Yusuf Ali
Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write, -
Shakir
Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,
Al Qalam
Chapter 68, 52 verses
Yusuf Ali
Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.
Shakir
By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.
Yusuf Ali
Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:
Shakir
And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut off.
Yusuf Ali
And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.
Shakir
And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime morality.
Yusuf Ali
Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,
Shakir
So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,
Yusuf Ali
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
Shakir
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
Yusuf Ali
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.
Shakir
Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right course.
Yusuf Ali
So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).
Shakir
So do not yield to the rejecters.
Yusuf Ali
Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.
Shakir
They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would be pliant.
Yusuf Ali
Heed not the type of despicable men, - ready with oaths,
Shakir
And yield not to any mean swearer
Yusuf Ali
A slanderer, going about with calumnies,
Shakir
Defamer, going about with slander
Yusuf Ali
(Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,
Shakir
Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,
Yusuf Ali
Violent (and cruel), - with all that, base - born, -
Shakir
Ignoble, besides all that, base - born;
Yusuf Ali
Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.
Shakir
Because he possesses wealth and sons.
Yusuf Ali
When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!
Shakir
When Our communications are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore.
Yusuf Ali
Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!
Shakir
We will brand him on the nose.
Yusuf Ali
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.
Shakir
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,
Yusuf Ali
But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").
Shakir
And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor).
Yusuf Ali
Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.
Shakir
Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping.
Yusuf Ali
So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).
Shakir
So it became as black, barren land.
Yusuf Ali
As the morning broke, they called out, one to another, -
Shakir
And they called out to each other in the morning,
Yusuf Ali
"Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."
Shakir
Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the produce).
Yusuf Ali
So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying) -
Shakir
So they went, while they consulted together secretly,
Yusuf Ali
"Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."
Shakir
Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.
Yusuf Ali
And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.
Shakir
And in the morning they went, having the power to prevent.
Yusuf Ali
But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:
Shakir
But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have gone astray
Yusuf Ali
"Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"
Shakir
Nay! we are made to suffer privation.
Yusuf Ali
Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'"
Shakir
The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)?
Yusuf Ali
They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"
Shakir
They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.
Yusuf Ali
Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.
Shakir
Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other.
Yusuf Ali
They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!
Shakir
Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:
Yusuf Ali
"It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"
Shakir
Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.
Yusuf Ali
Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter, - if only they knew!
Shakir
Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!
Yusuf Ali
Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.
Shakir
Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with their Lord gardens of bliss.
Yusuf Ali
Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?
Shakir
What! shall We then make (that is, treat) those who submit as the guilty?
Yusuf Ali
What is the matter with you? How judge ye?
Shakir
What has happened to you? How do you judge?
Yusuf Ali
Or have ye a book through which ye learn -
Shakir
Or have you a book wherein you read,
Yusuf Ali
That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?
Shakir
That you have surely therein what you choose?
Yusuf Ali
Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?
Shakir
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?
Yusuf Ali
Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!
Shakir
Ask them which of them will vouch for that,
Yusuf Ali
Or have they some "Partners" (in Allahhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!
Shakir
Or have they associates if they are truthful.
Yusuf Ali
The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able, -
Shakir
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,
Yusuf Ali
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).
Shakir
Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe.
Yusuf Ali
Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.
Shakir
So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not:
Yusuf Ali
A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.
Shakir
And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.
Yusuf Ali
Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt? -
Shakir
Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt?
Yusuf Ali
Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?
Shakir
Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they write (it) down?
Yusuf Ali
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.
Shakir
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.
Yusuf Ali
Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.
Shakir
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.
Yusuf Ali
Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.
Shakir
Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.
Yusuf Ali
And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"
Shakir
And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say: Most surely he is mad.
Yusuf Ali
But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.
Shakir
And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.