Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/210

84 may be that God will restrain the violence of those who misbelieve, for God is more violent and more severe to punish.

Whoso intercedes with a good intercession shall have a portion therefrom ; but he who intercedes with a bad intercession shall have the like thereof, for God keeps watch over all things.

And when ye are saluted with a salutation, salute with a better than it, or return it ; — verily, God of all things takes account.

God, there is no God but He! He will surely assemble you on the resurrection day, there is no doubt therein; who is truer than God in his dis- course ?

Why are ye two parties about the hypocrites, when God hath overturned them for what they earned ? Do ye wish to guide those whom God hath led astray ? Whoso God hath led astray ye shall not surely find for him a path. They would fain that ye misbelieve as they misbelieve, that ye might be alike ; take ye not patrons from among them until they too flee in God's way ; but if they turn their backs, then seize them and kill them wheresoever ye find them, and take from them neither patron nor help, — save those who reach a people betwixt whom and you is an alliance — or who come to you while their bosoms prevent them from fighting you or fighting their own people. But had God pleased He would have given you dominion over them, and they would surely have fought you. But if they retire from you and do not fight you, and offer you peace, — then God hath given you no way against them.

Ye will find others who seek for quarter from