Al Balad

1 Nay! I swear by this city.

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Nay, I swear by this city -

1 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. I swear by this city (Makkah);

2 And you shall be made free from obligation in this city - -

2 And thou art an indweller of this city -

2 And you are free (from sin, and to punish the enemies of Islam on the Day of the conquest) in this city (Makkah).

3 And the begetter and whom he begot.

3 And the begetter and that which he begat,

3 And by the begetter (i.e. Adam عليه السلام) and that which he begot (i.e. his progeny).

4 Certainly We have created man to be in distress.

4 We verily have created man in an atmosphere:

4 Verily, We have created man in toil.

5 Does he think that no one has power over him?

5 Thinketh he that none hath power over him ?

5 Does he think that none can overcome him?

6 He shall say: I have wasted much wealth.

6 And he saith: I have destroyed vast wealth:

6 He says (boastfully): "I have wasted wealth in abundance!"

7 Does he think that no one sees him?

7 Thinketh he that none beholdeth him ?

7 Does he think that none sees him?

8 Have We not given him two eyes,

8 Did We not assign unto him two eyes

8 Have We not made for him two eyes,

9 And a tongue and two lips,

9 And a tongue and two lips,

9 And a tongue and two lips?

10 And pointed out to him the two conspicuous ways?

10 And guide him to the parting of the mountain ways ?

10 And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?

11 But he would not attempt the uphill road,

11 But he hath not attempted the Ascent -

11 But he has not attempted to pass on the path that is steep (i.e. the path which will lead to goodness and success).

12 And what will make you comprehend what the uphill road is?

12 Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is! -

12 And what will make you know the path that is steep?

13 (It is) the setting free of a slave,

13 (It is) to free a slave,

13 (It is) freeing a neck (slave)

14 Or the giving of food in a day of hunger

14 And to feed in the day of hunger.

14 Or giving food in a day of hunger (famine),

15 To an orphan, having relationship,

15 An orphan near of kin,

15 To an orphan near of kin.

16 Or to the poor man lying in the dust.

16 Or some poor wretch in misery,

16 Or to a Miskin (poor) cleaving to dust (out of misery).

17 Then he is of those who believe and charge one another to show patience, and charge one another to show compassion.

17 And to be of those who believe and exhort one another to perseverance and exhort one another to pity.

17 Then he became one of those who believed (in the Islamic Monotheism) and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion.

18 These are the people of the right hand.

18 Their place will be on the right hand.

18 They are those on the Right Hand (i.e. the dwellers of Paradise),

19 And (as for) those who disbelieve in our communications, they are the people of the left hand.

19 But those who disbelieve Our revelations, their place will be on the left hand.

19 But those who disbelieved in Our Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they are those on the Left Hand (the dwellers of Hell).

20 On them is fire closed over.

20 Fire will be an awning over them.

20 The Fire will be shut over them (i.e. they will be enveloped by the Fire without any opening or window or outlet.