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English - Chapter 27 - An-Naml

Translation by John Medows Rodwell — Permalink

Verse 1 — Surah An-Naml 27:1

TA. SAD. These are the signs (verses) of the Koran and of the lucid Book

Verse 2 — Surah An-Naml 27:2

Guidance and glad tidings to the believers

Verse 3 — Surah An-Naml 27:3

who observe prayer and pay the stated alms, and believe firmly - do they - in the life to come

Verse 4 — Surah An-Naml 27:4

As to those who believe not in the life to come, we have made their own doings fair seeming to them, and they are bewildered therein

Verse 5 — Surah An-Naml 27:5

These are they whom the woe of chastisement awaiteth; and in the next life they shall suffer - yes shall they - greatest loss

Verse 6 — Surah An-Naml 27:6

But thou hast certainly received the Koran from the Wise, the Knowing

Verse 7 — Surah An-Naml 27:7

Bear in mind when Moses said to his family, "I have perceived a fire; I will bring you tidings from it, or will bring you a blazing brand, that ye may warm you

Verse 8 — Surah An-Naml 27:8

And when he came to it, he was called to, "Blessed, He who is in the fire, and He who is about it; and glory be to God, the Lord of the worlds

Verse 9 — Surah An-Naml 27:9

O Moses! verily, I am God, the Mighty, the Wise

Verse 10 — Surah An-Naml 27:10

Throw down now thy staff." And when he saw that it moved itself as though it were a serpent, he retreated backward and returned not. "O Moses, fear not; for the Sent Ones fear not in my presence

Verse 11 — Surah An-Naml 27:11

Save he who having done amiss shall afterwards exchange the evil for good; for I am Forgiving, Merciful

Verse 12 — Surah An-Naml 27:12

Put now thy hand into thy bosom: it shall come forth white, yet free from hurt: one of nine signs to Pharaoh and his people; for a perverse people are they

Verse 13 — Surah An-Naml 27:13

And when our signs were wrought in their very sight, they said, "This is plain magic

Verse 14 — Surah An-Naml 27:14

And though in their souls they knew them to be true, yet in their wickedness and pride they denied them. But see what was the end of the corrupt doers

Verse 15 — Surah An-Naml 27:15

And of old we gave knowledge to David and Solomon: and they said, "Praise be to God, who hath made us to excel many of his believing servants

Verse 16 — Surah An-Naml 27:16

And in knowledge Solomon was David's heir. And he said, "O men, we have been taught the speech of birds, and are endued with everything. This is indeed a clear boon from God

Verse 17 — Surah An-Naml 27:17

And to Solomon were gathered his hosts of Djinn and men and birds, and they were marched on in bands

Verse 18 — Surah An-Naml 27:18

Till they reached the Valley of Ants. Said AN ANT, "O ye ants, enter your dwellings, lest Solomon and his army crush you and know it not

Verse 19 — Surah An-Naml 27:19

Then smiled Solomon, laughing at her words, and he said, "Stir me up, O Lord, to be thankful for thy favour which thou hast shewed upon me and upon my parents, and to do righteousness that shall be well pleasing to thee, and bring me in, by thy mercy, among thy servants the righteous

Verse 20 — Surah An-Naml 27:20

And he reviewed the birds, and said, "How is it that I see not the lapwing? Is it one of the absent

Verse 21 — Surah An-Naml 27:21

Surely, with a severe chastisement will I chastise it, or I will certainly slaughter it, unless it bring me a clear excuse

Verse 22 — Surah An-Naml 27:22

Nor tarried it long ere it came and said, "I have gained the knowledge that thou knowest not, and with sure tidings have I come to thee from Saba

Verse 23 — Surah An-Naml 27:23

I found a woman reigning over them, gifted with everything, and she hath a splendid throne

Verse 24 — Surah An-Naml 27:24

And I found her and her people worshipping the sun instead of God; and Satan hath made their works fair seeming to them, so that he hath turned them from the Way: wherefore they are not guided

Verse 25 — Surah An-Naml 27:25

To the worship of God, who bringeth to light the secret things of heaven and earth, and knoweth what men conceal and what they manifest

Verse 26 — Surah An-Naml 27:26

God! there is no god but He! the lord of the glorious throne

Verse 27 — Surah An-Naml 27:27

He said, "We shall see whether thou hast spoken truth, or whether thou art of them that lie

Verse 28 — Surah An-Naml 27:28

Go with this my letter and throw it down to them: then turn away from them and await their answer

Verse 29 — Surah An-Naml 27:29

She said, "O my nobles! an honourable letter hath been thrown down to me

Verse 30 — Surah An-Naml 27:30

It is from Solomon; and it is this: 'In the name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

Verse 31 — Surah An-Naml 27:31

Set not up yourselves against me, but come to me submitting (Muslims)

Verse 32 — Surah An-Naml 27:32

She said, "O my nobles, advise me in mine affair: I decide it not without your concurrence

Verse 33 — Surah An-Naml 27:33

They said, "We are endued with strength and are endued with mighty valour. - But to command is thine: See therefore what thou wilt command us

Verse 34 — Surah An-Naml 27:34

She said, "Kings when they enter a city spoil it, and abase the mightiest of its people: and in like manner will these also do

Verse 35 — Surah An-Naml 27:35

But I will send to them with a gift, and await what my envoys bring back

Verse 36 — Surah An-Naml 27:36

And when the messenger came to Solomon, he said, "Aid ye me with riches? But what God hath given to me is better than what he hath given you: yet ye glory in your gifts

Verse 37 — Surah An-Naml 27:37

Return to them: for we will surely come to them with forces which they cannot withstand, and we will drive them from their land humbled and contemptible

Verse 38 — Surah An-Naml 27:38

Said he, "O nobles, which of you will bring me her throne before they come to me, submitting? (Muslims)

Verse 39 — Surah An-Naml 27:39

An Efreet of the Djinn said: "I will bring it thee ere thou risest from thy place: I have power for this and am trusty

Verse 40 — Surah An-Naml 27:40

And one who had the knowledge of Scripture said, "I will bring it to thee in the twinkling of an eye." And when he saw it set before him, he said, "This is of the favour of my Lord, to try me whether I will be thankful or unthankful. And he who is thankful is thankful to his own behoof; and as for him who is unthankful - truly my Lord is self-sufficient, bounteous

Verse 41 — Surah An-Naml 27:41

Said he, "Make her throne so that she know it not: we shall see whether she hath or not guidance

Verse 42 — Surah An-Naml 27:42

And when she came he said, "Is thy throne like this?" She said, "As though it were the same." "And we," said he, "have had knowledge given us before her, and have been Muslims

Verse 43 — Surah An-Naml 27:43

But the gods she had worshipped instead of God had led her astray: for she was of a people who believe not

Verse 44 — Surah An-Naml 27:44

It was said to her,"Enter the Palace:" and when she saw it, she thought it a lake of water, and bared her legs. He said, "It is a palace paved with glass." She said, "O my Lord! I have sinned against my own soul, and I resign myself, with Solomon, to God the Lord of the Worlds

Verse 45 — Surah An-Naml 27:45

And of old we sent to Themoud their brother Saleh, with "Serve ye God:"but lo! they became two sets of disputants wrangling with each other

Verse 46 — Surah An-Naml 27:46

He said, "O my people, why, if ye ask not pardon of God that ye may find mercy, hasten ye on evil rather than good

Verse 47 — Surah An-Naml 27:47

They said,"We augur ill concerning thee and those who are with thee." He said, "The ills of which ye augur depend on God. But ye are a people on your trial

Verse 48 — Surah An-Naml 27:48

And there were in the city nine persons who committed excesses in the land and did not that which is right

Verse 49 — Surah An-Naml 27:49

They said, "Swear ye to one another by God that we will surely fall on him and on his family by night: then will be say to the avenger of blood, we witnessed not the destruction of his family: and verily we speak the truth

Verse 50 — Surah An-Naml 27:50

And they devised a device, and we devised a device, and they were not aware of it

Verse 51 — Surah An-Naml 27:51

And see what was the end of their device! We destroyed them and their whole people

Verse 52 — Surah An-Naml 27:52

And for their sin these their houses are empty ruins: Verily in this is a sign to those who understand

Verse 53 — Surah An-Naml 27:53

And we delivered those who believed and feared

Verse 54 — Surah An-Naml 27:54

And Lot, when he said to his people, "What! proceed ye to such filthiness with your eyes open

Verse 55 — Surah An-Naml 27:55

What! come ye with lust unto men rather than to women? Surely ye are an ignorant people

Verse 56 — Surah An-Naml 27:56

And the answer of his people was but to say, "Cast out the family of Lot from your city: they, forsooth, are men of purity

Verse 57 — Surah An-Naml 27:57

So we rescued him and his family: but as for his wife, we decreed her to be of them that lingered

Verse 58 — Surah An-Naml 27:58

And we rained a rain upon them, and fatal was the rain to those who had had their warning

Verse 59 — Surah An-Naml 27:59

SAY: Praise be to God and peace be on His servants whom He hath chosen! Is God the more worthy or the gods they join with Him

Verse 60 — Surah An-Naml 27:60

Is not He who hath made the Heavens and the Earth, and hath sent down rain to you from Heaven, by which we cause the luxuriant groves to spring up! It is not in your power to cause its trees to spring up! What! A god with God? Yet they find equals for Him

Verse 61 — Surah An-Naml 27:61

Is not He, who hath set the earth so firm, and hath made rivers in its midst, and hath placed mountains upon it, and put a barrier between the two seas? What! a god with God? Yet the greater part of them have no knowledge

Verse 62 — Surah An-Naml 27:62

Is not He the more worthy who answereth the oppressed when they cry to him, and taketh off their ills, and maketh you to succeed your sires on the earth? What! a god with God? How few bear these things in mind

Verse 63 — Surah An-Naml 27:63

Is not He, who guideth you in the darkness of the land and of the sea, and who sendeth forth the winds as the forerunners of His mercy? What! a god with God? Far from God be what ye join with Him

Verse 64 — Surah An-Naml 27:64

Is not He, who created a Being, then reneweth it, and who supplieth you out of the Heaven and the Earth? What! a god with God? SAY: Bring forth your proofs if you speak the truth

Verse 65 — Surah An-Naml 27:65

SAY: None either in the Heavens or in the Earth knoweth the unseen but God. And they know not When they shall be raised

Verse 66 — Surah An-Naml 27:66

Yet they have attained to a knowledge of the life to come: - yet are they in doubt about it: - yet are they blind about it

Verse 67 — Surah An-Naml 27:67

And the unbelievers say: "When we and our fathers have been dead shall we be taken forth

Verse 68 — Surah An-Naml 27:68

Of old have we been promised this, we and our sires of old it is but fables of the ancients

Verse 69 — Surah An-Naml 27:69

SAY: Go ye through the land, and see what hath been the end of the wicked

Verse 70 — Surah An-Naml 27:70

And grieve not thou for them, nor be in distress at their devisings

Verse 71 — Surah An-Naml 27:71

And they say, "When will this promise be made good, if ye speak true

Verse 72 — Surah An-Naml 27:72

SAY: Haply a part of what ye desire to be hastened may be close behind you

Verse 73 — Surah An-Naml 27:73

And truly thy Lord is full of goodness towards men: But most of them are not thankful

Verse 74 — Surah An-Naml 27:74

And thy Lord knoweth well what their breasts enshroud, and what they bring to light

Verse 75 — Surah An-Naml 27:75

And there is no secret thing in the Heaven or on the Earth, but it is in the clear Book

Verse 76 — Surah An-Naml 27:76

Truly this Koran declareth to the children of Israel most things wherein they disagree

Verse 77 — Surah An-Naml 27:77

And it is certainly guidance and a mercy to the faithful

Verse 78 — Surah An-Naml 27:78

Verily, by his wisdom will thy Lord decide between them: for He is the Mighty, the Knowing

Verse 79 — Surah An-Naml 27:79

Put thou then thy trust in God: for thou hast clear truth on thy side

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 away backward

Verse 81 — Surah An-Naml 27:81

Neither art thou the guide of the blind out of their errors: none truly shalt thou make to hear but those who believe our signs: and they are Muslims

Verse 82 — Surah An-Naml 27:82

When the doom shall be ready to light upon them, we will cause a monster to come forth to them out of the earth, and cry to them "Verily men have not firmly believed our signs

Verse 83 — Surah An-Naml 27:83

And on that day shall be gathered out of every nation a company of those who have gainsaid our signs, in separate bands

Verse 84 — Surah An-Naml 27:84

Till they come before God, who will say, "Treated ye my signs as impostures, although ye embraced them not in your knowledge? or what is it that ye were doing

Verse 85 — Surah An-Naml 27:85

And doom shall light upon them for their evil deeds, and nought shall they have to plead

Verse 86 — Surah An-Naml 27:86

See they not that we have ordained the night that they may rest in it, and the day with its gift of light? Of a truth herein are signs to people who believe

Verse 87 — Surah An-Naml 27:87

On that day there shall be a blast on the trumpet, and all that are in the heavens, and all that the on the earth shall be terror-stricken, save him whom God pleaseth to deliver; and all shall come to him in humble guise

Verse 88 — Surah An-Naml 27:88

And thou shalt see the mountains, which thou thinkest so firm, pass away with the passing of a cloud! 'Tis the work of God, who ordereth all things! of all that ye do is He well aware

Verse 89 — Surah An-Naml 27:89

To him who shall present himself with good works, shall be a reward beyond their desert, and they shall be secure from the terror on that day

Verse 90 — Surah An-Naml 27:90

And they who shall present themselves with evil shall be flung downward on their faces into the fire. Shall ye be rewarded but as ye have wrought

Verse 91 — Surah An-Naml 27:91

SAY: Specially am I commanded to worship the Lord of this land, which He hath sanctified. All things are His: and I am commanded to be one of those who surrender them to God (a Muslim)

Verse 92 — Surah An-Naml 27:92

And to recite the Koran: and whoever is rightly guided, assuredly will be rightly guided to his own behoof

Verse 93 — Surah An-Naml 27:93

And as to him who erreth, SAY, I truly am a warner only.And SAY, Praise be to God! He will shew you His signs, and ye shall acknowledge them: and of what ye do, thy Lord is not regardless