Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 9.djvu/113

ⅩⅩⅥ, 167-190 They said, ‘ Surely, if thou dost not desist, O Lot ! thou shalt be of those who are expelled !’

Said he, ‘ Verily, I am of those who hate your deed ; my Lord ! save me and my people from what they do.’

And we saved him and his people all together, except an old woman amongst those who lingered. Then we destroyed the others ; and we rained down upon them a rain ; and evil was the rain of those who were warned. Verily, in that is a sign; but most of them will never be believers. And, verily, thy Lord He is mighty, merciful, compassionate.

The fellows of the Grove called the apostles liars; Shoʼhâib 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. Give good measure, and be not of those who diminish ; and weigh with a fair balance, and do not cheat men of their goods ; and waste not the land, despoiling it ; and fear Him who created you and the races of yore !’ Said they, ‘ Thou art only of the infatuated; and thou art only a mortal like ourselves ; and, verily, we think that thou art surely of the liars ; so make a portion of the heaven to fall down upon us, if thou art of those who tell the truth !’

Said he, ‘ My Lord knows best what ye do !’ but they called him liar, and the torment of the day of the shadow seized them ; for it was the torment of a mighty day: verily, in that is a sign; but

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