Edward Palmer, The Qur’ân (1880)
portion of what we have bestowed upon them 1. — By God! ye shall be questioned concerning that which ye have devised.
They make for God daughters; — celebrated be His praise! — and for themselves they like them not 2.
[60] When any one of them has tidings of a female child, his face is overclouded and black, and he has to keep back his wrath.
He skulks away from the people, for the evil tidings he has heard; — is he to keep it with its disgrace, or to bury it i-n the dust? — aye! evil is it that they judge!
For those who disbelieve in the future life is a similitude of evil: but for God is the loftiest similitude; for He is the mighty, the wise!
If God were to punish men for their wrong-doing He would not leave upon the earth a single beast; but He respites them until a stated time; and when their time comes they cannot put it off an hour, nor can they bring it on.
They set down to God what they abhor themselves'; and their tongues describe the lie that ‘good is to be theirs.’ Without a doubt theirs is the Fire, for, verily, they shall be sent on there!
[65] By God! we sent (messengers) to nations before thee, but Satan made their works seemly to them, for he is their patron to-day, and for them is grievous woe!
