English - Chapter 68 - Al-Qalam

Nun! (Allah swears by) the pen and whatever they, (the angels), write

(Oh prophet), you are not, by the grace of your Lord, a mad man

In fact, you certainly have a perpetual and ever lasting reward (with your Lord)

Indeed, you certainly bear the highest moral character

Soon you will see, and so shall they

Who is deranged _ (you or they)

Indeed, your Lord knows well who has strayed from His path; and He (also) knows those who are the rightly guided

Do not yield to those who have denied the truth

They would love it if you make concessions (and compromise the truth somewhat). They too, would then give in (some)

And do not obey the contemptible oath-monger

The abusive mudslinger, who throws insults around (all the time)

The one who prohibits the good, trespasses and defiantly indulges in sinful acts

Ignoble and greedy, in short, despised

(He acts that way), because he is wealthy and has (many) children

When Our verses are recited to him, he remarks, "(Legends)! Tales of the earlier folks

Very soon, We will (burn and) brand his snout

Indeed, We have put them through a test, just as We tested the owners of an orchard. They swore to pick its fruit the next morning

They allowed no exception, (They did not say, "If Allah pleases)

So, while they slept, a calamity from their Lord visited that orchard (and destroyed it completely)

By the morning, it looked bare, as if it had already been picked clean

At daybreak they called each other

Proceed to your field early in the morning, if you want to pick the fruit (today)

So they departed, muttering to each other

Today, do not let the poor and the needy enter the orchard and pester you (for alms)

With that resolve, and certain (in their minds) that they had the means (to harvest), they left in the morning

When they saw their orchard, they (failed to recognize it, and) cried out, "We have surely lost our way

No! Rather, we have been deprived

The moderate one among them said, "Did I not tell you? Why did you not chant (your Lord´s) praises

They said, "Exalted is our Lord. In fact, we were the wrongdoers

Then they turned around, and began blaming each other

They said, "Indeed, we had certainly acted arrogantly

Hopefully, our Lord will grant us something better in its place. Of course, we do turn to our Lord for forgiveness

Such is the punishment (in this life), but the torment of the afterlife is far greater, if they only knew

For the righteous, there exist with their Lord the blessings filled gardens

Are We to treat the obedient ones the same as the criminals

What is wrong with you? How do you draw your conclusions

Or did you learn it from your scriptures

That you shall have whatever you prefer

Or, do you hold a binding contract over Us till the day of Resurrection, (guaranteeing) that whatever you order shall be yours

Ask them. Who amongst them can claim that

Or, do they have (other gods as Allah´s) partners (offering them such a guarantee)? Let them produce these partners if they are truthful

They would be asked to prostrate (before Allah) on that day when the reality is laid bare. But (that day), they shall find themselves unable (to prostrate)

Downcast would be their eyes (in shame); disgrace shall overwhelm them. They were asked to prostrate in this life, when they were sound and solid

So let Me handle (all) those who reject this Qur´an. Gradually, We would lead them (into Hell), by means they would seldom perceive

I will let them have a little respite. My scheme is a cinch _ (airtight and foolproof)

Or, do you ask them for a fee (or a reward)? Are they laboring under the burden (of such a demand)

Or, do they have the knowledge of the unseen so they may write (their own fate)

So, wait patiently for your Lord´s decree. Do not act like the man of the fish, (the prophet Jonah), when he called (his Lord), choked with grief

(In the fish he would still be), had the mercy of your Lord not reached him. He was tossed on the bare (and barren) beach _ censured (and chastised)

Eventually, his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous ones

The unbelievers look at you with aversion (and animosity), and they almost trip you up with their eyes. They hear this reminder, the Qur´an, and say, "He is really a man possessed

Although it is (nothing but) a reminder for the whole world