Noah (Nooh)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
WE SENT NOAH to his people to warn them before the painful punishment came upon them. 1 He said: O my people! Lo! I am a plain warner unto you 2 [Saying], 'Worship Allah, fear Him and obey me. 3 That He may forgive you somewhat of your sins and respite you to an appointed term. Lo! the term of Allah, when it cometh, cannot be delayed, if ye but knew. 4 He said, "My Lord, indeed I invited my people [to truth] night and day. 5 but my calling has only increased them in flight. 6 And verily so oft as I call them, that Thou mayest forgive them, they place their fingers into their ears, and wrap themselves with their garments, and persist, and are stiff-necked. 7 "So I have called to them aloud; 8 and spoke to them in public and in private." 9 "Saying, 'Ask forgiveness from your Lord; for He is Oft-Forgiving; 10 He will shower upon you torrents from heaven, 11 And will give you increase of wealth and sons, and give you gardens and springs of water. 12 "'What is amiss with you that you cannot look forward to God's majesty, 13 when He has created you through different stages of existence? 14 Do you not see how God has created the seven heavens one above another, 15 And hath placed the moon therein for a light, and hath made the sun a lamp? 16 And Allah hath caused you to grow as a growth from the earth, 17 Then He will return you into it and extract you [another] extraction. 18 And Allah has made for you the earth wide spread (an expanse). 19 so that you might walk thereon on spacious paths.'" 20