عَمَّ يَتَسَاءَلُونَ

ABOUT WHAT do they [most often] ask one another? (1)

عَنِ النَّبَإِ الْعَظِيمِ

About the awesome tiding [of resurrection], (2)

الَّذِي هُمْ فِيهِ مُخْتَلِفُونَ

on which they [so utterly] disagree. (3)

كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ

Nay, but in time they will come to understand [it]! (4)

ثُمَّ كَلَّا سَيَعْلَمُونَ

And once again: Nay, but in time they will come to understand! (5)

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلِ الْأَرْضَ مِهَادًا

HAVE WE NOT made the earth a resting-place [for you], (6)

وَالْجِبَالَ أَوْتَادًا

and the mountains [its] pegs? (7)

وَخَلَقْنَاكُمْ أَزْوَاجًا

And We have created you in pairs; (8)

وَجَعَلْنَا نَوْمَكُمْ سُبَاتًا

and We have made your sleep [a symbol of] death (9)

وَجَعَلْنَا اللَّيْلَ لِبَاسًا

and made the night [its] cloak (10)

وَجَعَلْنَا النَّهَارَ مَعَاشًا

and made the day [a symbol of] life. (11)

وَبَنَيْنَا فَوْقَكُمْ سَبْعًا شِدَادًا

And We have built above you seven firmaments, (12)

وَجَعَلْنَا سِرَاجًا وَهَّاجًا

and have placed [therein the sun,] a lamp full of blazing splendour. (13)

وَأَنْزَلْنَا مِنَ الْمُعْصِرَاتِ مَاءً ثَجَّاجًا

And from the wind-driven clouds We send down waters pouring in abundance, (14)

لِنُخْرِجَ بِهِ حَبًّا وَنَبَاتًا

so that We might bring forth thereby grain, and herbs, (15)

وَجَنَّاتٍ أَلْفَافًا

and gardens dense with foliage. (16)

إِنَّ يَوْمَ الْفَصْلِ كَانَ مِيقَاتًا

VERILY, the Day of Distinction [between the true and the false] has indeed its appointed time: (17)

يَوْمَ يُنْفَخُ فِي الصُّورِ فَتَأْتُونَ أَفْوَاجًا

the Day when the trumpet [of resurrection] is sounded and you all come forward in multitudes; (18)

وَفُتِحَتِ السَّمَاءُ فَكَانَتْ أَبْوَابًا

and when the skies are opened and become [as wide-flung] gates; (19)

وَسُيِّرَتِ الْجِبَالُ فَكَانَتْ سَرَابًا

and when the mountains are made to vanish as if they had been a mirage. (20)

إِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ كَانَتْ مِرْصَادًا

[On that Day,] verily, hell will lie in wait [for those who deny the truth] – (21)

لِلطَّاغِينَ مَآبًا

a goal for all who are wont to transgress the bounds of what is right! (22)

لَابِثِينَ فِيهَا أَحْقَابًا

In it shall they remain for a long time. (23)

لَا يَذُوقُونَ فِيهَا بَرْدًا وَلَا شَرَابًا

Neither coolness shall they taste therein nor any [thirst-quenching] drink – (24)

إِلَّا حَمِيمًا وَغَسَّاقًا

only burning despair and ice-cold darkness: (25)

جَزَاءً وِفَاقًا

a meet requital [for their sins]! (26)

إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا لَا يَرْجُونَ حِسَابًا

Behold, they were not expecting to be called to account, (27)

وَكُلَّ شَيْءٍ أَحْصَيْنَاهُ كِتَابًا

but We have placed on record every single thing [of what they did]. (29)

فَذُوقُوا فَلَنْ نَزِيدَكُمْ إِلَّا عَذَابًا

[And so We shall say:] "Taste, then, [the fruit of your evil doings,] for now We shall bestow on you nothing but more and more suffering!" (30)