Chapter 68, 52 verses
Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,
Noon waalqalami wama yasturoona
Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write, -
By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.
Ma anta biniAAmati rabbika bimajnoonin
Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.
And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut off.
Wainna laka laajran ghayra mamnoonin
Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:
And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality.
Wainnaka laAAala khuluqin AAatheemin
And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.
So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,
Fasatubsiru wayubsiroona
Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
Biayyikumu almaftoonu
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course.
Inna rabbaka huwa aAAlamu biman dalla AAan sabeelihi wahuwa aAAlamu bialmuhtadeena
Verily it is thy Lord that knoweth best, which (among men) hath strayed from His Path: and He knoweth best those who receive (true) Guidance.
So do not yield to the rejecters.
Fala tutiAAi almukaththibeena
So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).
They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant.
Waddoo law tudhinu fayudhinoona
Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.
And yield not to any mean swearer
Wala tutiAA kulla hallafin maheenin
Heed not the type of despicable men, - ready with oaths,
Defamer, going about with slander
Hammazin mashshain binameemin
A slanderer, going about with calumnies,
Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,
MannaAAin lilkhayri muAAtadin atheemin
(Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,
Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;
AAutullin baAAda thalika zaneemin
Violent (and cruel), - with all that, base - born, -
Because he possesses wealth and sons.
An kana tha malin wabaneena
Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.
When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore.
Itha tutla AAalayhi ayatuna qala asateeru alawwaleena
When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!
We will brand him on the nose.
Sanasimuhu AAala alkhurtoomi
Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!
Surely We will try them as We tried the owners of the garden, when they swore that they would certainly cut off the produce in the morning,
Inna balawnahum kama balawna ashaba aljannati ith aqsamoo layasrimunnaha musbiheena
Verily We have tried them as We tried the People of the Garden, when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning.
And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor).
Wala yastathnoona
But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").
Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping.
Fatafa AAalayha taifun min rabbika wahum naimoona
Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.
So it became as black, barren land.
Faasbahat kaalssareemi
So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).
And they called out to each other in the morning,
Fatanadaw musbiheena
As the morning broke, they called out, one to another, -
Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce).
Ani ighdoo AAala harthikum in kuntum sarimeena
"Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."
So they went, while they consulted together secretly,
Faintalaqoo wahum yatakhafatoona
So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying) -
Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.
An la yadkhulannaha alyawma AAalaykum miskeenun
"Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."
And in the morning they went, having the power to prevent.
Waghadaw AAala hardin qadireena
And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.
But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have gone astray
Falamma raawha qaloo inna ladalloona
But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:
Nay! we are made to suffer privation.
Bal nahnu mahroomoona
"Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"
The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)?
Qala awsatuhum alam aqul lakum lawla tusabbihoona
Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'"
They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.
Qaloo subhana rabbina inna kunna thalimeena
They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"
Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other.
Faaqbala baAAduhum AAala baAAdin yatalawamoona
Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.
Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:
Qaloo ya waylana inna kunna tagheena
They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!
Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.
AAasa rabbuna an yubdilana khayran minha inna ila rabbina raghiboona
"It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"
Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!
Kathalika alAAathabu walaAAathabu alakhirati akbaru law kanoo yaAAlamoona
Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter, - if only they knew!
Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with their Lord gardens of bliss.
Inna lilmuttaqeena AAinda rabbihim jannati alnnaAAeemi
Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.
What! shall We then make (that is, treat) those who submit as the guilty?
AfanajAAalu almuslimeena kaalmujrimeena
Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?
What has happened to you? How do you judge?
Ma lakum kayfa tahkumoona
What is the matter with you? How judge ye?
Or have you a book wherein you read,
Am lakum kitabun feehi tadrusoona
Or have ye a book through which ye learn -
That you have surely therein what you choose?
Inna lakum feehi lama takhayyaroona
That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?
Or have you received from Us an agreement confirmed by an oath extending to the day of resurrection that you shall surely have what you demand?
Am lakum aymanun AAalayna balighatun ila yawmi alqiyamati inna lakum lama tahkumoona
Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?
Ask them which of them will vouch for that,
Salhum ayyuhum bithalika zaAAeemun
Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!
Or have they associates if they are truthful.
Am lahum shurakao falyatoo bishurakaihim in kanoo sadiqeena
Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!
On the day when there shall be a severe affliction, and they shall be called upon to make obeisance, but they shall not be able,
Yawma yukshafu AAan saqin wayudAAawna ila alssujoodi fala yastateeAAoona
The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able, -
Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe.
KhashiAAatan absaruhum tarhaquhum thillatun waqad kanoo yudAAawna ila alssujoodi wahum salimoona
Their eyes will be cast down, - ignominy will cover them; seeing that they had been summoned aforetime to bow in adoration, while they were whole, (and had refused).
So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not:
Fatharnee waman yukaththibu bihatha alhadeethi sanastadrijuhum min haythu la yaAAlamoona
Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.
And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.
Waomlee lahum inna kaydee mateenun
A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.
Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt?
Am tasaluhum ajran fahum min maghramin muthqaloona
Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt? -
Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they write (it) down?
Am AAindahumu alghaybu fahum yaktuboona
Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?
So wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord, and be not like the companion of the fish, when he cried while he was in distress.
Faisbir lihukmi rabbika wala takun kasahibi alhooti ith nada wahuwa makthoomun
So wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish, - when he cried out in agony.
Were it not that favor from his Lord had overtaken him, he would certainly have been cast down upon the naked Found while he was blamed.
Lawla an tadarakahu niAAmatun min rabbihi lanubitha bialAAarai wahuwa mathmoomun
Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.
Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.
Faijtabahu rabbuhu fajaAAalahu mina alssaliheena
Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.
And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say: Most surely he is mad.
Wain yakadu allatheena kafaroo layuzliqoonaka biabsarihim lamma samiAAoo alththikra wayaqooloona innahu lamajnoonun
And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"
And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.
Wama huwa illa thikrun lilAAalameena
But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.