AND CALL to mind, through this divine writ, Mary. Lo! She withdrew from her family 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 When she saw him, she said, "I seek refuge in the compassionate God from you; [do not come near] if you fear the Lord." 18 He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless son. 19 She said: How can I have a son when no mortal hath touched me, neither have I been unchaste? 20 The angel said: "Thus shall it be. Your Lord says: 'It is easy for Me; and We shall do so in order to make him a Sign for mankind and a mercy from Us. This has been decreed.' " 21 ۞ Thereupon she carried him, and retired to a far off place. 22 And the throes (of childbirth) compelled her to betake herself to the trunk of a palm tree. She said: Oh, would that I had died before this, and had been a thing quite forgotten! 23 But a voice called out to her from below, "Do not despair. Your Lord has provided a brook that runs at your feet, 24 and shake the trunk of the palm-tree towards thee: it will drop fresh, ripe dates upon thee. 25 So eat and drink and cool your eyes; and if you see any person say to him: 'Verily I have vowed a fast to the Most Compassionate Lord, and so I shall not speak to anyone today.' " 26 Then she brought him to her nation carrying him. They said: Maryam! assuredly thou hast brought a thing unheard Of. 27 Aaron's sister, your father was not a bad man nor was your mother unchaste". 28 Then she pointed to him. They said: "How can we talk to one who is a child in the cradle?" 29 He said: "I am indeed a servant of Allah: He hath given me revelation and made me a prophet; 30 And He has made me blessed wherever I may be, and He has enjoined on me prayer and poor-rate so long as I live; 31 "(He) hath made me kind to my mother, and not overbearing or miserable; 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 was (Prophet) Jesus, the son of Mary. A saying of truth, concerning what they doubt. 34 It does not behove God to have a son. Too immaculate is He! When He decrees a thing He has only to say: "Be", and it is. 35 And [thus it was that Jesus always said]: "Verily, God is my Sustainer as well as your Sustainer; so worship [none but] Him: this [alone] is a straight way." 36 The sects among them differ: but woe unto the disbelievers from the meeting of an awful Day. 37 (Muhammad), how clearly they will hear and see on the day when they will be brought into Our presence. Today the wrong doers are in manifest error. 38 Warn them of [the coming of] the Day of Remorse, when everything will have been decided, while they are heedless and do not believe. 39 Surely We shall inherit the earth and all that are upon it, and unto Us they shall be returned. 40