Relate in the Book (the story of) Mary, when she withdrew from her family to a place in the East. 16 And she took, in seclusion from them, a screen. Then We sent to her Our Angel, and he represented himself to her as a well-proportioned man. 17 She exclaimed: "Verily, 'I seek refuge from thee with the Most Gracious! [Approach me not] if thou art conscious of Him!" 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 He said: even so! Thy Lord saith: it is with Me easy, and it is in order that We may make him a sign unto mankind and a mercy from Us, and it is an affair decreed. 21 ۞ When she conceived him she went away to a distant 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 Then (a voice) called to her from below: "Grieve not; your Lord has made a rivulet gush forth right below you. 24 and shake the trunk of this palmtree it will drop fresh ripe dates upon you. 25 Eat and drink and rejoice. And if you see any human being say, 'I have vowed a fast [of silence] to the Gracious God, and will not speak with any human being today.'" 26 Then she brought the child to her people. They exclaimed: "O Mary, you have done a most astonishing thing! 27 Aaron's sister, your father was not a bad man nor was your mother unchaste". 28 But she pointed to him. They said: How should we speak to one who was a child in the cradle? 29 [But] he said: "Behold, I am a servant of God. He has vouchsafed unto me revelation and made me a prophet, 30 and made me blessed wherever I may be; and He has enjoined upon me prayer and charity as long as I live, 31 And [made me] dutiful to my mother, and He has not made me a wretched tyrant. 32 Blessed was I on the day I was born, and blessed I shall be on the day I die and on the day I am raised to life again." 33 This is Jesus, the son of Mary; and this is the truth about him concerning which they are in doubt. 34 It is not for God to take a son unto Him. Glory be to Him! When He decrees a thing, He but says to it 'Be,' and it is. 35 And verily Allah is my Lord and your Lord; so worship Him; this is a way straight. 36 But the parties have fallen into variance among themselves, then woe to those who disbelieve for the scene of a Dreadful Day. 37 How well they will hear and see on the day they come to Us! But the evildoers even today are in error manifest. 38 And warn them of the day of intense regret, when the matter shall have been decided; and they are (now) in negligence and they do not believe. 39 Lo! We, only We, inherit the earth and all who are thereon, and unto Us they are returned. 40