The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Compassionate, the Merciful
۞ Nay! I swear by this city. 1 And thou art a freeman of this City;- 2 And the begetter and whom he begot. 3 That We created man in toil and trouble. 4 Does he think that no one can overpower him? 5 He says, “I destroyed vast wealth.” 6 Does he, then, think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not given him two eyes, 8 a tongue, and two lips, 9 And shown him the two ways (good and evil)? 10 But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep. 11 And what have you understood, what the valley is! 12 (It is) the setting free of a slave, 13 or giving food on a day of hunger 14 To an orphan, having relationship, 15 Or some poor wretch in misery, 16 And to be of those who believe, and urge upon one another to persevere, and urge upon each other to be kind. 17 They are those on the Right Hand (the dwellers of Paradise), 18 and [as for] those who are bent on denying the truth of Our revelations, they are the people of the left hand, 19 Over them shall be Fire closing round. 20