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English - Chapter 27 - An-Naml

Translation by A. J. Arberry — Permalink

Verse 1 — Surah An-Naml 27:1

Ta Sin. Those are the signs of the Koran and a Manifest Book

Verse 2 — Surah An-Naml 27:2

a guidance, and good tidings unto the believers

Verse 3 — Surah An-Naml 27:3

who perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and have sure faith in the Hereafter

Verse 4 — Surah An-Naml 27:4

Those who believe not in the Hereafter, We have decked out fair for them their works, and they wander blindly

Verse 5 — Surah An-Naml 27:5

those are they whom an evil chastisement awaits, and they will be the greatest losers in the Hereafter

Verse 6 — Surah An-Naml 27:6

Thou receivest the Koran from One All-wise, All-knowing

Verse 7 — Surah An-Naml 27:7

When Moses said to his people 'I observe a fire, and will bring you news of it, or I will bring you a flaming brand, that haply you shall warm yourselves

Verse 8 — Surah An-Naml 27:8

So, when he came to it, he was called: 'Blessed is he who is in the fire, and he who is about it. Glory be to God, the Lord of all Being

Verse 9 — Surah An-Naml 27:9

Moses, behold, it is I, God, the All-mighty, the All-wise

Verse 10 — Surah An-Naml 27:10

Cast down thy staff.' And when he saw it quivering like a serpent he turned about, retreating, and turned not back. 'Moses, fear not; surely the Envoys do not fear in My presence

Verse 11 — Surah An-Naml 27:11

save him who has done evil, then; after evil, has changed into good; All-forgiving am I, All-compassionate

Verse 12 — Surah An-Naml 27:12

Thrust thy hand in thy bosom and it will come forth white without evil-among nine signs to Pharaoh and his people; they are an ungodly people

Verse 13 — Surah An-Naml 27:13

But when Our signs came to them visibly, they said, 'This is a manifest sorcery

Verse 14 — Surah An-Naml 27:14

and they denied them, though their souls acknowledged them, wrongfully and out of pride. Behold, how was the end of the workers of corruption

Verse 15 — Surah An-Naml 27:15

And We gave David and Solomon knowledge and they said, 'Praise belongs to God who has preferred us over many of His believing servants

Verse 16 — Surah An-Naml 27:16

And Solomon was David's heir, and he said, 'Men, we have been taught the speech of the birds, and we have been given of everything; surely this is indeed the manifest bounty

Verse 17 — Surah An-Naml 27:17

And his hosts were mustered to Solomon, jinn, men and birds, duly disposed

Verse 18 — Surah An-Naml 27:18

till, when they came on the Valley of Ants, an ant said, 'Ants, enter your dwelling-places, lest Solomon and his hosts crush you, being unaware

Verse 19 — Surah An-Naml 27:19

But he smiled, laughing at its words, and he said, 'My Lord, dispose me that I may be thankful for Thy blessing wherewith Thou hast blessed me and my father and mother, and that I may do righteousness well-pleasing to Thee; and do Thou admit me, by Thy mercy, amongst Thy righteous servants

Verse 20 — Surah An-Naml 27:20

And he reviewed the birds; then he said, 'How is it with me, that I do not see the hoopoe? Or is he among the absent

Verse 21 — Surah An-Naml 27:21

Assuredly I will chastise him with a terrible chastisement, or I will slaughter him, or he bring me a clear authority

Verse 22 — Surah An-Naml 27:22

But he tarried not long, and said, 'I have comprehended that which thou hast not comprehended, and I have come from Sheba to thee with a sure tiding

Verse 23 — Surah An-Naml 27:23

I found a woman ruling over them, and she has been given of everything, and she possesses a mighty throne

Verse 24 — Surah An-Naml 27:24

I found her and her people prostrating to the sun, apart from God; Satan has decked out fair their deeds to them and he has barred them from the way, and therefore they are not guided

Verse 25 — Surah An-Naml 27:25

so that they prostrate not themselves to God, who brings forth what is hidden in the heavens and earth; and He knows what you conceal and what you publish

Verse 26 — Surah An-Naml 27:26

God: there is no god but He, the Lord of the Mighty Throne

Verse 27 — Surah An-Naml 27:27

Said he, 'Now We will see whether thou hast spoken truly, or whether thou art amongst those that lie

Verse 28 — Surah An-Naml 27:28

Take this letter of mine, and cast it unto them, then turn back from them and see what they shall return

Verse 29 — Surah An-Naml 27:29

She said, 'O Council, see, a letter honourable has been cast unto me

Verse 30 — Surah An-Naml 27:30

It is from Solomon, and it is "In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate

Verse 31 — Surah An-Naml 27:31

Rise not up against me, but come to me in surrender

Verse 32 — Surah An-Naml 27:32

She said, 'O Council, pronounce to me concerning my affair; I am not used to decide an affair until you bear me witness

Verse 33 — Surah An-Naml 27:33

They said, 'We possess force and we possess great might. The affair rests with thee; so consider what thou wilt command

Verse 34 — Surah An-Naml 27:34

She said, 'Kings, when they enter a city, disorder it and make the mighty ones of its inhabitants abased. Even so they too will do

Verse 35 — Surah An-Naml 27:35

Now I will send them a present, and see what the envoys bring back

Verse 36 — Surah An-Naml 27:36

But when he came to Solomon he said, 'What, would you succour me with wealth, and what God gave me is better than what He has given you? Nay, but instead you rejoice in your gift

Verse 37 — Surah An-Naml 27:37

Return thou to them; we shall assuredly come against them with hosts they have not power to resist, and we shall expel them from there, abased and utterly humbled

Verse 38 — Surah An-Naml 27:38

He said, 'O Council, which one of you will bring me her throne, before they come to me in surrender

Verse 39 — Surah An-Naml 27:39

An efreet of the jinns said, 'I will bring it to thee, before thou risest from thy place; I have strength for it

Verse 40 — Surah An-Naml 27:40

and I am trusty.' Said he who possessed knowledge of the Book, 'I will bring it to thee, before ever thy glance returns to thee.' Then, when he saw it settled before him, he said, 'This is of my Lord's bounty that He may try me, whether I am thankful or ungrateful. Whosoever gives thanks gives thanks only for his own soul's good, and whosoever is ungrateful -- my Lord is surely All-sufficient, All-generous

Verse 41 — Surah An-Naml 27:41

He said, 'Disguise her throne for her, and we shall behold whether she is guided or if she is of those that are not guided

Verse 42 — Surah An-Naml 27:42

So, when she came, it was said, 'Is thy throne like this?' She said, 'It seems the same.' 'And we were given the knowledge before her, and we were in surrender

Verse 43 — Surah An-Naml 27:43

but that she served, apart from God, barred her, for she was of a people of unbelievers

Verse 44 — Surah An-Naml 27:44

It was said to her, 'Enter the pavilion.' But when she saw it, she supposed it was a spreading water, and she bared her legs. He said, 'It is a pavilion smoothed of crystal. She said, 'My Lord, indeed I have wronged myself, and I surrender with Solomon to God, the Lord of all Being

Verse 45 — Surah An-Naml 27:45

And We sent to Thamood their brother Salih: 'Serve you God!' And behold, they were two parties, that were disputing one with another

Verse 46 — Surah An-Naml 27:46

He said, 'O my people, why do you seek to hasten evil before good? Why do you not ask forgiveness of God? Haply so you will find mercy

Verse 47 — Surah An-Naml 27:47

They said, 'We augur ill of thee and of those that are with thee.' He said, 'Your augury is with God; nay, but you are a people being proved

Verse 48 — Surah An-Naml 27:48

Now in the city there were nine persons who did corruption in the land, and put not things right

Verse 49 — Surah An-Naml 27:49

they said, 'Swear you, one to another, by God, "We will attack him and his family by night, then we will tell his protector, We were not witnesses of the destruction of his family; and assuredly we are truthful men

Verse 50 — Surah An-Naml 27:50

And they devised a device, and We likewise devised a device, while they were not aware

Verse 51 — Surah An-Naml 27:51

and behold, how was the end of their device! For We destroyed them and their people all together

Verse 52 — Surah An-Naml 27:52

Those are their houses, all fallen down because of the evil they committed; surely in that is a sign for a people who have knowledge

Verse 53 — Surah An-Naml 27:53

And We delivered those who believed and were godfearing

Verse 54 — Surah An-Naml 27:54

And Lot, when he said to his people, 'What, do you commit indecency with your eyes open

Verse 55 — Surah An-Naml 27:55

What, do you approach men lustfully instead of women? No, you are a people that are ignorant

Verse 56 — Surah An-Naml 27:56

And the only answer of his people was that they said, 'Expel the folk of Lot from your city; they are men that keep themselves clean

Verse 57 — Surah An-Naml 27:57

So We delivered him and his family, except his wife; We decreed she should be of those that tarried

Verse 58 — Surah An-Naml 27:58

And We rained on them a rain; and evil indeed is the rain of them that are warned

Verse 59 — Surah An-Naml 27:59

Say: 'Praise belongs to God, and peace be on His servants whom He has chosen.' What, is God better, or that they associate

Verse 60 — Surah An-Naml 27:60

He who created the heavens and earth, and sent down for you out of heaven water; and We caused to grow therewith gardens full of loveliness whose trees you could never grow. Is there a god with God? Nay, but they are a people who assign to Him equals

Verse 61 — Surah An-Naml 27:61

He who made the earth a fixed place and set amidst it rivers and appointed for it firm mountains and placed a partition between the two seas. Is there a god with God? Nay, but the most of them have no knowledge

Verse 62 — Surah An-Naml 27:62

He who answers the constrained, when he calls unto Him, and removes the evil and appoints you to be successors in the earth. Is there a god with God? Little indeed do you remember

Verse 63 — Surah An-Naml 27:63

He who guides you in the shadows of the land and the sea and looses the winds, bearing good tidings before His mercy. Is there a god with God? High exalted be God, above that which they associate

Verse 64 — Surah An-Naml 27:64

Who originates creation, then brings it back again, and provides you out of heaven and earth. Is there a god with God? Say: 'Produce your proof, if you speak truly

Verse 65 — Surah An-Naml 27:65

Say: 'None knows the Unseen in the heavens and earth except God. And they are not aware when they shall be raised

Verse 66 — Surah An-Naml 27:66

nay, but their knowledge fails as to the Hereafter; nay, they are in doubt of it; nay, they are blind to it

Verse 67 — Surah An-Naml 27:67

The unbelievers say, 'What, when we are dust, and our fathers, shall we indeed be brought forth

Verse 68 — Surah An-Naml 27:68

We have been promised this, and our fathers before; this is naught but the fairy-tales of the ancients

Verse 69 — Surah An-Naml 27:69

Say: 'Journey in the land, then behold how was the end of the sinners

Verse 70 — Surah An-Naml 27:70

Do not sorrow for them, nor be thou straitened for what they devise

Verse 71 — Surah An-Naml 27:71

They say, 'When shall this promise come to pass, if you speak the truth

Verse 72 — Surah An-Naml 27:72

Say: 'It may be that riding behind you already is some part of that you seek to hasten on

Verse 73 — Surah An-Naml 27:73

Surely thy Lord is bountiful to men; but most of them are not thankful

Verse 74 — Surah An-Naml 27:74

Surely thy Lord knows what their hearts conceal, and what they publish

Verse 75 — Surah An-Naml 27:75

And not a thing is there hidden in heaven and earth but it is in a Manifest Book

Verse 76 — Surah An-Naml 27:76

Surely this Koran relates to the Children of Israel most of that concerning which they are at variance

Verse 77 — Surah An-Naml 27:77

it is a guidance, and a mercy unto the believers

Verse 78 — Surah An-Naml 27:78

Surely thy Lord will decide between them by His Judgment; He is the All-mighty, the All-knowing

Verse 79 — Surah An-Naml 27:79

So put thy trust in God; thou art upon the manifest truth

Verse 80 — Surah An-Naml 27:80

Thou shalt not make the dead to hear, neither shalt thou make the deaf to hear the call when they turn about, retreating

Verse 81 — Surah An-Naml 27:81

Thou shalt not guide the blind out of their error neither shalt thou make any to hear, save such as believe in Our signs, and so surrender

Verse 82 — Surah An-Naml 27:82

When the Word falls on them, We shall bring forth for them out of the earth a beast that shall speak unto them: 'Mankind had no faith in Our signs

Verse 83 — Surah An-Naml 27:83

Upon the day when We shall muster out of every nation a troop of those that cried lies to Our signs, duly disposed

Verse 84 — Surah An-Naml 27:84

till, when they are come, He shall say, 'Did you cry lies to My signs, not comprehending them in knowledge, or what have you been doing

Verse 85 — Surah An-Naml 27:85

And the Word shall fall upon them because of the evil they committed, while they speak naught

Verse 86 — Surah An-Naml 27:86

Have they not seen how We made the night for them, to repose in it, and the day, to see? Surely in that is a sign for a people who are believers

Verse 87 — Surah An-Naml 27:87

On the day the Trumpet is blown, and terrified is whosoever is in the heavens and earth, excepting whom God wills, and every one shall come to Him, all utterly abject

Verse 88 — Surah An-Naml 27:88

and thou shalt see the mountains, that thou supposest fixed, passing by like clouds -- God's handiwork, who has created everything very well. He is aware of the things you do

Verse 89 — Surah An-Naml 27:89

Whosoever comes with a good deed, he shall have better than it; and they shall be secure from terror that day

Verse 90 — Surah An-Naml 27:90

And whosoever comes with an evil deed, their faces shall be thrust into the Fire: 'Are you recompensed but for what you did

Verse 91 — Surah An-Naml 27:91

I have only been commanded to serve the Lord of this territory which He has made sacred; to Him belongs everything. And I have been commanded to be of those that surrender

Verse 92 — Surah An-Naml 27:92

and to recite the Koran. So whosoever is guided, is only guided to his own gain; and whosoever goes astray, say: 'I am naught but a warner

Verse 93 — Surah An-Naml 27:93

And say: 'Praise belongs to God. He shall show you His signs and you will recognise them. Thy Lord is not heedless of the things you do