Al Qalam

1 Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,

1 Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe,

2 By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.

2 You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.

3 And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut off.

3 And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.

4 And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality.

4 And indeed, you are of a great moral character.

5 So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,

5 So you will see and they will see

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

6 Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil].

7 Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course.

7 Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.

8 So do not yield to the rejecters.

8 Then do not obey the deniers.

9 They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant.

9 They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].

10 And yield not to any mean swearer

10 And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer

11 Defamer, going about with slander

11 [And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -

12 Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,

12 A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,

13 Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;

13 Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.

14 Because he possesses wealth and sons.

14 Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,

15 When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore.

15 When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."

16 We will brand him on the nose.

16 We will brand him upon the snout.

17 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,

17 Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning

18 And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor).

18 Without making exception.

19 Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping.

19 So there came upon the garden an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.

20 So it became as black, barren land.

20 And it became as though reaped.

21 And they called out to each other in the morning,

21 And they called one another at morning,

22 Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce).

22 [Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit."

23 So they went, while they consulted together secretly,

23 So they set out, while lowering their voices,

24 Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.

24 [Saying], "There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person."

25 And in the morning they went, having the power to prevent.

25 And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able.

26 But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have gone astray

26 But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost;

27 Nay! we are made to suffer privation.

27 Rather, we have been deprived."

28 The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)?

28 The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [Allah]?' "

29 They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.

29 They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."

30 Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other.

30 Then they approached one another, blaming each other.

31 Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:

31 They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors.

32 Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.

32 Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous."

33 Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!

33 Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.

34 Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with their Lord gardens of bliss.

34 Indeed, for the righteous with their Lord are the Gardens of Pleasure.

35 What! shall We then make (that is, treat) those who submit as the guilty?

35 Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?

36 What has happened to you? How do you judge?

36 What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?

37 Or have you a book wherein you read,

37 Or do you have a scripture in which you learn

38 That you have surely therein what you choose?

38 That indeed for you is whatever you choose?

39 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?

39 Or do you have oaths [binding] upon Us, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that indeed for you is whatever you judge?

40 Ask them which of them will vouch for that,

40 Ask them which of them, for that [claim], is responsible.

41 Or have they associates if they are truthful.

41 Or do they have partners? Then let them bring their partners, if they should be truthful.

42 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,

42 The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able,

43 Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe.

43 Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.

44 So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not:

44 So leave Me, [O Muhammad], with [the matter of] whoever denies the Qur'an. We will progressively lead them [to punishment] from where they do not know.

45 And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.

45 And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.

46 Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt?

46 Or do you ask of them a payment, so they are by debt burdened down?

47 Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they write (it) down?

47 Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?

48 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.

48 Then be patient for the decision of your Lord, [O Muhammad], and be not like the companion of the fish when he called out while he was distressed.

49 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.

49 If not that a favor from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.

50 Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.

50 And his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.

51 And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say: Most surely he is mad.

51 And indeed, those who disbelieve would almost make you slip with their eyes when they hear the message, and they say, "Indeed, he is mad."

52 And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.

52 But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.