ut for those who shall believe and do that
which is right, _is prepared_ mercy and a great reward. Shall he
therefore for whom his evil work hath been prepared, and who imagineth
it to be good, _be as he who is rightly disposed, and discerneth the
truth_? Verily GOD will cause to err whom he pleaseth, and will direct
whom he pleaseth. Let not thy soul therefore be spent in sighs for their
sakes, _on account of their obstinacy_; for GOD well knoweth that which
they do. _It is God_ who sendeth the winds, and raiseth a cloud: and we
drive the same unto a dead country, and thereby quicken the earth after
it hath been dead; so _shall_ the resurrection _be_. Whoever desireth
excellence; unto GOD _doth_ all excellence _belong_: unto him ascendeth
the good speech; and the righteous work will he exalt. But as for them
who devise wicked _plots_, they shall suffer a severe punishment; and
the device of those _men_ shall be rendered vain. GOD created you
_first_ of the dust, and afterwards of seed: and he hath made you man
and wife. No female conceiveth, or bringeth forth, but with his
knowledge. Nor is any thing added unto the age of him whose life is
prolonged, neither is any thing diminished from his age, but _the same
is written_ in the book _of God's decrees_. Verily this is easy with
GOD. The two seas are not to be held in comparison: this _is_ fresh
_and_ sweet, pleasant to drink; but that _is_ salt _and_ bitter: yet out
of each of them ye eat fish, and take ornaments for you to wear. Thou
seest the ships also ploughing _the waves_ thereof, that ye may seek _to
enrich yourselves by commerce_, of the abundance _of God_: peradventure
ye will be thankful. He causeth the night to succeed the day, and he
causeth the day to succeed the night; and he obligeth the sun and the
moon to perform their services: each _of them_ runneth an appointed
course. This is GOD, your LORD: his _is_ the kingdom. But the _idols_
which ye invoke besides him have not the power even over the skin of a
date-stone: if ye invoke them, they will not hear your calling; and
although they should hear, yet they would not answer you. On the day of
resurrection they shall disclaim your having associated _them with God_:
and none shall declare unto thee _the truth_, like one who is well
acquainted _therewith_. O men, ye have need of GOD; but GOD is
self-sufficient, and to be praised. If he pleaseth, he can take you
away, and produce a new creature _in your stead_: n