Chapter 75, 40 verses
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Nay, I swear by the Day of Resurrection;
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم لا أقسم بيوم القيامة
I do call to witness the Resurrection Day;
Nay, I swear by the accusing soul (that this Scripture is true).
ولا أقسم بالنفس اللوامة
And I do call to witness the self - reproaching spirit: (Eschew Evil).
Thinketh man that We shall not assemble his bones ?
أيحسب الإنسان ألن نجمع عظامه
Does man think that We cannot assemble his bones?
Yea, verily. We are Able to restore his very fingers!
بلى قادرين على أن نسوي بنانه
Nay, We are able to put together in perfect order the very tips of his fingers.
But man would fain deny what is before him.
بل يريد الإنسان ليفجر أمامه
But man wishes to do wrong (even) in the time in front of him.
He asketh: When will be this Day of Resurrection ?
يسأل أيان يوم القيامة
He questions: "When is the Day of Resurrection?"
But when sight is confounded
فإذا برق البصر
At length, when the sight is dazed,
And the moon is eclipsed
وخسف القمر
And the moon is buried in darkness.
And sun and moon are united,
وجمع الشمس والقمر
And the sun and moon are joined together, -
On that day man will cry: Whither to flee!
يقول الإنسان يومئذ أين المفر
That Day will Man say: "Where is the refuge?"
Alas! No refuge!
كلا لا وزر
By no means! No place of safety!
Unto thy Lord is the recourse that day.
إلى ربك يومئذ المستقر
Before thy Lord (alone), that Day will be the place of rest.
On that day man is told the tale of that which he hath sent before and left behind.
ينبأ الإنسان يومئذ بما قدم وأخر
That Day will Man be told (all) that he put forward, and all that he put back.
Oh, but man is a telling witness against himself,
بل الإنسان على نفسه بصيرة
Nay, man will be evidence against himself,
Although he tender his excuses.
ولو ألقى معاذيره
Even though he were to put up his excuses.
Stir not thy tongue herewith to hasten it.
لا تحرك به لسانك لتعجل به
Move not thy tongue concerning the (Qur'an) to make haste therewith.
Lo! upon Us (resteth) the putting together thereof and the reading thereof.
إن علينا جمعه وقرآنه
It is for Us to collect it and to promulgate it:
And when We read it, follow thou the reading;
فإذا قرأناه فاتبع قرآنه
But when We have promulgated it, follow thou its recital (as promulgated):
Then lo! upon Us (resteth) the explanation thereof.
ثم إن علينا بيانه
Nay more, it is for Us to explain it (and make it clear):
Nay, but ye do love the fleeting Now
كلا بل تحبون العاجلة
Nay, (ye men!) but ye love the fleeting life,
And neglect the Hereafter.
وتذرون الآخرة
And leave alone the Hereafter.
That day will faces be resplendent,
وجوه يومئذ ناضرة
Some faces, that Day, will beam (in brightness and beauty); -
Looking toward their Lord;
إلى ربها ناظرة
Looking towards their Lord;
And that day will other faces be despondent,
ووجوه يومئذ باسرة
And some faces, that Day, will be sad and dismal,
Thou wilt know that some great disaster is about to fall on them.
تظن أن يفعل بها فاقرة
In the thought that some back - breaking calamity was about to be inflicted on them;
Nay, but when the life cometh up to the throat
كلا إذا بلغت التراقي
Yea, when (the soul) reaches to the collar - bone (in its exit),
And men say: Where is the wizard (who can save him now) ?
وقيل من ۜ راق
And there will be a cry, "Who is a magician (to restore him)?"
And he knoweth that it is the parting;
وظن أنه الفراق
And he will conclude that it was (the Time) of Parting;
And agony is heaped on agony;
والتفت الساق بالساق
And one leg will be joined with another:
Unto thy Lord that day will be the driving.
إلى ربك يومئذ المساق
That Day the Drive will be (all) to thy Lord!
For he neither trusted, nor prayed.
فلا صدق ولا صلى
So he gave nothing in charity, nor did he pray! -
But he denied and flouted.
ولكن كذب وتولى
But on the contrary, he rejected Truth and turned away!
Then went he to his folk with glee.
ثم ذهب إلى أهله يتمطى
Then did he stalk to his family in full conceit!
Nearer unto thee and nearer,
أولى لك فأولى
Woe to thee, (O men!), yea, woe!
Again nearer unto thee and nearer (is the doom).
ثم أولى لك فأولى
Again, Woe to thee, (O men!), yea, woe!
Thinketh man that he is to be left aimless ?
أيحسب الإنسان أن يترك سدى
Does man think that he will be left uncontrolled, (without purpose)?
Was he not a drop of fluid which gushed forth ?
ألم يك نطفة من مني يمنى
Was he not a drop of sperm emitted (in lowly form)?
Then he became a clot; then (Allah) shaped and fashioned
ثم كان علقة فخلق فسوى
Then did he become a leech - like clot; then did (Allah) make and fashion (him) in due proportion.
And made of him a pair, the male and female.
فجعل منه الزوجين الذكر والأنثى
And of him He made two sexes, male and female.
Is not He (Who doeth so) Able to bring the dead to life ?
أليس ذلك بقادر على أن يحيي الموتى
Has not He, (the same), the power to give life to the dead?