Nor do these await aught but a single cry, there being no delay in it. 15 As it is, they say [mockingly]: "O our Sustainer! Hasten on to us our share [of punishment even] 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 birds gathered together; they were all obedient to him. 19 And We strengthened his dominion, and bestowed upon him wisdom and sagacity in judgment. 20 ۞ Have you heard of the litigants who jumped over the wall into his chamber? 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 'Behold, this my brother has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe. So he said, "Give her into my charge"; and he overcame me in the argument.' 23 Said [David]: "He has certainly wronged thee by demanding that thy ewe be added to his ewes! Thus, behold, do many kinsmen wrong one another [all] save those who believe [in God] and do righteous deeds: but how few are they!" And [suddenly] David understood that We had tried him: and so he asked his Sustainer to forgive him his sin, and fell down in prostration, and turned unto Him in repentance. ۩ 24 Thereupon We forgave him his shortcoming and indeed (an exalted position of) nearness awaits him, and an excellent resort. 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