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Page:Sacred Books of the East - Volume 6.djvu/385

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ⅩⅥ, 81-89.
the chapter of the bee.
259

Do they not see the birds subjected in the vault of the sky?—none holds them in but God: verily, in that is a sign unto a people who believe.

God made for you in your houses a repose; and made for you, of the skins of cattle, houses[1], that ye may find them light, on the day ye move your quarters and the day when ye abide; and from their wool, and from their fur, and from their hair come furniture and chattels for a season.

And God has made for you, of what He has created, shades; and has made for you shelters in the mountains; and He has made for you shirts to keep you from the heat, and shirts[2] to keep you from each others violence:—thus does He fulfil His favours towards you,—haply ye yet may be resigned.

But if they turn their backs,—thine is only to preach thy plain message.

85 They recognise the favours of God, and yet they deny them, for most men are ungrateful.

And on the day when we shall send from every nation a witness; then shall those who misbelieve not be allowed (to excuse themselves), and they shall, not be taken back into favour.

And when those who join their partners with God say, 'Our Lord! these be our partners on whom we used to call beside Thee.' And they shall proffer them the speech, 'Verily, ye are liars!' And they shall proffer on that day peace unto God; and that which they had devised shall stray away from them.


  1. 'Tents' are called 'houses of hair' or 'of hide' by the desert Arabs.
  2. Of mail.