Edward Palmer, The Qur’ân (1880)
Only they are the forgers of a lie who believe not in God’s signs; and these, they are the liars.
Whoso disbelieves in God after having believed, unless it be one who is forced ‘and whose heart is quiet in the faith, — but tyhoso expands his breast to misbelieve, — on them is wrath from God, and for them is mighty woe!
That is because they preferred the love of this world’s life to the next; — but, verily, God guides not the unbelieving people, [110] These are they on whose hearts, and hearing, and eyesight, God has set a stamp, and these, they are the careless. Without a doubt that in the next life they will be the losers.
Then, verily, thy Lord, to those who fled 1 after they had been tried, and then fought strenuously and were patient, — verily, thy Lord after that will be forgiving and merciful.
On the day every soul will come to wrangle for itself, and every soul shall be paid wha£ it has earned, and they shall not be wronged.
God has struck out a parable: a city 2 which was safe and quiet, its provision came to it in plenty from every place, and then it denied God’s favours, and God made it feel 3 the clothing of hunger and fear, for that which they had wrought.
And there came to them an apostle from amongst themselves, but they called him a liar, and the torment seized them, while yet they were unjust.
[115] Eat, then, from what God has provided
1 The Ansârs.
2 Any town, but Mecca in particular.
3 Literally, ‘taste.’
