— 30 verses
By the dawn
By the ten nights (i.e. the first ten days of the month of Dhul-Heejjah)
And by the even and the odd (of all the creations of Allah)
And by the night when it departs
There is indeed in them (the above oaths) sufficient proofs for men of understanding (and that, they should avoid all kinds of sins and disbeliefs, etc.)
Did you (O Muhammad (Peace be upon him)) not see (thought) how your Lord dealt with Ad (people)
Who were very tall like lofty pillars
The like of which were not created in the land
And (with) Thamood (people), who cut (hewed) out rocks in the valley (to make dwellings)
And (with) Firaun (Pharaoh), who had pegs (who used to torture men by binding them to pegs)
Who did transgress beyond bounds in the lands (in the disobedience of Allah)
And made therein much mischief
So your Lord poured on them different kinds of severe torment
Verily, your Lord is Ever Watchful (over them)
As for man, when his Lord tries him by giving him honour and gifts, then he says (puffed up): "My Lord has honoured me."
But when He tries him, by straitening his means of life, he says: "My Lord has humiliated me!"
Nay! But you treat not the orphans with kindness and generosity (i.e. you neither treat them well, nor give them their exact right of inheritance)
And urge not on the feeding of AlMiskeen (the poor)
And you devour inheritance all with greed
And you love wealth with much love
Nay! When the earth is ground to powder
And your Lord comes with the angels in rows
And Hell will be brought near that Day. On that Day will man remember, but how will that remembrance (then) avail him
He will say: "Alas! Would that I had sent forth (good deeds) for (this) my life!"
So on that Day, none will punish as He will punish
And none will bind as He will bind
(It will be said to the pious): "O (you) the one in (complete) rest and satisfaction
"Come back to your Lord, Well-pleased (yourself) and well-pleasing unto Him
"Enter you, then, among My honoured slaves
"And enter you My Paradise!"