1
بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ وَٱلَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ
CONSIDER the night as it veils [the earth] in darkness,
2
وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ
and the day as it rises bright!
3
وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلْأُنثَىٰٓ
Consider the creation of the male and the female!
4
إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ
Verily, [O men,] you aim at most divergent ends!
5
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ
Thus, as for him who gives [to others] and is conscious of God,
6
وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
and believes in the truth of the ultimate good
7
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
for him shall We make easy the path towards [ultimate] ease.
8
وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسْتَغْنَىٰ
But as for him who is niggardly, and thinks that he is self-sufficient,
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وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلْحُسْنَىٰ
and calls the ultimate good a lie –
10
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُۥ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ
for him shall We make easy the path towards hardship:
11
وَمَا يُغْنِى عَنْهُ مَالُهُۥٓ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰٓ
and what will his wealth avail him when he goes down [to his grave]?
12
إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ
BEHOLD, it is indeed for Us to grace [you] with guidance;
13
وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْءَاخِرَةَ وَٱلْأُولَىٰ
and, behold, Ours is [the dominion over] the life to come as well as [over] this earlier part [of your life]:
14
فَأَنذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًۭا تَلَظَّىٰ
and so I warn you of the raging fire -
15
لَا يَصْلَىٰهَآ إِلَّا ٱلْأَشْقَى
[the fire] which none shall have to endure but that most hapless wretch
16
ٱلَّذِى كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
who gives the lie to the truth and turns away [from it].
17
وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا ٱلْأَتْقَى
For, distant from it shall remain he who is truly conscious of God:
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ٱلَّذِى يُؤْتِى مَالَهُۥ يَتَزَكَّىٰ
he that spends his possessions [on others] so that he might grow in purity –
19
وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعْمَةٍۢ تُجْزَىٰٓ
not as payment for favours received,
20
إِلَّا ٱبْتِغَآءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلْأَعْلَىٰ
but only out of a longing for the countenance of his Sustainer, the All-Highest:
21
وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ
and such, indeed, shall in time be well-pleased.