Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/276

150 his people said, 'If ye follow Sho′hâib, verily, ye shall be the losers;' then there took them the earthquake, and in the morning they lay in their dwellings prone. Those who called Sho′hâib a liar, (were) as though they had not dwelt therein!—Those who called Sho′hâib a liar, they were the losers then! And he turned away from them and said, 'O my people! I preached to you the messages of my Lord, and I gave you good advice; how should I be vexed for a people who do misbelieve?'

We have not sent unto a city any prophet except we overtook the people thereof with trouble and distress, that haply they might humble themselves; and then did we give them, in exchange for evil, good, until they increased and said, 'Distress and joy both touched our fathers;' then we overtook them suddenly ere they could perceive.—Had the people of the town but believed and feared, we would have opened up for them blessings from the heavens and from the earth; but they said it was a lie, so we overtook them for that which they had earned.

Were the people of these cities then secure that our violence would not come on them by night, while they slept? were the people of these cities secure that our violence would not come on them in the morning whilst they played? were they secure from the craft of God? none feel secure from the craft of God except a people that shall lose.

Is it not shown to those who inherit the earth after its (former) people, that, did we please, we would smite them in their sins, and would set a stamp upon their hearts, and then they should not hear?