89. al-Fajr: The Dawn

The Meaning of the Glorious Qur'ân, by M.M. Pickthall, at sacred-texts.com

1 By the Dawn 2 And ten nights, 3 And the Even and the Odd, 4 And the night when it departeth, 5 There surely is an oath for thinking man. 6 Dost thou not consider how thy Lord dealt with (the tribe of) A'ad, 7 With many-columned Iram, 8 The like of which was not created in the lands; 9 And with (the tribe of) Thamud, who clove the rocks in the valley; 10 And with Pharaoh, firm of might, 11 Who (all) were rebellious (to Allah) in these lands, 12 And multiplied iniquity therein ? 13 Therefore thy Lord poured on them the disaster of His punishment. 14 Lo! thy Lord is ever watchful. 15 As for man, whenever his Lord trieth him by honouring him, and is gracious unto him, he saith: My Lord honoureth me. 16 But whenever He trieth him by straitening his means of life, he saith: My Lord despiseth me. 17 Nay, but ye (for your part) honour not the orphan 18 And urge not on the feeding of the poor. 19 And ye devour heritages with devouring greed. 20 And love wealth with abounding love. 21 Nay, but when the earth is ground to atoms, grinding, grinding, 22 And thy Lord shall come with angels, rank on rank, 23 And hell is brought near that day; on that day man will remember, but how will the remembrance (then avail him) ? 24 He will say: Ah, would that I had sent before me (some provision) for my life! 25 None punisheth as He will punish on that day! 26 None bindeth as He then will bind. 27 But ah! thou soul at peace! 28 Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure! 29 Enter thou among My bondmen! 30 Enter thou My Garden!