۞ ART THOU NOT aware of how those who would always dissemble [their real feelings] speak to their truth-denying brethren from among the followers of earlier revelation: "If you are driven away, we shall most certainly go forth with you, and shall never pay heed to anyone against you; and if war is waged against you, we shall most certainly come to your succour." But God bears witness that they are most flagrantly lying: 11 If they were to be expelled, they would not go with them. If they were to be attacked they would not help them. Even if they were to help them, they would run away from the battle and leave them helpless. 12 Their fear of you in their hearts is greater than their fear of Allah; that is because they are a people who do not understand. 13 They will never fight against you all together except from fortified villages or from behind walls. Their courage is great among themselves; you think them to be united, yet their hearts are not united. That is because they are a people who have no sense. 14 On the likeness of those (who suffered) a short time before them, they taste the ill-effects of their own conduct, and theirs is painful punishment. 15 (And the hypocrites are) on the likeness of the devil when he telleth man to disbelieve, then, when he disbelieveth saith: Lo! I am quit of thee. Lo! I fear Allah, the Lord of the Worlds. 16 Wherefore the end of the twain will be that they will be in the Fire, as abiders there in; that is the meed of the wrong-doers. 17