26
26. Ash-Shuara - The Poets
| 1 | Ta Sin Mim |
| 2 | Those are the signs of the Manifest Book. |
| 3 | Perchance thou consumest thyself that they are not believers. |
| 4 | If We will, We shall send down on them out of heaven a sign, so their necks will stay humbled to it. |
| 5 | But never fresh remembrance comes to them from the All-merciful, except they turn away from it. |
| 6 | So they have cried lies; therefore assuredly tidings will come to them of that they mocked at. |
| 7 | What, have they not regarded the earth, how many therein We have caused to grow of every generous kind? |
| 8 | Surely in that is a sign, yet most of them are not believers. |
| 9 | Surely thy Lord, He is the All-mighty, the All-compassionate. |
| 10 | And when thy Lord called to Moses, 'Go to the people of the evildoers, |
| 11 | the people of Pharaoh; will they not be godfearing?' |
| 12 | He said, 'My Lord, I fear they will cry me lies, |
| 13 | and my breast will be straitened, and my tongue will not be loosed; so send to Aaron. |
| 14 | They also have a sin against me, and I fear they will slay me.' |
| 15 | Said He, 'No indeed; but go, both of you, with Our signs, and We assuredly shall be with you, listening. |
| 16 | So go you to Pharaoh, and say, "Verily, I am the Messenger of the Lord of all Being; |
| 17 | so send forth with us the Children of Israel." |
| 18 | He said, 'Did we not raise thee amongst us as a child? Didst thou not tarry among us years of thy life? |
| 19 | And thou didst the deed thou didst, being one of the ungrateful!' |
| 20 | Said he, 'Indeed I did it then, being one of those that stray; |
| 21 | so I fled from you, fearing you. But my Lord gave me Judgment and made me one of the Envoys. |
| 22 | That is a blessing thou reproachest me with, having enslaved the Children of Israel.' |
| 23 | Pharaoh said, 'And what is the Lord of all Being?' |
| 24 | He said, 'The Lord of the heavens and earth, and what between them is, if you have faith.' |
| 25 | Said he to those about him, 'Do you not hear?' |
| 26 | He said, 'Your Lord and the Lord of your fathers, the ancients.' |
| 27 | Said he, 'Surely your Messenger who was sent to you is possessed!' |
| 28 | He said, 'The Lord of the East and West, and what between them is, if you have understanding,' |
| 29 | Said he, 'If thou takest a god other than me, I shall surely make thee one of the imprisoned.' |
| 30 | He said, 'What, even though I brought thee something so manifest?' |
| 31 | Said he, 'Bring it then, if thou art of the truthful.' |
| 32 | So he cast his staff, and behold, it was a serpent manifest. |
| 33 | And he drew forth his hand, and lo, it was white to the beholders. |
| 34 | Said he to the Council about him, 'Surely this man is a cunning sorcerer |
| 35 | who desires to expel you from your land by his sorcery; what do you command?' |
| 36 | They said, 'Put him and his brother off a while, and send among the cities musterers, |
| 37 | to bring thee every cunning sorcerer. |
| 38 | So the sorcerers were assembled for the appointed time of a fixed day. |
| 39 | The people were asked, 'Will you assemble? |
| 40 | Haply we shall follow the sorcerers if it should be they are the victors.' |
| 41 | Then, when the sorcerers came, they said to Pharaoh, 'Shall we indeed have a wage, if we should be the victors?' |
| 42 | He said, 'Yes indeed; and you shall then be among the near-stationed.' |
| 43 | Moses said to them, 'Cast you down what you will cast.' |
| 44 | So they cast their ropes and their staffs, and said, 'By the might of Pharaoh we shall be the victors.' |
| 45 | Then Moses cast his staff and lo, it forthwith swallowed up their lying invention; |
| 46 | so the sorcerers were cast down, bowing themselves. |
| 47 | They said, 'We believe in the Lord of all Being, |
| 48 | the Lord of Moses and Aaron.' |
| 49 | Said Pharaoh, 'You have believed him before I gave you leave. Why, he is the chief of you, the same that taught you sorcery; now you shall know! I shall assuredly cut off alternately your hands and feet, then I shall crucify you all together.' |
| 50 | They said, 'There is no harm; surely unto our Lord we are turning. |
| 51 | We are eager that our Lord should forgive us our offences, for that we are the first of the believers.' |
| 52 | Also We revealed unto Moses, 'Go with My servants by night; surely you will be followed.' |
| 53 | Then Pharaoh sent among the cities musterers: |
| 54 | 'Behold, these are a small troop, |
| 55 | and indeed they are enraging us; |
| 56 | and we are a host on our guard.' |
| 57 | So We expelled them from gardens and fountains, |
| 58 | and treasures and a noble station; |
| 59 | even so, and We bequeathed them upon the Children of Israel. |
| 60 | Then they followed them at the sunrise; |
| 61 | and, when the two hosts sighted each other, the companions of Moses said, 'We are overtaken!' |
| 62 | Said he, 'No indeed; surely my Lord is with me; He will guide me.' |
| 63 | Then We revealed to Moses, 'Strike with thy staff the sea'; and it clave, and each part was as a mighty mount. |
| 64 | And there We brought the others on, |
| 65 | and We delivered Moses and those with him all together; |
| 66 | then We drowned the others. |
| 67 | Surely in that is a sign, yet most of them are not believers. |
| 68 | Surely thy Lord, He is the All-mighty, the All-compassionate. |
| 69 | And recite to them the tiding of Abraham |
| 70 | when he said to his father and his people, 'What do you serve?' |
| 71 | They said, 'We serve idols, and continue cleaving to them. |
| 72 | He said, 'Do they hear you when you call, |
| 73 | or do they profit you, or harm?' |
| 74 | They said, 'Nay, but we found our fathers so doing.' |
| 75 | He said, 'And have you considered what you have been serving, |
| 76 | you and your fathers, the elders? |
| 77 | They are an enemy to me, except the Lord of all Being |
| 78 | who created me, and Himself guides me, |
| 79 | and Himself gives me to eat and drink, |
| 80 | and, whenever I am sick, heals me, |
| 81 | who makes me to die, then gives me life, |
| 82 | and who I am eager shall forgive me my offence on the Day of Doom. |
| 83 | My Lord, give me Judgment, and join me with the righteous, |
| 84 | and appoint me a tongue of truthfulness among the others. |
| 85 | Make me one of the inheritors of the Garden of Bliss |
| 86 | and forgive my father, for he is one of those astray. |
| 87 | Degrade me not upon the day when they are raised up, |
| 88 | the day when neither wealth nor sons shall profit |
| 89 | except for him who comes to God with a pure heart. |
| 90 | And Paradise shall be brought forward for the godfearing, |
| 91 | and Hell advanced for the perverse. |
| 92 | It shall be said to them, 'Where is that you were serving |
| 93 | apart from God? Do they help you or help themselves?' |
| 94 | Then they shall be pitched into it, they and the perverse |
| 95 | and the hosts of Iblis, all together. |
| 96 | They shall say, as they dispute there one with another, |
| 97 | 'By God, we were certainly in manifest error |
| 98 | when we made you equal with the Lord of all Being. |
| 99 | It was naught but the sinners that led us astray; |
| 100 | so now we have no intercessors, |
| 101 | no loyal friend. |
| 102 | O that we might return again, and be among the believers!' |
| 103 | Surely in that is a sign, yet most of them are not believers. |
| 104 | Surely thy Lord, He is the All-mighty, the All-compassionate. |
| 105 | The people of Noah cried lies to the Envoys |
| 106 | when their brother Noah said to them, 'Will you not be godfearing? |
| 107 | I am for you a faithful Messenger, |
| 108 | so serve you God, and obey you me. |
| 109 | I ask of you no wage for this; my wage falls only upon the Lord of all Being; |
| 110 | so fear you God, and obey you me.' |
| 111 | They said, 'Shall we believe thee, whom the vilest follow?' |
| 112 | He said, 'What knowledge have I of that they have been doing? |
| 113 | Their account falls only upon my Lord, were you but aware. |
| 114 | I would not drive away the believers; |
| 115 | 'I am naught but a plain warner.' |
| 116 | They said, 'If thou givest not over, Noah, thou shalt assuredly be one of the stoned.' |
| 117 | He said, 'My Lord, my people have cried me lies, |
| 118 | so give true deliverance between me and them, and deliver me and the believers that are with me. |
| 119 | So We delivered him, and those with him, in the laden ship, |
| 120 | then afterwards We drowned the rest. |
| 121 | Surely in that is a sign, yet most of them are not believers. |
| 122 | Surely thy Lord, He is the All-mighty, the All-compassionate. |
| 123 | Ad cried lies to the Envoys |
| 124 | when their brother Hood said to them, 'Will you not be godfearing? |
| 125 | I am for you a faithful Messenger, |
| 126 | so fear you God, and obey you me. |
| 127 | I ask of you no wage for this; my wage falls only upon the Lord of all Being. |
| 128 | What, do you build on every prominence a sign, sporting, |
| 129 | and do you take to you castles, haply to dwell forever? |
| 130 | When you assault, you assault like tyrants! |
| 131 | So fear you God, and obey you me; |
| 132 | and fear Him who has succoured you with what you know, |
| 133 | succoured you with flocks and sons, |
| 134 | gardens and fountains. |
| 135 | 'Indeed, I fear for you the chastisement of a dreadful day.' |
| 136 | They said, 'Alike it is to us, whether thou admonishest, or art not one of the admonishers; |
| 137 | this is nothing but the habit of the ancients, |
| 138 | and we shall not be chastised.' |
| 139 | So they cried him lies; then We destroyed them. Surely in that is a sign, yet most of them are not believers. |
| 140 | Surely thy Lord, He is the All-mighty, the All-compassionate. |
| 141 | Thamood cried lies to the Envoys |
| 142 | when their brother Salih said to them, 'Will you not be godfearing? |
| 143 | I am for you a faithful Messenger, |
| 144 | so fear you God, and obey you me.' |
| 145 | 'I ask of you no wage for this; my wage falls only upon the Lord of all Being. |
| 146 | Will you be left secure in this here, |
| 147 | among gardens and fountains, |
| 148 | sown fields, and palms with slender spathes? |
| 149 | Will you still skilfully hew houses out of the mountains? |
| 150 | So fear you God, and obey you me; |
| 151 | and obey not the commandment of the prodigal |
| 152 | who do corruption in the earth, and set not things aright.' |
| 153 | They said, 'Thou art merely one of those that are bewitched; |
| 154 | thou art naught but a mortal, like us; then produce a sign, if thou art one of the truthful.' |
| 155 | He said, 'This is a she-camel; to her a draught and to you a draught, on a day appointed, |
| 156 | and do not touch her with malice so that there seize you the chastisement of a dreadful day.' |
| 157 | But they hamstrung her, and in the morning they were remorseful, |
| 158 | and the chastisement seized them. Surely in that is a sign, yet most of them are not believers. |
| 159 | Surely thy Lord, He is the All-mighty, the All-compassionate. |
| 160 | The people of Lot cried lies to the Envoys |
| 161 | when their brother Lot said to them, 'Will you not be godfearing? |
| 162 | I am for you a faithful Messenger, |
| 163 | so fear you God, and obey you me. |
| 164 | I ask of you no wage for this; my wage falls only upon the Lord of all Being. |
| 165 | What, do you come to male beings, |
| 166 | leaving your wives that your Lord created for you? Nay, but you are a people of transgressors. |
| 167 | They said, 'If thou givest not over, Lot, thou shalt assuredly be one of the expelled.' |
| 168 | He said, 'Truly I am a detester of what you do. |
| 169 | My Lord, deliver me and my people from that they do.' |
| 170 | So We delivered him and his people all together, |
| 171 | save an old woman among those that tarried; |
| 172 | then We destroyed the others, |
| 173 | and We rained on them a rain; and evil is the rain of them that are warned. |
| 174 | Surely in that is a sign, yet most of them are not believers. |
| 175 | Surely thy Lord, He is the All-mighty, the All-compassionate. |
| 176 | The men of the Thicket cried lies to the Envoys |
| 177 | when Shuaib said to them, 'Will you not be godfearing? |
| 178 | I am for you a faithful Messenger, so fear you God, and obey you me. |
| 179 | I ask of you no wage for this; |
| 180 | my wage falls only upon the Lord of all Being. |
| 181 | Fill up the measure, and be not cheaters, |
| 182 | and weigh with the straight balance, |
| 183 | and diminish not the goods of the people, and do not mischief in the earth, working corruption. |
| 184 | Fear Him who created you, and the generations of the ancients.' |
| 185 | They said, 'Thou art merely one of those that are bewitched; |
| 186 | thou art naught but a mortal, like us; indeed, we think that thou art one of the liars. |
| 187 | Then drop down on us lumps from heaven, if thou art one of the truthful.' |
| 188 | He said, 'My Lord knows very well what you are doing.' |
| 189 | But they cried him lies; then there seized them the chastisement of the Day of Shadow; assuredly it was the chastisement of a dreadful day. |
| 190 | Surely in that is a sign, yet most of them are not believers. |
| 191 | Surely thy Lord, He is the All-mighty, the All-compassionate. |
| 192 | Truly it is the revelation of the Lord of all Being, |
| 193 | brought down by the Faithful Spirit |
| 194 | upon thy heart, that thou mayest be one of the warners, |
| 195 | in a clear, Arabic tongue. |
| 196 | Truly it is in the Scriptures of the ancients. |
| 197 | Was it not a sign for them, that it is known to the learned of the Children of Israel? |
| 198 | If We had sent it down on a barbarian |
| 199 | and he had recited it to them, they would not have believed in it. |
| 200 | Even so We have caused it to enter into the hearts of the sinners, |
| 201 | who will not believe in it, until they see the painful chastisement |
| 202 | so that it will come upon them suddenly, while they are not aware, |
| 203 | and they will say, 'Shall we be respited?' |
| 204 | What, do they seek to hasten Our chastisement? |
| 205 | What thinkest thou? If We give them enjoyment of days for many years, |
| 206 | then there comes on them that they were promised, |
| 207 | what will it then avail them, the enjoyment of days they were given? |
| 208 | Never a city We destroyed, but it had warners |
| 209 | for a reminder; and never did We wrong. |
| 210 | Not by the Satans has it been brought down; |
| 211 | it behoves them not, neither are they able. |
| 212 | Truly, they are expelled from hearing. |
| 213 | So call thou not upon another god with God, lest thou shouldst be one of those that are chastised. |
| 214 | And warn thy clan, thy nearest kin. |
| 215 | Lower thy wing to those who follow thee, being believers; |
| 216 | then, if they disobey thee, say, 'I am quit of that you do.' |
| 217 | Put thy trust in the All-mighty, the All-compassionate |
| 218 | who sees thee when thou standest |
| 219 | and when thou turnest about among those who bow. |
| 220 | Surely He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing. |
| 221 | Shall I tell you on whom the Satans come down? |
| 222 | They come down on every guilty impostor. |
| 223 | They give ear, but most of them are liars. |
| 224 | And the poets -- the perverse follow them; |
| 225 | hast thou not seen how they wander in every valley |
| 226 | and how they say that which they do not? |
| 227 | Save those that believe, and do righteous deeds, and remember God oft, and help themselves after being wronged; and those who do wrong shall surely know by what overturning they will he overturned. |