Al Ma'arij

1 One demanding, demanded the chastisement which must befall

1 A supplicant asked for a punishment bound to happen

2 The unbelievers - - there is none to avert it - -

2 To the disbelievers; of it there is no preventer.

3 From Allah, the Lord of the ways of Ascent.

3 [It is] from Allah, owner of the ways of ascent.

4 To Him ascend the angels and the Spirit in a day the measure of which is fifty thousand years.

4 The angels and the Spirit will ascend to Him during a Day the extent of which is fifty thousand years.

5 Therefore endure with a goodly patience.

5 So be patient with gracious patience.

6 Surely they think it to be far off,

6 Indeed, they see it [as] distant,

7 And We see it nigh.

7 But We see it [as] near.

8 On the day when the heaven shall be as molten copper

8 On the Day the sky will be like murky oil,

9 And the mountains shall be as tufts of wool

9 And the mountains will be like wool,

10 And friend shall not ask of friend

10 And no friend will ask [anything of] a friend,

11 (Though) they shall be made to see each other. The guilty one would fain redeem himself from the chastisement of that day by (sacrificing) his children,

11 They will be shown each other. The criminal will wish that he could be ransomed from the punishment of that Day by his children

12 And his wife and his brother

12 And his wife and his brother

13 And the nearest of his kinsfolk who gave him shelter,

13 And his nearest kindred who shelter him

14 And all those that are in the earth, (wishing) then (that) this might deliver him.

14 And whoever is on earth entirely [so] then it could save him.

15 By no means! Surely it is a flaming fire

15 No! Indeed, it is the Flame [of Hell],

16 Dragging by the head,

16 A remover of exteriors.

17 It shall claim him who turned and fled (from truth),

17 It invites he who turned his back [on truth] and went away [from obedience]

18 And amasses (wealth) then shuts it up.

18 And collected [wealth] and hoarded.

19 Surely man is created of a hasty temperament

19 Indeed, mankind was created anxious:

20 Being greatly grieved when evil afflicts him

20 When evil touches him, impatient,

21 And niggardly when good befalls him

21 And when good touches him, withholding [of it],

22 Except those who pray,

22 Except the observers of prayer -

23 Those who are constant at their prayer

23 Those who are constant in their prayer

24 And those in whose wealth there is a fixed portion.

24 And those within whose wealth is a known right

25 For him who begs and for him who is denied (good)

25 For the petitioner and the deprived -

26 And those who accept the truth of the judgment day

26 And those who believe in the Day of Recompense

27 And those who are fearful of the chastisement of their Lord - -

27 And those who are fearful of the punishment of their Lord -

28 Surely the chastisement of their Lord is (a thing) not to be felt secure of - -

28 Indeed, the punishment of their Lord is not that from which one is safe -

29 And those who guard their private parts,

29 And those who guard their private parts

30 Except in the case of their wives or those whom their right hands possess - - for these surely are not to be blamed,

30 Except from their wives or those their right hands possess, for indeed, they are not to be blamed -

31 But he who seeks to go beyond this, these it is that go beyond the limits - -

31 But whoever seeks beyond that, then they are the transgressors -

32 And those who are faithful to their trusts and their covenant

32 And those who are to their trusts and promises attentive

33 And those who are upright in their testimonies,

33 And those who are in their testimonies upright

34 And those who keep a guard on their prayer,

34 And those who [carefully] maintain their prayer:

35 Those shall be in gardens, honored.

35 They will be in gardens, honored.

36 But what is the matter with those who disbelieve that they hasten on around you,

36 So what is [the matter] with those who disbelieve, hastening [from] before you, [O Muhammad],

37 On the right hand and on the left, in sundry parties?

37 [To sit] on [your] right and [your] left in separate groups?

38 Does every man of them desire that he should be made to enter the garden of bliss?

38 Does every person among them aspire to enter a garden of pleasure?

39 By no means! Surely We have created them of what they know.

39 No! Indeed, We have created them from that which they know.

40 But nay! I swear by the Lord of the Easts and the Wests that We are certainly able

40 So I swear by the Lord of [all] risings and settings that indeed We are able

41 To bring instead (others) better than them, and We shall not be overcome.

41 To replace them with better than them; and We are not to be outdone.

42 Therefore leave them alone to go on with the false discourses and to sport until they come face to face with that day of theirs with which they are threatened;

42 So leave them to converse vainly and amuse themselves until they meet their Day which they are promised -

43 The day on which they shall come forth from their graves in haste, as if they were hastening on to a goal,

43 The Day they will emerge from the graves rapidly as if they were, toward an erected idol, hastening.

44 Their eyes cast down; disgrace shall overtake them; that is the day which they were threatened with.

44 Their eyes humbled, humiliation will cover them. That is the Day which they had been promised.