Chapter 68, 52 verses
Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,
Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write, -
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ ن ۚ وَالْقَلَمِ وَمَا يَسْطُرُونَ
By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.
Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.
مَا أَنتَ بِنِعْمَةِ رَبِّكَ بِمَجْنُونٍ
And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut off.
Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:
وَإِنَّ لَكَ لَأَجْرًا غَيْرَ مَمْنُونٍ
And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality.
And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.
وَإِنَّكَ لَعَلَىٰ خُلُقٍ عَظِيمٍ
So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,
Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,
فَسَتُبْصِرُ وَيُبْصِرُونَ
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
بِأَييِّكُمُ الْمَفْتُونُ
Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course.
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.
إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِيلِهِ وَهُوَ أَعْلَمُ بِالْمُهْتَدِينَ
So do not yield to the rejecters.
So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).
فَلَا تُطِعِ الْمُكَذِّبِينَ
They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant.
Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.
وَدُّوا لَوْ تُدْهِنُ فَيُدْهِنُونَ
And yield not to any mean swearer
Heed not the type of despicable men, - ready with oaths,
وَلَا تُطِعْ كُلَّ حَلَّافٍ مَّهِينٍ
Defamer, going about with slander
A slanderer, going about with calumnies,
هَمَّازٍ مَّشَّاءٍ بِنَمِيمٍ
Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,
(Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,
مَّنَّاعٍ لِّلْخَيْرِ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ
Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;
Violent (and cruel), - with all that, base - born, -
عُتُلٍّ بَعْدَ ذَٰلِكَ زَنِيمٍ
Because he possesses wealth and sons.
Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.
أَن كَانَ ذَا مَالٍ وَبَنِينَ
When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore.
When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!
إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ
We will brand him on the nose.
Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!
سَنَسِمُهُ عَلَى الْخُرْطُومِ
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,
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.
إِنَّا بَلَوْنَاهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَا أَصْحَابَ الْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ
And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor).
But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").
وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ
Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping.
Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.
فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَائِفٌ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَائِمُونَ
So it became as black, barren land.
So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).
فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَالصَّرِيمِ
And they called out to each other in the morning,
As the morning broke, they called out, one to another, -
فَتَنَادَوْا مُصْبِحِينَ
Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce).
"Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."
أَنِ اغْدُوا عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَارِمِينَ
So they went, while they consulted together secretly,
So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying) -
فَانطَلَقُوا وَهُمْ يَتَخَافَتُونَ
Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.
"Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."
أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا الْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌ
And in the morning they went, having the power to prevent.
And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.
وَغَدَوْا عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍ قَادِرِينَ
But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have gone astray
But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:
فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوا إِنَّا لَضَالُّونَ
Nay! we are made to suffer privation.
"Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"
بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ
The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)?
Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'"
قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ
They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.
They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"
قَالُوا سُبْحَانَ رَبِّنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَالِمِينَ
Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other.
Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.
فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍ يَتَلَاوَمُونَ
Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:
They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!
قَالُوا يَا وَيْلَنَا إِنَّا كُنَّا طَاغِينَ
Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.
"It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"
عَسَىٰ رَبُّنَا أَن يُبْدِلَنَا خَيْرًا مِّنْهَا إِنَّا إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا رَاغِبُونَ
Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!
Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter, - if only they knew!
كَذَٰلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ۖ وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ۚ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with their Lord gardens of bliss.
Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.
إِنَّ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ عِندَ رَبِّهِمْ جَنَّاتِ النَّعِيمِ
What! shall We then make (that is, treat) those who submit as the guilty?
Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?
أَفَنَجْعَلُ الْمُسْلِمِينَ كَالْمُجْرِمِينَ
What has happened to you? How do you judge?
What is the matter with you? How judge ye?
مَا لَكُمْ كَيْفَ تَحْكُمُونَ
Or have you a book wherein you read,
Or have ye a book through which ye learn -
أَمْ لَكُمْ كِتَابٌ فِيهِ تَدْرُسُونَ
That you have surely therein what you choose?
That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?
إِنَّ لَكُمْ فِيهِ لَمَا تَخَيَّرُونَ
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 have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?
أَمْ لَكُمْ أَيْمَانٌ عَلَيْنَا بَالِغَةٌ إِلَىٰ يَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ ۙ إِنَّ لَكُمْ لَمَا تَحْكُمُونَ
Ask them which of them will vouch for that,
Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!
سَلْهُمْ أَيُّهُم بِذَٰلِكَ زَعِيمٌ
Or have they associates if they are truthful.
Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!
أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ فَلْيَأْتُوا بِشُرَكَائِهِمْ إِن كَانُوا صَادِقِينَ
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 that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able, -
يَوْمَ يُكْشَفُ عَن سَاقٍ وَيُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى السُّجُودِ فَلَا يَسْتَطِيعُونَ
Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe.
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).
خَاشِعَةً أَبْصَارُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۖ وَقَدْ كَانُوا يُدْعَوْنَ إِلَى السُّجُودِ وَهُمْ سَالِمُونَ
So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not:
Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.
فَذَرْنِي وَمَن يُكَذِّبُ بِهَٰذَا الْحَدِيثِ ۖ سَنَسْتَدْرِجُهُم مِّنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.
A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.
وَأُمْلِي لَهُمْ ۚ إِنَّ كَيْدِي مَتِينٌ
Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt?
Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt? -
أَمْ تَسْأَلُهُمْ أَجْرًا فَهُم مِّن مَّغْرَمٍ مُّثْقَلُونَ
Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they write (it) down?
Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?
أَمْ عِندَهُمُ الْغَيْبُ فَهُمْ يَكْتُبُونَ
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.
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.
فَاصْبِرْ لِحُكْمِ رَبِّكَ وَلَا تَكُن كَصَاحِبِ الْحُوتِ إِذْ نَادَىٰ وَهُوَ مَكْظُومٌ
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.
Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.
لَّوْلَا أَن تَدَارَكَهُ نِعْمَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّهِ لَنُبِذَ بِالْعَرَاءِ وَهُوَ مَذْمُومٌ
Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.
Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.
فَاجْتَبَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَجَعَلَهُ مِنَ الصَّالِحِينَ
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 the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"
وَإِن يَكَادُ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ بِأَبْصَارِهِمْ لَمَّا سَمِعُوا الذِّكْرَ وَيَقُولُونَ إِنَّهُ لَمَجْنُونٌ
And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.
But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.
وَمَا هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِّلْعَالَمِينَ