Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/177

Ⅲ, 32-39. And her Lord received her with a good reception, and made her grow up with a good growth, and Zachariah took care of her. Whenever Zachariah entered the chamber to her he found beside her a provision, and said, ‘ O Mary, how hast thou this ?’ She said, ‘ It is from God, for God provides for whom He pleases without count.’ Therefore prayed Zachariah to his Lord, and said, ‘ Lord, grant me from Thee a good seed. Verily, Thou hearest prayer.’ And an angel cried out to him as he was standing praying in the chamber (and said) that ‘ God gives thee the glad tidings of John, to confirm the Word from God, — of a chief and a chaste one, and a prophet from amongst the righteous.’

He said, ‘ My Lord, how can there be to me a boy when old age has reached me, and my wife is barren ? ’ Said he, ‘ Thus God does what He pleaseth.’ He said, ‘ My Lord, make for me a sign.’ He said, ‘ Thy sign is that thou shalt not speak to men for three days, save by gesture ; but remember thy Lord much, and celebrate His praises in the evening and the morning.’

And when the angels said, ‘ O Mary ! verily, God has chosen thee, and has purified thee, and has chosen thee above the women of the world. O Mary ! be devout unto thy Lord, and adore and bow down with those who bow. That is (one) of the declarations of the unseen world which we reveal to

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