بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ وَٱلسَّمَآءِ ذَاتِ ٱلْبُرُوجِ (1)

CONSIDER the sky full of great constellations,

وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْمَوْعُودِ (2)

and [then bethink thyself of] the promised Day,

وَشَاهِدٍۢ وَمَشْهُودٍۢ (3)

and [of] Him who witnesses [all], and [of] that unto which witness is borne [by Him]!

قُتِلَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْأُخْدُودِ (4)

THEY DESTROY [but] themselves, they who would ready a pit

ٱلنَّارِ ذَاتِ ٱلْوَقُودِ (5)

of fire fiercely burning [for all who have attained to faith]!

إِذْ هُمْ عَلَيْهَا قُعُودٌۭ (6)

Lo! [With glee do] they contemplate that [fire],

وَهُمْ عَلَىٰ مَا يَفْعَلُونَ بِٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ شُهُودٌۭ (7)

fully conscious of what they are doing to the believers,

وَمَا نَقَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ إِلَّآ أَن يُؤْمِنُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ ٱلْعَزِيزِ ٱلْحَمِيدِ (8)

whom they hate for no other reason than that they believe in God, the Almighty, the One to whom all praise is due,

ٱلَّذِى لَهُۥ مُلْكُ ٱلسَّمَٰوَٰتِ وَٱلْأَرْضِ ۚ وَٱللَّهُ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ شَهِيدٌ (9)

[and] to whom the dominion of the heavens and the earth belongs. But God is witness unto everything!

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ فَتَنُوا۟ ٱلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَٱلْمُؤْمِنَٰتِ ثُمَّ لَمْ يَتُوبُوا۟ فَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ جَهَنَّمَ وَلَهُمْ عَذَابُ ٱلْحَرِيقِ (10)

Verily, as for those who persecute believing men and believing women, and thereafter do not repent, hell's suffering awaits them: yea, suffering through fire awaits them!

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَعَمِلُوا۟ ٱلصَّٰلِحَٰتِ لَهُمْ جَنَّٰتٌۭ تَجْرِى مِن تَحْتِهَا ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْفَوْزُ ٱلْكَبِيرُ (11)

[But,] verily, they who attain to faith and do righteous deeds shall [in the life to come] have gardens through which running waters flow - that triumph most great!

إِنَّ بَطْشَ رَبِّكَ لَشَدِيدٌ (12)

VERILY, thy Sustainer's grip is exceedingly strong!

إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ يُبْدِئُ وَيُعِيدُ (13)

Behold, it is He who creates [man] in the first instance, and He [it is who] will bring him forth anew.

وَهُوَ ٱلْغَفُورُ ٱلْوَدُودُ (14)

And He alone is truly-forgiving, all-embracing in His love,

ذُو ٱلْعَرْشِ ٱلْمَجِيدُ (15)

in sublime almightiness enthroned,

فَعَّالٌۭ لِّمَا يُرِيدُ (16)

a sovereign doer of whatever He wills.

هَلْ أَتَىٰكَ حَدِيثُ ٱلْجُنُودِ (17)

HAS IT ever come within thy ken, the story of the [sinful] hosts

فِرْعَوْنَ وَثَمُودَ (18)

of Pharaoh, and of [the tribe of] Thamud?

بَلِ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فِى تَكْذِيبٍۢ (19)

And yet, they who are bent on denying the truth persist in giving it the lie:

وَٱللَّهُ مِن وَرَآئِهِم مُّحِيطٌۢ (20)

but all the while God encompasses them [with His knowledge and might] without their being aware of it.

بَلْ هُوَ قُرْءَانٌۭ مَّجِيدٌۭ (21)

Nay, but this [divine writ which they reject] is a discourse sublime,

فِى لَوْحٍۢ مَّحْفُوظٍۭ (22)

upon an imperishable tablet [inscribed].