Al Qalam

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

1 In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful. Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),

1 Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write, -

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

2 Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman.

2 Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.

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

3 And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.

3 Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

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

4 And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.

4 And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.

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

5 And thou wilt see and they will see

5 Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

6 Which of you is the demented.

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

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

7 Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.

7 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.

8 So do not yield to the rejecters.

8 Therefor obey not thou the rejecters

8 So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).

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

9 Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.

9 Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.

10 And yield not to any mean swearer

10 Neither obey thou each feeble oath - monger,

10 Heed not the type of despicable men, - ready with oaths,

11 Defamer, going about with slander

11 Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,

11 A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

12 Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,

12 Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor

12 (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,

13 Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;

13 Greedy therewithal, intrusive.

13 Violent (and cruel), - with all that, base - born, -

14 Because he possesses wealth and sons.

14 It is because he is possessed of wealth and children

14 Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

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

15 That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.

15 When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!

16 We will brand him on the nose.

16 We shall brand him on the nose.

16 Soon shall We brand (the beast) on 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 Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,

17 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.

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

18 And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);

18 But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").

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

19 Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept

19 Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.

20 So it became as black, barren land.

20 And in the morning it was as if plucked.

20 So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).

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

21 And they cried out one unto another in the morning,

21 As the morning broke, they called out, one to another, -

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

22 Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).

22 "Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."

23 So they went, while they consulted together secretly,

23 So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:

23 So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying) -

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

24 No needy man shall enter it to - day against you.

24 "Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."

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

25 They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.

25 And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.

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

26 But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!

26 But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:

27 Nay! we are made to suffer privation.

27 Nay, but we are desolate!

27 "Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"

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

28 The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah) ?

28 Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'"

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

29 They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong - doers.

29 They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"

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

30 Then some of them drew near unto others, self - reproaching.

30 Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.

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

31 They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.

31 They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!

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

32 It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.

32 "It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"

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

33 Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know.

33 Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter, - if only they knew!

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

34 Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with their Lord.

34 Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.

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

35 Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty ?

35 Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?

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

36 What aileth you ? How foolishly ye judge!

36 What is the matter with you? How judge ye?

37 Or have you a book wherein you read,

37 Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn

37 Or have ye a book through which ye learn -

38 That you have surely therein what you choose?

38 That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose ?

38 That ye shall have, through it whatever ye 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 have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain ?

39 Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?

40 Ask them which of them will vouch for that,

40 Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that!

40 Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!

41 Or have they associates if they are truthful.

41 Or have they other gods ? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthful

41 Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are 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 On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able,

42 The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall 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 With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt.

43 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).

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

44 Leave Me (to deal) with those who give the lie to this pronouncement. We shall lead them on by steps from whence they know not.

44 Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.

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

45 Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm.

45 A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.

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

46 Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are heavily taxed ?

46 Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt? -

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

47 Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof) ?

47 Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can 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 But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair.

48 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.

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 Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate.

49 Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.

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

50 But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous.

50 Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company 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 lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee with their eyes when they hear the Reminder, and they say: Lo! he is indeed mad;

51 And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"

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

52 When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation.

52 But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.