- 1.
Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write,-
- 2.
Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.
- 3.
Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:
- 4.
And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.
- 5.
Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,
- 6.
Which of you is afflicted with madness.
- 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.
So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).
- 9.
Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.
- 10.
Heed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths,
- 11.
A slanderer, going about with calumnies,
- 12.
(Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,
- 13.
Violent (and cruel),- with all that, base-born,-
- 14.
Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.
- 15.
When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!
- 16.
Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!
- 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.
But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah.s Will").
- 19.
Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.
- 20.
So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).
- 21.
As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,-
- 22.
"Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."
- 23.
So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)-
- 24.
"Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."
- 25.
And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.
- 26.
But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:
- 27.
"Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"
- 28.
Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify ((Allah))?'"
- 29.
They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"
- 30.
Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.
- 31.
They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!
- 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 (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter,- if only they knew!
- 34.
Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.
- 35.
Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?
- 36.
What is the matter with you? How judge ye?
- 37.
Or have ye a book through which ye learn-
- 38.
That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?
- 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 thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!
- 41.
Or have they some "Partners" (in Allah.ead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!
- 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 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.
Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.
- 45.
A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.
- 46.
Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt?-
- 47.
Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?
- 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.
Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.
- 50.
Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.
- 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 nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.