هَلْ أَتَاكَ حَدِيثُ الْغَاشِيَةِ

HAS THERE COME unto thee the tiding of the Overshadowing Event? (1)

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ خَاشِعَةٌ

Some faces will on that Day be downcast, (2)

عَامِلَةٌ نَاصِبَةٌ

toiling [under burdens of sin], worn out [by fear], (3)

تَصْلَىٰ نَارًا حَامِيَةً

about to enter a glowing fire, (4)

لَيْسَ لَهُمْ طَعَامٌ إِلَّا مِنْ ضَرِيعٍ

No food for them save the bitterness of dry thorns, (6)

لَا يُسْمِنُ وَلَا يُغْنِي مِنْ جُوعٍ

which gives no strength and neither stills hunger. (7)

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ نَاعِمَةٌ

[And] some faces will on that Day shine with bliss, (8)

لِسَعْيِهَا رَاضِيَةٌ

well-pleased with [the fruit of] their striving, (9)

فِي جَنَّةٍ عَالِيَةٍ

in a garden sublime, (10)

لَا تَسْمَعُ فِيهَا لَاغِيَةً

wherein thou wilt hear no empty talk. (11)

فِيهَا عَيْنٌ جَارِيَةٌ

Countless springs will flow therein, (12)

فِيهَا سُرُرٌ مَرْفُوعَةٌ

[and] there will be thrones [of happiness] raised high, (13)

وَأَكْوَابٌ مَوْضُوعَةٌ

and goblets placed ready, (14)

وَنَمَارِقُ مَصْفُوفَةٌ

and cushions ranged, (15)

وَزَرَابِيُّ مَبْثُوثَةٌ

and carpets spread out.... (16)

أَفَلَا يَنْظُرُونَ إِلَى الْإِبِلِ كَيْفَ خُلِقَتْ

DO, THEN, they [who deny resurrection] never gaze at the clouds pregnant with water, [and observe] how they are created? (17)

وَإِلَى السَّمَاءِ كَيْفَ رُفِعَتْ

And at the sky, how it is raised aloft? (18)

وَإِلَى الْجِبَالِ كَيْفَ نُصِبَتْ

And at the mountains, how firmly they are reared? (19)

وَإِلَى الْأَرْضِ كَيْفَ سُطِحَتْ

And at the earth, how it is spread out? (20)

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّمَا أَنْتَ مُذَكِّرٌ

And so, [O Prophet,] exhort them; thy task is only to exhort: (21)

لَسْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ بِمُصَيْطِرٍ

thou canst not compel them [to believe]. (22)

إِلَّا مَنْ تَوَلَّىٰ وَكَفَرَ

However, as for him who turns away, being bent on denying the truth, (23)

فَيُعَذِّبُهُ اللَّهُ الْعَذَابَ الْأَكْبَرَ

him will God cause to suffer the greatest suffering [in the life to come]: (24)

إِنَّ إِلَيْنَا إِيَابَهُمْ

for, behold, unto Us will be their return, (25)

ثُمَّ إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا حِسَابَهُمْ

and, verily, it is for Us to call them to account. (26)