| Kitáb-i-Íqán | 207 |
painful punishment." (1) The implications of this
verse, alone, suffice all that is in heaven and on
earth, were the people to ponder the verses of their
Lord. For thou hearest how in this day the people
disdainfully ignore the divinely-revealed verses,
as though they were the meanest of all things. And
yet, nothing greater than these verses hath ever
appeared, nor will ever be made manifest in the
world! Say unto them: "O heedless people! Ye
repeat what your fathers, in a bygone age, have
said. Whatever fruits they have gathered from the
tree of their faithlessness, the same shall ye gather
also. Ere long shall ye be gathered unto your
fathers, and with them shall ye dwell in hellish
fire. An ill abode! the abode of the people of
tyranny."
In yet another passage He saith: "And when he
becometh acquainted with any of Our verses he
turneth them to ridicule. There is a shameful punishment
for them!" (2) The people derisively observed
saying: "Work thou another miracle, and
give us another sign!" One would say: "Make now
a part of the heaven to fall down upon us"; (3) and
