Surah “The Dawn, Daybreak”

as rendered by Aisha Bewley — 30 verses

89:1
By the dawn
89:2
and ten nights,
89:3
and the even and odd,
89:4
and the night when it travels on,
89:5
is there not in that an oath for the intelligent?
89:6
Do you not see what your Lord did with ´Ad —
89:7
Iram of the Columns
89:8
whose like was not created in any land —
89:9
and Thamud who carved out rocks in the valley-side,
89:10
and Pharaoh of the Stakes,
89:11
all of whom were tyrants in their lands
89:12
and caused much corruption in them?
89:13
So your Lord unleashed on them a scourging punishment;
89:14
your Lord is always lying in wait.
89:15
As for man, when his Lord tests him by honouring him and favouring him, he says, ´My Lord has honoured me!´
89:16
But then when He tests him by restricting his provision, he says, ´My Lord has humiliated me!´
89:17
No indeed! You do not honour orphans
89:18
nor do you urge the feeding of the poor;
89:19
you devour inheritance with voracious appetites
89:20
and you have an insatiable love of wealth.
89:21
No indeed! When the earth is crushed and ground to dust
89:22
and your Lord arrives with the angels rank upon rank
89:23
and that Day Hell is produced, that Day man will remember; but how will the remembrance help him?
89:24
He will say, ´Oh! If only I had prepared in advance for this life of mine!´
89:25
That Day no one will punish as He punishes
89:26
and no one will shackle as He shackles.
89:27
´O self at rest and at peace,
89:28
return to your Lord, well-pleasing and well-pleased!
89:29
Enter among My slaves!
89:30
Enter My Garden.´