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

CHAP. xxTi. AL KORAN. 305
allowed to return once more into Uie- world, we would certainly become
true believers. Verily herein was a sign; but the greater part of them
believed not. Thy Lord is the mighty, the mercifuL The people
of Noah accused God's messengers of imposture : when their brother
Noah said unto them, Will ye not fear God i Verily I am a faith-
ful messenger unto you ; wherefore fear God, and obey me. I ask
no reward of you for my preaching unto you ; I expect my reward from
no other than the Lord of all cieatures : wherefore fear God, and obey me.
They answered. Shall we believe on thee, wlieu only the most aXy^^dl persons
have followed thee ? Noah said, I have no knowledge of that which they
did ; "^ * it appertaineth rmto my Lord alone to bring them to account, if ye
understand; wherefore I will not drive away the believers :° I am no more
than a public preacher. They replied, Assuredly, unless thou desist, O
Noah, thou shalt be stoned. He said, Lord, verily my people take me
for a liar ; wherefore judge publicly between me and them ; and deliver
me and the true believei-s who are with me. Wherefore we delivered him,
and those who were with him, in the ark filled with men and animah ;
and afterwards we drowned the rest. Verily herein was a sign ; but the
gi-eater part of them believed not. Thy Lord is the mighty, the merciful.
The tribe of Ad charged God's messengers with falsehood : when their
brother Hud said unto them, Will ye not fear God ? Verily I am a
faithful messenger unto you ; wherefore fear God, and obey me. [£
demand not of you any reward for jriy jweaching imto you : I expect my
reward from no other than the Lord of all creatures. Do ye build a landr
mark on every high place to divert yourselves 1 ^ And do ye erect magni-
ficent works, hoping that ye may continue i?i their possession for ever 1 And
when ye exercise your power, do ye exercise it with ciiielty and rigoiu* ? '^
Fear God, by leaving these things ; and obey me.t] And fear him who
hath bestowed on you that which ye know : he hath bestowed on you cattle,
and children, and gardens, and springs of water. Verily I fear for you the
})unishment of a grievous day. They answered, It is equal unto us whether
thou admonish us, or dost not admonish us : this which thou preachest is
only a device of the ancients ; neither shall we be punished for what we
have done. And they accused him of imposture : wherefore we destroyed
them. Verily herein was a sign : but the greater part of them believed
not. Thy Lord is the mighty, the merciful. The tribe of Thamud also
charged the messengers of God with falsehood. When their brother Saleh
° i. e. "Whether they have embraced the faith which I have preached, out of the
sincerity of their hearts, or in prospect of some worldly advantage.
* " I know not, replied Noah, what they are. It belongeth to God alone to fathon;)
the heart." — Savary.
° See chap. 11, p. 177.
P Or to mock the passengers; who direct themselves in their journeys by the stars,
and have no need of such buildings? ^
'* Putting to death, and inflicting other corporal punishments without mercy, an(l
rather for the satisfaction of your passion than the amendment of the sufferer.'
t The sentences which arc between brackets [] are omitted in Savary's translation.