In the name of God, the Almighty,¹ the Merciful.

¹ A petitioner¹ asked about a punishment to come

² To the false claimers of guidance¹ — there is none to avert it —

³ From God, Owner of the Means of Ascent:¹ —

⁴ The angels and the Spirit ascend to Him in a day the measure whereof is fifty thousand years

⁵ So be thou patient with comely patience.¹

⁶ They see it as far off,

⁷ But We see it as near: —

⁸ The day the sky will be like molten brass,¹

⁹ And the mountains like wool,¹

¹⁰ And no loyal friend will ask of a loyal friend.

¹¹ They will be given sight of them:¹ — the lawbreaker will wish that should he be ransomed from the punishment of that day by his sons,

¹² And his consort, and his brother,

¹³ And his kinsmen who sheltered him,

¹⁴ And whoso is in the earth all together — then might it deliver him.

¹⁵ No, indeed!¹ It is a blazing fire,

¹⁶ Removing the scalp,

¹⁷ Calling him who turned and went away

¹⁸ And gathered and hoarded.

¹⁹ Man was created anxious

²⁰ — When evil touches him, impatient,¹

²¹ And when good touches him, withholding —

²² Save the performers of duty:¹

²³ Those who are constant in their duty,¹

²⁴ And those in whose wealth is a due¹ known²

²⁵ For the petitioner¹ and the one deprived,

²⁶ And are those who confirm the Day of Judgment,¹

²⁷ And are those who, of the punishment of their Lord, are in dread,

²⁸ (The punishment of their Lord is not that from which there is safety)

²⁹ And are those who preserve their chastity¹

³⁰ Save with their wives, or what their right hands possess¹ — for then are they not blameworthy,

³¹ (But whoso seeks beyond that: it is they who are the transgressors)

³² And are those who are to their trusts and their covenant attentive,

³³ And are those who, in their witness, are upright,

³⁴ And are those who preserve their duty:¹

³⁵ Those are in gardens, honoured.

³⁶ Then what ails those who ignore warning¹ that they, before thee, are straining forward

³⁷ On the right, and on the left, in separate groups?¹

³⁸ Does every man among them hope to be made to enter a garden of bliss?

³⁹ No, indeed!¹ We have created them from what they know.

⁴⁰ Then do I swear by the Lord of the Easts and the Wests that We are able

⁴¹ To exchange them for better than they; and We will not be outdone.¹

⁴² So leave thou them to discourse vainly¹ and play until they meet their day which they are promised:

⁴³ The day they will come forth from the graves in haste, as though towards an idol,¹ running,

⁴⁴ Their eyes humbled,¹ humiliation covering them. That is the day which they are promised.