Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/214

88 that please Him not; — but God doth compass what they do !

Here are ye, wrangling for them about this world's life ; — but who shall wrangle with God for them on the day of judgment, or who shall be a guardian over them?

Yet whoso does evil and wrongs himself, and then asks pardon of God, shall find God forgiving and merciful ; and whoso commits a crime, he only commits it against himself, for God is knowing, wise.

And whoso commits a fault or a sin and throws it on the innocent, he hath to bear a calumny and a manifest sin.

Were it not for God's grace upon thee, and His mercy, a party of them would have tried to lead thee astray; but they only lead themselves astray; they shall not hurt you in aught: for God hath sent down upon thee the Book and the wisdom, and taught thee what thou didst not know, for God's grace was mighty on thee.

There is no good in most of what they talk in private ; save in his who bids almsgiving, or kindness, or reconciliation between men ; and whoso does this, craving the good pleasure of God, we will give to him a mighty hire.

But he who severs himself from the prophet after that we have made manifest to him the guidance, and follows other than the way of the believers, we will turn our backs on him as he hath turned his back ; and we will make him reach hell, and a bad journey shall it be.

Verily, God forgives not associating aught with Him, but He pardons anything short of that, to