Chapter 86, 17 verses
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. By the heaven, and At-Tariq (the night-comer, i.e. the bright star);
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم والسماء والطارق
I swear by the heaven and the comer by night;
And what will make you to know what At-Tariq (night-comer) is?
وما أدراك ما الطارق
And what will make you know what the comer by night is?
(It is) the star of piercing brightness;
النجم الثاقب
The star of piercing brightness;
There is no human being but has a protector over him (or her) (i.e. angels in charge of each human being guarding him, writing his good and bad deeds)
إن كل نفس لما عليها حافظ
There is not a soul but over it is a keeper.
So let man see from what he is created!
فلينظر الإنسان مم خلق
So let man consider of what he is created:
He is created from a water gushing forth,
خلق من ماء دافق
He is created of water pouring forth,
Proceeding from between the backbone and the ribs.
يخرج من بين الصلب والترائب
Coming from between the back and the ribs.
Verily, (Allah) is Able to bring him back (to life)!
إنه على رجعه لقادر
Most surely He is able to return him (to life).
The Day when all the secrets (deeds, prayers, fasting, etc.) will be examined (as to their truth).
يوم تبلى السرائر
On the day when hidden things shall be made manifest,
Then he will have no power, nor any helper.
فما له من قوة ولا ناصر
He shall have neither strength nor helper.
By the sky (having rain clouds) which gives rain, again and again.
والسماء ذات الرجع
I swear by the raingiving heavens,
And the earth which splits (with the growth of trees and plants).
والأرض ذات الصدع
And the earth splitting (with plants);
Verily, this (the Qur'an) is the Word that separates (the truth from falsehood, and commands strict laws for mankind to cut the roots of evil).
إنه لقول فصل
Most surely it is a decisive word,
And it is not a thing for amusement.
وما هو بالهزل
And it is no joke.
Verily, they are but plotting a plot (against you O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم).
إنهم يكيدون كيدا
Surely they will make a scheme,
And I (too) am planning a plan.
وأكيد كيدا
And I (too) will make a scheme.
So give a respite to the disbelievers; deal gently with them for a while.
فمهل الكافرين أمهلهم رويدا
So grant the unbelievers a respite: let them alone for a while.