And they [who now deny the truth - they, too,] have but to wait for one single blast [of punishment to overtake them]: it shall not be delayed a whit. 15 And they say: O our Lord! hasten on to us our portion before the day of reckoning. 16 Bear with patience what they say, and remember Our votary David, man of strength. He surely turned to Us in penitence. 17 Indeed, We subjected the mountains [to praise] with him, exalting [Allah] in the [late] afternoon and [after] sunrise. 18 and the birds, too, in flocks, all turned to Him. 19 And We strengthened his kingdom and endowed him with wisdom and decisive judgement. 20 ۞ Has the story of the litigants reached you -- of those who entered his private chambers by climbing over the wall? 21 When they reached David, he took fright, but they said, "Do not be afraid. We are two disputants, one of whom has wronged the other: judge between us fairly, do not be unjust, and guide us to the right path. 22 Surely this is my brother; he has ninety-nine ewes and I have a single ewe; but he said: Make it over to me, and he has prevailed against me in discourse. 23 [Dawud (David)] said (immediately without listening to the opponent): "He has wronged you in demanding your ewe in addition to his ewes. And, verily, many partners oppress one another, except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and they are few." And Dawud (David) guessed that We have tried him and he sought Forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down prostrate and turned (to Allah) in repentance. ۩ 24 Thereupon We forgave him his shortcoming and indeed (an exalted position of) nearness awaits him, and an excellent resort. 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