لَا أُقْسِمُ بِيَوْمِ الْقِيَامَةِ

NAY! I call to witness the Day of Resurrection! (1)

وَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالنَّفْسِ اللَّوَّامَةِ

But nay! I call to witness the accusing voice of man's own conscience! (2)

أَيَحْسَبُ الْإِنْسَانُ أَلَّنْ نَجْمَعَ عِظَامَهُ

Does man think that We cannot [resurrect him and] bring his bones together again? (3)

بَلَىٰ قَادِرِينَ عَلَىٰ أَنْ نُسَوِّيَ بَنَانَهُ

Yea indeed, We are able to make whole his very finger-tips! (4)

بَلْ يُرِيدُ الْإِنْسَانُ لِيَفْجُرَ أَمَامَهُ

None the less, man chooses to deny what lies ahead of him, (5)

يَسْأَلُ أَيَّانَ يَوْمُ الْقِيَامَةِ

asking [derisively], "When is that Resurrection Day to be?" (6)

فَإِذَا بَرِقَ الْبَصَرُ

But [on that Day,] when the eyesight is by fear confounded, (7)

وَخَسَفَ الْقَمَرُ

and the moon is darkened, (8)

وَجُمِعَ الشَّمْسُ وَالْقَمَرُ

and the sun and the moon are brought together – (9)

يَقُولُ الْإِنْسَانُ يَوْمَئِذٍ أَيْنَ الْمَفَرُّ

on that Day will man exclaim, "Whither to flee?" (10)

كَلَّا لَا وَزَرَ

But nay: no refuge [for thee, O man]! (11)

إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوْمَئِذٍ الْمُسْتَقَرُّ

With thy Sustainer, on that Day, the journey's end will be! (12)

يُنَبَّأُ الْإِنْسَانُ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِمَا قَدَّمَ وَأَخَّرَ

Man will be apprised, on that Day, of what he has done and what he has left undone: (13)

بَلِ الْإِنْسَانُ عَلَىٰ نَفْسِهِ بَصِيرَةٌ

nay, but man shall against himself be an eye-witness, (14)

وَلَوْ أَلْقَىٰ مَعَاذِيرَهُ

even though he may veil himself in excuses. (15)

لَا تُحَرِّكْ بِهِ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعْجَلَ بِهِ

MOVE NOT thy tongue in haste, [repeating the words of the revelation:] (16)

إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا جَمْعَهُ وَقُرْآنَهُ

for, behold, it is for Us to gather it [in thy heart,] and to cause it to be read [as it ought to be read]. (17)

فَإِذَا قَرَأْنَاهُ فَاتَّبِعْ قُرْآنَهُ

Thus, when We recite it, follow thou its wording [with all thy mind]: (18)

ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا بَيَانَهُ

and then, behold, it will be for Us to make its meaning clear. (19)

كَلَّا بَلْ تُحِبُّونَ الْعَاجِلَةَ

NAY, but [most of] you love this fleeting life, (20)

وَتَذَرُونَ الْآخِرَةَ

and give no thought to the life to come [and to Judgment Day]! (21)

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاضِرَةٌ

Some faces will on that Day be bright with happiness, (22)

إِلَىٰ رَبِّهَا نَاظِرَةٌ

looking up to their Sustainer; (23)

وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ بَاسِرَةٌ

and some faces will on that Day be overcast with despair, (24)

تَظُنُّ أَنْ يُفْعَلَ بِهَا فَاقِرَةٌ

knowing that a crushing calamity is about to befall them. (25)

كَلَّا إِذَا بَلَغَتِ التَّرَاقِيَ

NAY, but when [the last breath] comes up to the throat [of a dying man], (26)

وَقِيلَ مَنْ رَاقٍ

and people ask, "Is there any wizard [that could save him]?" (27)

وَظَنَّ أَنَّهُ الْفِرَاقُ

the while he [himself] knows that this is the parting, (28)

وَالْتَفَّتِ السَّاقُ بِالسَّاقِ

and is enwrapped in the pangs of death (29)