He answered, This shall be a separation between me and thee; but I will first declare unto thee the signification of that which thou couldest not bear with patience.

The vessel belonged to certain poor men, who did their business in the sea: and I was minded to render it unserviceable, because there was a king behind them, who took every sound ship by force.

80 As to the youth, his parents were true believers; and we feared, lest he, being an unbeliever, should oblige them to suffer his perverseness and ingrat.i.tude: wherefore we desired that their LORD might give them a more righteous child in exchange for him, and one more affectionate towards them.

And the wall belonged to two orphan youths in the city, and under it was a treasure hidden which belonged to them; and their father was a righteous man: and thy LORD was pleased that they should attain their full age, and take forth their treasure, through the mercy of thy LORD, and I did not what thou hast seen of mine own will, but by G.o.d's direction. This is the interpretation of that which thou couldest not bear with patience.

The Jews will ask thee concerning Dhu'lkarnein. Answer I will rehea.r.s.e unto you an account of him.

We made him powerful in the earth, and we gave him means to accomplish everything he pleased.

And he followed his way, until he came to the place where the sun setteth; and he found it to set in a spring of black mud; and he found near the same a certain people. And we said, O Dhu'lkarnein, either punish this people, or use gentleness towards them.

He answered, Whosoever of them shall commit injustice, we will surely punish him in this world; afterwards shall he return unto his LORD, and he shall punish him with a severe punishment.

But whosoever believeth, and doth that which is right, shall receive the most excellent reward, and we will give him in command that which is easy.

Then he continued his way, 90 until he came to the place where the sun riseth; and he found it to rise on certain people, unto whom we had not given anything wherewith to shelter themselves therefrom.

Thus it was; and we comprehended with our knowledge the forces which were with him.

And he prosecuted his journey from south to north, until he came between the two mountains; beneath which he found certain people, who could scarce understand what was said.

And they said, O Dhu'lkarnein, verily, Gog and Magog waste the land; shall we therefore pay thee tribute, on condition that thou build a rampart between us and them?

He answered, The power wherewith my LORD has strengthened me is better than your tribute: but a.s.sist me strenuously, and I will set a strong wall between you and them.

Bring me iron in large pieces, until it fill up the s.p.a.ce between the two sides of these mountains. And he said to the workmen, Blow with your bellows, until it make the iron red hot as fire. And he said further, Bring me molten bra.s.s, that I may pour upon it.

Wherefore, when this wall was finished, Gog and Magog could not scale it, neither could they dig through it.

And Dhu'lkarnein said, This is a mercy from my LORD: but when the prediction of my LORD shall come to be fulfilled, he shall reduce the wall to dust; and the prediction of my LORD is true.

On that day we will suffer some of them to press tumultuously like waves on others: and the trumpet shall be sounded, and we will gather them in a body together.

100 And we will set h.e.l.l on that day before the unbelievers; whose eyes have been veiled from my remembrance, and who could not hear my words.

Do the unbelievers think that I will not punish them, for that they take my servants for their protectors besides me? Verily we have prepared h.e.l.l for the abode of the infidels.

Say, Shall we declare unto you those whose works are vain, whose endeavour in the present life hath been wrongly directed, and who think they do the work which is right?

These are they who believe not in the signs of their LORD, or that they shall be a.s.sembled before him; wherefore their works are vain, and we will not allow them any weight on the day of resurrection.

This shall be their reward, namely, h.e.l.l; for that they have disbelieved, and have held my signs and apostles in derision.

But as for those who believe and do good works, they shall have the gardens of paradise for their abode: they shall remain therein forever; they shall wish for no change therein.

Say, If the sea were ink to write the words of my LORD, verily the sea would fail, before the words of my LORD would fail; although we added another sea like unto it as a further supply.

110 Say, Verily I am only a man as ye are. It is revealed unto me that your G.o.d is one only G.o.d: let him therefore who hopeth to meet his LORD work a righteous work; and let him not make any other to partake in the worship of his LORD.

CHAPTER XIX.

ENt.i.tLED, MARY; REVEALED AT MECCA.

IN THE NAME OF THE MOST MERCIFUL G.o.d.

C.H.Y.A.S.

A COMMEMORATION of the mercy of thy LORD towards his servant Zacharias.

When he called upon his LORD, invoking him in secret, and said, O LORD, verily my bones are weakened, and my head is become white with h.o.a.riness, and I have never been unsuccessful in my prayers to thee, O LORD.

But now I fear my nephews, who are to succeed after me, for my wife is barren: wherefore, give me a successor of my own body from before thee; who may be my heir, and may be an heir of the family of Jacob; and grant, O LORD, that he may be acceptable unto thee.

And the angel answered him, O Zacharias, verily we bring thee tidings of a son, whose name shall be John; we have not caused any to bear the same name before him.

Zacharias said, LORD, how shall I have a son, seeing my wife is barren, and I am now arrived at a great age, and am decrepit?

The angel said, So shall it be: thy LORD saith, This is easy with me; since I created thee heretofore, when thou wast nothing.

10 Zacharias answered, O LORD, give me a sign. The angel replied, Thy sign shall be that thou shalt not speak to men for three nights, although thou be in perfect health.

And he went forth unto his people, from the chamber, and he made signs unto them, as if he should say, Praise ye G.o.d in the morning and in the evening.

And we said unto his son, O John, receive the book of the law, with a resolution to study and observe it. And we bestowed on him wisdom, when he was yet a child, and mercy from us, and purity of life; and he was a devout person, and dutiful towards his parents, and was not proud or rebellious.

Peace be on him the day whereon he was born, and the day whereon he shall die, and the day whereon he shall be raised to life.

And remember in the book of the Koran the story of Mary; when she retired from her family to a place towards the east, and took a veil to conceal herself from them; and we sent our spirit Gabriel unto her, and he appeared unto her in the shape of a perfect man.

She said, I fly for refuge unto the merciful G.o.d, that he may defend me from thee: if thou fearest him, thou wilt not approach me.

He answered, Verily I am the messenger of thy LORD, and am sent to give thee a holy son.

20 She said, How shall I have a son, seeing a man hath not touched me, and I am no harlot?

Gabriel replied, So shall it be: thy LORD saith, This is easy with me; and we will perform it, that we may ordain him for a sign unto men, and a mercy from us: for it is a thing which is decreed.

Wherefore she conceived him; and she retired aside with him in her womb to a distant place; and the pains of child-birth came upon her near the trunk of a palm- tree. She said, Would to G.o.d I had died before this, and had become a thing forgotten, and lost in oblivion.

And he who was beneath her called to her, saying, be not grieved; now hath G.o.d provided a rivulet under thee; and do thou shake the body of the palm-tree, and it shall let fall ripe dates upon thee ready gathered.

And eat, and drink, and calm thy mind. Moreover, if thou see any man, and he question thee, say, Verily I have vowed a fast unto the Merciful: wherefore I will by no means speak to a man this day.

So she brought the child to her people, carrying him in her arms. And they said unto her, O Mary, now hast thou done a strange thing: O sister of Aaron, thy father was not a bad man, neither was thy mother a harlot.

But she made signs unto the child to answer them; and they said, How shall we speak to him, who is an infant in the cradle?

30 Whereupon the child said, Verily I am the servant of G.o.d; he hath given me the book of the gospel, and hath appointed me a prophet.

And he hath made me blessed, wheresoever I shall be; and hath commanded me to observe prayer, and to give alms, so long as I shall live; and he hath made me dutiful towards my mother, and hath not made me proud or unhappy.

And peace be on me the day whereon I was born, and the day whereon I shall die, and the day whereon I shall be raised to life.

This was JESUS, the son of Mary; the Word of truth, concerning whom they doubt.

It is not meet for G.o.d, that he should have any son; G.o.d forbid! When he decreeth a thing, he only saith unto it, Be; and it is.

And verily G.o.d is my LORD and your LORD; wherefore, serve him: this is the right way.

Yet the sectaries differ among themselves concerning Jesus; but woe be unto those who are unbelievers, because of their appearance at the great day.

Do thou cause them to hear, and do thou cause them to see, on the day whereon they shall come unto us to be judged: but the unG.o.dly are this day in a manifest error.

And do thou forewarn them of the day of sighing, when the matter shall be determined, while they are now sunk in negligence, and do not believe.

40 Verily we will inherit the earth, and whatever creatures are therein; and unto us shall they all return.

And remember Abraham in the book of the Koran; for he was one of great veracity, and a prophet.

When he said unto his father, O my fatherf why dost thou worship that which heareth not, neither seeth, nor profiteth thee at all?

O my father, verily a degree of knowledge hath been bestowed on me, which hath not been bestowed on thee: wherefore follow me; I will lead thee into an even way.

O my father, serve not Satan; for Satan was rebellious unto the Merciful.

O my father, verily I fear lest a punishment be inflicted on thee from the Merciful, and thou become a companion of Satan.

His father answered, Dost thou reject my G.o.ds, O Abraham? If thou forbear not, I will surely stone thee: wherefore leave me for a long time.

Abraham replied, Peace be on thee: I will ask pardon for thee of my LORD; for he is gracious unto me.

And I will separate myself from you, and from the idols which ye invoke besides G.o.d; and I will call upon my LORD; it may be that I shall not be unsuccessful in calling on my LORD, as ye are in calling upon them.

And when he had separated himself from them, and from the idols which they worshipped besides G.o.d, we gave him Isaac and jacob; and we made each of them a prophet, 50 and we bestowed on them, through our mercy, the gift of prophecy, and children and wealth; and we caused them to deserve the highest commendations.

And remember Moses in the book of the Koran: for he was sincerely upright, and was an apostle and a prophet.

And we called unto him from the right side of Mount Sinai, and caused him to draw near, and to discourse privately with us.

And we gave him, through our mercy, his brother Aaron a prophet, for his a.s.sistant.

Remember also Ismael in the same book; for he was true to his promise, and was an apostle, and a prophet.

And he commanded his family to observe prayer, and to give alms; and he was acceptable unto his LORD.

And remember Edris in the same book; for he was a just person, and a prophet: and we exalted him to a high place.

These are they unto whom G.o.d hath been bounteous, of the prophets of the posterity of Adam, and of those whom we carried in the ark with Noah; and of the posterity of Abraham, and of Israel, and of those whom we have directed and chosen. When the signs of the Merciful were read unto them, they fell down, worshipping, and wept: but a succeeding generation have come after them, who neglect prayer, and follow their l.u.s.ts; and they shall surely fall into evil: 60 except him who repenteth, and believeth, and doth that which is right; these shall enter paradise, and they shall not in the least be wronged: gardens of perpetual abode shall be their reward, which the Merciful hath promised unto his servants, as an object of faith; for his promise will surely come to be fulfilled.

Therein shall they hear no vain discourse, but peace; and their provision shall be prepared for them therein morning and evening.

This is paradise, which we will give for an inheritance unto such of our servants as shall be pious.

We descend not from heaven, unless by the command of thy LORD: unto him belongeth whatsoever is before us, and whatsoever is behind us, and whatsoever is in the intermediate s.p.a.ce; neither is thy LORD forgetful of thee.

He is the LORD of heaven and earth, and of whatsoever is between them: wherefore worship him, and be constant in his worship. Dost thou know any named like him?

Man saith, After I shall have been dead, shall I really be brought forth alive from the grave?

Doth not man remember that we created him heretofore, when he was nothing?

But by thy LORD we will surely a.s.semble them and the devils to judgment; then will we set them round about h.e.l.l on their knees: afterwards we will draw forth from every sect such of them as shall have been a more obstinate rebel against the Merciful; 70 and we best know which of them are more worthy to be burned therein.

There shall be none of you but shall approach near the same: this is an established decree with thy LORD.

Afterwards we will deliver those who shall have been pious, but we will leave the unG.o.dly therein on their knees.

When our manifest signs are read unto them, the infidels say unto the true believers, Which of the two parties is in the more eligible condition, and formeth the more excellent a.s.sembly?

But how many generations have we destroyed before them, which excelled them in wealth, and in outward appearance?

Say, Whosoever is in error, the Merciful will grant him a long and prosperous life, until they see that with which they are threatened, whether it be the punishment of this life, or that of the last hour; and hereafter they shall know who is in the worse condition, and the weaker in forces.

G.o.d shall more fully direct those who receive direction; and the good works which remain forever are better in the sight of thy LORD than worldly possessions, in respect to the reward, and more eligible in respect to the future recompense.

Hast thou seen him who believeth not in our signs, and saith, I shall surely have riches and children bestowed on me?

Is he acquainted with the secrets of futurity; or hath he received a covenant from the Merciful that it shall be so?