الـقـلـم

1 Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe,

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

2 You are not, [O Muhammad], by the favor of your Lord, a madman.

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

3 And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.

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

4 And indeed, you are of a great moral character.

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

5 So you will see and they will see

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

6 Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil].

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

7 Indeed, your Lord is most knowing of who has gone astray from His way, and He is most knowing of the [rightly] guided.

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

8 Then do not obey the deniers.

8 So do not yield to the rejecters.

9 They wish that you would soften [in your position], so they would soften [toward you].

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

10 And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer

10 And yield not to any mean swearer

11 [And] scorner, going about with malicious gossip -

11 Defamer, going about with slander

12 A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,

12 Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,

13 Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.

13 Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;

14 Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,

14 Because he possesses wealth and sons.

15 When Our verses are recited to him, he says, "Legends of the former peoples."

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

16 We will brand him upon the snout.

16 We will brand him on the nose.

17 Indeed, We have tried them as We tried the companions of the garden, when they swore to cut its fruit in the [early] morning

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,

18 Without making exception.

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

19 So there came upon the garden an affliction from your Lord while they were asleep.

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

20 And it became as though reaped.

20 So it became as black, barren land.

21 And they called one another at morning,

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

22 [Saying], "Go early to your crop if you would cut the fruit."

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

23 So they set out, while lowering their voices,

23 So they went, while they consulted together secretly,

24 [Saying], "There will surely not enter it today upon you [any] poor person."

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

25 And they went early in determination, [assuming themselves] able.

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

26 But when they saw it, they said, "Indeed, we are lost;

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

27 Rather, we have been deprived."

27 Nay! we are made to suffer privation.

28 The most moderate of them said, "Did I not say to you, 'Why do you not exalt [Allah]?' "

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

29 They said, "Exalted is our Lord! Indeed, we were wrongdoers."

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

30 Then they approached one another, blaming each other.

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

31 They said, "O woe to us; indeed we were transgressors.

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

32 Perhaps our Lord will substitute for us [one] better than it. Indeed, we are toward our Lord desirous."

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

33 Such is the punishment [of this world]. And the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew.

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

34 Indeed, for the righteous with their Lord are the Gardens of Pleasure.

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

35 Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?

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

36 What is [the matter] with you? How do you judge?

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

37 Or do you have a scripture in which you learn

37 Or have you a book wherein you read,

38 That indeed for you is whatever you choose?

38 That you have surely therein what you choose?

39 Or do you have oaths [binding] upon Us, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that indeed for you is whatever you judge?

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?

40 Ask them which of them, for that [claim], is responsible.

40 Ask them which of them will vouch for that,

41 Or do they have partners? Then let them bring their partners, if they should be truthful.

41 Or have they associates if they are truthful.

42 The Day the shin will be uncovered and they are invited to prostration but the disbelievers will not be able,

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,

43 Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. And they used to be invited to prostration while they were sound.

43 Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe.

44 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.

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

45 And I will give them time. Indeed, My plan is firm.

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

46 Or do you ask of them a payment, so they are by debt burdened down?

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

47 Or have they [knowledge of] the unseen, so they write [it] down?

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

48 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.

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.

49 If not that a favor from his Lord overtook him, he would have been thrown onto the naked shore while he was censured.

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.

50 And his Lord chose him and made him of the righteous.

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

51 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."

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.

52 But it is not except a reminder to the worlds.

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