Al Qalam

1 Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write, -

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

2 Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.

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

3 Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

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

4 And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.

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

5 Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,

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

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

6 Which of you is afflicted with madness.

7 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.

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

8 So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).

8 So do not yield to the rejecters.

9 Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.

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

10 Heed not the type of despicable men, - ready with oaths,

10 And yield not to any mean swearer

11 A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

11 Defamer, going about with slander

12 (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,

12 Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,

13 Violent (and cruel), - with all that, base - born, -

13 Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;

14 Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

14 Because he possesses wealth and sons.

15 When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!

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

16 Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!

16 We will brand him on the nose.

17 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.

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 But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").

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

19 Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.

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

20 So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).

20 So it became as black, barren land.

21 As the morning broke, they called out, one to another, -

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

22 "Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."

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

23 So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying) -

23 So they went, while they consulted together secretly,

24 "Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."

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

25 And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.

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

26 But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:

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

27 "Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"

27 Nay! we are made to suffer privation.

28 Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'"

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

29 They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"

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

30 Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.

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

31 They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!

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

32 "It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"

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 (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter, - if only they knew!

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

34 Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.

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

35 Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?

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

36 What is the matter with you? How judge ye?

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

37 Or have ye a book through which ye learn -

37 Or have you a book wherein you read,

38 That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?

38 That you have surely therein what you choose?

39 Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?

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 thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!

40 Ask them which of them will vouch for that,

41 Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!

41 Or have they associates if they are truthful.

42 The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall 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 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).

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

44 Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.

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

45 A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.

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

46 Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt? -

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

47 Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?

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

48 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.

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 Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.

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 Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.

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

51 And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"

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 nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.

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