Nor do these await aught but a single cry, there being no delay in it. 15 Still they say: "O Lord, give us our share before the Day of Reckoning." 16 Bear with what they say, and remember Our bondman David, lord of might, Lo! he was ever turning in repentance (toward Allah). 17 We made the mountains join him in glorifying Us at sunset and sunrise; 18 and the birds, too, gathered each obedient to him. 19 We strengthened his kingdom, giving him wisdom and the power of sound Judgment. 20 ۞ And hath the tidings of the contending parties reached thee, when they walled the apartment? 21 As they came upon David, and he shrank back in fear from them, they said: "Fear not! [We are but] two litigants. One of us has wronged the other: so judge thou between us with justice, and deviate not from what is right, and show [both of] us the way to rectitude. 22 This man here is my brother. He has ninety and nine ewes while I have only one. He demands that I should give him my ewe, and wants to get the better of me in argument." 23 Said he, 'Assuredly he has wronged thee in asking for thy ewe in addition to his sheep; and indeed many intermixers do injury one against the other, save those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness -- and how few they are!' And David thought that We had only tried him; therefore he sought forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down, bowing, and he repented. ۩ 24 So We forgave him this (lapse): he enjoyed, indeed, a Near Approach to Us, and a beautiful place of (Final) Return. 25 We told him. "David, We have appointed you as Our deputy on earth so judge among the people with truth. Do not follow (worldly) desires lest you go astray from the way of God. Those who go astray from the way of God will suffer severe torment for forgetting the Day of Reckoning. 26