SURA XVI.-THE BEE [LXXIII.]
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Rodwell, J. M. (John Medows)
God's are the secrets of the Heavens and of the Earth! and the business of the last hour will be but as the twinkling of an eye, or even less. Yes! for all things is God Potent.
God hath brought you out of your mothers' wombs devoid of all knowledge; but hath given you hearing, and sight, and heart, that haply ye might render thanks.
Have they never looked up at the birds subjected to Him in Heaven's vault? None holdeth them in hand but God! In this are signs for those who believe.
And God hath given you tents to dwell in: and He hath given you the skins of beasts for tents, that ye may find them light when ye shift your quarters, or when ye halt; and from their wool and soft fur and hair, hath He supplied you with furniture and goods for temporary use.
And from the things which He hath created, hath God provided shade for you, and hath given you the mountains for places of shelter, and hath given you garments to defend you from the heat, and garments to defend you in your wars. Thus doth He fill up the measure of His goodness towards you, that you may resign yourselves to Him.
But if they turn their backs, still thy office is only plain spoken preaching.
They own the goodness of God-then they disown it-and most of them are infidels.
But one day, we will raise up a witness out of every nation: them shall the infidels have no permission to make excuses, and they shall find no favour.
And when they who have acted thus wrongly shall behold their torment, it shall not be made light to them, nor will God deign to look upon them.
And when they who had joined associates with God shall see those their associate-gods, they shall say, "O our Lord! these are our associate-gods whom we called upon beside Thee." But they shall retort on them, "Verily, ye are liars."
And on that day shall they proffer submission to God; and the deities of their own invention shall vanish from them.
As for those who were infidels and turned others aside from the way of God, to them we will add punishment on punishment for their corrupt doings.
And one day we will summon up in every people a witness against them from among themselves; and we will bring thee up as a witness against these Meccans: for to thee have we sent down the Book which cleareth up everything, a guidance, and mercy, and glad tidings to those who resign themselves to God (to Muslims).
Verily, God enjoineth justice and the doing of good and gifts to kindred, and he forbiddeth wickedness and wrong and oppression. He warneth you that haply ye may be mindful.
Be faithful in the covenant of God when ye have covenanted, and break not your oaths after ye have pledged them: for now have ye made God to stand surety for you. Verily, God hath knowledge of what ye do.
And, because you are a more numerous people than some other people, be not like her who unravelleth the thread which she had strongly spun, by taking your oaths with mutual perfidy. God is making trial of you in this: and in the day of resurrection he will assuredly clear up to you that concerning which ye are now at variance.
Had God pleased, He could have made you one people: but He causeth whom He will to err, and whom He will He guideth: and ye shall assuredly be called to account for your doings.
Therefore take not your oaths with mutual fraud, lest your foot slip after it hath been firmly fixed, and ye taste of evil because ye have turned others aside from the way of God, and great be your punishment.
And barter not the covenant of God for a mean price; for with God is that which is better for you, if ye do but understand.
All that is with you passeth away, but that which is with God abideth. With a reward meet for their best deeds will we surely recompense those who have patiently endured.
Whoso doeth that which is right, whether male or female, if a believer, him will we surely quicken to a happy life, and recompense them with a reward meet for their best deeds.
When thou readest the Koran, have recourse to God for help against Satan the stoned,14
For no power hath he over those who believe, and put their trust in their Lord,
But only hath he power over those who turn away from God, and join other deities with Him.
And when we change one (sign) verse for another, and God knoweth best what He revealeth, they say, "Thou art only a fabricator." Nay! but most of them have no knowledge.
SAY: The Holy Spirit15 hath brought it down with truth from thy Lord, that He may stablish those who have believed, and as guidance and glad tidings to the Muslims.
We also know that they say, "Surely a certain person teacheth him." But the tongue of him at whom they hint is foreign,16 while this Koran is in the plain Arabic.
As for those who believe not in the signs of God, God will not guide them, and a sore torment doth await them.
Surely they invent a lie who believe not in the signs of God-and they are the liars.
Whoso, after he hath believed in God denieth him, if he were forced to it and if his heart remain steadfast in the faith, shall be guiltless:17 but whoso openeth his breast to infidelity-on such shall be wrath from God, and a severe punishment awaiteth them.
This, because they have loved this present life beyond the next, and because God guideth not the unbelievers!
These are they whose hearts and ears and eyes God hath sealed up: these are the careless ones: in the next world shall they perish beyond a doubt.
To those also who after their trials fled their country,18 then fought and endured with patience, verily, thy Lord will in the end be forgiving, gracious.
On a certain day shall every soul come to plead for itself, and every soul shall be repaid according to its deeds; and they shall not be wronged.
God proposeth the instance of a city,19 secure and at ease, to which its supplies come in plenty from every side. But she was thankless for the boons of God; God therefore made her taste the woe20 of famine and of fear, for what they had done.
Moreover, an apostle of their own people came to them, and they treated him as an impostor. So chastisement overtook them because they were evil doers.
Of what God hath supplied you eat the lawful and good, and be grateful for the favours of God, if ye are his worshippers.
Forbidden to you is that only which dieth of itself, and blood, and swine's flesh, and that which hath been slain in the name of any other than God: but if any be forced, and neither lust for it nor wilfully transgress, then verily God is forgiving, gracious.21
And say not with a lie upon your tongue, "This is lawful and this is forbidden:" for so will ye invent a lie concerning God: but they who invent a lie of God shall not prosper:
Brief their enjoyment, but sore their punishment!