(By) the inkstand and the pen and that which they write
By the grace of thy Lord thou art not mad
And surely thine is a reward never to be cut off
And surely thou hast sublime morals
So thou wilt see, and they (too) will see
Which of you is mad
Surely thy Lord knows best who is erring from His way, and He knows best those who go aright
So obey not the rejectors
They wish that thou shouldst be pliant, so they (too) would be pliant
And obey not any mean swearer
Defamer, going about with slander
Hinderer of good, outstepping the limits, sinful
Ignoble, besides all that, notoriously mischievous -
Because he possess wealth and sons
When Our messages are recited to him, he says: Stories of those of yore
We shall brand him on the snout
We shall try them as We tried the owners of the garden, when they swore to pluck its fruits in the morning
And would not set aside a portion (for the poor)
But a visitation from thy Lord came on it, while they slept
So it became as black, barren land -
Then they called out one to another in the morning
Saying: Go early to your tilth, if you would pluck (the fruit)
So they went, while they said one to another in low tones
No poor man shall enter it to-day to you -
And in the morning they went, having the power to prevent
But when they saw it, they said: Surely we are in error
Nay, we are made to suffer privation
The best of them said: Said I not to you, Why do you not glorify (Allah)
They said: Glory be to our Lord! surely we were unjust
Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other
Said they: O woe to us! Surely we were inordinate -
Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it -- surely to our Lord we make petition
Such is the chastisement. And certainly the chastisement of the Hereafter is greater, did they but know
Surely the dutiful have with their Lord Gardens of bliss
Shall We then make those who submit as the guilty
What is the matter with you? How do you judge
Or have you a book wherein you rea
That you shall surely have therein what you choose
Or have you covenants from us on oath, extending to the day of Resurrection, that yours is surely what you judge
Ask them which of them will vouch for that
Or have they associate-gods? Then let them bring their associates, if they are truthful
On the day when thee is a severe affliction, and they are called upon to prostrate themselves, but they are not able -
Their looks cast down, abasement will cover them. And they were indeed called upon to prostrate themselves, while yet they were safe
So leave Me alone with him who rejects this announcement. We shall overtake them by degrees, from whence they know not
And I bear with them, surely My plan is firm
Or dost thou ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt
Or is the unseen with them so that they write (it) down
So wait patiently for the judgment of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the fish, when he cried while he was in distress
Had not favour from his Lord reached him, he would certainly have been cast down on naked ground, while he was blamed
Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the righteous
And those who disbelieve would almost smite thee with their eyes when they hear the Reminder, and they say: Surely he is mad
And it is naught but a Reminder for the nations