Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 9.djvu/139

This page needs to be proofread.
ⅩⅩⅨ, 52-63.
the chapter of the spider.
123

misbelieve in God, they shall be the losers.' They will wish thee to hasten on the torment; but were it not for a stated and appointed time, the torment would have come upon them suddenly, while yet they did not perceive.

They will wish thee to hurry on the torment, but, verily, hell encompasses the misbelievers!

55 On the day when the torment shall cover them from above them and from beneath their feet, and He shall say, 'Taste that which ye have done!'

O my servants who believe! verily, my land is spacious enough[1]; me therefore do ye worship.

Every soul must taste of death, then unto us shall ye return; and those who believe and act aright, we will surely inform them of upper chambers in Paradise, beneath which rivers flow; to dwell therein for aye—pleasant is the hire of those who work! those who are patient and rely upon their Lord!

60 How many a beast cannot carry its own provision! God provides for it and for you; He both hears and knows!

And if thou shouldst ask them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth, and subjected the sun and the moon?' they will surely say, 'God!' how then can they lie?

God extends provision to whomsoever He will of His servants, or doles it out to him; verily, God all things doth know.

And if thou shouldst ask them, ' Who sends down from the heavens water and quickens therewith the


  1. I. e. if you are pressed in Mecca, there are plenty of places where you can take shelter, as Mohammed himself and a few of his followers did at Medînah.