Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 9.djvu/120

104 And there were in the city nine persons who despoiled the land and did not right. Said they, ‘ Swear to each other by God, we will surely fall on him by night and on his people; then we will surely say unto his next of kin, “ We witnessed not the destruction of his people, and we do surely tell the truth !”’ And they plotted a plot, and we plotted a plot, but they did not perceive. Behold, how was the end of their plot, that we destroyed them and their people all together !

Thus are their houses overturned, for that they were unjust ; verily, in that is a sign to people who do know !

But we saved those who believed and who did fear.

And Lot when he said to his people, ‘ Do ye approach an abominable sin while ye can see ? do ye indeed approach men lustfully rather than women ? nay ! ye are a people who are ignorant.’ But the answer of his people was only to say, ‘ Drive out Lot’s family from your city ! verily, they are a folk who would keep pure.’

But we saved him and his family except his wife, her we destined to be of those who lingered ; and we rained down upon them rain, and evil was the rain of those who were warned.

Say, ‘ Praise belongs to God ; and peace be upon His servants whom He has chosen! Is God best, or what they associate with Him ?’ He who created the heavens and the earth ; and sends down upon you from the heaven water; and we cause to grow therewith gardens fraught with beauty; ye could not cause the trees thereof to grow ! Is there a god with God ? nay, but they are a people