وَلَيَالٍ عَشْرٍ

and the ten nights! (2)

وَالشَّفْعِ وَالْوَتْرِ

Consider the multiple and the One! (3)

وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَسْرِ

Consider the night as it runs its course! (4)

هَلْ فِي ذَٰلِكَ قَسَمٌ لِذِي حِجْرٍ

Considering all this – could there be, to anyone endowed with reason, a [more] solemn evidence of the truth? (5)

أَلَمْ تَرَ كَيْفَ فَعَلَ رَبُّكَ بِعَادٍ

ART THOU NOT aware of how thy Sustainer has dealt with [the tribe of] 'ād, (6)

إِرَمَ ذَاتِ الْعِمَادِ

[the people of] Iram the many-pillared, (7)

الَّتِي لَمْ يُخْلَقْ مِثْلُهَا فِي الْبِلَادِ

the like of whom has never been reared in all the land? – (8)

وَثَمُودَ الَّذِينَ جَابُوا الصَّخْرَ بِالْوَادِ

and with [the tribe of] Thamūd, who hollowed out rocks in the valley? – (9)

وَفِرْعَوْنَ ذِي الْأَوْتَادِ

and with Pharaoh of the [many] tent-poles? (10)

الَّذِينَ طَغَوْا فِي الْبِلَادِ

[It was they] who transgressed all bounds of equity all over their lands, (11)

فَأَكْثَرُوا فِيهَا الْفَسَادَ

and brought about great corruption therein: (12)

فَصَبَّ عَلَيْهِمْ رَبُّكَ سَوْطَ عَذَابٍ

and therefore thy Sustainer let loose upon them a scourge of suffering: (13)

إِنَّ رَبَّكَ لَبِالْمِرْصَادِ

for, verily, thy Sustainer is ever on the watch! (14)

فَأَمَّا الْإِنْسَانُ إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ رَبُّهُ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَنَعَّمَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَكْرَمَنِ

BUT AS FOR man, whenever his Sustainer tries him by His generosity and by letting him enjoy a life of ease, he says, "My Sustainer has been [justly] generous towards me"; (15)

وَأَمَّا إِذَا مَا ابْتَلَاهُ فَقَدَرَ عَلَيْهِ رِزْقَهُ فَيَقُولُ رَبِّي أَهَانَنِ

whereas, whenever He tries him by straitening his means of livelihood, he says, "My Sustainer has disgraced me!" (16)

كَلَّا بَلْ لَا تُكْرِمُونَ الْيَتِيمَ

But nay, nay, [O men, consider all that you do and fail to do:] you are not generous towards the orphan, (17)

وَلَا تَحَاضُّونَ عَلَىٰ طَعَامِ الْمِسْكِينِ

and you do not urge one another to feed the needy, (18)

وَتَأْكُلُونَ التُّرَاثَ أَكْلًا لَمًّا

and you devour the inheritance [of others] with devouring greed, (19)

وَتُحِبُّونَ الْمَالَ حُبًّا جَمًّا

and you love wealth with boundless love! (20)

كَلَّا إِذَا دُكَّتِ الْأَرْضُ دَكًّا دَكًّا

Nay, but [how will you fare on Judgment Day,] when the earth is crushed with crushing upon crushing, (21)

وَجَاءَ رَبُّكَ وَالْمَلَكُ صَفًّا صَفًّا

and [the majesty of] thy Sustainer stands revealed, as well as [the true nature of] the angels, rank upon rank? (22)

وَجِيءَ يَوْمَئِذٍ بِجَهَنَّمَ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَتَذَكَّرُ الْإِنْسَانُ وَأَنَّىٰ لَهُ الذِّكْرَىٰ

And on that Day hell will be brought [within sight]; on that Day man will remember [all that he did and failed to do]: but what will that remembrance avail him? (23)

يَقُولُ يَا لَيْتَنِي قَدَّمْتُ لِحَيَاتِي

He will say, "Oh, would that I had provided beforehand for my life [to come]!" (24)

فَيَوْمَئِذٍ لَا يُعَذِّبُ عَذَابَهُ أَحَدٌ

For none can make suffer as He will make suffer [the sinners] on that Day, (25)

وَلَا يُوثِقُ وَثَاقَهُ أَحَدٌ

and none can bind with bonds like His. (26)

يَا أَيَّتُهَا النَّفْسُ الْمُطْمَئِنَّةُ

[But unto the righteous God will say,] "O thou human being that hast attained to inner peace! (27)

ارْجِعِي إِلَىٰ رَبِّكِ رَاضِيَةً مَرْضِيَّةً

Return thou unto thy Sustainer, well-pleased [and] pleasing [Him]: (28)

فَادْخُلِي فِي عِبَادِي

enter, then, together with My [other true] servants – (29)

وَادْخُلِي جَنَّتِي

yea, enter thou My paradise!" (30)