Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/268

142 have passed away before you, both of ginns and men — into the fire ;’ whenever a nation enters therein, it curses its mate ; until, when they have all reached it, the last of them will say unto the first, ‘ O our Lord ! these it was who led us astray, give them double torment of the fire !’ He will say, ‘ To each of you double ! but ye do not know.’ And the first of them will say unto the last, ‘Ye have no preference over us, so taste ye the torment for that which ye have earned !’

Verily, those who say our signs are lies and are too big with pride for them; for these the doors of heaven shall not be opened, and they shall not enter into Paradise until a camel shall pass into a needle′s eye.

It is thus that we reward the sinners ; for them is a couch of hell-fire, with an awning above them ! thus do we reward the unjust !

But those who believe and do what is right — we will not oblige a soul more than its capacity — they are the fellows of Paradise, they shall dwell therein for aye.

We will strip away what ill feeling is in their breasts — there shall flow beneath them rivers, and they shall say, ‘ Praise belongs to God who guided us to this ! for we should not have been guided had not God guided us ! — the apostles of our Lord did come to us with truth !’ And it shall be cried out to them, ‘This is Paradise which ye have as an inheritance for that which ye have done !’ And the fellows of Paradise will call out to the fellows of the Fire, ‘ We have now found that what our Lord promised us is true ; have ye found that what your