Nor do these await aught but a single cry, there being no delay in it. 15 They say: Our Lord! Hasten on for us our fate before the Day of Reckoning. 16 [But] bear thou with patience whatever they may say, and remember Our servant David, him who was endowed with [so much] inner strength! He, verily, would always turn unto Us: 17 [and for this,] behold, We caused the mountains to join him in extolling Our limitless glory at eventide and at sunrise, 18 and the birds, too, gathered each obedient to him. 19 And We made his dominion strong and vouchsafed him wisdom and decisive speech. 20 ۞ And hath the tidings of the contending parties reached thee, when they walled the apartment? 21 When they came before David, he was frightened of them. "Do not be afraid," they said. "The two of us are disputing the wrong one has done the other. So judge between us with equity, and do not be unjust, and guide us to the right path. 22 Verily, this my brother (in religion) has ninety nine ewes, while I have (only) one ewe, and he says: "Hand it over to me, and he overpowered me in speech." 23 David said, "He has certainly been unjust in demanding your ewe from you. Most partners transgress against each other except for the righteously striving believers who are very few." David realized that it was a test from Us so he asked forgiveness from his Lord and knelt down before him in repentance. ۩ 24 We forgave him his sins. His reward will be nearness to Us, a good place to return to. 25 We said, "David, We have given you mastery over the land. Judge fairly between people. Do not follow your desires, lest they divert you from God's path: those who wander from His path will have a severe punishment, because they ignore the Day of Reckoning." 26