أَلَمْ نَشْرَحْ لَكَ صَدْرَكَ
HAVE WE NOT opened up thy heart, (1)
وَوَضَعْنَا عَنْكَ وِزْرَكَ
and lifted from thee the burden (2)
الَّذِي أَنْقَضَ ظَهْرَكَ
that had weighed so heavily on thy back? (3)
وَرَفَعْنَا لَكَ ذِكْرَكَ
And [have We not] raised thee high in dignity? (4)
فَإِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
And, behold, with every hardship comes ease: (5)
إِنَّ مَعَ الْعُسْرِ يُسْرًا
verily, with every hardship comes ease! (6)
فَإِذَا فَرَغْتَ فَانْصَبْ
Hence, when thou art freed [from distress], remain steadfast, (7)
وَإِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ فَارْغَبْ
and unto thy Sustainer turn with love. (8)
- Therefore, when thou art free (from thine immediate task), still labour hard,6192
- 6192 When thou art free: or when thou art relieved. The words understood may be: from thy immediate task, that of preaching to men, denouncing sin, and encouraging righteousness; or, from the difficulties that confronted thee. When that happens, that does not finish the labours of the man of Allah. It is only one step to them. He has constantly and insistently to go on. When there is rest from the task of instructing the world, the contact with the spiritual kingdom continues, and indeed it becomes more intimate and concentrated.
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Therefore, when thou art free (from thine immediate task), still labour hard,
— Abdullah Yusuf Ali -
So when thou art relieved, still toil
— Marmaduke Pickthall -
So when you are free, nominate.
— M. Habib Shakir -
So when you have finished (from your occupation), then stand up for Allah's worship (i.e. stand up for prayer).
— Taqiuddin Hilali and M. Mohsin Khan -
Then when thou becometh relieved, toil;
— Abdul-Majid Daryabadi -
So, when you have finished (your prayer), labor (in supplication),
— Hasan Qaribullah and Ahmed Darwish -
So when thou art relieved, take up the task,
— Ayub Khan -
So when thou art free from thy immediate task, strive hard,
— Sher Ali -
Hence, when thou art freed [from distress], remain steadfast,
— Muhammad Asad -
So when thou art empty, labour,
— Arthur Arberry -
So, whenever you are free, strive in devotion,
— Abu'l Ala Maududi