The Town (Al-Balad)
Allah - beginning with the name of - the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
۞ I swear by this city -- 1 and thou art a lodger in this land; 2 And (the mystic ties of) parent and child;- 3 that We have created man into a life of toil and trial. 4 Does He think that no one will ever have control over him? 5 He says, "I have spent enormous 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 guide him to the parting of the mountain ways? 10 Yet, he has not entered into Aqaba 11 What will explain to you what the ascent is? 12 [It is] the freeing of one's neck [from the burden of sin,] 13 Or, feeding, in a day of privation, 14 To the orphan with claims of relationship, 15 or some needy person in distress, 16 And to be of those who believe, and urge upon one another to persevere, and urge upon each other to be kind. 17 Those are the companions of the right. 18 And (as for) those who disbelieve in our communications, they are the people of the left hand. 19 Upon them is a fire, in which they are imprisoned, closed and shut above them. 20