Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/308

182 They swear by God to please you ; but God and His Apostle are more worthy for them to please if they be believers. Do they not know that whoso setteth himself against God and His Apostle, for him is the fire of hell, to dwell therein for aye ? and that is mighty shame !

The hypocrites are cautious lest there be revealed against them a sûrah to inform them of what is in their hearts; say, ‘Mock ye! verily, God will bring forth that of which ye are so cautious!’ But if thou shouldst ask them, they will say, ‘ We did but discuss and jest;’ say, ‘ Was it at God and His signs, and His Apostle, that ye mocked ?’

Make no excuse ! Ye have misbelieved after your faith ; if we forgive one sect of you, we will torment another sect, for that they sinned !

The hypocrites, men and women, some of them follow others, bidding what is wrong and forbidding what is right, and they clench their hands. They forget God and He forgets them ! Verily, the hypocrites, they are the doers of abomination !

God has promised unto the hypocrites, men and women, and unto the misbelievers, hell-fire, to dwell therein for aye ; it is enough for them ! God shall curse them, and theirs shall be enduring woe.

Ye are like those who were before you. They were stronger than you and more abundant in wealth and children; they enjoyed their portion then, and ye enjoy your portion, as they enjoyed their portion before you ; and ye discuss as they