Allah commanded them to give full measure, and forbade them to give short measure. He said: {Give full measure, and cause no loss.} meaning, 'when you give to people, give them full measure, and do not cause loss to them by giving them short measure, while taking full measure when you are the ones who are taking. Give as you take, and take as you give.' {And weigh with the true and straight balance.} The balance is the scales. {And defraud not people by reducing their things,} means, do not shortchange them. {nor do evil, making corruption and mischief in the land.} means, by engaging in banditry. This is like the Ayah, {And sit not on every road, threatening} 7:86. {And have Taqwa of Him Who created you and the generations of the men of old.} Here he is frightening them with the punishment of Allah Who created them and created their forefathers. This is like when Musa, peace be upon him, said: {Your Lord and the Lord of your ancient fathers!} 26:26. Ibn 'Abbas, Mujahid, As-Suddi, Sufyan bin 'Uyaynah and 'Abdur-Rahman bin Zayd bin Aslam said: {the generations of the men of old.} means, He created the early generations. And Ibn Zayd recited: {And indeed he (Shaytan) did lead astray a great multitude of you} 36:62.