He said, “Chide me not that I forgat, nor lay on me a hard command.”

Then went they on till they met a youth, and he slew him. Said Moses, “Hast thou slain him who is free from guilt of blood? Now hast thou wrought a grievous thing!”

He said, “Did I not tell thee that thou couldst not have patience with me?”

Moses said, “If after this I ask thee aught, then let me be thy comrade no longer; but now hast thou my excuse.”

They went on till they came to the people of a city. Of this people they asked food, but they refused them for guests. And they found in it a wall that was about to fall, and he set it upright. Said Moses, “If thou hadst wished, for this thou mightest have obtained pay.”

He said, “This is the parting point between me and thee. But I will first tell thee the meaning of that which thou couldst not await with patience.

“As to the vessel, it belonged to poor men who toiled upon the sea, and I was minded to damage it, for in their rear was a king who seized every ship by force.

As to the youth his parents were believers, and we feared lest he should trouble them by error and infidelity.

And we desired that their Lord might give them in his place a child, better than he in virtue, and nearer to filial piety.

And as to the wall, it belonged to two orphan youths in the city, and beneath it was their treasure: and their father was a righteous man: and thy Lord desired that they should reach the age of strength, and take forth their treasure through the mercy of thy Lord. And not of mine own will have I done this. This is the interpretation of that which thou couldst not bear with patience.”

They will ask thee of Dhoulkarnain [the two-horned¹⁷]. SAY: I will recite to you an account of him.

We stablished his power upon the earth, and made for him a way to everything. And a route he followed,

Until when he reached the setting of the sun, he found it to set in a miry fount; and hard by he found a people.

We said, “O Dhoulkarnain! either chastise or treat them generously.”

“The impious,” said he, “will we surely chastise;” then shall he be taken back to his Lord, and he will chastise him with a grievous chastisement.

But as to him who believeth and doeth that which is right, he shall have a generous recompense, and we will lay on them our easy behests.

Then followed he a route,

Until when he reached the rising of the sun he found it to rise on a people to whom we had given no shelter from it.

Thus it was. And we had full knowledge of the forces that were with him.

Then followed he a route

Until he came between the two mountains, beneath which he found a people who scarce understood a language.