________________
XXXVI, 9-21. THE CHAPTER OF Y. S.
163
dost warn them or dost warn them not, they will not believe. [10] Thou canst only warn him who follows the reminder, and fears the Merciful in the unseen; but give him glad tidings of forgiveness and a noble hire.
Verily, we quicken the dead, and write down what they have done before, and what vestiges they leave behind; and everything have we counted in a plain model1.
Strike out for them a parable: the fellows of the city when there came to it the apostles; when we sent those two and they called them both liars, and we strengthened them with a third; and they said, 'Verily, we are sent to you.'
They said, 'Ye are only mortals like ourselves, nor has the Merciful sent down aught; ye are naught but liars.'
[15] They said, 'Our Lord knows that we are sent to you, and we have only our plain message to preach.'
They said, 'Verily, we have augured concerning you, and if ye do not desist we will surely stone you, and there shall touch you from us a grievous woe.'
Said they, 'Your augury is with you; what! if ye are reminded-? Nay, ye are an extravagant people!'
And there came from the remote part of the city a man hastening up. Said he, 'O my people! follow the apostles; [20] follow those who do not ask you a hire, and who are guided. What ails me that I should not worship Him who originated me, and unto whom I must return? Shall I take gods
1 The Umm al Kitâb. See Part I, p. 2, note 2.
M 2
Digitized by
1
Google
