Verse 38:20 in Context

Translator Abdel Haleem
16 وَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَا عَجِّل لَّنَا قِطَّنَا قَبۡلَ یَوۡمِ ٱلۡحِسَابِ ۝١٦ waqālū rabbanā ʿajjil lanā qiṭṭanā qabla yawmi l-ḥisāb They say, ‘Our Lord! Advance us our share of punishment before the Day of Reckoning!’ 17 ٱصۡبِرۡ عَلَىٰ مَا یَقُولُونَ وَٱذۡكُرۡ عَبۡدَنَا دَاوُۥدَ ذَا ٱلۡأَیۡدِۖ إِنَّهُۥۤ أَوَّابٌ ۝١٧ iṣ'bir ʿalā mā yaqūlūna wa-udh'kur ʿabdanā dāwūda dhā l-aydi innahu awwābu Bear their words patiently [Prophet]. Remember Our servant David, a man of strength who always turned to Us 18 إِنَّا سَخَّرۡنَا ٱلۡجِبَالَ مَعَهُۥ یُسَبِّحۡنَ بِٱلۡعَشِیِّ وَٱلۡإِشۡرَاقِ ۝١٨ innā sakharnā l-jibāla maʿahu yusabbiḥ'na bil-ʿashiyi wal-ish'rāq We made the mountains join him in glorifying Us at sunset and sunrise 19 وَٱلطَّیۡرَ مَحۡشُورَةࣰۖ كُلࣱّ لَّهُۥۤ أَوَّابࣱ ۝١٩ wal-ṭayra maḥshūratan kullun lahu awwābu and the birds, too, in flocks, all echoed his praise
20 وَشَدَدۡنَا مُلۡكَهُۥ وَءَاتَیۡنَـٰهُ ٱلۡحِكۡمَةَ وَفَصۡلَ ٱلۡخِطَابِ ۝٢٠ washadadnā mul'kahu waātaynāhu l-ḥik'mata wafaṣla l-khiṭāb We strengthened his kingdom; We gave him wisdom and a decisive way of speaking
21 ۞ وَهَلۡ أَتَىٰكَ نَبَؤُا۟ ٱلۡخَصۡمِ إِذۡ تَسَوَّرُوا۟ ٱلۡمِحۡرَابَ ۝٢١ wahal atāka naba-u l-khaṣmi idh tasawwarū l-miḥ'rāb Have you heard the story of the two litigants who climbed into his private quarters 22 إِذۡ دَخَلُوا۟ عَلَىٰ دَاوُۥدَ فَفَزِعَ مِنۡهُمۡۖ قَالُوا۟ لَا تَخَفۡۖ خَصۡمَانِ بَغَىٰ بَعۡضُنَا عَلَىٰ بَعۡضࣲ فَٱحۡكُم بَیۡنَنَا بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا تُشۡطِطۡ وَٱهۡدِنَاۤ إِلَىٰ سَوَاۤءِ ٱلصِّرَ ٰطِ ۝٢٢ idh dakhalū ʿalā dāwūda fafaziʿa min'hum qālū lā takhaf khaṣmāni baghā baʿḍunā ʿalā baʿḍin fa-uḥ'kum baynanā bil-ḥaqi walā tush'ṭiṭ wa-ih'dinā ilā sawāi l-ṣirāṭ When they reached David, he took fright, but they said, ‘Do not be afraid. We are two litigants, one of whom has wronged the other: judge between us fairly- do not be unjust- and guide us to the right path 23 إِنَّ هَـٰذَاۤ أَخِی لَهُۥ تِسۡعࣱ وَتِسۡعُونَ نَعۡجَةࣰ وَلِیَ نَعۡجَةࣱ وَ ٰحِدَةࣱ فَقَالَ أَكۡفِلۡنِیهَا وَعَزَّنِی فِی ٱلۡخِطَابِ ۝٢٣ inna hādhā akhī lahu tis'ʿun watis'ʿūna naʿjatan waliya naʿjatun wāḥidatun faqāla akfil'nīhā waʿazzanī fī l-khiṭāb This is my brother. He had ninety-nine ewes and I just the one, and he said, “Let me take charge of her,” and overpowered me with his words.’ 24 قَالَ لَقَدۡ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعۡجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِۦۖ وَإِنَّ كَثِیرࣰا مِّنَ ٱلۡخُلَطَاۤءِ لَیَبۡغِی بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِینَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَـٰتِ وَقَلِیلࣱ مَّا هُمۡۗ وَظَنَّ دَاوُۥدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّـٰهُ فَٱسۡتَغۡفَرَ رَبَّهُۥ وَ̅خَ̅رَّ̅ ̅رَ̅ا̅كِ̅عࣰ̅ا̅ وَأَنَابَ ۝٢٤ ۩ qāla laqad ẓalamaka bisuāli naʿjatika ilā niʿājihi wa-inna kathīran mina l-khulaṭāi layabghī baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍin illā alladhīna āmanū waʿamilū l-ṣāliḥāti waqalīlun mā hum waẓanna dāwūdu annamā fatannāhu fa-is'taghfara rabbahu wakharra rākiʿan wa-anāb David said, ‘He has done you wrong by demanding to add your ewe to his flock. Many partners treat each other unfairly. Those who sincerely believe and do good deeds do not do this, but these are very few.’ [Then] David realized that We had been testing him, so he asked his Lord for forgiveness, fell down on his knees, and repented

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