The Town (Al-Balad)
In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful
۞ I swear by this city -- 1 And you are free to live upon it, -- 2 and I swear by the parent and his offspring: 3 that We have created man into a life of toil and trial. 4 Does he think that no one can overpower him? 5 He says: "I have wasted a great deal of wealth." 6 Does man think that no one saw him? 7 Have We not made for him two eyes? 8 And 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 How will you comprehend what the Steep ascent is? -- 12 (It is) Freeing a neck (slave, etc.) 13 or the feeding, upon a day of [one's own] hunger, 14 of an orphaned relative 15 Or a poor man cleaving to the dust. 16 then that he become of those who believe and counsel each other to be steadfast, and counsel each other to be merciful. 17 These are the people of the right hand. 18 And (as for) those who disbelieve in our communications, they are the people of the left hand. 19 On them is fire closed over. 20