The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace
۞ I swear by this city -- 1 And thou art a freeman of this City;- 2 and by parent and offspring, 3 Verily, We have created man into [a life of] pain, toil and trial. 4 Thinketh he that none hath power over him? 5 He says (boastfully): "I have wasted wealth in abundance!" 6 Does he, then, think that no one sees him? 7 Have We not appointed to him two eyes, 8 a tongue, and two lips, 9 And shown him the two ways (good and evil)? 10 But he did not venture to scale the difficult steep. 11 What will explain to you what the ascent is? 12 (It is) Freeing a neck (slave, etc.) 13 or giving food on a day of hunger 14 of an orphan near of kin, 15 Or to the indigent (down) in the dust. 16 and, then besides this, he be one of those who believed, and enjoined upon one another steadfastness and enjoined upon one another compassion. 17 Those are the companions of the right. 18 But those who disbelieved in Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they are those on the Left Hand (the dwellers of Hell). 19 [with] fire closing in upon them. 20