Al-Balad

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ لَا أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ

I swear by yonder city

وَأَنْتَ حِلٌّ بِهَٰذَا الْبَلَدِ

And thou shalt be allowed in yonder city -

وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ

And by the begetter and that which he begat,

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ

Assuredly We have created man in trouble.

أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَنْ يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ

Deemest he that none will overpower him?

يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُبَدًا

He saith: 'I have wasted riches plenteous.

أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَمْ يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ

Deemest he that none beholdeth him?

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُ عَيْنَيْنِ

Have We not, made for him two eyes

وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ

And a tongue and two lips,

وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ

And shown Unto him the two highways?

فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ

Yet he attempteth not the steep,

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ

And what shall make thee understand that which the steep is?

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

It is freeing the neck,

أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ

Or, feeding, in a day of privation,

يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ

An orphan, of kin,

أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ

Or a poor man cleaving to the dust.

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ

Then he became of those who believed and enjoined on each other steadfastness and enjoined on each other compassion.

أُولَٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ

These are the fellows of the righthand.

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ

And those who disbelieve Our signs - they are the fellows of the lefthand.

عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُؤْصَدَةٌ

Over them shall be Fire closing round.