Saba
Two by Two, or One by One
In the name of God, the All-Benevolent, the Benevolent. Praise be to God, to whom belongs all that is in the heavens and all that is on earth,
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم الحمد لله الذي له ما في السموت وما في الارضand to Him belongs praise in the last life.
وله الحمد في الءاخرةHe is the Wise, the Informed.
وهو الحكيم الخبيرHe knows what penetrates into the earth and what comes out of it, what descends from the sky and what ascends into it.
يعلم ما يلج في الارض وما يخرج منها وما ينزل من السماء وما يعرج فيهاHe is the Benevolent, the Most-Forgiving.
وهو الرحيم الغفورThose who disown have said, "The Hour will not come to us."
وقال الذين كفروا لا تاتينا الساعةSay, "Yes indeed, by my Guardian, it will surely come to you —
قل بلى وربي لتاتينكمKnower of what escapes the senses, from whom nothing escapes, not the weight of a grain, in the heavens or on the earth,
علم الغيب لا يعزب عنه مثقال ذرة في السموت ولا في الارضnor anything smaller or greater than that, without it being in a clear record — so that He may recompense those who believed and did righteous deeds."
ولا اصغر من ذلك ولا اكبر الا في كتب مبين ليجزي الذين ءامنوا وعملوا الصلحتThose will have forgiveness and generous provision.
اوليك لهم مغفرة ورزق كريمBut those who strove against Our signs, seeking to thwart them, those will have a punishment of painful defilement.
والذين سعو في ءايتنا معجزين اوليك لهم عذاب من رجز اليمAnd those who were given knowledge see that what has been sent down to you from your Guardian is the truth, and it guides to the path of the All-Powerful, the Praiseworthy.
ويرى الذين اوتوا العلم الذي انزل اليك من ربك هو الحق ويهدي الى صرط العزيز الحميدAnd those who disown have said, "Shall we point you to a man who will inform you that, once you have been utterly disintegrated, you will be in a new creation?
وقال الذين كفروا هل ندلكم على رجل ينبيكم اذا مزقتم كل ممزق انكم لفي خلق جديدHas he invented a lie against God, or is he afflicted with some derangement?"
افترى على الله كذبا ام به جنةNo — those who do not believe in the last life are in punishment and far-reaching error.
بل الذين لا يومنون بالءاخرة في العذاب والضلل البعيدHave they not looked at what is before them and what is behind them, of the sky and the earth?
افلم يروا الى ما بين ايديهم وما خلفهم من السماء والارضIf We willed, We could make the earth swallow them, or make fragments of the sky fall upon them.
ان نشا نخسف بهم الارض او نسقط عليهم كسفا من السماءThere is surely in that a sign for every obedient one ever turning back [to God].
ان في ذلك لءاية لكل عبد منيبAnd We certainly gave Dawud a favor from Us: "O mountains, echo [Our praise] with him, and the birds [as well]."
ولقد ءاتينا داود منا فضلا يجبال اوبي معه والطيرAnd We softened the iron for him: "Make full coats of mail, and measure well the links,
والنا له الحديد ان اعمل سبغت وقدر في السردand do righteous deeds:
واعملوا صلحاI am indeed, of what you do, All-Seeing."
اني بما تعملون بصيرAnd to Sulayman [We subjected] the wind: its outward course was a month's journey, and its return course was a month's journey.
ولسليمن الريح غدوها شهر ورواحها شهرAnd We made flow for him a spring of naphtha.
واسلنا له عين القطرAnd among the Occulted were some who worked before him, by the permission of his Guardian;
ومن الجن من يعمل بين يديه باذن ربهand whoever among them deviated from Our command, We made him taste the punishment of the Inferno.
ومن يزغ منهم عن امرنا نذقه من عذاب السعيرThey made for him whatever he wished of oratories, statues, basins like great reservoirs, and cauldrons cast to their full measure, firmly anchored.
يعملون له ما يشاء من محريب وتمثيل وجفان كالجواب وقدور راسيت"Work, family of Dawud,
اعملوا ءال داودin gratitude" —
شكراbut few of My obedient ones are grateful.
وقليل من عبادي الشكورThen when We decreed death upon him, nothing informed them of his death except a creature of the earth eating away his staff;
فلما قضينا عليه الموت ما دلهم على موته الا دابة الارض تاكل منساتهand when he fell, it became clear to the Occulted that, had they known what escapes our presence, they would not have remained in the degrading punishment.
فلما خر تبينت الجن ان لو كانوا يعلمون الغيب ما لبثوا في العذاب المهينThere was certainly for Saba' a sign in their dwelling place:
لقد كان لسبا في مسكنهم ءايةtwo gardens, on the right and on the left.
جنتان عن يمين وشمال"Eat from the provision of your Guardian, and be grateful to Him:
كلوا من رزق ربكم واشكروا لهa good land, and a Most-Forgiving Guardian."
بلدة طيبة ورب غفورBut they turned away, so We sent upon them the destructive flood of the dam,
فاعرضوا فارسلنا عليهم سيل العرمand We replaced their two gardens with two gardens bearing bitter fare, tamarisk, and a few lote trees.
وبدلنهم بجنتيهم جنتين ذواتى اكل خمط واثل وشىء من سدر قليلThat is how We recompensed them for what they disowned —
ذلك جزينهم بما كفرواand is anyone repaid, except the great disowner?
وهل نجزي الا الكفورAnd We had placed between them and the cities that We had blessed, cities clearly visible, and We had measured the journey between them:
وجعلنا بينهم وبين القرى التي بركنا فيها قرى ظهرة وقدرنا فيها السير"Travel between them by nights and days, in safety."
سيروا فيها ليالي واياما ءامنينBut they said, "Our Guardian, lengthen the distances between our journeys" — and they wronged themselves; so We made them into topics of discourse, and We disintegrated them utterly.
فقالوا ربنا بعد بين اسفارنا وظلموا انفسهم فجعلنهم احاديث ومزقنهم كل ممزقThere are surely in that signs for every very patient, very grateful one.
ان في ذلك لءايت لكل صبار شكورAnd the Despairing One [Iblis] had certainly confirmed his conjecture about them, and they followed him, except a party of the believers.
ولقد صدق عليهم ابليس ظنه فاتبعوه الا فريقا من المومنينAnd he had no authority over them, except that We might distinguish who believes in the last life from who is in doubt about it.
وما كان له عليهم من سلطن الا لنعلم من يومن بالءاخرة ممن هو منها في شكAnd your Guardian preserves all things.
وربك على كل شىء حفيظSay, "Call upon those you claim [to be deities] besides God:
قل ادعوا الذين زعمتم من دون اللهthey do not possess the weight of a grain, in the heavens or on the earth,
لا يملكون مثقال ذرة في السموت ولا في الارضand they have no share in either,
وما لهم فيهما من شركnor does He have among them any supporter."
وما له منهم من ظهيرAnd intercession does not benefit [anyone] with Him, except for one to whom He has given permission,
ولا تنفع الشفعة عنده الا لمن اذن لهuntil, when fright is lifted from their cores, they say, "What did your Guardian say?" They will say, "The truth."
حتى اذا فزع عن قلوبهم قالوا ماذا قال ربكم قالوا الحقAnd He is the Most High, the Great.
وهو العلي الكبيرSay, "Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth?" Say, "God.
قل من يرزقكم من السموت والارض قل اللهAnd surely, either we or you are upon guidance, or in manifest error."
وانا او اياكم لعلى هدى او في ضلل مبينSay: "You will not be questioned about our severance, nor will we be questioned about what you do."
قل لا تسلون عما اجرمنا ولا نسل عما تعملونSay, "Our Guardian will gather us together, then He will open [a passage] between us in truth,
قل يجمع بيننا ربنا ثم يفتح بيننا بالحقand He is the Opener, the All-Knowing."
وهو الفتاح العليمSay, "Show me those you have attached to Him as partners. By no means! —
قل اروني الذين الحقتم به شركاء كلاHe is rather God, the All-Powerful, the Wise."
بل هو الله العزيز الحكيمAnd We have not sent you except to all mankind, a bearer of good tidings and a warner,
وما ارسلنك الا كافة للناس بشيرا ونذيراbut most people do not know.
ولكن اكثر الناس لا يعلمونAnd they say, "When will this promise be, if you are truthful?"
ويقولون متى هذا الوعد ان كنتم صدقينSay, "You have the appointment of a Day you can neither delay nor advance by a single hour."
قل لكم ميعاد يوم لا تستخرون عنه ساعة ولا تستقدمونAnd those who disown have said, "We will never believe in this Recitation, nor in what came before it."
وقال الذين كفروا لن نومن بهذا القرءان ولا بالذي بين يديهIf only you could see when the wrongdoers are made to stand before their Guardian, throwing the saying back at one another —
ولو ترى اذ الظلمون موقوفون عند ربهم يرجع بعضهم الى بعض القولthose who were deemed weak will say to those who swelled with pride, "Had it not been for you, we would have been believers."
يقول الذين استضعفوا للذين استكبروا لولا انتم لكنا مومنينThose who swelled with pride will say to those who were deemed weak, "Was it we who turned you away from guidance after it had come to you? No — you were rather severed."
قال الذين استكبروا للذين استضعفوا انحن صددنكم عن الهدى بعد اذ جاءكم بل كنتم مجرمينAnd those who were deemed weak will say to those who swelled with pride, "It was rather a plot, night and day, when you commanded us to disown God and to set up equals to Him."
وقال الذين استضعفوا للذين استكبروا بل مكر اليل والنهار اذ تامروننا ان نكفر بالله ونجعل له انداداAnd they will conceal their regret when they see the punishment.
واسروا الندامة لما راوا العذابAnd We will place shackles on the necks of those who disowned:
وجعلنا الاغلل في اعناق الذين كفرواwill they be recompensed except according to what they used to do?
هل يجزون الا ما كانوا يعملونAnd We have not sent into any city a warner without its affluent ones saying, "We disown what you have been sent with."
وما ارسلنا في قرية من نذير الا قال مترفوها انا بما ارسلتم به كفرونAnd they said, "We have more goods and children, and we will not be punished."
وقالوا نحن اكثر امولا واولدا وما نحن بمعذبينSay, "My Guardian extends provision to whom He wills, and measures [it];
قل ان ربي يبسط الرزق لمن يشاء ويقدرbut most people do not know."
ولكن اكثر الناس لا يعلمونAnd it is not your goods or your children that bring you nearer to Us in closeness — except for one who believed and did righteous deeds: those will have a doubled recompense for what they did, and they will be secure in the elevated chambers.
وما امولكم ولا اولدكم بالتي تقربكم عندنا زلفى الا من ءامن وعمل صلحا فاوليك لهم جزاء الضعف بما عملوا وهم في الغرفت ءامنونBut those who strove against Our signs, seeking to thwart them, those will be brought into the punishment.
والذين يسعون في ءايتنا معجزين اوليك في العذاب محضرونSay, "My Guardian extends provision to whom He wills among His obedient ones, and measures it for him;
قل ان ربي يبسط الرزق لمن يشاء من عباده ويقدر لهand whatever you spend of anything, He replaces it,
وما انفقتم من شىء فهو يخلفهand He is the best of providers."
وهو خير الرزقينAnd the Day We will gather them all together, then We will say to the Agents, "Was it you these used to obey?"
ويوم يحشرهم جميعا ثم يقول للمليكة اهولاء اياكم كانوا يعبدونthey will say, "Glory be to You! You are our Protector, not them:
قالوا سبحنك انت ولينا من دونهمthey were rather obeying the Occulted;
بل كانوا يعبدون الجنmost of them believed in them."
اكثرهم بهم مومنونToday, none of you will have power to benefit or harm another, and We will say to those who did wrong, "Taste the punishment of the Fire that you used to deny."
فاليوم لا يملك بعضكم لبعض نفعا ولا ضرا ونقول للذين ظلموا ذوقوا عذاب النار التي كنتم بها تكذبونAnd when Our verses are recited to them, clear, they say, "This is nothing but a man who wants to turn you away from what your ancestors used to obey"; and they say, "This is nothing but an invented distortion."
واذا تتلى عليهم ءايتنا بينت قالوا ما هذا الا رجل يريد ان يصدكم عما كان يعبد ءاباوكم وقالوا ما هذا الا افك مفترىAnd those who disown say of the truth when it comes to them, "This is nothing but manifest illusion."
وقال الذين كفروا للحق لما جاءهم ان هذا الا سحر مبينAnd We had not given them any writings that they studied,
وما ءاتينهم من كتب يدرسونهاnor had We sent them, before you, any warner.
وما ارسلنا اليهم قبلك من نذيرAnd those before them denied — these have not attained a tenth of what We had given [the former] —
وكذب الذين من قبلهم وما بلغوا معشار ما ءاتينهمand they denied My messengers.
فكذبوا رسليHow was My disavowal!
فكيف كان نكيرSay, "I only exhort you to one thing:
قل انما اعظكم بوحدةthat you stand up for God, two by two or one by one, then reflect —
ان تقوموا لله مثنى وفردى ثم تتفكرواyour companion has no derangement;
ما بصاحبكم من جنةhe is only a warner for you, before a severe punishment."
ان هو الا نذير لكم بين يدى عذاب شديدSay, "Whatever reward I have asked of you, it is for you;
قل ما سالتكم من اجر فهو لكمmy reward is incumbent only upon God,
ان اجري الا على اللهand He is, over all things, a witness."
وهو على كل شىء شهيدSay, "My Guardian projects the truth,
قل ان ربي يقذف بالحقHe is the great Knower of what escapes the senses."
علم الغيوبSay, "The truth has come, and falsehood can neither begin nor return."
قل جاء الحق وما يبدي البطل وما يعيدSay, "If I stray, I stray only against my own Self; and if I am guided, it is by what my Guardian reveals to me —
قل ان ضللت فانما اضل على نفسي وان اهتديت فبما يوحي الى ربيHe hears, He is near."
انه سميع قريبAnd if only you could see when they are seized with fright, with no escape, and they are seized from a place nearby —
ولو ترى اذ فزعوا فلا فوت واخذوا من مكان قريبthey will say, "We believe in it!"
وقالوا ءامنا بهBut how could they reach, from so distant a place, what they had disowned before?
وانى لهم التناوش من مكان بعيد وقد كفروا به من قبلAnd they cast conjectures about what escapes the senses from a distant place.
ويقذفون بالغيب من مكان بعيدAnd a barrier will be set between them and what they desire, just as was done before to their counterparts: they were certainly in disquieting doubt.
وحيل بينهم وبين ما يشتهون كما فعل باشياعهم من قبل انهم كانوا في شك مريب