وَيْلٌ لِلْمُطَفِّفِينَ

WOE UNTO THOSE who give short measure: (1)

الَّذِينَ إِذَا اكْتَالُوا عَلَى النَّاسِ يَسْتَوْفُونَ

those who, when they are to receive their due from [other] people, demand that it be given in full – (2)

وَإِذَا كَالُوهُمْ أَوْ وَزَنُوهُمْ يُخْسِرُونَ

but when they have to measure or weigh whatever they owe to others, give less than what is due! (3)

أَلَا يَظُنُّ أُولَٰئِكَ أَنَّهُمْ مَبْعُوثُونَ

Do they not know that they are bound to be raised from the dead (4)

لِيَوْمٍ عَظِيمٍ

[and called to account] on an awesome Day – (5)

يَوْمَ يَقُومُ النَّاسُ لِرَبِّ الْعَالَمِينَ

the Day when all men shall stand before the Sustainer of all the worlds? (6)

كَلَّا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْفُجَّارِ لَفِي سِجِّينٍ

NAY, VERILY, the record of the wicked is indeed [set down] in a mode inescapable! (7)

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا سِجِّينٌ

And what could make thee conceive what that mode inescapable will be? (8)

كِتَابٌ مَرْقُومٌ

A record [indelibly] inscribed! (9)

وَيْلٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ لِلْمُكَذِّبِينَ

Woe on that Day unto those who give the lie to the truth – (10)

الَّذِينَ يُكَذِّبُونَ بِيَوْمِ الدِّينِ

those who give the lie to the [coming of] Judgment Day: (11)

وَمَا يُكَذِّبُ بِهِ إِلَّا كُلُّ مُعْتَدٍ أَثِيمٍ

for none gives the lie to it but such as are wont to transgress against all that is right [and are] immersed in sin: (12)

إِذَا تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْهِ آيَاتُنَا قَالَ أَسَاطِيرُ الْأَوَّلِينَ

[and so,] whenever Our messages are conveyed to them, they but say, "Fables of ancient times!" (13)

كَلَّا بَلْ رَانَ عَلَىٰ قُلُوبِهِمْ مَا كَانُوا يَكْسِبُونَ

Nay, but their hearts are corroded by all [the evil] that they were wont to do! (14)

كَلَّا إِنَّهُمْ عَنْ رَبِّهِمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ لَمَحْجُوبُونَ

Nay, verily, from [the grace of] their Sustainer shall they on that Day be debarred; (15)

ثُمَّ إِنَّهُمْ لَصَالُو الْجَحِيمِ

and then, behold, they shall enter the blazing fire (16)

ثُمَّ يُقَالُ هَٰذَا الَّذِي كُنْتُمْ بِهِ تُكَذِّبُونَ

and be told: "This is the [very thing] to which you were wont to give the lie!" (17)

كَلَّا إِنَّ كِتَابَ الْأَبْرَارِ لَفِي عِلِّيِّينَ

NAY, VERILY, the record of the truly virtuous is [set down] in a mode most lofty! (18)

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا عِلِّيُّونَ

And what could make thee conceive what that mode most lofty will be? (19)

كِتَابٌ مَرْقُومٌ

A record [indelibly] inscribed, (20)

يَشْهَدُهُ الْمُقَرَّبُونَ

witnessed by all who have [ever] been drawn close unto God. (21)

إِنَّ الْأَبْرَارَ لَفِي نَعِيمٍ

Behold, [in the life to come] the truly virtuous will indeed be in bliss: (22)

عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ يَنْظُرُونَ

[resting] on couches, they will look up [to God]: (23)

تَعْرِفُ فِي وُجُوهِهِمْ نَضْرَةَ النَّعِيمِ

upon their faces thou wilt see the brightness of bliss. (24)

يُسْقَوْنَ مِنْ رَحِيقٍ مَخْتُومٍ

They will be given a drink of pure wine whereon the seal [of God] will have been set, (25)

خِتَامُهُ مِسْكٌ وَفِي ذَٰلِكَ فَلْيَتَنَافَسِ الْمُتَنَافِسُونَ

pouring forth with a fragrance of musk. To that [wine of paradise], then, let all such aspire as [are willing to] aspire to things of high account: (26)

عَيْنًا يَشْرَبُ بِهَا الْمُقَرَّبُونَ

a source [of bliss] whereof those who are drawn close unto God shall drink. (28)

إِنَّ الَّذِينَ أَجْرَمُوا كَانُوا مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا يَضْحَكُونَ

BEHOLD, those who have abandoned themselves to sin are wont to laugh at such as have attained to faith; (29)

وَإِذَا مَرُّوا بِهِمْ يَتَغَامَزُونَ

and whenever they pass by them, they wink at one another [derisively]; (30)

وَإِذَا انْقَلَبُوا إِلَىٰ أَهْلِهِمُ انْقَلَبُوا فَكِهِينَ

and whenever they return to people of their own kind, they return full of jests; (31)

وَإِذَا رَأَوْهُمْ قَالُوا إِنَّ هَٰؤُلَاءِ لَضَالُّونَ

and whenever they see those [who believe,] they say, "Behold, these [people] have indeed gone astray!" (32)

وَمَا أُرْسِلُوا عَلَيْهِمْ حَافِظِينَ

And, withal, they have no call to watch over [the beliefs of] others.... (33)

فَالْيَوْمَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنَ الْكُفَّارِ يَضْحَكُونَ

But on the Day [of Judgment], they who had attained to faith will [be able to] laugh at the [erstwhile] deniers of the truth: (34)

عَلَى الْأَرَائِكِ يَنْظُرُونَ

[for, resting in paradise] on couches, they will look on [and say to themselves]: (35)

هَلْ ثُوِّبَ الْكُفَّارُ مَا كَانُوا يَفْعَلُونَ

"Are these deniers of the truth being [thus] requited for [aught but] what they were wont to do?" (36)