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)

الَّذِي يَصْلَى النَّارَ الْكُبْرَىٰ

he who [in the life to come] shall have to endure the great fire (12)

ثُمَّ لَا يَمُوتُ فِيهَا وَلَا يَحْيَىٰ

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

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)