for us out of what the earth grows, of its herbs and its cucumbers and its garlic and its lentils and its onions. He said: Would you exchange that which is better for that which is worse? Enter a city, so you will have what you ask for. And abasement and humiliation were stamped upon them, and they incurred Allah’s wrath. That was so because they disbelieved in the messages of Allah and would kill the prophets unjustly. That was so because they disobeyed and exceeded the limits.
SECTION 8: Israelites’ Degeneration
62 Surely those who believe, and those who are Jews, and the Christians, and the Sabians, whoever believes in Allah and the Last Day and does good, they have their reward with their Lord, and there is no fear for them, nor shall they grieve.
63 And when We made a covenant with you and raised the mountain above you: Hold fast that which We have given you, and bear in mind what is in it, so that you may guard against evil.
64 Then after that you turned back; and had it not been for the grace of Allah and His mercy on you, you had certainly been among the losers.
65 And indeed you know those among you who violated the Sabbath, so We said to them: Be (as) apes, despised and hated.
66 So We made them an example to those who witnessed it and those who came after it and an admonition to those who guard against evil.
67 And when Moses said to his people: Surely Allah commands you to sacrifice a cow. They said: Dost thou ridicule us? He said: I seek refuge with Allah from being one of the ignorant.
68 They said: Call on thy Lord for our sake to make it plain to us what she is. (Moses) said: He says, Surely she is a cow neither advanced in age nor too young, of middle age between these (two); so do what you are commanded.
69 They said: Call on thy Lord for our sake to make it clear to us what her colour is. (Moses) said: He says, She is a yellow cow; her colour is intensely yellow delighting the beholders.
70 They said: Call on thy Lord for our sake to make it clear to us what she is, for surely to us the cows are all alike, and if Allah please we shall surely be guided aright.
71 (Moses) said: He says: She is a cow not made submissive to plough the land, nor does she water the tilth, sound, without a blemish in her. They said: Now thou hast brought the truth. So they slaughtered her, though they had not the mind to do (it).
SECTION 9: They grow in Hard-heartedness
72 And when you (almost) killed a man, then you disagreed about it. And Allah was to bring forth that which you were going to hide.
73 So We said: Smite him with it partially. Thus Allah brings the dead to life, and He shows you His signs that you may understand.
74 Then your hearts hardened after that, so that they were like rocks, rather worse in hardness. And surely there are some rocks from which streams burst forth; and there are some of them which split asunder so water flows from them; and there are some of them which fall down for the fear of Allah. And Allah is not heedless of what you do.
75 Do you then hope that they would believe in you, and a party from among them indeed used to hear the word of Allah, then altered it after they had understood it, and they know (this).
76 And when they meet those who believe they say, We believe, and when they are apart one with another they say: Do you talk to them of what Allah has disclosed to you that they may contend with you by this before your Lord? Do you not understand?
77 Do they not know that Allah knows what they keep secret and what they make known?
78 And some of them are illiterate; they know not the Book but only (from) hearsay, and they do but conjecture.
79 Woe! then to those who write the Book with their hands then say, This is from Allah; so that they may take for it a small price. So woe! to them for what their hands write and woe! to them for what they earn.
80 And they say: Fire will not touch us but for a few days. Say: Have you received a promise from Allah? Then Allah will not fail to perform His promise. Or do you speak against Allah what you know not?
81 Yea, whoever earns evil and his sins beset him on every side, those are the companions of the Fire; therein they abide.
82 And those who believe and do good deeds, these are the owners of the Garden; therein they abide.
SECTION 10: Their Covenant and its Violation
83 And when We made a covenant with the Children of Israel: You shall serve none but Allah. And do good to (your) parents, and to the near of kin and to orphans and the needy, and speak good (words) to (all) men, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate. Then you turned back except a few of you, and you are averse.
84 And when We made a covenant with you: You shall not shed your blood, nor turn your people out of your cities; then you promised and you bear witness.
85 Yet you it is who would slay your people and turn a party from among you out of their homes, backing each other up against them unlawfully and exceeding the limits. And if they should come to you as captives you would ransom them, whereas their turning out itself was unlawful for you. Do you then believe in a part of the Book and disbelieve in the other? What then is the reward of such among you as do this but disgrace in the life of this world, and on the day of Resurrection they shall be sent back to the most grievous chastisement. And Allah is not heedless of what you do.
86 These are they who buy the life of this world for the Hereafter, so their chastisement shall not be lightened, nor shall they be helped.
SECTION 11: They reject the Prophet
87 And We indeed gave Moses the Book and We sent messengers after him one after another; and We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear arguments and strengthened him with the Holy Spirit. Is it then that whenever there came to you a messenger with what your souls desired not, you were arrogant? And some you gave the lie to and others you would slay.
88 And they say: Our hearts are repositories. Nay, Allah has cursed them on account of their unbelief; so little it is that they believe.
89 And when there came to them a Book from Allah verifying that which they have, and aforetime they used to pray for victory against those who disbelieved — but when there came to them that which they recognized, they disbelieved in it; so Allah’s curse is on the disbelievers.
90 Evil is that for which they sell their souls — that they should deny that which Allah has revealed, out of envy that Allah should send down of His grace on whomsoever of His servants He pleases; so they incur wrath upon wrath. And there is an abasing chastisement for the disbelievers.
91 And when it is said to them, Believe in that which Allah has revealed, they say: We believe in that which was revealed to us. And they deny what is besides that, while it is the Truth verifying that which they have. Say: Why then did you kill Allah’s prophets before (this) if you were believers?
92 And Moses indeed came to you with clear arguments, then you took the calf (for a god) in his absence and you were wrongdoers.
93 And when We made a covenant with you and raised the mountain above you: Take hold of that which We
