Chapter 86, 17 verses
I swear by the heaven and the comer by night;
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم والسماء والطارق
By the sky and the night comer -
And what will make you know what the comer by night is?
وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الطَّارِقُ
وما أدراك ما الطارق
And what can make you know what is the night comer?
The star of piercing brightness;
النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ
النجم الثاقب
It is the piercing star -
There is not a soul but over it is a keeper.
إِن كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَّمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ
إن كل نفس لما عليها حافظ
There is no soul but that it has over it a protector.
So let man consider of what he is created:
فَلْيَنظُرِ الْإِنسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ
فلينظر الإنسان مم خلق
So let man observe from what he was created.
He is created of water pouring forth,
خُلِقَ مِن مَّاءٍ دَافِقٍ
خلق من ماء دافق
He was created from a fluid, ejected,
Coming from between the back and the ribs.
يَخْرُجُ مِن بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ
يخرج من بين الصلب والترائب
Emerging from between the backbone and the ribs.
Most surely He is able to return him (to life).
إِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ
إنه على رجعه لقادر
Indeed, Allah, to return him [to life], is Able.
On the day when hidden things shall be made manifest,
يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَائِرُ
يوم تبلى السرائر
The Day when secrets will be put on trial,
He shall have neither strength nor helper.
فَمَا لَهُ مِن قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ
فما له من قوة ولا ناصر
Then man will have no power or any helper.
I swear by the raingiving heavens,
وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ
والسماء ذات الرجع
By the sky which returns [rain]
And the earth splitting (with plants);
وَالْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدْعِ
والأرض ذات الصدع
And [by] the earth which cracks open,
Most surely it is a decisive word,
إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ
إنه لقول فصل
Indeed, the Qur'an is a decisive statement,
And it is no joke.
وَمَا هُوَ بِالْهَزْلِ
وما هو بالهزل
And it is not amusement.
Surely they will make a scheme,
إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا
إنهم يكيدون كيدا
Indeed, they are planning a plan,
And I (too) will make a scheme.
وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا
وأكيد كيدا
But I am planning a plan.
So grant the unbelievers a respite: let them alone for a while.
فَمَهِّلِ الْكَافِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًا
فمهل الكافرين أمهلهم رويدا
So allow time for the disbelievers. Leave them awhile.