Sūra XVII.: Banī Isrā-īl, or the Children of Israel,

Section 10

85. Wayas-aloonaka AAani alrroohi quli alrroohu min amri rabbee wama ooteetum mina alAAilmi illa qaleelan

85. They ask thee concerning
The Spirit (of inspiration).
Say: "The Spirit (cometh)
By command of my Lord:
Of knowledge it is only
A little that is communicated
To you, (O men!)"

86. Wala-in shi/na lanathhabanna biallathee awhayna ilayka thumma la tajidu laka bihi AAalayna wakeelan

86. If it were Our Will,
We could take away
That which We have
Sent thee by inspiration
Then wouldst thou find
None to plead thy affair
In that matter as against Us,—

87. Illa rahmatan min rabbika inna fadlahu kana AAalayka kabeeran

87. Except for Mercy from thy Lord:
For His Bounty is
To thee (indeed) great.

88. Qul la-ini ijtamaAAati al-insu waaljinnu AAala an ya/too bimithli hatha alqur-ani la ya/toona bimithlihi walaw kana baAAduhum libaAAdin thaheeran

88. Say: "If the whole
Of mankind and Jinns
Were to gather together
To produce the like
Of this Qur-ān, they
Could not produce
The like thereof, even if
They backed up each other
With help and support.

89. Walaqad sarrafna lilnnasi fee hatha alqur-ani min kulli mathalin faaba aktharu alnnasi illa kufooran

89. And We have explained
To man, in this Qur-ān,
Every kind of similitude:
Yet the greater part of men
Refuse (to receive it)
Except with ingratitude!

90. Waqaloo lan nu/mina laka hatta tafjura lana mina al-ardi yanbooAAan

90. They say: "We shall not
Believe in thee, until thou
Cause a spring to gush
Forth for us from the earth,

91. Aw takoona laka jannatun min nakheelin waAAinabin fatufajjira al-anhara khilalaha tafjeeran

91. "Or (until) thou have
A garden of date trees
And vines, and cause rivers
To gush forth in their midst,
Carrying abundant water;

92. Aw tusqita alssamaa kama zaAAamta AAalayna kisafan aw ta/tiya biAllahi waalmala-ikati qabeelan

92. "Or thou cause the sky
To fall in pieces, as thou
Sayest (will happen), against us;
Or thou bring God
And the angels before (us)
Face to face;

93. Aw yakoona laka baytun min zukhrufin aw tarqa fee alssama-i walan nu/mina liruqiyyika hatta tunazzila AAalayna kitaban naqraohu qul subhana rabbee hal kuntu illa basharan rasoolan

93. "Or thou have a house
Adorned with gold,
Or thou mount a ladder
Right into the skies.
No, we shall not even believe
In thy mounting until thou
Send down to us a book
That we could read."
Say: "Glory to my Lord!
Am I aught but a man,—
An apostle?"

Next: Section 11 (94-100)