We sent Noah to his nation. (He said:) 'I am a warner for you, and a bearer of glad tidings. 25 That you shall not serve any but Allah, surely I fear for you the punishment of a painful day. 26 But the great ones among his people, who refused to acknowledge the truth, answered: "We do not see in thee anything but a mortal man like ourselves; and we do not see that any follow thee save those who are quite obviously the most abject among us; and we do not see that you could be in any way superior to us: on the contrary, we think that you are liars!" 27 He said, 'O my people, what think you? If I stand upon a clear sign from my Lord, and He has given me mercy from Him, and it has been obscured for you, shall we compel you to it while you are averse to it? 28 O my people, I do not ask of you wealth for this; my wage falls only upon God. I will not drive away those who believe; they shall surely meet their Lord. But I see you are an ignorant people. 29 "And O my people! who would help me against Allah if I drove them away? Will ye not then take heed? 30 "And I do not say unto you, 'God's treasures are with me'; nor [do I say,] 'I know the reality which is beyond the reach of human perception'; nor do I say, 'Behold, I am an angel'; nor do I say of those whom your eyes hold in contempt, 'Never will God grant them any good' - for God is fully aware of what is in their hearts. [Were I to speak thus,] verily, I would indeed be among the evildoers." 31 They said: 'O Noah, you have disputed, and disputed too much, with us. Bring (down) upon us that which you promised us, if what you say is true' 32 He said: only Allah will bring it on you if He will, and ye shall not escape. 33 And if I intend to give you good advice, my advice will not profit you if Allah intended that He should leave you to go astray; He is your Lord, and to Him shall you be returned. 34 Or do they say, "He has forged it"? Say: "If I had forged it, on me were my sin! and I am free of the sins of which ye are guilty! 35