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 ٱلله ٱلرحمن ٱلرحيم ٱلحمد لله ٱلذي له ما في ٱلسموت وما في ٱلأرضand to Him belongs praise in the last life.
وله ٱلحمد في ٱلءاخرةHe is the Wise, the Informed.
وهو ٱلحكيم ٱلخبيرHe 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 ٱلأرض وما يخرج منها وما ينزل من ٱلسمآء وما يعرج فيهاHe is the Benevolent, the Most-Forgiving.
وهو ٱلرحيم ٱلغفورThose who disown have said, "The Hour will not come to us."
وقال ٱلذين كفروا لا تأتينا ٱلساعةSay, "Yes indeed, by my Guardian, it will surely come to you —
قل بلى وربي لتأتينكمKnower of what escapes the senses, from whom nothing escapes, not the weight of a grain, in the heavens or on the earth,
علم ٱلغيب لا يعزب عنه مثقال ذرة في ٱلسموت ولا في ٱلأرضnor 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."
ولآ أصغر من ذلك ولآ أكبر إلا في كتب مبين ليجزي ٱلذين ءامنوا وعملوا ٱلصلحتThose will have forgiveness and generous provision.
أولئك لهم مغفرة ورزق كريمBut those who strove against Our signs, seeking to thwart them, those will have a punishment of painful defilement.
وٱلذين سعو في ءايتنا معجزين أولئك لهم عذاب من رجز أليمAnd 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 ٱلذين أوتوا ٱلعلم ٱلذي أنزل إليك من ربك هو ٱلحق ويهدي إلى صرط ٱلعزيز ٱلحميدAnd 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 ٱلذين كفروا هل ندلكم على رجل ينبئكم إذا مزقتم كل ممزق إنكم لفي خلق جديدHas he invented a lie against God, or is he afflicted with some derangement?"
أفترى على ٱلله كذبا أم به جنةNo — those who do not believe in the last life are in punishment and far-reaching error.
بل ٱلذين لا يؤمنون بٱلءاخرة في ٱلعذاب وٱلضلل ٱلبعيدHave they not looked at what is before them and what is behind them, of the sky and the earth?
أفلم يروا إلى ما بين أيديهم وما خلفهم من ٱلسمآء وٱلأرضIf We willed, We could make the earth swallow them, or make fragments of the sky fall upon them.
إن نشأ نخسف بهم ٱلأرض أو نسقط عليهم كسفا من ٱلسمآءThere is surely in that a sign for every obedient one ever turning back [to God].
إن 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 أوبي معه وٱلطيرAnd We softened the iron for him: "Make full coats of mail, and measure well the links,
وألنا له ٱلحديد أن ٱعمل سبغت وقدر في ٱلسردand do righteous deeds:
وٱعملوا صلحاI am indeed, of what you do, All-Seeing."
إني 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 ٱلريح غدوها شهر ورواحها شهرAnd We made flow for him a spring of naphtha.
وأسلنا له عين ٱلقطرAnd among the Occulted were some who worked before him, by the permission of his Guardian;
ومن ٱلجن من يعمل بين يديه بإذن ربهand whoever among them deviated from Our command, We made him taste the punishment of the Inferno.
ومن يزغ منهم عن أمرنا نذقه من عذاب ٱلسعيرThey 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 يشآء من محريب وتمثيل وجفان كٱلجواب وقدور راسيت"Work, family of Dawud,
ٱعملوا ءال داودin gratitude" —
شكراbut few of My obedient ones are grateful.
وقليل من عبادي ٱلشكورThen 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 ٱلموت ما دلهم على موته إلا دآبة ٱلأرض تأكل منسأتهand 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 ٱلجن أن لو كانوا يعلمون ٱلغيب ما لبثوا في ٱلعذاب ٱلمهينThere was certainly for Saba' a sign in their dwelling place:
لقد كان لسبإ 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 وٱشكروا 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,
فأعرضوا فأرسلنا عليهم سيل ٱلعرمand We replaced their two gardens with two gardens bearing bitter fare, tamarisk, and a few lote trees.
وبدلنهم بجنتيهم جنتين ذواتى أكل خمط وأثل 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 إلا ٱلكفورAnd 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 ٱلقرى ٱلتي بركنا فيها قرى ظهرة وقدرنا فيها ٱلسير"Travel between them by nights and days, in safety."
سيروا فيها ليالي وأياما 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 أسفارنا وظلموا أنفسهم فجعلنهم أحاديث ومزقنهم كل ممزقThere are surely in that signs for every very patient, very grateful one.
إن 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 إبليس ظنه فٱتبعوه إلا فريقا من ٱلمؤمنينAnd 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 إلا لنعلم من يؤمن بٱلءاخرة 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 ٱدعوا ٱلذين زعمتم من دون ٱللهthey do not possess the weight of a grain, in the heavens or on the earth,
لا يملكون مثقال ذرة في ٱلسموت ولا في ٱلأرضand 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 ٱلشفعة عنده إلا لمن أذن لهuntil, when fright is lifted from their cores, they say, "What did your Guardian say?" They will say, "The truth."
حتى إذا فزع عن قلوبهم قالوا ماذا قال ربكم قالوا ٱلحقAnd He is the Most High, the Great.
وهو ٱلعلي ٱلكبيرSay, "Who provides for you from the heavens and the earth?" Say, "God.
قل من يرزقكم من ٱلسموت وٱلأرض قل ٱللهAnd surely, either we or you are upon guidance, or in manifest error."
وإنآ أو إياكم لعلى هدى أو في ضلل مبينSay: "You will not be questioned about our severance, nor will we be questioned about what you do."
قل لا تسلون عمآ أجرمنا 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 بٱلحقand He is the Opener, the All-Knowing."
وهو ٱلفتاح ٱلعليمSay, "Show me those you have attached to Him as partners. By no means! —
قل أروني ٱلذين ألحقتم به شركآء كلاHe is rather God, the All-Powerful, the Wise."
بل هو ٱلله ٱلعزيز ٱلحكيمAnd We have not sent you except to all mankind, a bearer of good tidings and a warner,
ومآ أرسلنك إلا كآفة للناس بشيرا ونذيراbut most people do not know.
ولكن أكثر ٱلناس لا يعلمونAnd they say, "When will this promise be, if you are truthful?"
ويقولون متى هذا ٱلوعد إن 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 ٱلذين كفروا لن نؤمن بهذا ٱلقرءان ولا بٱلذي 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 إذ ٱلظلمون موقوفون عند ربهم يرجع بعضهم إلى بعض ٱلقولthose who were deemed weak will say to those who swelled with pride, "Had it not been for you, we would have been believers."
يقول ٱلذين ٱستضعفوا للذين ٱستكبروا لولآ أنتم لكنا مؤمنينThose 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 ٱلذين ٱستكبروا للذين ٱستضعفوا أنحن صددنكم عن ٱلهدى بعد إذ جآءكم 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 ٱلذين ٱستضعفوا للذين ٱستكبروا بل مكر ٱليل وٱلنهار إذ تأمروننآ أن نكفر بٱلله ونجعل له أنداداAnd they will conceal their regret when they see the punishment.
وأسروا ٱلندامة لما رأوا ٱلعذابAnd We will place shackles on the necks of those who disowned:
وجعلنا ٱلأغلل في أعناق ٱلذين كفرواwill they be recompensed except according to what they used to do?
هل يجزون إلا 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."
ومآ أرسلنا في قرية من نذير إلا قال مترفوهآ إنا بمآ أرسلتم به كفرونAnd they said, "We have more goods and children, and we will not be punished."
وقالوا نحن أكثر أمولا وأولدا وما نحن بمعذبينSay, "My Guardian extends provision to whom He wills, and measures [it];
قل إن ربي يبسط ٱلرزق لمن يشآء ويقدرbut most people do not know."
ولكن أكثر ٱلناس 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.
ومآ أمولكم ولآ أولدكم بٱلتي تقربكم عندنا زلفى إلا من ءامن وعمل صلحا فأولئك لهم جزآء ٱلضعف بما عملوا وهم في ٱلغرفت ءامنونBut those who strove against Our signs, seeking to thwart them, those will be brought into the punishment.
وٱلذين يسعون في ءايتنا معجزين أولئك في ٱلعذاب محضرونSay, "My Guardian extends provision to whom He wills among His obedient ones, and measures it for him;
قل إن ربي يبسط ٱلرزق لمن يشآء من عباده ويقدر لهand whatever you spend of anything, He replaces it,
ومآ أنفقتم من شىء فهو يخلفهand He is the best of providers."
وهو خير ٱلرزقينAnd 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 للملئكة أهؤلآء إياكم كانوا يعبدونthey will say, "Glory be to You! You are our Protector, not them:
قالوا سبحنك أنت ولينا من دونهمthey were rather obeying the Occulted;
بل كانوا يعبدون ٱلجنmost of them believed in them."
أكثرهم بهم مؤمنونToday, 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."
فٱليوم لا يملك بعضكم لبعض نفعا ولا ضرا ونقول للذين ظلموا ذوقوا عذاب ٱلنار ٱلتي 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."
وإذا تتلى عليهم ءايتنا بينت قالوا ما هذآ إلا رجل يريد أن يصدكم عما كان يعبد ءابآؤكم وقالوا ما هذآ إلآ إفك مفترىAnd those who disown say of the truth when it comes to them, "This is nothing but manifest illusion."
وقال ٱلذين كفروا للحق لما جآءهم إن هذآ إلا سحر مبينAnd We had not given them any writings that they studied,
ومآ ءاتينهم من كتب يدرسونهاnor had We sent them, before you, any warner.
ومآ أرسلنآ إليهم قبلك من نذيرAnd those before them denied — these have not attained a tenth of what We had given [the former] —
وكذب ٱلذين من قبلهم وما بلغوا معشار مآ ءاتينهمand they denied My messengers.
فكذبوا رسليHow was My disavowal!
فكيف كان نكيرSay, "I only exhort you to one thing:
قل إنمآ أعظكم بوحدةthat you stand up for God, two by two or one by one, then reflect —
أن تقوموا لله مثنى وفردى ثم تتفكرواyour companion has no derangement;
ما بصاحبكم من جنةhe is only a warner for you, before a severe punishment."
إن هو إلا نذير لكم بين يدى عذاب شديدSay, "Whatever reward I have asked of you, it is for you;
قل ما سألتكم من أجر فهو لكمmy reward is incumbent only upon God,
إن أجري إلا على ٱللهand He is, over all things, a witness."
وهو على كل شىء شهيدSay, "My Guardian projects the truth,
قل إن ربي يقذف بٱلحقHe is the great Knower of what escapes the senses."
علم ٱلغيوبSay, "The truth has come, and falsehood can neither begin nor return."
قل جآء ٱلحق وما يبدئ ٱلبطل 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 إن ضللت فإنمآ أضل على نفسي وإن ٱهتديت فبما يوحي إلى ربيHe hears, He is near."
إنه 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 إذ فزعوا فلا فوت وأخذوا 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?
وأنى لهم ٱلتناوش من مكان بعيد وقد كفروا به من قبلAnd they cast conjectures about what escapes the senses from a distant place.
ويقذفون بٱلغيب 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 بأشياعهم من قبل إنهم كانوا في شك مريب