— 40 verses
Nay, I swear by the Day of Resurrection
Nay, I swear by the accusing soul (that this Scripture is true)
Thinketh man that We shall not assemble his bones
Yea, verily. We are Able to restore his very fingers
But man would fain deny what is before him
He asketh: When will be this Day of Resurrection
But when sight is confounde
And the moon is eclipse
And sun and moon are united
On that day man will cry: Whither to flee
Alas! No refuge
Unto thy Lord is the recourse that day
On that day man is told the tale of that which he hath sent before and left behind
Oh, but man is a telling witness against himself
Although he tender his excuses
Stir not thy tongue herewith to hasten it
Lo! upon Us (resteth) the putting together thereof and the reading thereof
And when We read it, follow thou the reading
Then lo! upon Us (resteth) the explanation thereof
Nay, but ye do love the fleeting No
And neglect the Hereafter
That day will faces be resplendent
Looking toward their Lord
And that day will other faces be despondent
Thou wilt know that some great disaster is about to fall on them
Nay, but when the life cometh up to the throat
And men say: Where is the wizard (who can save him now)
And he knoweth that it is the parting
And agony is heaped on agony
Unto thy Lord that day will be the driving
For he neither trusted, nor prayed
But he denied and flouted
Then went he to his folk with glee
Nearer unto thee and nearer
Again nearer unto thee and nearer (is the doom)
Thinketh man that he is to be left aimless
Was he not a drop of fluid which gushed forth
Then he became a clot; then (Allah) shaped and fashione
And made of him a pair, the male and female
Is not He (Who doeth so) Able to bring the dead to life