| 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. |