Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. 16 and she took a veil apart from them; then We sent unto her Our Spirit that presented himself to her a man without fault. 17 She said: I verily seek refuge with the Compassionate from thee if thou art God-fearing. 18 If thou fearest God... He said, 'I am but a messenger come from thy Lord, to give thee a boy most pure. 19 She said: When shall I have a boy and no mortal has yet touched me, nor have I been unchaste? 20 "Even so" he replied, "as such your Lord has said: 'Easy it is for Me. And We shall make him a sign to mankind and a mercy from Us. It is a matter decreed.'" 21 ۞ So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. 22 Then the birth-pangs drave her to the trunk of a palm-tree; she said: would that I had died afore this and become forgotten, lost in oblivion! 23 But (a voice) cried to her from beneath the (palm-tree): "Grieve not! for thy Lord hath provided a rivulet beneath thee; 24 and shake the trunk of this palmtree it will drop fresh ripe dates upon you. 25 So eat and drink thou, and cool thine eyes; and if thou beholdest the human beings anyone, say: verily I have vowed to the Compassionate a fast, so I shall not speak today to any human being. 26 She came to her nation, carrying him; and they said: 'O Mary, you have committed a monstrous thing. 27 "O sister of Aaron! Thy father was not a man of evil, nor thy mother a woman unchaste!" 28 Thereupon Mary pointed to the child. They exclaimed: "How can we speak to one who is in the cradle, a mere child?" 29 He (the baby) said: 'I am the worshiper of Allah. Allah has given me the Book and made me a Prophet. 30 He made me to be blessed wherever I am, and He has charged me with prayer and charity for as long as I shall live. 31 and has made me dutiful to my mother. He has not made me oppressive, nor bereft of God's blessings. 32 Peace be upon me the day I was born and the day I will die, and the day I will be raised up alive." 33 That is Jesus, son of Mary, in word of truth, concerning which they are doubting. 34 It is not [befitting] for Allah to take a son; exalted is He! When He decrees an affair, He only says to it, "Be," and it is. 35 (Baby Jesus said), "Worship God who is my Lord as well as yours. This is the straight path". 36 The sects among them differ: but woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of an awful Day. 37 See and hear them on the Day they come unto Us! yet the evil-doers are today in error manifest. 38 And warn thou them of the Day of Sighing when the affair shall have been decreed while yet they are in negligence and are not believing. 39 We are the heirs of the earth and those living in it will all return to Us. 40