Page:Koran - Rodwell - 2nd ed.djvu/335

 And on "the Day" we will gather them all together: then will we say to those who joined gods with God, &ldquo; Where are those companion-gods of yours, as ye supposed them? &rdquo;

Then shall they find no other excuse than to say, &ldquo; By God our Lord! we joined not companions with Him.&rdquo;

Behold ! how they lie against themselves and the gods of their own inventing desert them !

Some among them hearken unto thee: but we have cast veils over their hearts that they should not understand the Koran, and a weight into their ears: and though they should see all kinds of signs, they will refuse all faith in them, until when they come to thee, to dispute with thee, the infidels say, &ldquo; Verily, this is nothing but fables of the ancients.&rdquo;

And they will forbid it, and depart from it: but they are only the authors of their own perdition, and know it not.

If thou couldst see when they shall be set over the fire, and shall say, &ldquo; Oh ! would we might be sent back ! we would not treat the signs of our Lord as lies! we would be of the believers.&rdquo;

Aye ! that hath become clear to them which they before concealed; but though they should return, they would surely go back to that which was forbidden them; for they are surely liars !

And they say, &ldquo; There is no other than our life in this world, neither shall we be raised again.&rdquo;

But if thou couldest see when they shall be set before their Lord! He shall say to them, &ldquo; Is not this it in truth? &rdquo; They shall say, &ldquo; Yea, by our Lord! &rdquo; &ldquo; Taste then,&rdquo; saith He, &ldquo; the torment, for that ye believed not! &rdquo;

Lost are they who deny the meeting with God until "the Hour" Cometh suddenly upon them ! Then will they say, &ldquo; Oh, our sighs for past negligence of this hour ! &rdquo; and they shall bear their burdens on their back! Will not that be evil with which they shall be burdened ?

The life in this world is but a play and pastime; and better surely for men of godly fear will be the future mansion ! Will ye not then comprehend ?