The Qur'ân, Part II — Chapters XVII–CXIV — SBE Vol. 9 (trans. E. H. Palmer, Clarendon Press, 1880)

And when it is said, ‘Adore you the Merciful!’ they say, ‘What is the Merciful? shall we adore what you do order us?’ and it only increases their aversion.

Blessed be He who placed in the heavens zodiacal signs, and placed therein the lamp and an illuminating moon!

And He it is who made the night and the day

» That is, that if a man chose to expend anything for the cause of God he can do so.

XXV, 63-7s. THE CHAPTER OF THE DISCRIMINATION. 89 alternating for him who desires to remember or who wishes to be thankful.

And the servants of the Merciful are those who walk upon the earth lowly, and when the ignorant address them, say, ‘Peace!’ [65] And those who pass the night adoring their Lord and standing!'; and those who say, ‘O our Lord! turn from us the torment of hell; verily, its torments are persistent ; verily, they are evil as an abode and a station.’

And those who when they spend are neither extravagant nor miserly, but who ever take their stand between the two; and who call not upon another god with God; and kill not the soul which God has prohibited save deservedly?; and do not commit fornication: for he who does that shall meet with a penalty; doubled for him shall be the torment on the resurrection day, and he shall be therein for aye despised. [70] Save he who turns again and believes and does a righteous work ; for, as to those, God will change their evil deeds to good, for God is ever forgiving, merciful.

And he who turns again and does right, verily, he turns again to God repentant.

And those who do not testify falsely; and when ‘they pass by frivolous discourse, pass by it honourably ; and those who when they are reminded of the signs of their Lord do not fall down thereat deaf and blind; and those who say, ‘Our Lord! grant us from our wives and seed that which may cheer our eyes, and make us models to the pious!’

[75] These shall be rewarded with a high place? for that they were patient: and they shall meet

* For prayer. ? See Part I, p. 135, note 1. 5 In Paradise. -p. 12 therein with salutation and peace,—to dwell therein for aye; a good abode and station shall it be!

Say, ‘My Lord cares not for you though you should not call (on Him); and you have called (the Apostle) a liar, but it shall be (a punishment) which you cannot shake off.’

THe CHAPTER OF THE POoETs.

(XXVI, Mecca.)

In the name of the merciful and compassionate
God.

ZI. S. M. Those are the signs of the perspicuous Book; haply you are vexing yourself to death that they will not be believers!

If we please we will send down upon them from the heaven a sign, and their necks shall be humbled thereto. But there comes not to them any recent Reminder from the Merciful One that they do not turn away from. [5] They have called (you) liar! but there shall come to them a message of that at which they mocked.

But there comes not to them any recent Reminder from the Merciful One that they do not turn away from. [5] They have called (you) liar! but there shall come to them a message of that at which they mocked.

Have they not looked to the earth, how we caused to grow therein of every noble kind ? verily, in that is a sign; but most of them will never be believers! but, verily, your Lord He is mighty and merciful.

And when your Lord called Moses (saying), ‘ Come to the unjust people, [10] to the people of Pharaoh, will they not fear?’ Said he, ‘My Lord! verily, I fear that they will call me liar; and my breast is straitened, and my tongue is not fluent; send then

XXVI, 12-29. THE CHAPTER OF THE POETS. gt unto Aaron’, for they have a crime against me, and I fear that they may kill me?.’ Said He, ‘ Not so; but go with our signs, verily, we are with you listening.

[15] ‘And go to Pharaoh and say, “ Verily, we are the apostles of the Lord of the worlds (to tell you to) send with us the children of Israel.”’

And he said, ‘ Did we not bring you up amongst us asa child? and you did dwell amongst us for years of your life; and you did do your deed which you have done, and you are of the ungrateful!’

Said he, ‘I did commit this, and I was of those who erred.

[20] ‘And I fled from you when I feared you, and my Lord granted me judgment, and made me one of His messengers ; and this is the favour you have obliged me with, that you have enslaved the children of Israel!’

Said Pharaoh, ‘Who is the Lord of the worlds ?’
Said he, ‘The Lord of the heavens and the earth
and what is between the two, if you are but sure.’

Said he to those about him, ‘Do you not listen ?’
[25] Said he, ‘Your Lord and the Lord of your
fathers of yore!’

Said he, ‘ Verily, your apostle who is sent to you is surely mad!’

Said he, ‘The Lord of the east and of the west, and of what is between the two, if you had but sense!’

Said he, ‘If you do take a god besides Me
I will surely make you one of the imprisoned !’

Said he, ‘ What, if I come to you with something obvious ?’

1 That he may be my minister.
3 The slaying of the Egyptian.

p. 49

[30] Said he, ‘ Bring it, if you are of those who
‘tell the truth!’

And he threw down his rod, and, behold, it was an obvious serpent! and he plucked out his hand, and, behold, it was white to the spectators!

He! said to the chiefs around him, ‘ Verily, this is a knowing sorcerer, he desires to turn you out of your land! what is it then you bid ?’

[25] They said, ‘Give him and his brother some hope, and send into the cities to collect and bring to you every knowing sorcerer.’

And the sorcerers assembled at the appointed time on a stated day, and it was said to the people, ‘Are you assembled ? haply we may follow the sorcerers if we gain the upper hand.’

haply we may follow the sorcerers if we gain the upper hand.’

[40] And when the sorcerers came they said to Pharaoh, ‘Shall we, verily, have a hire if we gain the upper hand?’ Said he, ‘ Yes; and, verily, you shall then be of those who are nigh (my throne). And Moses said to them, ‘ Throw down what you have to throw down.’ So they threw down their ropes and _ their rods and said, ‘By Pharaoh’s might, verily, we it is who shall gain the upper hand!’

And Moses threw down his rod, and, lo, it swallowed up what they falsely devised!

[45] And the sorcerers threw themselves down, adoring. Said they, ‘We believe in the Lord of the worlds, the Lord of Moses and Aaron!’ Said he, ‘Do you believe in Him ere I give you leave?» Verily, he is your chief who has taught you sorcery, but soon you shall know. I will surely cut off your hands and your feet from opposite sides, and I will crucify you all together !’

} Pharaoh.

p. 93

[50] They said, ‘No harm; verily, unto our Lord do we return! verily, we hope that our Lord will forgive us our sins, for we are the first of believers!’

And we inspired Moses, ‘ Journey by night with my servants; verily, you are pursued.’

And Pharaoh sent into the cities to collect; ‘Verily, these are a small company. [55] And, verily, they are enraged with us; but we are a multitude, wary !

‘Turn them out of gardens and springs, and treasuries, and a noble station!’—thus,—and we made the children of Israel to inherit them.

[60] And they followed them at dawn; and when the two hosts saw each other, Moses’ companions said, ‘Verily, we are overtaken!’ Said he, ‘Not so; verily, with me is my Lord, He will guide me.’

And we inspired Moses, ‘Strike with your rod the sea ;’ and it was cleft asunder, and each part was like a mighty mountain. And then we brought the others. [65] And we saved Moses and those with him all together; then we drowned the others; and that is a sign: but most of them will never be believers! And, verily, your Lord He is mighty, merciful. ;

And recite to them the story of Abraham; [70] when he said to his father and his people, ‘ What do you serve?’ They said, ‘We serve idols, and we are still devoted to them.’ He said, ‘Can they hear you when you call, or profit you, or harm ?’

They said, ‘No; but we found our fathers doing thus.’ [75] He said, ‘ Have you considered what you have been serving, you and your fathers before you ? Verily, they are foes to me, save only the Lord of the worlds, who created me and guides me, and who:

94 THE Qur’AN. XXVI, 79-11F.