And they [who now deny the truth - they, too,] have but to wait for one single blast [of punishment to overtake them]: it shall not be delayed a whit. 15 They scornfully said, "Lord, show us the record of our deeds before the day when everyone must present the account of their deeds.". 16 Bear patiently what they say, and remember Our servant David, the man of might; he was a penitent. 17 Verily We so subjected the mountains that they should hallow Us with him at nightfall and sunrise. 18 And the birds also, gathering all oft-returning onto Him on his account. 19 We strengthened his kingdom, and gave him wisdom and speech decisive. 20 ۞ AND YET, has the story of the litigants come within thy ken - [the story of the two] who surmounted the walls of the sanctuary [in which David prayed]? 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 One of them said, "This is my brother who has ninety-nine ewes when I have only one. He has demanded me to place that one in his custody; he had the stronger argument". 23 David said, "He has certainly wronged you by demanding that your ewe be added to his ewes! Thus many partners wrong one another -- [all] save those who believe [in God] and do righteous deeds: but how few are they!" And [suddenly] David understood that We were only putting him to the test, and so he asked his Lord to forgive him his sins; he fell to his knees, and turned to Him in repentance. ۩ 24 We forgave him for this. In Our eyes he certainly has a good position and the best share (of the world to come). 25 [And We said:] "O David! Behold, We have made thee a [prophet and thus, Our] vicegerent on earth: judge, then, between men with justice, and do not follow vain desire, lest it lead thee astray from the path of God: verily, for those who go astray from the path of God there is suffering severe in store for having forgotten the Day of Reckoning!" 26