The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

c
11their armed alliance is weak and will be crushed. 12The people of
Noah,
 Ad, and firmly-supported
d
Pharaoh rejected their prophets
before them. 
13Thamud, the people of Lot, and the Forest-Dwellers
each formed opposition [against theirs]. 
14They all rejected the mes-
sengers and they were deservedly struck by My punishment: 
15all
the disbelievers here are waiting for is a single blast that cannot be
a
The complement of this oath is understood to be ‘There is only one God’ (see 
50:
1–2).
b
An allusion to the Christian Trinity.
c
Cf. note to 
22: 15.
d
Dhu’l-awtad literally means ‘with his pegs’, but is understood here metaphorically,
to indicate something 
firmly fixed; cf. its use with reference to mountains in 78: 7.

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postponed. 
16They say, ‘Our Lord! Advance us our share of punish-
ment before the Day of Reckoning!’
17Bear their words patiently
[Prophet].
Remember Our servant David, a man of strength who always
turned to Us: 
18We made the mountains join him in glorifying Us at
sunset and sunrise; 
19and the birds, too, in flocks, all echoed his
praise. 
20We strengthened his kingdom; We gave him wisdom and a
decisive way of speaking. 
21Have you heard the story of the two
litigants who climbed into his private quarters? 
22When they reached
David, he took fright, but they said, ‘Do not be afraid. We are two
litigants, one of whom has wronged the other: judge between us
fairly –
– do not be unjust –
– and guide us to the right path. 
23This is
my brother. He had ninety-nine ewes and I just the one, and he said,
“Let me take charge of her,” and overpowered me with his words.’
24David said, ‘He has done you wrong by demanding to add your
ewe to his 
flock. Many partners treat each other unfairly. Those who
sincerely believe and do good deeds do not do this, but these are very
few.’
[Then] David realized that We had been testing him,
a
so he asked
his Lord for forgiveness, fell down on his knees, and repented: 
25We
forgave him [his misdeed]. His reward will be nearness to Us, a good
place to return to. 
26‘David, We have given you mastery over the
land. Judge fairly between people. Do not follow your desires,
lest they divert you from God’s path: those who wander from His
path will have a painful torment because they ignore the Day of
Reckoning.’
27It was not without purpose that We created the heavens and the
earth and everything in between. That may be what the disbelievers
assume –
– how they will su
ffer from the Fire!–– 28but would We treat
those who believe and do good deeds and those who spread corrup-
tion on earth as equal? Would We treat those who are aware of God
and those who recklessly break all bounds in the same way? 
29This is
a blessed Scripture which We sent down to you [Muhammad], for
people to think about its messages, and for those with understanding
to take heed.
30We gave David Solomon. He was an excellent servant who
a
This is allegedly an allusion to David’s acquisition of another man’s wife to add to
his own numerous wives.
Sad
291
38: 30

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always turned to God. 
31When well-bred light-footed horses were
paraded before him near the close of day, 
32he kept saying, ‘My love
of
fine things is part of my remembering my Lord!’ until [the horses]
disappeared from sight –
–
33‘Bring them back!’ [he said] and started
to stroke their legs and necks.