Chapter LXIII
CHAPTER LXIII.
1. The sixty-third subject is this, that it is necessary to practise strict abstinence from adultery on this account, that through every one who beguiles the wife of another, and commits iniquity with her, that woman becomes, in a moment, unlawful as regards her husband. 2. And, after that, every time her husband comes round about her, it is just as though she had gone near to a strange man. 3. The righteous bestowal 4 of herself on her own husband, in this
situation, is always worse than his going 1 with women of a different religion, on this account, that, if that wife becomes pregnant, it is just as though one of the good religion had fallen away into a different religion, and 2 thereby that man becomes worthy of death.
4. And it also happens, when that wife becomes pregnant, that she may effect the slaughter of the infant, from fear of a bad reputation. 5. Then, for that person whose child it is, it is just as though he had effected the slaughter of the child with his own hand; therefore, he is worthy of death. 6. If the infant be born, and it remains 3 in the religion, every sin that that child of his commits is, for that person, just as though it were committed by his own hand.
7. And if a woman of those of the good religion commits adultery, she becomes in a condition unlawful as regards her husband; and if an infant be born it is illegitimate. 8. And the sin owing to this will depart at the time when that person goes near to her husband and shall say: 'What is there in me befitting thy wife? 9. A calamity (âk) has occurred, and a crime (‘hatâ) has come into my body; thou knowest if thou wilt exercise forgiveness (’hafû), and if not, when it is not for me, do thou kill me; my blood is lawful (‘halâl) unto thee.' 10. If he shall kill her, her sin will depart owing to this;
otherwise, this sin will not depart from her in any manner (navaî) 1.
11. And one calls this sin a sin affecting antagonists 2, and, so long as the antagonist does not become satisfied, the sin flows on 3, and they keep his soul back at the head of the Kinvad bridge, till the time that its antagonist shall arrive and himself accomplishes his antagonism, and they give him back a reply 4.