Al Qalam

1 Nun. By the pen and what they inscribe,

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

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

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

3 And indeed, for you is a reward uninterrupted.

3 Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:

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

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

5 So you will see and they will see

5 Soon wilt thou see, and they will 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 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.

8 Then do not obey the deniers.

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

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

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

10 And do not obey every worthless habitual swearer

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

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

11 A slanderer, going about with calumnies,

12 A preventer of good, transgressing and sinful,

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

13 Cruel, moreover, and an illegitimate pretender.

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

14 Because he is a possessor of wealth and children,

14 Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.

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

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

16 We will brand him upon the snout.

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

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 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.

18 Without making exception.

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

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

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

20 And it became as though reaped.

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

21 And they called one another at morning,

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

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

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

23 So they set out, while lowering their voices,

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

27 Rather, we have been deprived."

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

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

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

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

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

30 Then they approached one another, blaming each other.

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

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

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

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

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)!"

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

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

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

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

35 Then will We treat the Muslims like the criminals?

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

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

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

37 Or do you have a scripture in which you learn

37 Or have ye a book through which ye learn -

38 That indeed for you is whatever you choose?

38 That ye shall have, through it whatever ye 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 ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?

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

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

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

41 Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", 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 The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, 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 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).

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

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

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

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

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

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

47 Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can 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 with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish, - when he cried out in agony.

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

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

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

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

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

52 But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.