'Abasa

ʿabasa watawallā

He frowned and turned away

an jāahu l-aʿmā

when the blind man came to him––

wamā yud'rīka laʿallahu yazzakkā

for all you know, he might have grown in spirit,

aw yadhakkaru fatanfaʿahu l-dhik'rā

or taken note of something useful to him.

ammā mani is'taghnā

For the self-satisfied one

fa-anta lahu taṣaddā

you go out of your way––

wamā ʿalayka allā yazzakkā

though you are not to be blamed for his lack of spiritual growth––

wa-ammā man jāaka yasʿā

but from the one who has come to you full of eagerness

wahuwa yakhshā

and awe

fa-anta ʿanhu talahhā

you allow yourself to be distracted.

kallā innahā tadhkiratun

No indeed! This [Quran] is a lesson

faman shāa dhakarahu

from which those who wish to be taught should learn,

fī ṣuḥufin mukarramatin

[written] on honoured,

marfūʿatin muṭahharatin

exalted, pure pages,

bi-aydī safaratin

by the hands of

kirāmin bararatin

noble and virtuous scribes.

qutila l-insānu mā akfarahu

Woe to man! How ungrateful he is!

min ayyi shayin khalaqahu

From what thing does God create him?

min nuṭ'fatin khalaqahu faqaddarahu

He creates him from a droplet, He proportions him,

thumma l-sabīla yassarahu

He makes the way easy for him,

thumma amātahu fa-aqbarahu

then He causes him to die and be buried.

thumma idhā shāa ansharahu

When He wills, He will raise him up again.

kallā lammā yaqḍi mā amarahu

Yet man does not fulfil God’s commands.

falyanẓuri l-insānu ilā ṭaʿāmihi

Let man consider the food he eats!

annā ṣababnā l-māa ṣabban

We pour down abundant water

thumma shaqaqnā l-arḍa shaqqan

and cause the soil to split open.

fa-anbatnā fīhā ḥabban

We make grain grow,

waʿinaban waqaḍban

and vines, fresh vegetation,

wazaytūnan wanakhlan

olive trees, date palms,

waḥadāiqa ghul'ban

luscious gardens,

wafākihatan wa-abban

fruits, and fodder:

matāʿan lakum wali-anʿāmikum

all for you and your livestock to enjoy.

fa-idhā jāati l-ṣākhatu

When the Deafening Blast comes––

yawma yafirru l-maru min akhīhi

the Day man will flee from his own brother,

wa-ummihi wa-abīhi

his mother, his father,

waṣāḥibatihi wabanīhi

his wife, his children:

likulli im'ri-in min'hum yawma-idhin shanun yugh'nīhi

each of them will be absorbed in concerns of their own on that Day-

wujūhun yawma-idhin mus'firatun

on that Day some faces will be beaming,

ḍāḥikatun mus'tabshiratun

laughing, and rejoicing,

wawujūhun yawma-idhin ʿalayhā ghabaratun

but some faces will be dust-stained

tarhaquhā qataratun

and covered in darkness:

ulāika humu l-kafaratu l-fajaratu

those are the disbelievers, the licentious.