J. F. Campbell Collection > Koran: or, Alcoran of Mohammed

206 AL KORAN. CHAP, jov,
you a miraculous demonstration of our miasio-n^ unless by the permission of
God; in God therefore let the faithful trust. And what excuse have we
to allege, that we should not put our trust in God; since he hath directed
us our paths'? "Wherefore we will certainly suffer with patience the per-
secution wherewith ye shall afflict us : in God therefore let those put their
confidence who seek in whom to put their trust. And those who believed
not said unto their apostles, we will surely expel you out of our land ; or
ye shall return unto our religion. And their Lord spake unto them
by revelation, saying, We will surely destroy the wicked doers ; and
we will cause you to dwell in the earth, after them. This shall be granted
unto him who shall dread tlie appearance at my tribunal, and shall fear my
threatening. And they asked assistance ofGod^ and every rebellious per-
verse person failed of success. Hell lieth unseen before him, and he shall
have filthy water' given him to drink : he shall sup it up by little and little,
and he shall not easily let it pass his throat because of ita nauseousness ;
death also shall come upon him from every quarter, yet he shall not die ;
and before him shall there stand prepared a grievous torment. This is the
likeness of those who believe not in their Lord. Their works are as
ashes, which the wind violently scattereth in a stormy day : they shall not
be able to obtain any solid advantage from that which they have wrought.
This is an error most distsiut from truth. Dost thou not see that God hath
created the heavens and the earth in wisdom 1 If he please he can destroy
you, and produce a new creature in your stead: neither will this be difficult
with God. And they shall all come forth into the presence of God at the
last day: and the weak among them shall say unto those who behaved
themselves arrogantly,** Verily we were your followers on earth; will ye
not therefore avert from us some part of the divine vengeance? They shall
answer. If God had directed us aright, we had certainly directed you.^ It
is equal unto us whether we bear our torments impatiently, or whether we
endure them wdtli patience : for we have no way to escape. And Satan
shall say, after judgment shall have been given, Verily God promised you
a promise of truth: and I also made you a promise; but I deceived
you. Yet I had not any power over you to compel you ; but I called
vou only, and ye answered me: wherefore accuse not me, but accuse
' The commentators are uncertain whether these were the prophets, who begged
assistance against their enemies; or the infidels, who called for God's decision be-
tween themselves and them ; or both. And some suppose this verse has no connexion
with the preceding, but is spoken of the people of Mecca, who begged rain in a great
drought with which they were afflicted at the prayer of their prophet, but could not
obtain it.'
• Which will issue from the bodies of the damned, mixed with purulent matter and
blood.
' i. e. The more simple and inferior people shall say to their teachers and prince*'
who seduced them to idolatry, and confirmed them in their obstinate infidelity.
* " All men shall appear before God. The idolaters will say to their leaders,
We followed you, cannot you mitigate our punishment." — Savary.
° That is, We made the same choice for you as we did for ourselves ; and had not i
God permitted ns to fall into error, we had not seduced you.