هَلْ أَتَىٰ عَلَى الْإِنْسَانِ حِينٌ مِنَ الدَّهْرِ لَمْ يَكُنْ شَيْئًا مَذْكُورًا

HAS THERE [not] been an endless span of time before man [appeared – a time] when he was not yet a thing to be thought of? (1)

إِنَّا خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ مِنْ نُطْفَةٍ أَمْشَاجٍ نَبْتَلِيهِ فَجَعَلْنَاهُ سَمِيعًا بَصِيرًا

Verily, it is We who have created man out of a drop of sperm intermingled, so that We might try him [in his later life]: and therefore We made him a being endowed with hearing and sight. (2)

إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا

Verily, We have shown him the way: [and it rests with him to prove himself] either grateful or ungrateful. (3)

إِنَّا أَعْتَدْنَا لِلْكَافِرِينَ سَلَاسِلَ وَأَغْلَالًا وَسَعِيرًا

[Now,] behold, for those who deny the truth We have readied chains and shackles, and a blazing flame (4)

إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ يَشْرَبُونَ مِنْ كَأْسٍ كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا كَافُورًا

[whereas,] behold, the truly virtuous shall drink from a cup flavoured with the calyx of sweet-smelling flowers: (5)

يُوفُونَ بِالنَّذْرِ وَيَخَافُونَ يَوْمًا كَانَ شَرُّهُ مُسْتَطِيرًا

[The truly virtuous are] they [who] fulfil their vows, and stand in awe of a Day the woe of which is bound to spread far and wide, (7)

وَيُطْعِمُونَ الطَّعَامَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ مِسْكِينًا وَيَتِيمًا وَأَسِيرًا

and who give food – however great be their own want of it – unto the needy, and the orphan, and the captive, (8)

إِنَّمَا نُطْعِمُكُمْ لِوَجْهِ اللَّهِ لَا نُرِيدُ مِنْكُمْ جَزَاءً وَلَا شُكُورًا

[saying, in their hearts,] "We feed you for the sake of God alone: we desire no recompense from you, nor thanks: (9)

إِنَّا نَخَافُ مِنْ رَبِّنَا يَوْمًا عَبُوسًا قَمْطَرِيرًا

behold, we stand in awe of our Sustainer's judgment on a distressful, fateful Day!" (10)

فَوَقَاهُمُ اللَّهُ شَرَّ ذَٰلِكَ الْيَوْمِ وَلَقَّاهُمْ نَضْرَةً وَسُرُورًا

And so, God will preserve them from the woes of that Day, and will bestow on them brightness and joy, (11)

وَجَزَاهُمْ بِمَا صَبَرُوا جَنَّةً وَحَرِيرًا

and will reward them for all their patience in adversity with a garden [of bliss] and with [garments of] silk. (12)

مُتَّكِئِينَ فِيهَا عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ لَا يَرَوْنَ فِيهَا شَمْسًا وَلَا زَمْهَرِيرًا

In that [garden] they will on couches recline, and will know therein neither [burning] sun nor cold severe, (13)

وَدَانِيَةً عَلَيْهِمْ ظِلَالُهَا وَذُلِّلَتْ قُطُوفُهَا تَذْلِيلًا

since its [blissful] shades will come down low over them, and low will hang down its clusters of fruit, most easy to reach. (14)

وَيُطَافُ عَلَيْهِمْ بِآنِيَةٍ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ وَأَكْوَابٍ كَانَتْ قَوَارِيرَا

And they will be waited upon with vessels of silver and goblets that will [seem to] be crystal (15)

قَوَارِيرَ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ قَدَّرُوهَا تَقْدِيرًا

crystal-like, [but] of silver – the measure whereof they alone will determine. (16)

وَيُسْقَوْنَ فِيهَا كَأْسًا كَانَ مِزَاجُهَا زَنْجَبِيلًا

And in that [paradise] they will be given to drink of a cup flavoured with ginger, (17)

عَيْنًا فِيهَا تُسَمَّىٰ سَلْسَبِيلًا

[derived from] a source [to be found] therein, whose name is "Seek Thy Way." (18)

وَيَطُوفُ عَلَيْهِمْ وِلْدَانٌ مُخَلَّدُونَ إِذَا رَأَيْتَهُمْ حَسِبْتَهُمْ لُؤْلُؤًا مَنْثُورًا

And immortal youths will wait upon them: when thou seest them, thou wouldst deem them to be scattered pearls; (19)

وَإِذَا رَأَيْتَ ثَمَّ رَأَيْتَ نَعِيمًا وَمُلْكًا كَبِيرًا

and when thou seest [anything that is] there, thou wilt see [only] bliss and a realm transcendent. (20)

عَالِيَهُمْ ثِيَابُ سُنْدُسٍ خُضْرٌ وَإِسْتَبْرَقٌ وَحُلُّوا أَسَاوِرَ مِنْ فِضَّةٍ وَسَقَاهُمْ رَبُّهُمْ شَرَابًا طَهُورًا

Upon those [blest] will be garments of green silk and brocade; and they will be adorned with bracelets of silver. And their Sustainer will give them to drink of a drink most pure. (21)

إِنَّ هَٰذَا كَانَ لَكُمْ جَزَاءً وَكَانَ سَعْيُكُمْ مَشْكُورًا

[And they will be told:] "Verily, all this is your reward, since your endeavour [in life] has met with [God's] goodly acceptance!" (22)