Al Buruj

1 I swear by the mansions of the stars,

1 By the sky, (displaying) the Zodiacal Signs;

2 And the promised day,

2 By the promised Day (of Judgment);

3 And the bearer of witness and those against whom the witness is borne.

3 By one that witnesses, and the subject of the witness; -

4 Cursed be the makers of the pit,

4 Woe to the makers of the pit (of fire),

5 Of the fire (kept burning) with fuel,

5 Fire supplied (abundantly) with fuel:

6 When they sat by it,

6 Behold! they sat over against the (fire),

7 And they were witnesses of what they did with the believers.

7 And they witnessed (all) that they were doing against the Believers.

8 And they did not take vengeance on them for aught except that they believed in Allah, the Mighty, the Praised,

8 And they ill - treated them for no other reason than that they believed in Allah, Exalted in Power, Worthy of all Praise! -

9 Whose is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth; and Allah is a Witness of all things.

9 Him to Whom belongs the dominion of the heavens and the earth! And Allah is Witness to all things.

10 Surely (as for) those who persecute the believing men and the believing women, then do not repent, they shall have the chastisement of hell, and they shall have the chastisement of burning.

10 Those who persecute (or draw into temptation) the Believers, men and women, and do not turn in repentance, will have the Penalty of Hell: They will have the Penalty of the Burning Fire.

11 Surely (as for) those who believe and do good, they shall have gardens beneath which rivers flow, that is the great achievement.

11 For those who believe and do righteous deeds, will be Gardens; beneath which rivers flow: That is the great Salvation, (the fulfilment of all desires),

12 Surely the might of your Lord is great.

12 Truly strong is the Grip (and Power) of thy Lord.

13 Surely He it is Who originates and reproduces,

13 It is He Who creates from the very beginning, and He can restore (life).

14 And He is the Forgiving, the Loving,

14 And He is the Oft - Forgiving, Full of Loving - Kindness,

15 Lord of the Arsh, the Glorious,

15 Lord of the Throne of Glory,

16 The great doer of what He will.

16 Doer (without let) of all that He intends.

17 Has not there come to you the story of the hosts,

17 Has the story reached thee, of the forces -

18 Of Firon and Samood?

18 Of Pharaoh and the Thamud?

19 Nay! those who disbelieve are in (the act of) giving the lie to the truth.

19 And yet the Unbelievers (persist) in rejecting (the Truth)!

20 And Allah encompasses them on every side.

20 But Allah doth encompass them from behind!

21 Nay! it is a glorious Quran,

21 Nay, this is a Glorious Qur'an,

22 In a guarded tablet.

22 (Inscribed) in a Tablet Preserved!