The Table Revealed At Medina
Books:
Sacred Books Of The East
O True believers, perform your contracts. Ye are allowed to eat the
brute cattle,[83] other than what ye are commanded to abstain from;
except the game which ye are allowed at other times, but not while ye
are on pilgrimage to Mecca; God ordaineth that which he pleaseth. O true
believers, violate not the holy rites of God, nor the sacred month,[84]
nor the offering, nor the ornaments hung thereon, nor those who are
tra
elling to the holy house, seeking favor from their Lord, and to
please him. But when ye shall have finished your pilgrimage, then hunt.
And let not the malice of some, in that they hindered you from entering
the sacred temple, provoke you to transgress, by taking revenge on them
in the sacred months. Assist one another according to justice and piety,
but assist not one another in injustice and malice: therefore fear God;
for God is severe in punishing. Ye are forbidden to eat that which dieth
of itself, and blood, and swine's flesh, and that on which the name of
any besides God hath been invocated, and that which hath been strangled,
or killed by a blow, or by a fall, or by the horns of another beast, and
that which hath been eaten by a wild beast, except what ye shall kill
yourselves; and that which hath been sacrificed unto idols. It is
likewise unlawful for you to make division by casting lots with
arrows.[85] This is an impiety. On this day, woe be unto those who have
apostatized from their religion; therefore fear not them, but fear me.
This day have I perfected your religion for you, and have completed my
mercy upon you; and I have chosen for you Islam, to be your religion.
But whosoever shall be driven by necessity through hunger to eat of what
we have forbidden, not designing to sin, surely God will be indulgent
and merciful unto him. They will ask thee what is allowed them as lawful
to eat? Answer, Such things as are good are allowed you; and what ye
shall teach animals of prey to catch, training them up for hunting after
the manner of dogs, and teaching them according to the skill which God
hath taught you. Eat therefore of that which they shall catch for you;
and commemorate the name of God thereon; and fear God, for God is swift
in taking an account. This day are ye allowed to eat such things as are
good, and the food of those to whom the scriptures were given is also
allowed as lawful unto you; and your food is allowed as lawful unto
them. And ye are also allowed to marry free women that are believers,
and also free women of those who have received the scriptures before
you, when ye shall have assigned them their dower; living chastely with
them, neither committing fornication, nor taking them for concubines.
Whoever shall renounce the faith, his work shall be vain, and in the
next life he shall be of those who perish. O true believers, when ye
prepare yourselves to pray, wash your faces, and your hands unto the
elbows; and rub your heads, and your feet unto the ankles; and if ye be
polluted and ye find no water, take fine clean sand, and rub your faces
and your hands therewith; God will not put a difficulty upon you; but he
desireth to purify you, and to complete his favor upon you, that ye may
give thanks. Remember the favor of God towards you, and his covenant
which he hath made with you, when ye said, We have heard, and will obey.
Therefore fear God, for God knoweth the innermost parts of the breasts
of men, O true believers, observe justice when ye appear as witnesses
before God, and let not hatred towards any induce you to do wrong: but
act justly; this will approach nearer unto piety; and fear God, for God
is fully acquainted with what ye do. God hath promised unto those who
believe, and do that which is right, that they shall receive pardon and
a great reward. But they who believe not, and accuse our signs of
falsehood, they shall be the companions of hell. O true believers,
remember God's favor towards you, when certain men designed to stretch
forth their hands against you, but he restrained their hands from
hurting you; therefore fear God, and in God let the faithful trust. God
formerly accepted the covenant of the children of Israel, and we
appointed out of them twelve leaders: and God said, Verily, I am with
you: if ye observe prayer, and give alms, and believe in my apostles,
and assist them, and lend unto God on good usury, I will surely expiate
your evil deeds from you, and I will lead you into gardens, wherein
rivers flow: but he among you who disbelieveth after this, erreth from
the straight path. Wherefore because they have broken their covenant, we
have cursed them, and hardened their hearts; they dislocate the words of
the Pentateuch from their places, and have forgotten part of what they
were admonished; and thou wilt not cease to discover deceitful practices
among them, except a few of them. But forgive them and pardon them, for
God loveth the beneficent. And from those who say, We are Christians, we
have received their covenant; but they have forgotten part of what they
were admonished; wherefore we have raised up enmity and hatred among
them, till the day of resurrection; and God will then surely declare
unto them what they have been doing. O ye who have received the
scriptures, now is our apostle come unto you, to make manifest unto you
many things which ye concealed in the scriptures; and to pass over many
things. Now is light and a perspicuous book of revelations come unto you
from God. Thereby will God direct him who shall follow his good
pleasure, into the paths of peace; and shall lead them out of darkness
into light, by his will, and shall direct them in the right way. They
are infidels, who say, Verily God is Christ the son of Mary. Say unto
them, And who could obtain anything from God to the contrary, if he
pleased to destroy Christ the son of Mary, and his mother, and all those
who are on the earth? For unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and
earth, and whatsoever is contained between them; he createth what he
pleaseth, and God is almighty. The Jews and the Christians say, We are
the children of God, and his beloved. Answer, Why therefore doth he
punish you for your sins? Nay, but ye are men, of those whom he hath
created. He forgiveth whom he pleaseth, and punisheth whom he pleaseth;
and unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and earth, and of what is
contained between them both; and unto him shall all things return. O ye
who have received the scriptures, now is our apostle come unto you,
declaring unto you the true religion, during the cessation of
apostles[86], lest ye should say, There came unto us no bearer of good
tidings, nor any warner: but now is a bearer of good tidings and a
warner come unto you; and God is almighty. Call to mind when Moses said
unto his people, O my people, remember the favor of God towards you,
since he hath appointed prophets among you, and constituted you kings,
and bestowed on you what he hath given to no other nation in the world.
O my people, enter the holy land, which God hath decreed you, and turn
not your backs, lest ye be subverted and perish. They answered, O Moses,
verily there are a gigantic people in the land; and we will by no means
enter it, until they depart thence; but if they depart thence, then will
we enter therein. And two men of those who feared God, unto whom God had
been gracious, said, Enter ye upon them suddenly by the gate of the
city; and when ye shall have entered the same, ye shall surely be
victorious: therefore trust in God, if ye are true believers. They
replied, O Moses, we will never enter the land, while they remain
therein: go therefore thou, and thy Lord, and fight; for we will sit
here. Moses said, O Lord, surely I am not master of any except myself,
and my brother; therefore make a distinction between us and the ungodly
people. God answered, Verily the land shall be forbidden them forty
years; during which time they shall wander like men astonished in the
earth; therefore be not thou solicitous for the ungodly people. Relate
also unto them the history of the two sons of Adam, with truth. When
they offered their offering, and it was accepted from one of them, and
was not accepted from the other, Cain said to his brother, I will
certainly kill thee. Abel answered, God only accepteth the offering of
the pious; if thou stretchest forth thy hand against me, to slay me, I
will not stretch forth my hand against thee, to slay thee; for I fear
God the Lord of all creatures. I choose that thou shouldst bear my
iniquity and thine own iniquity; and that thou become a companion of
hell fire; for that is the reward of the unjust. But his soul suffered
him to slay his brother, and he slew him; wherefore he became of the
number of those who perish. And God sent a raven, which scratched the
earth, to show him how he should hide the shame of his brother, and he
said, Woe is me! am I unable to be like this raven, that I may hide my
brother's shame? and he became one of those who repent. Wherefore we
commanded the children of Israel, that he who slayeth a soul, without
having slain a body, or committed wickedness in the earth, shall be as
if he had slain all mankind: but he who saveth a soul alive, shall be as
if he had saved the lives of all mankind. Our apostles formerly came
unto them, with evident miracles; then were many of them, after this,
transgressors on the earth. But the recompense of those who fight
against God and his apostles, and study to act corruptly in the earth,
shall be, that they shall be slain, or crucified, or have their hands
and their feet cut off on the opposite sides, or be banished the land.
This shall be their disgrace in this world, and in the next world they
shall suffer a grievous punishment; except those who shall repent,
before ye prevail against them; for know that God is inclined to
forgive, and be merciful. O true believers, fear God, and earnestly
desire a near conjunction with him, and fight for his religion, that ye
may be happy. Moreover, they who believe not, although they had whatever
is in the earth, and as much more withal, that they might therewith
redeem themselves from punishment on the day of resurrection: it shall
not be accepted from them, but they shall suffer a painful punishment.
They shall desire to go forth from the fire, but they shall not go forth
from it, and their punishment shall be permanent. If a man or a woman
steal, cut off their hands,[87] in retribution for that which they have
committed; this is an exemplary punishment appointed by God; and God is
mighty and wise. But whoever shall repent after his iniquity, and amend,
verily God will be turned unto him, for God is inclined to forgive and
be merciful. Dost thou not know that the kingdom of heaven and earth is
God's? He punisheth whom he pleaseth, and he pardoneth whom he pleaseth;
for God is almighty. O apostle, let them not grieve thee, who hasten to
infidelity, either of those who say, We believe, with their mouths, but
whose hearts believe not; or of the Jews, who hearken to a lie, and
hearken to other people; who come not unto thee: they pervert the words
of the law from their true places, and say, If this be brought unto you,
receive it; but if it be not brought unto you, beware of receiving aught
else; and in behalf of him whom God shall resolve to reduce, thou shalt
not prevail with God at all. They whose hearts God shall not please to
cleanse, shall suffer shame in this world, and a grievous punishment in
the next: who hearken to a lie, and eat that which is forbidden. But if
they come unto thee for judgment, either judge between them, or leave
them; and if thou leave them, they shall not hurt thee at all. But if
thou undertake to judge, judge between them with equity; for God loveth
those who observe justice. And how will they submit to thy decision,
since they have the law, containing the judgment of God? Then will they
turn their backs, after this; but those are not true believers. We have
surely sent down the law, containing direction, and light: thereby did
the prophets, who professed the true religion, judge those who Judaized;
and the doctors and priests also judged by the book of God, which had
been committed to their custody; and they were witnesses thereof.
Therefore fear not men, but fear me; neither sell my signs for a small
price. And whoso judgeth not according to what God hath revealed, they
are infidels. We have therein commanded them, that they should give life
for life, and eye for eye, and nose for nose, and ear for ear, and tooth
for tooth; and that wounds should also be punished by retaliation: but
whoever should remit it as alms, it should be accepted as an atonement
for him. And whoso judgeth not according to what God hath revealed, they
are unjust. We also caused Jesus, the son of Mary, to follow the
footsteps of the prophets, confirming the law which was sent down before
him; and we gave him the gospel, containing direction and light;
confirming also the law which was given before it, and a direction and
admonition unto those who fear God: that they who have received the
gospel might judge according to what God hath revealed therein: and
whoso judgeth not according to what God hath revealed, they are
transgressors. We have also sent down unto thee the book of the Koran
with truth, confirming that scripture which was revealed before it; and
preserving the same safe from corruption. Judge, therefore, between them
according to that which God hath revealed; and follow not their desires,
by swerving from the truth which hath come unto thee. Unto every one of
you have we given a law, and an open path; and if God had pleased, he
had surely made you one people; but he hath thought fit to give you
different laws, that he might try you in that which he hath given you
respectively. Therefore strive to excel each other in good works: unto
God shall ye all return, and then will he declare unto you that
concerning which ye have disagreed. Wherefore do thou, O prophet, judge
between them according to that which God hath revealed, and follow not
their desires; but beware of them, lest they cause thee to err from part
of those precepts which God hath sent down unto thee; and if they turn
back, know that God is pleased to punish them for some of their crimes;
for a great number of men are transgressors. Do they therefore desire
the judgment of the time of ignorance? but who is better than God, to
judge between people who reason aright? O true believers, take not the
Jews or Christians for your friends; they are friends the one to the
other; but whoso among you taketh them for his friends, he is surely one
of them: verily God directeth not unjust people. Thou shalt see those in
whose hearts there is an infirmity, to hasten unto them, saying, We fear
lest some adversity befall us; but it is easy for God to give victory,
or a command from him, that they may repent of that which they concealed
in their minds. And they who believe will say, Are these the men who
have sworn by God, with a most firm oath, that they surely held with
you? their works are become vain, and they are of those who perish. O
true believers, whoever of you apostatizeth from his religion, God will
certainly bring other people to supply his place, whom he will love, and
who will love him; who shall be humble towards the believers, but severe
to the unbelievers; they shall fight for the religion of God, and shall
not fear the obloquy of the detractor. This is the bounty of God, he
bestoweth it on whom he pleaseth: God is extensive and wise. Verily your
protector is God, and his apostle, and those who believe, who observe
the stated times of prayer, and give alms, and who bow down to worship.
And whoso taketh God, and his apostle, and the believers for his
friends, they are the party of God, and they shall be victorious. O true
believers, take not such of those to whom the scriptures were delivered
before you, or of the infidels, for your friends, who make a
laughing-stock and a jest of your religion; but fear God, if ye be true
believers; nor those who, when ye call to prayer, make a laughing-stock
and a jest of it; this they do because they are people who do not
understand. Say, O ye who have received the scriptures, do ye reject us
for any other reason than because we believe in God, and that revelation
which hath been sent down unto us, and that which was formerly sent
down, and for that the greater part of you are transgressors? Say, Shall
I denounce unto you a worse thing than this, as to the reward which ye
are to expect with God? He whom God hath cursed, and with whom he hath
been angry, having changed some of them into apes and swine, and who
worship Taghut, they are in the worse condition, and err more widely
from the straightness of the path. When they came unto you, they said,
We believe: yet they entered into your company with infidelity, and went
forth from you with the same; but God well knew what they concealed.
Thou shalt see many of them hastening unto iniquity and malice, and to
eat things forbidden; and woe unto them for what they have done. Unless
their doctors and priests forbid them uttering wickedness, and eating
things forbidden; woe unto them for what they shall have committed. The
Jews say, the hand of God is tied up. Their hands shall be tied up, and
they shall be cursed for that which they have said. Nay, his hands are
both stretched forth; he bestoweth as he pleaseth: that which had been
sent down unto thee from thy Lord, shall increase the transgression and
infidelity of many of them; and we have put enmity and hatred between
them, until the day of resurrection. So often as they shall kindle a
fire for war, God shall extinguish it; and they shall set their minds to
act corruptly in the earth, but God loveth not the corrupt doers.
Moreover, if they who have received the scriptures believe, and fear
God, we will surely expiate their sins from them, and we will lead them
into gardens of pleasure; and if they observe the law, and the gospel,
and the other scriptures which have been sent down unto them from their
Lord, they shall surely eat of good things both from above them and from
under their feet. Among them there are people who act uprightly; but how
evil is that which many of them do work! O apostle, publish the whole of
that which hath been sent down unto thee from thy Lord: for if thou do
not, thou dost not in effect publish any part thereof; and God will
defend thee against wicked men; for God directeth not the unbelieving
people. Say, O ye who have received the scriptures, ye are not grounded
on anything, until ye observe the law and the gospel, and that which
hath been sent down unto you from your Lord. That which hath been sent
down unto thee from thy Lord shall surely increase the transgression and
infidelity of many of them: but be not thou solicitous for the
unbelieving people. Verily they who believe, and those who Judaize,--and
the Sabeans, and the Christians, whoever of them believeth in God and
the last day, and doth that which is right, there shall come no fear on
them, neither shall they be grieved. We formerly accepted the covenant
of the children of Israel, and sent apostles unto them. So often as an
apostle came unto them with that which their souls desired not, they
accused some of them of imposture, and some of them they killed: and
they imagined that there should be no punishment for those crimes, and
they became blind and deaf. Then was God turned unto them; afterwards
many of them again became blind and deaf; but God saw what they did.
They are surely infidels, who say, Verily God is Christ the son of Mary;
since Christ said, O children of Israel, serve God, my Lord and your
Lord; whoever shall give a companion unto God, God shall exclude him
from paradise, and his habitation shall be hell fire; and the ungodly
shall have none to help them. They are certainly infidels, who say, God
is the third of three: for there is no God besides one God; and if they
refrain not from what they say, a painful torment shall surely be
inflicted on such of them as are unbelievers. Will they not therefore be
turned unto God, and ask pardon of him? since God is gracious and
merciful. Christ, the son of Mary, is no more than an apostle; other
apostles have preceded him; and his mother was a woman of veracity: they
both ate food. Behold, how we declare unto them the signs of God's
unity; and then behold, how they turn aside from the truth. Say unto
them, Will ye worship, besides God, that which can cause you neither
harm nor profit? God is he who heareth and seeth. Say, O ye who have
received the scriptures, exceed not the just bounds in your religion, by
speaking beside the truth; neither follow the desires of people who have
heretofore erred, and who have seduced many, and have gone astray from
the straight path. Those among the children of Israel who believed not,
were cursed by the tongue of David, and of Jesus the son of Mary. This
befell them because they were rebellious and transgressed: they forbade
not one another the wickedness which they committed; and woe unto them
for what they committed. Thou shalt see many of them take for their
friends those who believe not. Woe unto them for what their souls have
sent before them, for that God is incensed against them, and they shall
remain in torment forever. But, if they had believed in God, and the
prophet, and that which hath been revealed unto him, they had not taken
them for their friends; but many of them are evil-doers. Thou shalt
surely find the most violent of all men in enmity against the true
believers, to be the Jews and the idolaters: and thou shalt surely find
those among them to be the most inclinable to entertain friendship for
the true believers, who say, We are Christians. This cometh to pass,
because there are priests and monks among them; and because they are not
elated with pride. And when they hear that which hath been sent down to
the apostle read unto them, thou shalt see their eyes overflow with
tears, because of the truth which they perceive therein, saying, O Lord,
we believe; write us down, therefore, with those who bear witness to the
truth: and what should hinder us from believing in God, and the truth
which hath come unto us, and from earnestly desiring that our Lord would
introduce us into paradise with the righteous people. Therefore hath God
rewarded them, for what they have said, with gardens through which
rivers flow; they shall continue therein forever; and this is the reward
of the righteous. But they who believe not, and accuse our signs of
falsehood, they shall be the companions of hell. O true believers,
forbid not the good things which God hath allowed you; but transgress
not, for God loveth not the transgressors. And eat of what God hath
given you for food that which is lawful and good: and fear God, in whom
ye believe. God will not punish you for an inconsiderate word in your
oaths; but he will punish you for what ye solemnly swear with
deliberation. And the expiation of such an oath shall be the feeding of
ten poor men with such moderate food as ye feed your own families
withal; or to clothe them; or to free the neck of a true believer from
captivity: but he who shall not find wherewith to perform one of these
three things, shall fast three days. This is the expiation of your
oaths, when ye swear inadvertently. Therefore keep your oaths. Thus God
declareth unto you his signs, that ye may give thanks. O true believers,
surely wine, and lots, and images, and divining arrows, are an
abomination of the work of Satan; therefore avoid them, that ye may
prosper. Satan seeketh to sow dissension and hatred among you, by means
of wine and lots, and to divert you from remembering God, and from
prayer; will ye not therefore abstain from them? Obey God, and obey the
apostle, and take heed to yourselves: but if ye turn back, know that the
duty of our apostle is only to preach publicly. In those who believe and
do good works, it is no sin that they have tasted wine or gaming before
they were forbidden; if they fear God, and believe, and do good works,
and shall for the future fear God, and believe, and shall persevere to
fear him, and to do good; for God loveth those who do good. O true
believers, God will surely prove you in offering you plenty of game,
which ye may take with your hands or your lances, that God may know who
feareth him in secret; but whoever transgresseth after this, shall
suffer a grievous punishment. O true believers, kill no game while ye
are on pilgrimages; whosoever among you shall kill any designedly, shall
restore the like of what ye shall have killed, in domestic animals,
according to the determination of two just persons among you, to be
brought as an offering to the Caabah; or in atonement thereof shall feed
the poor; or instead thereof shall fast, that he may taste the
heinousness of his deed. God hath forgiven what is past, but whoever
returneth to transgress, God will take vengeance on him; for God is
mighty and able to avenge. It is lawful for you to fish in the sea,[88]
and to eat what ye shall catch, as a provision for you and for those who
travel; but it is unlawful for you to hunt by land, while ye are
performing the rites of pilgrimage; therefore fear God, before whom ye
shall be assembled at the last day. God hath appointed the Caabah, the
holy house, an establishment for mankind; and hath ordained the sacred
month, and the offering, and the ornaments hung thereon. This hath he
done that ye might know that God knoweth whatsoever is in heaven and on
earth, and that God is omniscient. Know that God is severe in punishing,
and that God is ready to forgive and be merciful. The duty of our
apostle is to preach only; and God knoweth that which ye discover, and
that which ye conceal. Say, Evil and Good shall not be equally esteemed
of, though the abundance of evil pleaseth thee; therefore fear God, O ye
of understanding, that ye may be happy. O true believers, inquire not
concerning things which, if they be declared unto you, may give you
pain; but if ye ask concerning them when the Koran is sent down, they
will be declared unto you: God pardoneth you as to these matters; for
God is ready to forgive and gracious. People who have been before you
formerly inquired concerning them; and afterwards disbelieved therein.
God hath not ordained anything concerning Bahira, nor Saiba, nor Wasila,
nor Hami;[89] but the unbelievers have invented a lie against God: and
the greater part of them do not understand. And when it was said unto
them, Come unto that which God hath revealed, and to the apostles; they
answered, That religion which we found our fathers to follow is
sufficient for us. What though their fathers knew nothing, and were not
rightly directed? O true believers, take care of your souls. He who
erreth shall not hurt you, while ye are rightly directed: unto God shall
ye all return, and he will tell you that which ye have done. O true
believers, let witnesses be taken between you, when death approaches any
of you, at the time of making the testament; let there be two witnesses,
just men, from among you; or two others of a different tribe or faith
from yourselves, if ye be journeying in the earth, and the accident of
death befall you. Ye shall shut them both up, after the afternoon
prayer, and they shall swear by God, if ye doubt them, and they shall
say, We will not sell our evidence for a bribe, although the person
concerned be one who is related to us, neither will we conceal the
testimony of God, for then should we certainly be of the number of the
wicked. But if it appear that both have been guilty of iniquity, two
others shall stand up in their place, of those who have convicted them
of falsehood, the two nearest in blood, and they shall swear by God,
saying, Verily our testimony is more true than the testimony of these
two, neither have we prevaricated; for then should we become of the
number of the unjust. This will be easier, that men may give testimony
according to the plain intention thereof, or fear lest a different oath
be given, after their oath. Therefore fear God, and hearken; for God
directeth not the unjust people. On a certain day shall God assemble the
apostles, and shall say unto them, What answer was returned you, when ye
preached unto the people to whom ye were sent? They shall answer, We
have no knowledge but thou art the knower of secrets. When God shall
say, O Jesus, son of Mary, remember my favor towards thee, and towards
thy mother; when I strengthened thee with the holy spirit, that thou
shouldst speak unto men in the cradle, and when thou wast grown up; and
when I taught thee the scripture, and wisdom, and the law and the
gospel; and when thou didst create of clay as it were the figure of a
bird, by my permission, and didst breathe thereon, and it became a bird
by my permission; and thou didst heal one blind from his birth and the
leper, by my permission; and when thou didst bring forth the dead from
their graves, by my permission; and when I withheld the children of
Israel from killing thee, when thou hadst come unto them with evident
miracles, and such of them as believed not, said, This is nothing but
manifest sorcery. And when I commanded the apostles of Jesus, saying,
Believe in me and in my messenger; they answered, We do believe; and do
thou bear witness that we are resigned unto thee. Remember when the
apostles said, O Jesus, son of Mary, is thy Lord able to cause a table
to descend unto us from heaven?[90] He answered, hear God, if ye be true
believers. They said, We desire to eat thereof, and that our hearts may
rest at ease, and that we may know that thou hast told us the truth, and
that we may be witnesses thereof. Jesus, the son of Mary, said, O God
our Lord, cause a table to descend unto us from heaven, that the day of
its descent may become a festival day unto us, unto the first of us, and
unto the last of us, and a sign from thee; and do thou provide food for
us, for thou art the best provider. God said, Verily I will cause it to
descend unto you; but whoever among you shall disbelieve hereafter, I
will surely punish him with a punishment wherewith I will not punish any
other creature. And when God shall say unto Jesus, at the last day, O
Jesus, son of Mary, hast thou said unto men, Take me and my mother for
two gods, beside God? He shall answer, Praise be unto thee! it is not
for me to say that which I ought not; if I had said so, thou wouldst
surely have known it: thou knowest what is in me, but I know not what is
in thee; for thou art the knower of secrets. I have not spoken to them
any other than what thou didst command me; namely, Worship God, my Lord
and your Lord: and I was a witness of their actions while I stayed among
them; but since thou hast taken me to thyself, thou hast been the
watcher over them; for thou art witness of all things. If thou punish
them, they are surely thy servants; and if thou forgive them, thou art
mighty and wise. God will say, This day shall their veracity be of
advantage unto those who speak truth; they shall have gardens wherein
rivers flow, they shall remain therein forever: God hath been well
pleased in them, and they have been well pleased in him. This shall be
great felicity. Unto God belongeth the kingdom of heaven and of earth,
and of whatever therein is; and he is almighty.