* | quran | * | 37. as-saffat. the rangers      <   > 

arberry
 
1.  *     By the rangers ranging
 
2.  *     and the scarers scaring
 
3.  *     and the reciters of a Remembrance,
 
4.  *     surely your God is One,
 
5.  *     Lord of the heavens and the earth, and of what between them is Lord of the Easts.
 
6.  *     We have adorned the lower heaven with the adornment of the stars
 
7.  *     and to preserve against every rebel Satan;
 
8.  *     they listen not to the High Council, for they are pelted from every side,
 
9.  *     rejected, and theirs is an everlasting chastisement,
 
10.  *     except such as snatches a fragment, and he is pursued by a piercing flame.
 
11.  *     So ask them for a pronouncement -- Are they stronger in constitution, or those We created? We created them of clinging clay.
 
12.  *     Nay, thou marvellest; and they scoff
 
13.  *     and, when reminded, do not remember
 
14.  *     and, when they see a sign, would scoff;
 
15.  *     and they say, 'This is nothing but manifest sorcery.
 
16.  *     What, when we are dead and become dust and bones, shall we indeed be raised up?
 
17.  *     What, and our fathers, the ancients?'
 
18.  *     Say: 'Yes, and in all lowliness.'
 
19.  *     For it is only a single scaring, then behold, they are watching
 
20.  *     and they say, 'Woe, alas for us! This is the Day of Doom.'
 
21.  *     'This is the Day of Decision, even that you cried lies to.
 
22.  *     Muster those who did evil, their wives, and that they were serving,
 
23.  *     apart from God, and guide them unto the path of Hell!
 
24.  *     And halt them, to be questioned:
 
25.  *     "Why help you not one another?"
 
26.  *     No indeed; but today they resign themselves in submission
 
27.  *     and advance one upon another, asking each other questions.
 
28.  *     These say, 'Why, you of old would come to us from the right hand.'
 
29.  *     Those say, 'No; on the contrary, you were not believers;
 
30.  *     we had no authority over you; no, you were an insolent people.
 
31.  *     So our Lord's Word is realised against us; we are tasting it.
 
32.  *     Therefore we perverted you, and we ourselves were perverts.'
 
33.  *     So all of them on that day are sharers in the chastisement.
 
34.  *     Even so We do with the sinners;
 
35.  *     for when it was said to them, 'There is no god but God,' they were ever waxing proud,
 
36.  *     saying, 'What, shall we forsake our gods for a poet possessed?'
 
37.  *     'No indeed; but he brought the truth, and confirmed the Envoys.
 
38.  *     Now certainly you shall be tasting the painful chastisement,
 
39.  *     and not be recompensed, except according to what you were doing.'
 
40.  *     Except for God's sincere servants;
 
41.  *     for them awaits a known provision,
 
42.  *     fruits -- and they high-honoured
 
43.  *     in the Gardens of Bliss
 
44.  *     upon couches, set face to face,
 
45.  *     a cup from a spring being passed round to them,
 
46.  *     white, a delight to the drinkers,
 
47.  *     wherein no sickness is, neither intoxication;
 
48.  *     and with them wide-eyed maidens restraining their glances
 
49.  *     as if they were hidden pearls.
 
50.  *     They advance one upon another, asking each other questions.
 
51.  *     One of them says, 'I had a comrade
 
52.  *     who would say, "Are you a confirmer?
 
53.  *     What, when we are dead and become dust and bones, shall we indeed be requited?"
 
54.  *     He says, 'Are you looking down?'
 
55.  *     Then he looks, and sees him in the midst of Hell.
 
56.  *     He says, 'By God, wellnigh thou didst destroy me;
 
57.  *     But for my Lord's blessing, I were one of the arraigned.
 
58.  *     What, do we then not die
 
59.  *     except for our first death, and are we not chastised?
 
60.  *     This is indeed the mighty triumph,
 
61.  *     for the like of this let the workers work.'
 
62.  *     Is that better as a hospitality, or the Tree of Ez-Zakkoum?
 
63.  *     We have appointed it as a trial for the evildoers.
 
64.  *     It is a tree that comes forth in the root of Hell;
 
65.  *     its spathes are as the heads of Satans,
 
66.  *     and they eat of it, and of it fill their bellies,
 
67.  *     then on top of it they have a brew of boiling water,
 
68.  *     then their return is unto Hell.
 
69.  *     They found their fathers erring,
 
70.  *     and they run in their footsteps.
 
71.  *     Before them erred most of the ancients,
 
72.  *     and We sent among them warners;
 
73.  *     and behold, how was the end of them that were warned,
 
74.  *     except for God's sincere servants.
 
75.  *     Noah called to Us; and how excellent were the Answerers!
 
76.  *     And We delivered him and his people from the great distress,
 
77.  *     and We made his seed the survivors,
 
78.  *     and left for him among the later folk
 
79.  *     'Peace be upon Noah among all beings!'
 
80.  *     Even so We recompense the good-doers;
 
81.  *     he was among Our believing servants.
 
82.  *     Then afterwards We drowned the rest.
 
83.  *     Of his party was also Abraham;
 
84.  *     when he came unto his Lord with a pure heart,
 
85.  *     when he said to his father and his folk, 'What do you serve?
 
86.  *     Is it a calumny, gods apart from God, that you desire?
 
87.  *     What think you then of the Lord of all Being?'
 
88.  *     And he cast a glance at the stars,
 
89.  *     and he said, 'Surely I am sick.'
 
90.  *     But they went away from him, turning their backs.
 
91.  *     Then he turned to their gods, and said, 'What do you eat?
 
92.  *     What ails you, that you speak not?'
 
93.  *     And he turned upon them smiting them with his right hand.
 
94.  *     Then came the others to him hastening.
 
95.  *     He said, 'Do you serve what you hew,
 
96.  *     and God created you and what you make?'
 
97.  *     They said, 'Build him a building, and cast him into the furnace!'
 
98.  *     They desired to outwit him; so We made them the lower ones.
 
99.  *     He said, 'I am going to my Lord; He will guide me.
 
100.  *     My Lord, give me one of the righteous.'
 
101.  *     Then We gave him the good tidings of a prudent boy;
 
102.  *     and when he had reached the age of running with him, he said, 'My son, I see in a dream that I shall sacrifice thee; consider, what thinkest thou?' He said, 'My father, do as thou art bidden; thou shalt find me, God willing, one of the steadfast.'
 
103.  *     When they had surrendered, and he flung him upon his brow,
 
104.  *     We called unto him, 'Abraham,
 
105.  *     thou hast confirmed the vision; even so We recompense the good-doers.
 
106.  *     This is indeed the manifest trial.'
 
107.  *     And We ransomed him with a mighty sacrifice,
 
108.  *     and left for him among the later folk
 
109.  *     'Peace be upon Abraham!'
 
110.  *     Even so We recompense the good-doers;
 
111.  *     he was among Our believing servants.
 
112.  *     Then We gave him the good tidings of Isaac, a Prophet, one of the righteous.
 
113.  *     And We blessed him, and Isaac; and of their seed some are good-doers, and some manifest self-wrongers.
 
114.  *     We also favoured Moses and Aaron,
 
115.  *     and We delivered them and their people from the great distress.
 
116.  *     And We helped them, so that they were the victors;
 
117.  *     and We gave them the Manifesting Book,
 
118.  *     and guided them in the straight path,
 
119.  *     and left for them among the later folk
 
120.  *     'Peace be upon Moses and, Aaron!'
 
121.  *     Even so We recompense the good-doers;
 
122.  *     they were among Our believing servants.
 
123.  *     Elias too was one of the Envoys;
 
124.  *     when he said to his people, 'Will you not be godfearing?
 
125.  *     Do you call on Baal, and abandon the Best of creators?
 
126.  *     God, your Lord, and the Lord of your fathers, the ancients?'
 
127.  *     But they cried him lies; so they will be among the arraigned,
 
128.  *     except for God's sincere servants;
 
129.  *     and We left for him among the later folk
 
130.  *     'Peace be upon Elias!'
 
131.  *     Even so We recompense the good-doers;
 
132.  *     he was among Our believing servants.
 
133.  *     Lot too was one of the Envoys;
 
134.  *     when We delivered him and his people all together,
 
135.  *     save an old woman among those that tarried;
 
136.  *     then We destroyed the others,
 
137.  *     and you pass by them in the morning
 
138.  *     and in the night; will you not understand?
 
139.  *     Jonah too was one of the Envoys;
 
140.  *     when he ran away to the laden ship
 
141.  *     and cast lots, and was of the rebutted,
 
142.  *     then the whale swallowed him down, and he blameworthy.
 
143.  *     Now had he not been of those that glorify God,
 
144.  *     he would have tarried in its belly until the day they shall be raised;
 
145.  *     but We cast him upon the wilderness, and he was sick,
 
146.  *     and We caused to grow over him a tree of gourds.
 
147.  *     Then We sent him unto a hundred thousand, or more,
 
148.  *     and they believed; so We gave them enjoyment for a while.
 
149.  *     So ask them for a pronouncement -- Has thy Lord daughters, and they sons?
 
150.  *     Or did We create the angels females, while they were witnesses?
 
151.  *     Is it not of their own calumny that they say,
 
152.  *     'God has begotten?' They are truly liars.
 
153.  *     Has He chosen daughters above sons?
 
154.  *     What ails you then, how you judge?
 
155.  *     What, and will you not remember?
 
156.  *     Or have you a clear authority?
 
157.  *     Bring your Book, if you speak truly!
 
158.  *     They have set up a kinship between Him and the jinn; and the jinn know that they shall be arraigned.
 
159.  *     Glory be to God above that they describe,
 
160.  *     except for God's sincere servants.
 
161.  *     But as for you, and that you serve,
 
162.  *     you shall not tempt any against Him
 
163.  *     except him who shall roast in Hell.
 
164.  *     None of us is there, but has a known station;
 
165.  *     we are the rangers,
 
166.  *     we are they that give glory.
 
167.  *     What though they would say,
 
168.  *     'If only we had had a Reminder from the ancients,
 
169.  *     then were we God's sincere servants.'
 
170.  *     But they disbelieved in it; soon they shall know!
 
171.  *     Already Our Word has preceded to Our servants, the Envoys;
 
172.  *     assuredly they shall be helped,
 
173.  *     and Our host -- they are the victors.
 
174.  *     So turn thou from them for a while,
 
175.  *     and see them; soon they shall see!
 
176.  *     What, do they seek to hasten Our chastisement?
 
177.  *     When it lights in their courtyard, how evil will be the morning of them that are warned!
 
178.  *     So turn thou from them for a while,
 
179.  *     and see; soon they shall see!
 
180.  *     Glory be to thy Lord, the Lord of Glory, above that they describe!
 
181.  *     And peace be upon the Envoys;
 
182.  *     and praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being.