Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/374

248 when they entered in unto him and said, ‘ Peace !’ he said, ‘ Verily, we are afraid of you.’ They said, ‘ Be not afraid ! verily, we give thee glad tidings of a knowing boy.’ He said, ‘ Do ye give me this glad tidings although old age has touched me ? give me the glad tidings then !’ They said, ‘ We give the glad tidings of the truth, then be not of those who despair !’ He said, ‘ Who would despair of the mercy of his Lord save those who err ?’ He said, ‘ What is your business, O ye messengers ?’ They said, ‘ Verily, we are sent unto a sinful people ; save only Lot’s family, them will we save all together,  except his wife ; we have decreed, verily, she shall be of those who linger.’

And when the messengers came unto Lot’s family, he said, ‘ Verily, ye are a people whom I recognise not.’ They said, ‘ Nay, but we have come to thee with that whereof they did doubt. And we have brought thee the truth, and, verily, we speak the truth ! Travel then with thy family in the deep darkness of the night, and follow thou their rear; and let not any one of you turn round to look ; but go on to where ye are bidden.’

And we decided for him this affair because the uttermost one of these people should be cut off on the morrow.

Then the people of the city came, glad at the tidings. Said he, ‘ Verily, these are my guests, therefore disgrace me not; but fear God, and put me not to shame.’

They said, ‘ Have we not forbidden thee everybody in the world ?’ He said, ' Here are