They that are intoxicated by self-conceit have interposed

Hear, O children of the Spirit, the words of Baha’u’llah, herald of unity and revealer of divine wisdom, who declared: “They that are intoxicated by self-conceit have interposed themselves between it and the Divine and infallible Physician. Witness how they have entangled all men, themselves included, in the mesh of their devices. They can neither discover the cause of the disease, nor have they any knowledge of the remedy.” These words are not gentle counsel but a trumpet-call, warning against the greatest of all veils: the arrogance of the self. For just as a sick man cannot heal himself by denying his illness, so too mankind, blinded by pride, cannot find its way to healing apart from the Divine Physician.

The origin of this utterance lies in Baha’u’llah’s own time, when rulers, priests, and the mighty of the earth were drunk with self-conceit, exalting their own schemes above divine wisdom. They believed themselves healers of nations, yet they multiplied strife and corruption. They claimed authority, yet they had no remedy for the world’s suffering. Baha’u’llah, imprisoned and exiled, saw clearly: pride blinds the eyes, entangles the soul, and prevents the world from turning to its true Source of healing—the eternal Physician who alone knows both the disease of humanity and its cure.

Consider, O listener, the story of Pharaoh in ancient Egypt. Drunk with his own grandeur, he believed himself divine, a ruler above all men. Yet his self-conceit blinded him to the truth spoken by Moses. His pride entangled him, and he led not only himself but his people into ruin. He could neither discern the cause of the disease—his own arrogance—nor grasp the remedy—humility before the Divine. His downfall is the mirror of Baha’u’llah’s warning: those who set themselves between man and God entangle both themselves and others in destruction.

Or reflect upon the tale of the financial lords before the Great Depression. With confidence swelling into self-conceit, they built systems of greed and speculation, dismissing warnings of collapse. Their devices ensnared millions in poverty when the markets fell. They could not see the cause—their pride and excess—nor the remedy—justice and restraint. Thus the lesson of the ages repeats: whenever man exalts himself above wisdom, the net of his own making ensnares him.

Baha’u’llah’s teaching is therefore both a spiritual and practical call. The Divine Physician sees deeper than human eyes, for He knows not only the outward ailments of society, but the inward sicknesses of the heart—greed, arrogance, hatred, and disunity. Only by turning in humility to the Divine Source can humanity be healed. Those intoxicated with pride imagine themselves wise, but they neither know the cause of the disease nor the remedy. Humility, then, is the gateway to both true knowledge and true healing.

The lesson is clear: beware self-conceit. Pride is a poison that blinds the eye, deafens the ear, and hardens the heart. Do not trust solely in human devices, however clever, if they are divorced from the higher guidance of the Spirit. Instead, seek humility, remembering always that wisdom is a gift, not a possession. Only by bowing to the Divine Physician can the soul, and indeed all society, find health.

Practical actions lie within reach. Cultivate humility by listening before speaking, by learning before judging, by serving before ruling. In moments of success, give thanks rather than glorying in self. In times of error, seek correction rather than excuses. And in all things, remember that every plan, every device, every work of man must be measured against justice, compassion, and truth. These are the remedies of the Divine Physician, given freely to all who will receive them.

So let Baha’u’llah’s words resound within you: those who exalt themselves above God’s wisdom entangle both themselves and others. Do not be numbered among them. Instead, walk humbly, seek the true knowledge, and entrust yourself to the healing hand of the eternal Physician. For He alone discerns the cause of our disease, and He alone holds the remedy that can restore both heart and world.