A. J. Arberry - LXXI Noah lyrics

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compa**ionate 71:1 We sent Noah to his people, saying, 'Warn thy people, ere there come on them a painful chastisement.' He said, 'O my people, I am unto you a clear warner, saying, "Serve God, and fear Him, and obey you me, and He will forgive you your sins, and defer you to a stated term; God's term, when it comes, cannot be deferred, did you but know."' 71:5 He said; 'My Lord, I have called my people by night and by day, but my calling has only increased them in flight. And whenever I called them, that Thou mightest forgive them, they put their fingers in their ears, and wrapped them in their garments, and persisted, and waxed very proud. Then indeed I called them openly; then indeed I spoke publicly unto them, and I spoke unto them secretly, and I said, "Ask you forgiveness of your Lord; surely He is ever All-forgiving, 71:10 and He will loose heaven upon you in torrents and will succour you with wealth and sons, and will appoint for you gardens, and will appoint for you rivers. What ails you, that you look not for majesty in God, seeing He created you by stages? Have you not regarded how God created seven heavens one upon another, and set the moon therein for a light and the sun for a lamp? 71:15 And God caused you to grow out of the earth, then He shall return you into it, and bring you forth. And God has laid the earth for you as a carpet, that thereof you may thread ways, ravines." 71:20 Noah said, 'My Lord, they have rebelled against me, and followed him whose wealth and children increase him only in loss, and have devised a mighty device and have said, "Do not leave your gods, and do not leave Wadd, nor Suwa', Yaghuth, Ya'uq, neither Nasr." And they have led many astray. Increase Thou not the evildoers save in error!' 71:25 And because of their transgressions they were drowned, and admitted into a Fire, for they found not, apart from God, any to help them. And Noah said, 'My Lord, leave not upon the earth of the unbelievers even one. Surely, if Thou leavest them, they will lead Thy servants astray, and will beget none but unbelieving libertines. My Lord, forgive me and my parents and whosoever enters my house as a believer, and the believers, men and women alike; and do Thou not increase the evildoers save in ruin!'