they have only to wait for one single blast [of punishment]: it shall not be delayed by one whit. 15 They say, 'Our Lord, hasten to us our share before the Day of Reckoning.' 16 Bear patiently what they say, and remember Our servant Dawood, the possessor of power; surely he was frequent in returning (to Allah). 17 Indeed We subjected the hills to say the praise with him, at night and at morn. 18 and the birds, too, in flocks, all turned to Him. 19 We made his kingdom strong and gave him wisdom and decisive speech. 20 ۞ Has the story of the litigants reached you -- of those who entered his private chambers by climbing over the wall? 21 As they came upon David, and he shrank back in fear from them, they said: "Fear not! [We are but] two litigants. One of us has wronged the other: so judge thou between us with justice, and deviate not from what is right, and show [both of] us the way to rectitude. 22 Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe; so he said, 'Entrust her to me,' and he overpowered me in speech." 23 He said: Surely he has been unjust to you in demanding your ewe (to add) to his own ewes; and most surely most of the partners act wrongfully towards one another, save those who believe and do good, and very few are they; and Dawood was sure that We had tried him, so he sought the protection of his Lord and he fell down bowing and turned time after time (to Him). ۩ 24 We forgave him his sins. His reward will be nearness to Us, a good place to return to. 25 "O David, We have made you trustee on the earth. So judge between men equitably, and do not follow your lust lest it should lead you astray from the way of God. Surely for those who go astray from the way of God, is severe punishment, for having forgotten the Day of Reckoning. 26