| asad |
---|
1. * |
Nun. [1]1 CONSIDER the pen, and all that they write [therewith]! [2]2
|
|
2. * |
Thou art not, by thy Sustainer's grace, a madman! [3]3
|
|
3. * |
And, verily, thine shall be a reward neverending -
|
|
4. * |
for, behold, thou keepest indeed to a sublime way of life; [4]4
|
|
5. * |
and [one day] thou shalt see, and they [who now deride thee] shall see,
|
|
6. * |
which of you was bereft of reason.
|
|
7. * |
Verily, thy Sustainer alone is fully aware as to who has strayed from His path, Just as He alone is fully aware of those who have found the right way.
|
|
8. * |
Hence, defer not to [the likes and dislikes of] those who give the lie to the truth:
|
|
9. * |
they would like thee to be soft [with them], so that they might be soft [with thee]. [5]5
|
|
10. * |
Furthermore, [6]6 defer not to the contemptible swearer of oaths,
|
|
11. * |
[or to] the slanderer that goes about with defaming tales,
|
|
12. * |
[or] the withholder of good, [or] the sinful aggressor,
|
|
13. * |
[or] one who is cruel, by greed possessed, [7]7 and, in addition to all this, utterly useless [to his fellow-men]. [8]8
|
|
14. * |
Is it because he is possessed of worldly goods and children
|
|
15. * |
that, whenever Our messages are conveyed to him, such a one says, "Fables of ancient times"? [9]9
|
|
16. * |
[For this] We shall brand him with indelible disgrace! [10]10
|
|
17. * |
[As for such sinners,] behold, We [but] try them [11]11 as We tried the owners of a certain garden who vowed that they would surely harvest its fruit on the morrow,
|
|
18. * |
and made no allowance [for the will of God]: [12]12
|
|
19. * |
whereupon a visitation for thy Sustainer came upon that [garden] while they were asleep,
|
|
20. * |
so that by the morrow it became barren and bleak.
|
|
21. * |
Now when they rose at early morn, they called unto one another,
|
|
22. * |
"Go early to your tilth if you want to harvest the fruit!"
|
|
23. * |
Thus they launched forth, whispering unto one another,
|
|
24. * |
"Indeed, no needy person shall enter it today [and come] upon you [unawares]," [13]13
|
|
25. * |
- and early they went, strongly bent upon their purpose.
|
|
26. * |
But as soon as they beheld [the garden and could not recognize] it, they exclaimed, "Surely we have lost our way!"
|
|
27. * |
- [and then,] "Nay, but we have been rendered destitute!"
|
|
28. * |
Said the most right-minded among them: "Did I not tell you, 'Will you not extol God's limitless glory?'" [14]14
|
|
29. * |
They answered: "Limitless in His glory is our Sustainer! Verily, we were doing wrong!"
|
|
30. * |
- and then they turned upon one another with mutual reproaches.
|
|
31. * |
[In the end] they said: "Oh, woe unto us! Verily, we did behave outrageously!
|
|
32. * |
[But] it may be that our Sustainer will grant us something better instead: [15]15 for, verily, unto our Sustainer do we turn with hope!"
|
|
33. * |
SUCH is the suffering [with which We try some people in this world]; [16]16 but greater by far will be the suffering [which sinners shall have to bear] in the life to come - if they but knew it!
|
|
34. * |
For, behold, it is the God-conscious [alone] whom gardens of bliss await with their Sustainer:
|
|
35. * |
or should We, perchance, treat those who surrender themselves unto Us [17]17 as [We would treat] those who remain lost in sin?
|
|
36. * |
What is amiss with you? [18]18 On what do you base your judgment [of right and wrong]?
|
|
37. * |
Or have you, perchance, a [special] divine writ which you study,
|
|
38. * |
and in which you find all that you may wish to find? [19]19
|
|
39. * |
Or have you received a solemn promise, binding on Us till Resurrection Day, that yours will assuredly be whatever you judge [to be your rightful due]?
|
|
40. * |
Ask them which of them is able to vouch for this!
|
|
41. * |
Or have they, perchance, anys ages to support their views? [20]20 Well, then, if they are sincere in this their claim, let them produce those supporters of theirs
|
|
42. * |
on the Day when man's very being shall be bared to the bone, [21]21 and when they [who now deny the truth] shall be called upon to prostrate themselves [before God], [22]22 and shall be unable to do so:
|
|
43. * |
downcast will be their eyes, with ignominy overwhelming them - seeing that they had been called upon [in vain] to prostrate themselves [before Him] while they were yet sound [and alive].
|
|
44. * |
Hence, leave Me alone with such as give the lie to this tiding. [23]23 We shall bring them low, step by step, without their perceiving how it has come about: [24]24
|
|
45. * |
for, behold, though I may give them rein for a while, My subtle scheme is exceedingly firm! [25]25
|
|
46. * |
Or is it that [they fear lest] thou ask them for a reward, [O Prophet,] so that they would be burdened with debt [if they listened to thee]?
|
|
47. * |
Or [do they think] that the hidden reality [of all that exists] is within their grasp, so that [in time] they can write it down? [26]26
|
|
48. * |
BEAR THEN with patience thy Sustainer's will and be not like him of the great fish, who cried out [in distress] after having given in to anger. [27]27
|
|
49. * |
[And remember:] had not grace from his Sustainer reached him, [28]28 he would indeed have been cast forth upon that barren shore in a state of disgrace: [29]29
|
|
50. * |
but [as it was,] his Sustainer had elected him and placed him among the righteous.
|
|
51. * |
Hence, [be patient,] even though they who are bent on denying the truth would all but kill thee with their eyes whenever they hear this reminder, and [though] they say, "[As for Mubammad,] behold, most surely he is a madman!"
|
|
52. * |
[Be patient:] for this is nought else but a reminder [from God] to all mankind.
|
|