okuddamu kwabyo eri ensasagge eriwo. 
They have been strongly supported by the Counsellors %% Zibadde zifuna obuyambi obw’amaanyi okuva eri Abawi b’Amagezi  
and their auxiliaries %% wamu n’abayambi baabwe
who, as always, %% bano, nga bulijjo,
have heroically raised aloft the standard of loving service. %% mu buzira basitulidde waggulu ebendera y’okwagala obuweereza. 
While staying well informed  %% Wabula nga zisigala ntegeevu 
about the often rapidly changing conditions in their countries, %% ku mbeera ezikyukakyuka amangu ennyo mu mawanga gaazo,  
Assemblies have made the necessary arrangements %% Enkiiko zino zikoze enteekateeka ezetaagisa 
for administering the affairs of the Cause, %% okulaba nga ziddukanya ensonga z’Enzikiriza,
and in particular for conducting elections, %% naddala mu kulonda, 
where these remain feasible. %% eyo kuno gye kwasoboka.
Through regular communications, %% Mu kuyita mu by’empuliziganya ebya buli kaseera,
institutions and agencies have offered wise counsel, %% enkiiko n’amatabi biwadde okuwabula okw’amagezi,
comforting reassurance, %% essuubi erigumya, 
and constant encouragement. %% wamu n’okuzzaamu amaanyi okutatadde. 
In many instances, %% Enfunda nyingi, 
they have also started to identify constructive themes %% nabo batandise okufunayo emiramwa egizimba 
that are emerging from the discourses opening up in their societies.  %% egitandise okuvaayo mu nteeseganya enzitandise okugulwawo mu bitundu byazo.
The expectation we expressed in our Naw-Rúz message %% Okusuubira kwetwalaga mu bubaka bwaffe obwa Naw-Rúz 
that this test of humanity’s endurance  %% nti ekigezo kino eky’obugumiikiriza bw’olulyo lw’omuntu   
would grant it greater insight is already being realized. %% kyandireeta okutegeera okusukkulumu kyatandise dda okulabwako.
Leaders, prominent thinkers, and commentators %% Abakulumbeze, abalowooza abamanyifu ennyo, n’aboogezi 
have begun to explore fundamental concepts and bold aspirations %% baatandise okwetegereza ebitegeero ebikulu wamu n’ebiyaayaanirwa eby’amaanyi ebibadde,
that, in recent times, have been largely absent from public discourse. %% mu biseera bino, bibadde bibulamu mu nteeseganya za bonna.  
At present these are but early glimmerings, %% Mu kiseera kino buno bukyali busammambiro, 
yet they hold out the possibility %% naye bulina obusobozi 
that a moment of collective consciousness may be in view. %% nti endowooza eyawamu erengerwako.
 
The comfort we take at seeing %% Okugumizibwa kwetufuna buli bwetulaba 
the resilience of the Bahá’í world manifest itself %% obutawanika bw’ensi ya Bahá’í bweyoleka 
in action is tempered by our sadness %% mu bikolwa bulemesebwa 
at the consequences of the pandemic for humanity. %% n’okunyolwa kw’ebyo ebireeterwa ekirwadde eri olulyo lw’omuntu. 
Alas, we are conscious that the believers and their associates %% Kya nnaku, tukimanyi nti abakiriza wamu ne bebakolagana   
also share in this suffering. %% nabo bagabanira wamu mu kubonaabona kuno. 
The distance from friends and relations that, %% Ebbanga erirekeddwa wakati w’emikwano n’enkolagana zonna eryo,
owing to the requirements of public safety, %% eryekuusa ku bitereeddwawo okukuuma emirembe gy’abantu bonna,
so many people in the world are now maintaining will, %% abantu bangi mu nsi bye bagoberera, 
for some, give way to permanent separation. %% eri abamu lijja kuleetawo okwawukana okw’olubeerera. 
At each dawn it seems certain %% Buli mmambya nga yakasala kirabika 
that more agonies will be endured before the set of sun. %% nga okuboonabona kungi okugenda okuwulirwa ng’enjuba tenagwa. 
May the promise of reunion in the eternal realms %% Leka ekisuubizo ky’okuddamu okwegatta mu bwa kabaka obw’olubeerera 
offer solace to those who lose loved ones. %% kiwe essanyu eri abo abafiiriddwako abaagalwa baabwe.  
We pray for the relief of their hearts, %% Tusaba okuwona kw’emitima gyabwe, 
and for the grace of God to surround those %% era n’ekisa kya Katonda okwebulungulula 
whose education, livelihoods, homes, or even their very means of sustenance %% abo emisomo, emirimu, amaka, oba engeri y’okwebezaawo kwabwe 
are being put at risk.  %% ebiri mu matigga.
For you, and for those you cherish, %% Eri mmwe, wamu n’abo bemwagala ennyo, 
and for all your compatriots, %% wamu ne banaansi banammwe, 
we supplicate Bahá’u’lláh %% twaaziranira Bahá’u’lláh 
and beseech His blessings and favour. %% era tuyaayaanira emikisa n’okusiima Kwe.
 
However long and arduous the road that must be travelled, %% Oluguudo lwetulina okutambula ne bwe lubeera luwanvu oba luzibu obwenkaniddewa, 
we are supremely confident in your fortitude %% tuli bagumu nnyo nnyini ddala mu bunywevu bwammwe 
and your determination to see the journey through. %% n’obumalirivu bwammwe mu kulaba nti olugendo mulumaliriza. 
You draw from stores of hope, faith, and magnanimity, %% Musena okuviira ddala mu materekero g’essuubi, obukiriza, n’omutima omugabi, 
putting the needs of others before your own, %% mukulembeza ebyetaago by’abalala ku byammwe, 
enabling those who are deprived to be spiritually nourished, %% musobozesa abo abatalina okuliisibwaliisibwa okw’omwoyo,
those who increasingly thirst for answers to be satisfied, %% abo abongera okufuna ennyonta y’ebiddibwamu okukkusibwa,
and those who long to work for the betterment of the world %% era abo abagala okukolerera okulungiya ensi  
to be offered the means. %% okuweebwa ebibasobozesa. 
From the devoted followers of the Blessed Perfection, %% Okuva eri abagoberezi ab’Owoomukisa Atuukiridde abeewayo,  
how could we expect less? %% tuyinza tutya okusuubira ekitono?