twelve fountains, and men knew their respective drinkingplace. And we caused clouds to overshadow them, and manna and quails to descend upon them, saying, Eat of the good things which we have given you for food: and they injured not us, but they injured their own souls. And call to mind when it was said unto them, Dwell in this city, and eat of the provisions thereof wherever ye will, and say, Forgiveness! and enter the gate worshiping: we will pardon you your sins, and will give increase unto the well-doers. But they who were ungodly among them changed the expression into another, which had not been spoken unto them. Wherefore we sent down upon them indignation from heaven, because they had transgressed. And ask them concerning the city, which was situate on the sea, when they transgressed on the Sabbath day: when their fish came unto them on their Sabbath day, appearing openly on the water; but on the day whereon they celebrated no Sabbath, they came not unto them. Thus did we prove them, because they were wicked doers. And when a party of them said unto the others, Why do ye warn a people whom God will destroy, or will punish with a grievous punishment? They answered, This is an excuse for us unto your Lord; and peradventure they will beware. But when they had forgotten the admonitions which had been given them, we delivered those who forbade them to do evil; and we inflicted on those who had transgressed a severe punishment, because they had acted wickedly. And when they proudly refused to desist from what had been forbidden them, we said unto them, Be ye transformed into apes, driven away from the society of men. And remember when thy Lord declared that he would surely send against the Jews, until the day of resurrection, some nation who should afflict them with a grievous oppression: for thy Lord is swift in punishing, and he is also ready to forgive and merciful: and we dispersed them among the nations in the earth. Some of them are upright persons, and some of them are otherwise. And we proved them with prosperity and with adversity, that they might return from their disobedience; and a succession of their posterity hath succeeded |