SURA X.-JONAH, PEACE BE ON HIM! [LXXXIV.]
Project Gutenberg EPUB3 edition
Rodwell, J. M. (John Medows)
Do they say, "He hath devised it himself?" SAY: Then bring a Sura like it; and call on whom ye can beside God, if ye speak truth.
But that which they embrace not in their knowledge have they charged with falsehood, though the explanation of it had not yet been given them. So those who were before them brought charges of imposture: But see what was the end of the unjust!
And some of them believe in it, and some of them believe not in it. But thy Lord well knoweth the transgressors.
And if they charge thee with imposture, then SAY: My work for me, and your work for you! Ye are clear of that which I do, and I am clear of that which ye do.
And some of them lend a ready ear to thee: But wilt thou make the deaf to hear even though they understand not?
And some of them look at thee: But wilt thou guide the blind even though they see not?
Verily, God will not wrong men in aught, but men will wrong themselves.
Moreover, on that day, He will gather them all together: They shall seem as though they had waited but an hour of the day! They shall recognise one another! Now perish they who denied the meeting with God, and were not guided aright!
Whether we cause thee to see some of our menaces against them fulfilled, or whether we first take thee to Ourself,8 to us do they return. Then shall God bear witness of what they do.
And every people hath had its apostle.9 And when their apostle came, a rightful decision took place between them, and they were not wronged.
Yet they say, "When will this menace be made good? Tell us if ye speak truly."
SAY: I have no power over my own weal or woe, but as God pleaseth. Every people hath its time: when their time is come, they shall neither retard nor advance it an hour.
SAY: How think ye? if God's punishment came on you by night or by day, what portion of it would the wicked desire to hasten on?
When it falleth on you, will ye believe it then? Yes! ye will believe it then. Yet did ye challenge its speedy coming.
Then shall it be said to the transgressors, "Taste ye the punishment of eternity! Shall ye be rewarded but as ye have wrought?"
They will desire thee to inform them whether this be true? SAY: Yes! by my Lord it is the truth: and it is not ye who can weaken Him.
And every soul that hath sinned, if it possessed all that is on earth, would assuredly ransom itself therewith; and they will proclaim their repentance when they have seen the punishment: and there shall be a rightful decision between them, and they shall not be unjustly dealt with.
Is not whatever is in the Heavens and the Earth God's? Is not then the promise of God true? Yet most of them know it not.
He maketh alive and He causeth to die, and to Him shall ye return.
O men! now hath a warning come to you from your Lord, and a medicine for what is in your breasts, and a guidance and a mercy to believers.
SAY: Through the grace of God and his mercy! and in this therefore let them rejoice: better is this than all ye amass.
SAY: What think ye? of what God hath sent down to you for food, have ye made unlawful and lawful? SAY: Hath God permitted you? or invent ye on the part of God?
But what on the day of Resurrection will be the thought of those who invent a lie on the part of God? Truly God is full of bounties to man; but most of them give not thanks.
Thou shalt not be employed in affairs, nor shalt thou read a text out of the Koran, nor shall ye work any work, but we will be witnesses over you when ye are engaged therein: and not the weight of an atom on Earth or in Heaven escapeth thy Lord; nor is there aught that is less than this or greater, but it is in the perspicuous Book.
Are not the friends of God, those on whom no fear shall come, nor shall they be put to grief?
They who believe and fear God-
For them are good tidings in this life, and in the next! There is no change in the words of God! This, the great felicity!
And let not their discourse grieve thee: for all might is God's: the Hearer, the Knower, He!
Is not whoever is in the Heavens and the Earth subject to God? What then do they follow who, beside God, call upon deities they have joined with Him? They follow but a conceit, and they are but liars!
It is He who hath ordained for you the night wherein to rest, and the lightsome day. Verily in this are signs for those who hearken.
They say, "God hath begotten children." No! by his glory! He is the self- sufficient. All that is in the Heavens and all that is in the Earth is His! Have ye warranty for that assertion? What! speak ye of God that which ye know not?
SAY: Verily, they who devise this lie concerning God shall fare ill.
A portion have they in this world! Then to us they return! Then make we them to taste the vehement torment, for that they were unbelievers.
Recite to them the history of Noah,10 when he said to his people,-If, O my people! my abode with you, and my reminding you of the signs of God, be grievous to you, yet in God is my trust: Muster, therefore, your designs and your false gods, and let not your design be carried on by you in the dark: then come to some decision about me, and delay not.
And if ye turn your backs on me, yet ask I no reward from you: my reward is with God alone, and I am commanded to be of the Muslims.
But they treated him as a liar: therefore we rescued him and those who were with him in the ark, and we made them to survive the others; and we drowned those who charged our signs with falsehood. See, then, what was the end of these warned ones!
Then after him, we sent Apostles to their peoples, and they came to them with credentials; but they would not believe in what they had denied aforetime: Thus seal we up the hearts of the transgressors!
Then sent we, after them, Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his nobles with our signs; but they acted proudly and were a wicked people:
And when the truth came to them from us, they said, "Verily, this is clear sorcery."
Moses said: "What! say ye of the truth after it hath come to you, 'Is this sorcery?' But sorcerers shall not prosper."