Nooh

BEHOLD. We sent Noah unto his people. [saying:] "Warn thy people ere grievous suffering befall them!

[And Noah] said: "O my people! I am but a plain warner to you, [sent to tell you]

that you should worship God [alone] and be conscious of Him. "Now do pay heed unto me,

so that He may forgive you some of your sins, and grant you respite until a term known [to Him alone]: but, behold, when the term appointed by God does come, it can never be put back - if you but knew it!"

[And after a time, Noah] said: "O my Sustainer! Verily, I have been calling unto my people night and day

but my call has only caused them to flee farther and farther away [from Thee].

And behold, whenever I called unto them with a view to Thy granting them forgiveness, they put their fingers into their ears, and wrapped themselves up in their garments [of sin]; and grew obstinate, and became [yet more] arrogant in their false pride.

"And behold I called unto them openly;

and, behold I preached to them in public; and I spoke to them secretly, in private;

and I said: "'Ask your Sustainer to forgive you your sins - for, verily, He is all-forgiving!

He will shower upon you heavenly blessings abundant,

and will aid you with worldly goods and children, and will bestow upon you gardens, and bestow upon you running waters.

"'What is amiss with you that you cannot look forward to God's majesty,

seeing that He has created [every one of] you in successive stages?

"'Do you not see how God has created seven heavens in full harmony with one another,