سَبِّحِ اسْمَ رَبِّكَ الْأَعْلَى

EXTOL the limitless glory of thy Sustainer's name: [the glory of] the All-Highest, (1)

الَّذِي خَلَقَ فَسَوَّىٰ

who creates [every thing], and thereupon forms it in accordance with what it is meant to be, (2)

وَالَّذِي قَدَّرَ فَهَدَىٰ

and who determines the nature [of all that exists], and thereupon guides it [towards its fulfilment], (3)

وَالَّذِي أَخْرَجَ الْمَرْعَىٰ

and who brings forth herbage, (4)

فَجَعَلَهُ غُثَاءً أَحْوَىٰ

and thereupon causes it to decay into rust-brown stubble! (5)

سَنُقْرِئُكَ فَلَا تَنْسَىٰ

WE SHALL teach thee, and thou wilt not forget [aught of what thou art taught], (6)

إِلَّا مَا شَاءَ اللَّهُ إِنَّهُ يَعْلَمُ الْجَهْرَ وَمَا يَخْفَىٰ

save what God may will [thee to forget] – for, verily, He [alone] knows all that is open to [man's] perception as well as all that is hidden [from it]: (7)

وَنُيَسِّرُكَ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ

and [thus] shall We make easy for thee the path towards [ultimate] ease. (8)

فَذَكِّرْ إِنْ نَفَعَتِ الذِّكْرَىٰ

REMIND, THEN, [others of the truth, regardless of] whether this reminding [would seem to] be of use [or not]: (9)

سَيَذَّكَّرُ مَنْ يَخْشَىٰ

in mind will keep it he who stands in awe [of God], (10)

وَيَتَجَنَّبُهَا الْأَشْقَى

but aloof from it will remain that most hapless wretch – (11)

ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ

wherein he will neither die nor remain alive. (13)

قَدْ أَفْلَحَ مَنْ تَزَكَّىٰ

To happiness [in the life to come] will indeed attain he who attains to purity [in this world], (14)

وَذَكَرَ اسْمَ رَبِّهِ فَصَلَّىٰ

and remembers his Sustainer's name, and prays [unto Him]. (15)

بَلْ تُؤْثِرُونَ الْحَيَاةَ الدُّنْيَا

But nay, [O men,] you prefer the life of this world, (16)

وَالْآخِرَةُ خَيْرٌ وَأَبْقَىٰ

although the life to come is better and more enduring (17)

إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَفِي الصُّحُفِ الْأُولَىٰ

Verily, [all] this has indeed been [said] in the earlier revelations – (18)

صُحُفِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ

the revelations of Abraham and Moses. (19)