Sūra V.: Māïda, or The Table Spread.

Section 3

12. Walaqad akhatha Allahu meethaqa banee isra-eela wabaAAathna minhumu ithnay AAashara naqeeban waqala Allahu innee maAAakum la-in aqamtumu alssalata waataytumu alzzakata waamantum birusulee waAAazzartumoohum waaqradtumu Allaha qardan hasanan laokaffiranna AAankum sayyi-atikum walaodkhilannakum jannatin tajree min tahtiha al-anharu faman kafara baAAda thalika minkum faqad dalla sawaa alssabeeli

12. 13 God did aforetime
Take a Covenant from
The Children of Israel,
And We appointed twelve
Captains among them.
And God said: "I am
With you: if ye (but)
Establish regular Prayers,
Practise regular Charity,
Believe in My apostles,
Honour and assist them,
And loan to God
A beautiful loan,
Verily I will wipe out
From you your evils,
And admit you to Gardens
With rivers flowing beneath;
But if any of you, after this,
Resisteth faith, he hath truly
Wandered from the path
Of rectitude."

13. Fabima naqdihim meethaqahum laAAannahum wajaAAalna quloobahum qasiyatan yuharrifoona alkalima AAan mawadiAAihi wanasoo haththan mimma thukkiroo bihi wala tazalu tattaliAAu AAala kha-inatin minhum illa qaleelan minhum faoAAfu AAanhum waisfah inna Allaha yuhibbu almuhsineena

13. 14 But because of their breach
Of their Covenant, We
Cursed them, and made
Their hearts grow hard:
They change the words
From their (right) places
And forget a good part
Of the Message that was
Sent them, nor wilt thou
Cease to find them
Barring a few—ever
Bent on (new) deceits:
But forgive them, and overlook
(Their misdeeds): for God
Loveth those who are kind.

14. Wamina allatheena qaloo inna nasara akhathna meethaqahum fanasoo haththan mimma thukkiroo bihi faaghrayna baynahumu alAAadawata waalbaghdaa ila yawmi alqiyamati wasawfa yunabbi-ohumu Allahu bima kanoo yasnaAAoona

14. 15 From those, too, who call
Themselves Christians,
We did take a Covenant,
But they forgot a good part
Of the Message that was
Sent them: so We estranged
Them, with enmity and hatred
Between the one and the other,
To the Day of Judgment.
And soon will God show
Them what it is
They have done.

15. Ya ahla alkitabi qad jaakum rasooluna yubayyinu lakum katheeran mimma kuntum tukhfoona mina alkitabi wayaAAfoo AAan katheerin qad jaakum mina Allahi noorun wakitabun mubeenun

15. 16 O People of the Book!
There hath come to you
Our Apostle, revealing
To you much that ye
Used to hide in the Book,
And passing over much
(That is now unnecessary):
17 There hath come to you
From God a (new) light
And a perspicuous Book,—

16. Yahdee bihi Allahu mani ittabaAAa ridwanahu subula alssalami wayukhrijuhum mina alththulumati ila alnnoori bi-ithnihi wayahdeehim ila siratin mustaqeemin

16. 18 Wherewith God guideth all
Who seek His good pleasure
To ways of peace and safety,
And leadeth them out
Of darkness, by His Will,
Unto the light,—guideth them
To a Path that is Straight.

17. Laqad kafara allatheena qaloo inna Allaha huwa almaseehu ibnu maryama qul faman yamliku mina Allahi shay-an in arada an yuhlika almaseeha ibna maryama waommahu waman fee al-ardi jameeAAan walillahi mulku alssamawati waal-ardi wama baynahuma yakhluqu ma yashao waAllahu AAala kulli shay-in qadeerun

17. 19 In blasphemy indeed
Are those that say
That God is Christ
The son of Mary.
Say: "Who then
Hath the least power
Against God, if His Will
Were to destroy Christ
The son of Mary, his mother,
And all—every one
That is on the earth?
For to God belongeth
The dominion of the heavens
And the earth, and all
That is between. He createth
What He pleaseth. For God
Hath power over all things."

18. Waqalati alyahoodu waalnnasara nahnu abnao Allahi waahibbaohu qul falima yuAAaththibukum bithunoobikum bal antum basharun mimman khalaqa yaghfiru liman yashao wayuAAaththibu man yashao walillahi mulku alssamawati waal-ardi wama baynahuma wa-ilayhi almaseeru

18. 20 (Both) the Jews and the Christians
Say: "We are sons
Of God, and His beloved."
Say: "Why then doth He
Punish you for your sins?
Nay, ye are but men,
Of the men He hath created:
He forgiveth whom He pleaseth,
And He punisheth whom He pleaseth:
And to God belongeth
The dominion of the heavens
And the earth, and all
That is between:
And unto Him
Is the final goal (of all)"

19. Ya ahla alkitabi qad jaakum rasooluna yubayyinu lakum AAala fatratin mina alrrusuli an taqooloo ma jaana min basheerin wala natheerin faqad jaakum basheerun wanatheerun waAllahu AAala kulli shay-in qadeerun

19. 21 O People of the Book!
Now hath come unto you,
Making (things) clear unto you,
Our Apostle, after the break
In (the series of) our apostles,
Lest ye should say:
"There came unto us
No bringer of glad tidings
And no warner (from evil)":
But now hath come
Unto you a bringer
Of glad tidings
And a warner (from evil).
And God hath power
Over all things.

Next: Section 4 (20-26)