إِذَا الشَّمْسُ كُوِّرَتْ

WHEN THE SUN is shrouded in darkness, (1)

وَإِذَا النُّجُومُ انْكَدَرَتْ

and when the stars lose their light, (2)

وَإِذَا الْجِبَالُ سُيِّرَتْ

and when the mountains are made to vanish, (3)

وَإِذَا الْعِشَارُ عُطِّلَتْ

and when she-camels big with young, about to give birth, are left untended, (4)

وَإِذَا الْوُحُوشُ حُشِرَتْ

and when all beasts are gathered together, (5)

وَإِذَا الْبِحَارُ سُجِّرَتْ

and when the seas boil over, (6)

وَإِذَا النُّفُوسُ زُوِّجَتْ

and when all human beings are coupled [with their deeds], (7)

وَإِذَا الْمَوْءُودَةُ سُئِلَتْ

and when the girl-child that was buried alive is made to ask (8)

بِأَيِّ ذَنْبٍ قُتِلَتْ

for what crime she had been slain, (9)

وَإِذَا الصُّحُفُ نُشِرَتْ

and when the scrolls [of men's deeds] are unfolded, (10)

وَإِذَا السَّمَاءُ كُشِطَتْ

and when heaven is laid bare, (11)

وَإِذَا الْجَحِيمُ سُعِّرَتْ

and when the blazing fire [of hell] is kindled bright, (12)

وَإِذَا الْجَنَّةُ أُزْلِفَتْ

and when paradise is brought into view: (13)

عَلِمَتْ نَفْسٌ مَا أَحْضَرَتْ

[on that Day] every human being will come to know what he has prepared [for himself]. (14)

فَلَا أُقْسِمُ بِالْخُنَّسِ

BUT NAY! I call to witness the revolving stars, (15)

الْجَوَارِ الْكُنَّسِ

the planets that run their course and set, (16)

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا عَسْعَسَ

and the night as it darkly falls, (17)

وَالصُّبْحِ إِذَا تَنَفَّسَ

and the morn as it softly breathes: (18)

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ

behold, this [divine writ] is indeed the [inspired] word of a noble Apostle, (19)

مُطَاعٍ ثَمَّ أَمِينٍ

[the word] of one to be heeded, and worthy of trust! (21)

وَمَا صَاحِبُكُمْ بِمَجْنُونٍ

For this fellow-man of yours is not a madman: (22)

وَلَقَدْ رَآهُ بِالْأُفُقِ الْمُبِينِ

he truly beheld [the angel – beheld] him on the clear horizon; (23)

وَمَا هُوَ عَلَى الْغَيْبِ بِضَنِينٍ

and he is not one to begrudge others the knowledge [of whatever has been revealed to him] out of that which is beyond the reach of human perception. (24)

وَمَا هُوَ بِقَوْلِ شَيْطَانٍ رَجِيمٍ

Nor is this [message] the word of any satanic force accursed. (25)

فَأَيْنَ تَذْهَبُونَ

Whither, then, will you go? (26)

إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرٌ لِلْعَالَمِينَ

This [message] is no less than a reminder to all mankind – (27)

لِمَنْ شَاءَ مِنْكُمْ أَنْ يَسْتَقِيمَ

to every one of you who wills to walk a straight way. (28)

وَمَا تَشَاءُونَ إِلَّا أَنْ يَشَاءَ اللَّهُ رَبُّ الْعَالَمِينَ

But you cannot will it unless God, the Sustainer of all the worlds, wills [to show you that way]. (29)