- Nun. By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write,
- Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, mad or possessed.
- Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:
- And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.
- Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,
- Which of you is afflicted with madness.
- Verily it is thy Lord that knoweth best, which (among men) hath strayed from His Path: and He knoweth best those who receive (true) Guidance.
- So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).
- Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliant: so would they be pliant.
- Heed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths,
- A slanderer, going about with calumnies,
- (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,
- Violent (and cruel),- with all that, base-born,
- Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.
- When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Tales of the ancients", he cries!
- Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!
- Verily We have tried them as We tried the People of the Garden when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning.
- But made no reservation, ("If it is Allah's Will").
- Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.
- So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).
- As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,-
- "Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."
- So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)-
- "Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."
- And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.
- But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:
- "Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"
- Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify ((Allah))?'"
- They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"
- Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.
- They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!
- "It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"
- Such is the Punishment (in this life); but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter,- if only they knew!
- Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.
- Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?
- What is the matter with you? How judge ye?
- Or have ye a book through which ye learn-
- That ye shall have, through it whatever ye choose?
- Or have ye Covenants with Us to oath, reaching to the Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?
- Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!
- Or have they some "Partners" (in Allah)? Then let them produce their "partners" if they are truthful!
- The Day that the shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able,-
- Their eyes will be cast down,- ignominy will cover them; seeing that they had been summoned aforetime to bow in adoration, while they were whole, (and had refused).
- Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.
- A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My Plan.
- Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward so that they are burdened with a load of debt?-
- Or that the Unseen is in their hands so that they can write it down?
- So wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish,- when he cried out in agony.
- Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.
- Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.
- And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"
- But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.