They await but a single blast which will not be repeated. 15 They say: Our Lord! Hasten on for us our fate before the Day of Reckoning. 16 Bear patiently with what they say, and remember Our worshiper David, a man of might. He was ever turning in repentance. 17 We subjected the mountains to exalt (Me) with him in the evening and at sunrise, 18 and the birds, duly mustered, every one to him reverting; 19 We made his kingdom strong and gave him wisdom and decisive speech. 20 ۞ Have you heard of the litigants who jumped over the wall into his chamber? 21 As they came upon David, and he shrank back in fear from them, they said: "Fear not! [We are but] two litigants. One of us has wronged the other: so judge thou between us with justice, and deviate not from what is right, and show [both of] us the way to rectitude. 22 This, my brother has ninety nine ewes, but I have only one ewe (a female sheep). He said: "Give her into my keeping" and overcame me in the argument' 23 (David) said: "He is unjust in demanding your ewe to add to his (many) ewes. Many partners are surely -- unjust to one another, except those who believe and do the right; but there are only a few of them." It occurred to David that he was being tried by Us, and he begged his Lord to forgive him, and fell down in homage and repented. ۩ 24 And thereupon We forgave him that [sin]: and verily, nearness to Us awaits him [in the life to come,] and the most beauteous of all goals! 25 [And We said:] "O David! Behold, We have made thee a [prophet and thus, Our] vicegerent on earth: judge, then, between men with justice, and do not follow vain desire, lest it lead thee astray from the path of God: verily, for those who go astray from the path of God there is suffering severe in store for having forgotten the Day of Reckoning!" 26