Sura 68

Surah 68. The Pen, (the Letter) N

68:1. Nun. (Note) By the Pen and the (Record) which (men) write,-
68:2. Thou art not, by the Grace of thy Lord, insane or possessed.
68:3. Nay, verily for thee is a Reward unfailing:
68:4. And thou (standest) on an exalted standard of character.
68:5. Soon wilt thou see, and they will see,
68:6. Which of you is afflicted with madness.
68:7. Verily it is thy Lord that knoweth best, which (among men) hath strayed from His Way: and He knoweth best those who receive (true) Guidance.
68:8. So hearken not to those who deny (the Truth).
68:9. Their desire is that thou shouldst be pliable: so would they be pliable.
68:10. Heed not the type of despicable men,- ready with oaths,
68:11. A slanderer, going about with false reports,
68:12. (Habitually) hindering (all) good, transgressing beyond bounds, deep in sin,
68:13. Violent (and cruel),- with all that, base-born,-
68:14. Because he possesses wealth and (numerous) sons.
68:15. When to him are rehearsed Our Signs, "Old-wives' Tales", he cries!
68:16. Soon shall We brand (the beast) on the snout!
68:17. Verily We have tried them as We tried the People of the Garden, when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning.
68:18. But made no reservation, ("If it be God's Will").
68:19. Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.
68:20. So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).
68:21. As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,-
68:22. "Go ye to your tilth (early) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."
68:23. So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)-
68:24. "Let not a single destitute person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."
68:25. And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.
68:26. But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:
68:27. Indeed we are shut out (from the fruits of our labour)!"
68:28. Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify God'?"
68:29. They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"
68:30. Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.
68:31. They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!
68:32. It may be that our Lord will give us in exchange a better (garden) than this: for we do turn to Him (in repentance)!"
68:33. Such is the Punishment (in this life) but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter,- if only they knew!
68:34. Verily, for the Righteous, are Gardens of Delight, in the Presence of their Lord.
68:35. Shall We then treat the People of Faith like the People of Sin?
68:36. What is the matter with you? How judge ye?
68:37. Or have ye a Book through which ye learn-
68:38. That ye shall have, through it, whatever ye choose?
68:39. Or have ye Sworn Covenants with Us, reaching to The Day of Judgment, (providing) that ye shall have whatever ye shall demand?
68:40. Ask thou of them, which of them will stand surety for that!
68:41. Or have they some "Partners" (in Godhead)? Then let them produce their "partners", if they are truthful!
68:42. The Day that the Shin shall be laid bare, and they shall be summoned to bow in adoration, but they shall not be able,-
68:43. Their eyes will be cast down,- disgrace will cover them: seeing that they had been summoned aforetime to bow in adoration, while they were whole, (and had refused).
68:44. Then leave Me alone with such as reject this Message: by degrees shall We punish them from directions they perceive not.
68:45. A (long) respite will I grant them: truly powerful is My [Master] Plan.
68:46. Or is it that thou dost ask them for a reward, so that they are burdened with a load of debt?-
68:47. Or that the Unseen is in their hands, so that they can write it down?
68:48. So wait with patience for the Command of thy Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish (Jonah),- when he cried out in agony.
68:49. Had not Grace from his Lord reached him, he would indeed have been cast off on the naked shore, in disgrace.
68:50. Thus did his Lord choose him and make him of the Company of the Righteous.
68:51. And the Unbelievers would almost trip thee up with their eyes when they hear the Message; and they say: "Surely he is possessed!"
68:52. But it is nothing less than a Message to all the worlds.

JAH