Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 9.djvu/111

ⅩⅩⅥ, 111-139 said, ‘ Shall we believe in thee, when the reprobates follow thee ?’ He said, ‘ I did not know what they were doing ; their account is only with my Lord, if ye but perceive. And I am not one to drive away the believers, I am only a plain warner.’

They said, ‘Verily, if thou desist not, O Noah ! thou shalt surely be of those who are stoned !’ Said he, ‘ My Lord ! verily, my people call me liar ; open between me and between them an opening, and save me and those of the believers who are with me !’

So we saved him and those with him in the laden ark, then we drowned the rest; verily, in that is a sign, but most of them will never be believers ; and, verily, thy Lord He is mighty and merciful.

And ʿÂd called the apostles liars ; when their brother Hûd said to them, ‘ Will ye not fear? Verily, I am to you a faithful apostle; then fear God and obey me. I do not ask you for it any hire; my hire is only with the Lord of the worlds. Do ye build on every height a landmark in sport, and take to works that haply ye may be immortal ?

‘ And when ye assault ye assault like tyrants; but fear God and obey me ; and fear Him who hath given you an extent of cattle and sons, and gardens and springs. Verily, I fear for you the torment of a mighty day !’

They said, ‘ It is the same to us if thou admonish or art not of those who do admonish ; this is nothing but old folks fictions, for we shall not be tormented !’

And they called him liar ! but we destroyed them. Verily, in that is a sign, but most of them will never