Al Fajr

1 By the break of Day

1 By the dawn

2 By the Nights twice five;

2 And [by] ten nights

3 By the even and odd (contrasted);

3 And [by] the even [number] and the odd

4 And by the Night when it passeth away; -

4 And [by] the night when it passes,

5 Is there (not) in these an adjuration (or evidence) for those who understand?

5 Is there [not] in [all] that an oath [sufficient] for one of perception?

6 Seest thou not how thy Lord dealt with the 'Ad (people), -

6 Have you not considered how your Lord dealt with 'Aad -

7 Of the (city of) Iram, with lofty pillars,

7 [With] Iram - who had lofty pillars,

8 The like of which were not produced in (all) the land?

8 The likes of whom had never been created in the land?

9 And with the Thamud (people), who cut out (huge) rocks in the valley? -

9 And [with] Thamud, who carved out the rocks in the valley?

10 And with Pharaoh, lord of stakes?

10 And [with] Pharaoh, owner of the stakes? -

11 (All) these transgressed beyond bounds in the lands,

11 [All of] whom oppressed within the lands

12 And heaped therein mischief (on mischief).

12 And increased therein the corruption.

13 Therefore did thy Lord pour on them a scourge of diverse chastisements:

13 So your Lord poured upon them a scourge of punishment.

14 For thy Lord is (as a Guardian) on a watch - tower.

14 Indeed, your Lord is in observation.

15 Now, as for man, when his Lord trieth him, giving him honour and gifts, then saith he, (puffed up), "My Lord hath honoured me."

15 And as for man, when his Lord tries him and [thus] is generous to him and favors him, he says, "My Lord has honored me."

16 But when He trieth him, restricting his subsistence for him, then saith he (in despair), "My Lord hath humiliated me!"

16 But when He tries him and restricts his provision, he says, "My Lord has humiliated me."

17 Nay, nay! but ye honour not the orphans!

17 No! But you do not honor the orphan

18 Nor do ye encourage one another to feed the poor! -

18 And you do not encourage one another to feed the poor.

19 And ye devour inheritance - all with greed,

19 And you consume inheritance, devouring [it] altogether,

20 And ye love wealth with inordinate love!

20 And you love wealth with immense love.

21 Nay! When the earth is pounded to powder,

21 No! When the earth has been leveled - pounded and crushed -

22 And thy Lord cometh, and His angels, rank upon rank,

22 And your Lord has come and the angels, rank upon rank,

23 And Hell, that Day, is brought (face to face), - on that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance profit him?

23 And brought [within view], that Day, is Hell - that Day, man will remember, but what good to him will be the remembrance?

24 He will say: "Ah! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my (Future) Life!"

24 He will say, "Oh, I wish I had sent ahead [some good] for my life."

25 For, that Day, His Chastisement will be such as none (else) can inflict,

25 So on that Day, none will punish [as severely] as His punishment,

26 And His bonds will be such as none (other) can bind.

26 And none will bind [as severely] as His binding [of the evildoers].

27 (To the righteous soul will be said:) "O (thou) soul, in (complete) rest and satisfaction!

27 [To the righteous it will be said], "O reassured soul,

28 "Come back thou to thy Lord, - well pleased (thyself), and well - pleasing unto Him!

28 Return to your Lord, well - pleased and pleasing [to Him],

29 "Enter thou, then, among My devotees!

29 And enter among My [righteous] servants

30 "Yea, enter thou My Heaven!

30 And enter My Paradise."