Edward Palmer, The Qur’ân (1880)
and remind them of the days 1 of God!’ verily, in that are signs to every patient, grateful one.
When Moses said to his people, ‘Remember the favours of God towards you, when He saved you from Pharaoh’s people, who sought to wreak you evil woe, slaughtering your sons and letting your women live;’ in that was a great trial for you from your Lord. When your Lord proclaimed, ‘If ye give thanks I will surely give you increase; but if ye misbelieve, verily, my torment is severe!’ And Moses said, ‘If ye misbelieve, ye and those who are on the earth altogether — then, verily, God is rich, and to be praised!’
Has not the story come to you of those who were before you, of the people of Noah, and ’ d, and Thamûd, [10] and those who came after them? none knows them save God. Apostles came unto them with manifest signs; but they thrust their hands into their mouths 2 and said, ‘Verily, we disbelieve in that which ye are sent with, and we are in hesitating doubt concerning that to which ye call us!’ Their apostles said, ‘Is there doubt about God, the originator of the heavens and the earth? He calls you to pardon you for your sins, and to respite you until an appointed time.’
They said, ‘Ye are but mortals like ourselves; ye wish to turn us from- what our fathers used to serve. Bring us, then, obvious authority!’
Their apostles said unto them, ‘We are only
1 This may, according to the Arab idiom, mean either ‘battles’ in which God had given victory to the believers; or simply ‘days’ on which God has shown them favour.
2 Easterns, when annoyed, always bite their hands; see Chapter III, verse 115.
