Page:The Algebra of Mohammed Ben Musa (1831).djvu/192

 pensible from (or by reason of) them on (the part of) whoever of his creatures worships him, gives the name of thanksgiving, and secures the increase, and preserves from deterioration.”

The construction here assumed is evidently easier than that adopted by myself, in as far as the relative pronoun التي representing محامدة, is made the subject of the three subsequent verbs تقع, &c., whilst my translation presumes a transition from the third person (as in ما هو اهله, and in من يعبده) to the first (as in نقع, &c.).

A marginal note in the manuscript explains the words لعل تقديره ونومن صاحبه من الغير by ونومن من الغير “The meaning may be: we preserve from change him who enjoys it,” (viz. the divine bounty, taking صاحبه for صاحب نعم الله. The change here spoken of is the forfeiture of the divine mercy by bad actions; for “God does not change the mercy which he bestows on men, as long as they do not change that which is within themselves.” بأن الله لم يك مغيرًا نعمةً أنعمها على قوم حتى يغيروا ما بأنفسهم (''Coran, Sur. VIII. v. 55, ed. Hinck.'').

على حين فترة من الرسل] (See Coran, Sur. v. v. 22, ed. Hinck.).

I am particularly doubtful whether I have correctly read and translated the words of the text from واحتسابا to وذكره Instead of احتسابا للاجر I should have preferred احسانا