Chapter 68, 52 verses
Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,
Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe,
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم ن ۚ والقلم وما يسطرون
Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write, -
By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.
You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.
ما أنت بنعمة ربك بمجنون
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.
And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.
وإن لك لأجرا غير ممنون
Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:
And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality.
And indeed, you are of a great moral character.
وإنك لعلى خلق عظيم
And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.
So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,
So you will see and they will see
فستبصر ويبصرون
Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil].
بأييكم المفتون
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.
Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.
إن ربك هو أعلم بمن ضل عن سبيله وهو أعلم بالمهتدين
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.
Then do not obey the deniers.
فلا تطع المكذبين
So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).
They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant.
They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].
ودوا لو تدهن فيدهنون
Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.
And yield not to any mean swearer
And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer
ولا تطع كل حلاف مهين
Heed not the type of despicable men, - ready with oaths,
Defamer, going about with slander
[And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -
هماز مشاء بنميم
A slanderer, going about with calumnies,
Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,
A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,
مناع للخير معتد أثيم
(Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,
Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;
Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.
عتل بعد ذلك زنيم
Violent (and cruel), - with all that, base - born, -
Because he possesses wealth and sons.
Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,
أن كان ذا مال وبنين
Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.
When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore.
When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."
إذا تتلى عليه آياتنا قال أساطير الأولين
When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!
We will brand him on the nose.
We will brand him upon the snout.
سنسمه على الخرطوم
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,
Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning
إنا بلوناهم كما بلونا أصحاب الجنة إذ أقسموا ليصرمنها مصبحين
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).
Without making exception.
ولا يستثنون
But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").
Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping.
So there came upon the garden an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.
فطاف عليها طائف من ربك وهم نائمون
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.
And it became as though reaped.
فأصبحت كالصريم
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,
And they called one another at morning,
فتنادوا مصبحين
As the morning broke, they called out, one to another, -
Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce).
[Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit."
أن اغدوا على حرثكم إن كنتم صارمين
"Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."
So they went, while they consulted together secretly,
So they set out, while lowering their voices,
فانطلقوا وهم يتخافتون
So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying) -
Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.
[Saying], "There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person."
أن لا يدخلنها اليوم عليكم مسكين
"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.
And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able.
وغدوا على حرد قادرين
And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.
But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have gone astray
But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost;
فلما رأوها قالوا إنا لضالون
But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:
Nay! we are made to suffer privation.
Rather, we have been deprived."
بل نحن محرومون
"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)?
The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [Allah]?' "
قال أوسطهم ألم أقل لكم لولا تسبحون
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.
They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."
قالوا سبحان ربنا إنا كنا ظالمين
They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"
Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other.
Then they approached one another, blaming each other.
فأقبل بعضهم على بعض يتلاومون
Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.
Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:
They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors.
قالوا يا ويلنا إنا كنا طاغين
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.
Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous."
عسى ربنا أن يبدلنا خيرا منها إنا إلى ربنا راغبون
"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!
Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.
كذلك العذاب ۖ ولعذاب الآخرة أكبر ۚ لو كانوا يعلمون
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.
Indeed, for the righteous with their Lord are the Gardens of Pleasure.
إن للمتقين عند ربهم جنات النعيم
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?
Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?
أفنجعل المسلمين كالمجرمين
Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?
What has happened to you? How do you judge?
What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?
ما لكم كيف تحكمون
What is the matter with you? How judge ye?
Or have you a book wherein you read,
Or do you have a scripture in which you learn
أم لكم كتاب فيه تدرسون
Or have ye a book through which ye learn -
That you have surely therein what you choose?
That indeed for you is whatever you choose?
إن لكم فيه لما تخيرون
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?
Or do you have oaths [binding] upon Us, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that indeed for you is whatever you judge?
أم لكم أيمان علينا بالغة إلى يوم القيامة ۙ إن لكم لما تحكمون
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,
Ask them which of them, for that [claim], is responsible.
سلهم أيهم بذلك زعيم
Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!
Or have they associates if they are truthful.
Or do they have partners? Then let them bring their partners, if they should be truthful.
أم لهم شركاء فليأتوا بشركائهم إن كانوا صادقين
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,
The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able,
يوم يكشف عن ساق ويدعون إلى السجود فلا يستطيعون
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.
Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.
خاشعة أبصارهم ترهقهم ذلة ۖ وقد كانوا يدعون إلى السجود وهم سالمون
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:
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.
فذرني ومن يكذب بهذا الحديث ۖ سنستدرجهم من حيث لا يعلمون
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.
And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.
وأملي لهم ۚ إن كيدي متين
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?
Or do you ask of them a payment, so they are by debt burdened down?
أم تسألهم أجرا فهم من مغرم مثقلون
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?
Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?
أم عندهم الغيب فهم يكتبون
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.
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.
فاصبر لحكم ربك ولا تكن كصاحب الحوت إذ نادى وهو مكظوم
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.
If not that a favor from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.
لولا أن تداركه نعمة من ربه لنبذ بالعراء وهو مذموم
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.
And his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.
فاجتباه ربه فجعله من الصالحين
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.
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."
وإن يكاد الذين كفروا ليزلقونك بأبصارهم لما سمعوا الذكر ويقولون إنه لمجنون
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.
But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.
وما هو إلا ذكر للعالمين
But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.