And lots were cast,16 and he was doomed, And the fish swallowed him, for he was blameworthy. But had he not been of those who praise Us, In its belly had he surely remained, till the day of resurrection. And we cast him on the bare shore-and he was sick;- And we caused a gourd-plant to grow up over him, And we sent him to a hundred thousand persons, or even more, And because they believed, we continued their enjoyments for a season. Inquire then of the Meccans whether thy Lord hath daughters, and they, sons? Have we created the angels females? and did they witness it? Is it not a falsehood of their own devising, when they say, "God hath begotten"? They are indeed liars. Would he have preferred daughters to sons? What reason have ye for thus judging? Will ye not then receive this warning? Have ye a clear proof for them? Produce your Book if ye speak truth. And they make him to be of kin with the Djinn: but the Djinn have long known that these idolaters shall be brought up before God. Far be the glory of God from what they impute to him. "His faithful servants do not thus. Moreover, ye and what ye worship Shall not stir up any against God,17 Save him who shall burn in Hell. And verily each one of us hath his appointed place, And we range ourselves in order, And we celebrate His praises."18 And if those infidels say, "Had we a revelation transmitted to us from those of old,19 We had surely been God's faithful servants." Yet they believe not the Koran. But they shall know its truth at last. Our word came of old to our servants the apostles, That they should surely be the succoured, And that our armies should procure the victory for them. Turn aside therefore from them for a time, And behold them, for they too shall in the end behold their doom. Would they then hasten our vengeance? But when it shall come down into their courts, an evil morning shall it be to those who have had their warning. Turn aside from them therefore for a time. And behold; for they too shall in the end behold their doom. Far be the glory of thy Lord, the Lord of all greatness, from what they impute to him, And peace be on his Apostles! And praise be to God the Lord of the worlds. _______________________ 1 I have given in the text the sense of these first two verses according to the Muhammadan commentators. The original, literally translated, viz. By the ranks which rank themselves, and by the repellers who repel, would not convey an intelligible idea to the English reader. Mar. renders, Per ordinantes ordinando et agitantes agitando. 2 Ar. Easts. Errat in pluralitate mundorum. Mar. But the allusion probably is to the different points of the horizon at which the sun rises and sets in the course of the year. 3 See Sura [lvii.] xv. 18. 4 Or, comrades, i.e. the demons. 5 Lit. on the right hand, the side of good omen i.e. with semblance of truth. 6 See Sura [lx.] xxxvi. 6. 7 The ostrich egg carefully protected from dust.