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THE QUR'ÂN.
XLIII, 35-48.
be his mate; and, verily, these shall turn them from the path while they reckon that they are guided; until when he comes to us he shall say, 'O, would that between me and thee there were the distance of the two orients1, for an evil mate (art thou)!' But it shall not avail you on that day, since ye were unjust; verily, in the torment shall ye share!
What! canst thou make the deaf to hear, or guide the blind, or him who is in obvious error?
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[40] Whether then we take thee off we will surely take vengeance on them; or whether we show thee that which we have promised them; for, verily, we have power over them.
Say, 'Dost thou hold to what is inspired thee?' verily, thou art in the right way, and, verily, it is a reminder to thee and to thy people, but in the end they shall be asked.
And ask those whom we have sent before thee amongst the prophets, 'Did we make gods beside the Merciful One for them to serve?'
[45] We did send Moses with our signs to Pharaoh and his chiefs, and he said, 'Verily, I am the apostle of the Lord of the worlds; but when he came to them with our signs, lo, they laughed at them !'
And we did not show them a sign, but it was greater than its fellow; and we seized them with the torment, haply they might turn.
And they said, 'O thou magician! pray for us to thy Lord, as He has engaged with thee: verily, we are guided.'
1 I. e. the east and west, though some understand it between the two solstices.
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