The Pen (Al-Qalam)
In the name of Allah, most benevolent, ever-merciful
۞ NUN. I CALL to witness the pen and what they inscribe, 1 Thou art not, by thy Sustainer's grace, a madman! 2 Indeed, there is an unfailing wage for you. 3 You have attained a high moral standard. 4 Soon you will see, as will they, 5 Which of you is the afflicted [by a devil]. 6 Verily thy Lord! He is the best Knower of him who strayeth from His path, and He is the best Knower of the guided one. 7 So obey thou not those who cry lies. 8 They want you to make concessions to them and then they will reciprocate. 9 And yield not to any mean swearer 10 the fault-finder who goes around slandering, 11 [or] the withholder of good, [or] the sinful aggressor, 12 Cruel, after all that base-born (of illegitimate birth), 13 Because he is owner of riches and children. 14 When Our Verses (of the Quran) are recited to him, he says: "Tales of the men of old!" 15 We shall brand him on the nose. 16 We have tried them as we tried the owners of a certain orchard, who vowed to harvest all its fruits the next morning, 17 Without making exception. 18 whereupon a visitation for thy Sustainer came upon that [garden] while they were asleep, 19 and in the morning it was if the garden had been reaped. 20 And they called out to each other in the morning, 21 Saying: "Go to your tilth in the morning, if you would pluck the fruits." 22 They all left, whispering to one another, 23 No Miskin (poor man) shall enter upon you into it today. 24 They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose. 25 But when they saw it, they said, 'Surely we are gone astray; 26 Nay! we are made to suffer privation. 27 The more upright of the two said, "Did I not bid you to glorify God?" 28 They said: "Glory to Our Lord! Verily, we have been Zalimun (wrong-doers, etc.)." 29 Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other. 30 They said: “Woe to us! We had indeed transgressed. 31 Belike our Lord may exchange for us better garden than this; verily we are unto our Lord beseechers. 32 Such is Our chastisement; and the punishment of the Hereafter will be greater, if only they knew! 33