Al-Balad

I swear by this city––

لَا أُقْسِمُ بِهَـٰذَا الْبَلَدِ

lā uq'simu bihādhā l-baladi

and you [Prophet] are an inhabitant of this city––

وَأَنْتَ حِلٌّ بِهَـٰذَا الْبَلَدِ

wa-anta ḥillun bihādhā l-baladi

[I swear] by parent and offspring,

وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ

wawālidin wamā walada

that We have created man for toil and trial.

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ

laqad khalaqnā l-insāna fī kabadin

Does he think that no one will have power over him?

أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَنْ يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ

ayaḥsabu an lan yaqdira ʿalayhi aḥadun

‘I have squandered great wealth,’ he says.

يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُبَدًا

yaqūlu ahlaktu mālan lubadan

Does he think no one observes him?

أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَمْ يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ

ayaḥsabu an lam yarahu aḥadun

Did We not give him eyes,

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُ عَيْنَيْنِ

alam najʿal lahu ʿaynayni

a tongue, lips,

وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ

walisānan washafatayni

and point out to him the two clear ways [of good and evil]?

وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ

wahadaynāhu l-najdayni

Yet he has not attempted the steep path.

فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ

falā iq'taḥama l-ʿaqabata

What will explain to you what the steep path is?

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ

wamā adrāka mā l-ʿaqabatu

It is to free a slave,

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

fakku raqabatin

to feed at a time of hunger

أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ

aw iṭ'ʿāmun fī yawmin dhī masghabatin

an orphaned relative

يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ

yatīman dhā maqrabatin

or a poor person in distress,

أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ

aw mis'kīnan dhā matrabatin

and to be one of those who believe and urge one another to steadfastness and compassion.

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ

thumma kāna mina alladhīna āmanū watawāṣaw bil-ṣabri watawāṣaw bil-marḥamati

Those who do this will be on the right-hand side,

أُولَـٰئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ

ulāika aṣḥābu l-maymanati

but those who disbelieve in Our revelations will be on the left-hand side,

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ

wa-alladhīna kafarū biāyātinā hum aṣḥābu l-mashamati

and the Fire will close in on them.

عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُؤْصَدَةٌ

ʿalayhim nārun mu'ṣadatun