do,’ and rely thou upon the mighty, merciful One, who sees thee when thou dost stand up, and thy posturing amongst those who adore[1]. 220 Verily, He both hears and knows !
Shall I inform you upon whom the devils descend ? they descend upon every sinful liar, and impart what they have heard[2]; but most of them are liars.
And the poets do those follow who go astray ! 225 Dost thou not see that they wander distraught in every vale ? and that they say that which they do not do ? save those who believe, and do right, and remember God much, and defend themselves after they are wronged; but those who do wrong shall know with what a turn they shall be turned[3].
The Chapter of the Ant.
(ⅩⅩⅦ. Mecca.)
In the name of the merciful and compassionate God.
T. S. Those are the signs of the Qurʼân and the perspicuous Book ; a guidance and glad tidings to the believers, who are steadfast at prayer, and give alms, and of the hereafter are sure; verily, those who believe not in the hereafter we have made seemly for them their works, and they shall wander
- ↑ Or, it may be thy going to and fro amongst believers, as Mohammed is reported to have done one night, to see what they were about, and he found the whole settlement ‘ buzzing like a hornet’s nest with the sound of the recitation of the Qurʼân and of their prayers.’
- ↑ That is, by listening at the door of heaven ; see Part Ⅰ, p. 50, note 2.
- ↑ That is, in what condition they shall be brought before God.
H 2