Al Balad

1 I swear by this city, Makkah -

1 In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. I swear by this city (Makkah);

2 And you, [O Muhammad], are free of restriction in this city -

2 And you are free (from sin, and to punish the enemies of Islam on the Day of the conquest) in this city (Makkah).

3 And [by] the father and that which was born [of him],

3 And by the begetter (i.e. Adam عليه السلام) and that which he begot (i.e. his progeny).

4 We have certainly created man into hardship.

4 Verily, We have created man in toil.

5 Does he think that never will anyone overcome him?

5 Does he think that none can overcome him?

6 He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance."

6 He says (boastfully): "I have wasted wealth in abundance!"

7 Does he think that no one has seen him?

7 Does he think that none sees him?

8 Have We not made for him two eyes?

8 Have We not made for him two eyes,

9 And a tongue and two lips?

9 And a tongue and two lips?

10 And have shown him the two ways?

10 And shown him the two ways (good and evil)?

11 But he has not broken through the difficult pass.

11 But he has not attempted to pass on the path that is steep (i.e. the path which will lead to goodness and success).

12 And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass?

12 And what will make you know the path that is steep?

13 It is the freeing of a slave

13 (It is) freeing a neck (slave)

14 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger

14 Or giving food in a day of hunger (famine),

15 An orphan of near relationship

15 To an orphan near of kin.

16 Or a needy person in misery

16 Or to a Miskin (poor) cleaving to dust (out of misery).

17 And then being among those who believed and advised one another to patience and advised one another to compassion.

17 Then he became one of those who believed (in the Islamic Monotheism) and recommended one another to perseverance and patience, and (also) recommended one another to pity and compassion.

18 Those are the companions of the right.

18 They are those on the Right Hand (i.e. the dwellers of Paradise),

19 But they who disbelieved in Our signs - those are the companions of the left.

19 But those who disbelieved in Our Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they are those on the Left Hand (the dwellers of Hell).

20 Over them will be fire closed in.

20 The Fire will be shut over them (i.e. they will be enveloped by the Fire without any opening or window or outlet.