Chapter 80, 42 verses
(The Prophet) frowned and turned away,
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم عبس وتولى
The Prophet frowned and turned away
Because there came to him the blind man (interrupting).
أن جاءه الأعمى
Because there came to him the blind man, [interrupting].
But what could tell thee but that perchance he might grow (in spiritual understanding)? -
وما يدريك لعله يزكى
But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified
Or that he might receive admonition, and the teaching might profit him?
أو يذكر فتنفعه الذكرى
Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him?
As to one who regards Himself as self - sufficient,
أما من استغنى
As for he who thinks himself without need,
To him dost thou attend;
فأنت له تصدى
To him you give attention.
Though it is no blame to thee if he grow not (in spiritual understanding).
وما عليك ألا يزكى
And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified.
But as to him who came to thee striving earnestly,
وأما من جاءك يسعى
But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge]
And with fear (in his heart),
وهو يخشى
While he fears [Allah],
Of him wast thou unmindful.
فأنت عنه تلهى
From him you are distracted.
By no means (should it be so)! For it is indeed a Message of instruction:
كلا إنها تذكرة
No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder;
Therefore let whoso will, keep it in remembrance.
فمن شاء ذكره
So whoever wills may remember it.
(It is) in Books held (greatly) in honour,
في صحف مكرمة
[It is recorded] in honored sheets,
Exalted (in dignity), kept pure and holy,
مرفوعة مطهرة
Exalted and purified,
(Written) by the hands of scribes -
بأيدي سفرة
[Carried] by the hands of messenger - angels,
Honourable and Pious and Just.
كرام بررة
Noble and dutiful.
Woe to man! What hath made him reject Allah;
قتل الإنسان ما أكفره
Cursed is man; how disbelieving is he.
From what stuff hath He created him?
من أي شيء خلقه
From what substance did He create him?
From a sperm - drop: He hath created him, and then mouldeth him in due proportions;
من نطفة خلقه فقدره
From a sperm - drop He created him and destined for him;
Then doth He make His path smooth for him;
ثم السبيل يسره
Then He eased the way for him;
Then He causeth him to die, and putteth him in his grave;
ثم أماته فأقبره
Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him.
Then, when it is His Will, He will raise him up (again).
ثم إذا شاء أنشره
Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.
By no means hath he fulfilled what Allah hath commanded him.
كلا لما يقض ما أمره
No! Man has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.
Then let man look at his food, (and how We provide it):
فلينظر الإنسان إلى طعامه
Then let mankind look at his food -
For that We pour forth water in abundance,
أنا صببنا الماء صبا
How We poured down water in torrents,
And We split the earth in fragments,
ثم شققنا الأرض شقا
Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts],
And produce therein corn,
فأنبتنا فيها حبا
And caused to grow within it grain
And Grapes and nutritious plants,
وعنبا وقضبا
And grapes and herbage
And Olives and Dates,
وزيتونا ونخلا
And olive and palm trees
And enclosed Gardens, dense with lofty trees,
وحدائق غلبا
And gardens of dense shrubbery
And fruits and fodder, -
وفاكهة وأبا
And fruit and grass -
For use and convenience to you and your cattle.
متاعا لكم ولأنعامكم
[As] enjoyment for you and your grazing livestock.
At length, when there comes the Deafening Noise, -
فإذا جاءت الصاخة
But when there comes the Deafening Blast
That Day shall a man flee from his own brother,
يوم يفر المرء من أخيه
On the Day a man will flee from his brother
And from his mother and his father,
وأمه وأبيه
And his mother and his father
And from his wife and his children.
وصاحبته وبنيه
And his wife and his children,
Each one of them, that Day, will have enough concern (of his own) to make him indifferent to the others.
لكل امرئ منهم يومئذ شأن يغنيه
For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.
Some faces that Day will be beaming,
وجوه يومئذ مسفرة
[Some] faces, that Day, will be bright -
Laughing, rejoicing.
ضاحكة مستبشرة
Laughing, rejoicing at good news.
And other faces that Day will be dust - stained,
ووجوه يومئذ عليها غبرة
And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.
Blackness will cover them:
ترهقها قترة
Blackness will cover them.
Such will be the Rejecters of Allah, the doers of iniquity.
أولئك هم الكفرة الفجرة
Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.