Surah Al Balad

لَا أُقْسِمُ بِهَذَا الْبَلَدِ

I do call to witness this City --

وَأَنْتَ حِلٌّ بِهَذَا الْبَلَدِ

And thou art a freeman of this City --

وَوَالِدٍ وَمَا وَلَدَ

And (the mystic ties of) Parent and Child --

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا الْإِنْسَانَ فِي كَبَدٍ

Verily We have created Man into toil and struggle.

أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَنْ يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌ

Thinketh he, that none hath power over him?

يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًا لُبَدًا

He may say (boastfully): "Wealth have I squandered in abundance!"

أَيَحْسَبُ أَنْ لَمْ يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ

Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?

أَلَمْ نَجْعَلْ لَهُ عَيْنَيْنِ

Have We not made for him a pair of eyes? --

وَلِسَانًا وَشَفَتَيْنِ

And a tongue, and a pair of lips? --

وَهَدَيْنَاهُ النَّجْدَيْنِ  

And shown him the two highways?

فَلَا اقْتَحَمَ الْعَقَبَةَ

But he hath made no haste on the path that is steep.

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الْعَقَبَةُ

And what will explain to thee the path that is steep? --

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

- (It is:) freeing the bondman;

أَوْ إِطْعَامٌ فِي يَوْمٍ ذِي مَسْغَبَةٍ

- Or the giving of food in a day of privation

يَتِيمًا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ

To the orphan with claims of relationship,

أَوْ مِسْكِينًا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍ

Or to the indigent (down) in the dust.

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا

Then will he be of those who believe,

وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْمَرْحَمَةِ

and enjoin patience, (constancy, and self-restraint), and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion.

أُولَئِكَ أَصْحَابُ الْمَيْمَنَةِ

Such are the Companions of the Right Hand.

وَالَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا بِآيَاتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَابُ الْمَشْأَمَةِ

But those who reject Our Signs, they are the (unhappy) companions of the Left Hand.

عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌ مُؤْصَدَةٌ

On them will be Fire Vaulted over (all round).

*********