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their destruction.
018.060 Behold, Moses said to his attendant, "I will not give up until I reach the junction of the two seas or (until) I
spend years and years in travel."
018.061 But when they reached the Junction, they forgot (about) their Fish, which took its course through the sea
(straight) as in a tunnel.
018.062 When they had passed on (some distance), Moses said to his attendant: "Bring us our early meal; truly we have
suffered much fatigue at this (stage of) our journey."
018.063 He replied: "Sawest thou (what happened) when we betook ourselves to the rock? I did indeed forget (about)
the Fish: none but Satan made me forget to tell (you) about it: it took its course through the sea in a marvellous way!"
018.064 Moses said: "That was what we were seeking after:" So they went back on their footsteps, following (the path
they had come).
018.065 So they found one of Our servants, on whom We had bestowed Mercy from Ourselves and whom We had
taught knowledge from Our own Presence.
018.066 Moses said to him: "May I follow thee, on the footing that thou teach me something of the (Higher) Truth
which thou hast been taught?"
018.067 (The other) said: "Verily thou wilt not be able to have patience with me!"
018.068 "And how canst thou have patience about things about which thy understanding is not complete?"
018.069 Moses said: "Thou wilt find me, if God so will, (truly) patient: nor shall I disobey thee in aught."
018.070 The other said: "If then thou wouldst follow me, ask me no questions about anything until I myself speak to
thee concerning it."
018.071 So they both proceeded: until, when they were in the boat, he scuttled it. Said Moses: "Hast thou scuttled it
in order to drown those in it? Truly a strange thing hast thou done!"
018.072 He answered: "Did I not tell thee that thou canst have no patience with me?"
018.073 Moses said: "Rebuke me not for forgetting, nor grieve me by raising difficulties in my case."
018.074 Then they proceeded: until, when they met a young man, he slew him. Moses said: "Hast thou slain an innocent
person who had slain none? Truly a foul (unheard of) thing hast thou done!"
018.075 He answered: "Did I not tell thee that thou canst have no patience with me?"
018.076 (Moses) said: "If ever I ask thee about anything after this, keep me not in thy company: then wouldst thou have
received (full) excuse from my side."
018.077 Then they proceeded: until, when they came to the inhabitants of a town, they asked them for food, but they
refused them hospitality. They found there a wall on the point of falling down, but he set it up straight. (Moses) said:
"If thou hadst wished, surely thou couldst have exacted some recompense for it!"
018.078 He answered: "This is the parting between me and thee: now will I tell thee the interpretation of (those things)
over which thou wast unable to hold patience.
018.079 "As for the boat, it belonged to certain men in dire want: they plied on the water: I but wished to render it
unserviceable, for there was after them a certain king who seized on every boat by force.
018.080 "As for the youth, his parents were people of Faith, and we feared that he would grieve them by obstinate
rebellion and ingratitude (to God and man).
018.081 "So we desired that their Lord would give them in exchange (a son) better in purity (of conduct) and closer
in affection.
018.082 "As for the wall, it belonged to two youths, orphans, in the Town; there was, beneath it, a buried treasure, to
which they were entitled: their father had been a righteous man: So thy Lord desired that they should attain their age
of full strength and get out their treasure - a mercy (and favour) from thy Lord. I did it not of my own accord. Such is
the interpretation of (those things) over which thou wast unable to hold patience."
018.083 They ask thee concerning Zul-qarnain. Say, "I will rehearse to you something of his story."
018.084 Verily We established his power on earth, and We gave him the ways and the means to all ends.
018.085 One (such) way he followed,
018.086 Until, when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it set in a spring of murky water: Near it he found a
People: We said: "O Zul-qarnain! (thou hast authority,) either to punish them, or to treat them with kindness."