Recount in the Book how Mary withdrew from her people to an eastern place 16 And had chosen seclusion from them. Then We sent unto her Our Spirit and it assumed for her the likeness of a perfect man. 17 She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou art Allah-fearing. 18 He said: I am only a messenger of your Lord: That I will give you a pure boy. 19 She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste? 20 He said: "Thus will it be. Your Lord said: 'It is easy for Me,' and that: 'We shall make him a sign for men and a blessing from Us.' This is a thing already decreed." 21 ۞ So she conceived him, and she retired with him to a remote place. 22 The pains of labour drove her to the trunk of a date-palm. She said, "Oh, if only I had died before this and passed into oblivion!" 23 Then [the babe 'Iesa (Jesus) or Jibrael (Gabriel)] cried unto her from below her, saying: "Grieve not! Your Lord has provided a water stream under you; 24 And shake the trunk of the palm-tree toward thee, thou wilt cause ripe dates to fall upon thee. 25 Therefore eat and drink and rejoice with your eyes. If you meet any human say to him: "I have vowed a fast to the Merciful and will not speak with anyone today.' 26 Carrying her child, she brought him to her people. They said, "O Mary, you have indeed done something terrible! 27 O sister of Harun: thy father was not a man of evil, nor was thy mother a harlot. 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 said: Surely I am a servant of Allah; He has given me the Book and made me a prophet; 30 And hath made me blessed wheresoever I may be, and hath enjoined upon me prayer and almsgiving so long as I remain alive, 31 and [has endowed me with] piety towards my mother; and He has not made me haughty or bereft of grace. 32 Peace be upon me on the day I was born, and on the day I die; and on the day when I shall be raised up alive' 33 Such is Isa, son of Marium; (this is) the saying of truth about which they dispute. 34 It befitteth not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should take unto Himself a son. Glory be to Him! When He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is. 35 (Baby Jesus said), "Worship God who is my Lord as well as yours. This is the straight path". 36 Yet different groups differed among themselves. How awful it will be for those who have rejected the truth when a dreadful Day arrives! 37 How wondrous in their hearing and their sight will they be the Day they come unto Us! But today the wrong doers are in error manifest. 38 But warn them of the Day of Distress, when the matter will be determined: for (behold,) they are negligent and they do not believe! 39 We are the heirs of the earth and those living in it will all return to Us. 40