Surah Al-Balad (The City)

لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ

I do call to witness this City;-

Nay, I swear by this city -

وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ

And thou art a freeman of this City;-

And thou art an indweller of this city -

وَوَالِدٍۢ وَمَا وَلَدَ

And (the mystic ties of) parent and child;-

And the begetter and that which he begat,

لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ

Verily We have created man into toil and struggle.

We verily have created man in an atmosphere:

أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌۭ

Thinketh he, that none hath power over him?

Thinketh he that none hath power over him?

يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًۭا لُّبَدًا

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

And he saith: I have destroyed vast wealth:

أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ

Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?

Thinketh he that none beholdeth him?

أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ

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

Did We not assign unto him two eyes

وَلِسَانًۭا وَشَفَتَيْنِ

And a tongue, and a pair of lips?-

And a tongue and two lips,

وَهَدَيْنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ

And shown him the two highways?

And guide him to the parting of the mountain ways?

فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ

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

But he hath not attempted the Ascent -

وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ

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

Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is! -

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

(It is:) freeing the bondman;

(It is) to free a slave,

أَوْ إِطْعَٰمٌۭ فِى يَوْمٍۢ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍۢ

Or the giving of food in a day of privation

And to feed in the day of hunger.

يَتِيمًۭا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ

To the orphan with claims of relationship,

An orphan near of kin,

أَوْ مِسْكِينًۭا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍۢ

Or to the indigent (down) in the dust.

Or some poor wretch in misery,

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ

Then will he be of those who believe, and enjoin patience, (constancy, and self-restraint), and enjoin deeds of kindness and compassion.

And to be of those who believe and exhort one another to perseverance and exhort one another to pity.

أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ

Such are the Companions of the Right Hand.

Their place will be on the right hand.

وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ

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

But those who disbelieve Our revelations, their place will be on the left hand.

عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌۭ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ

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

Fire will be an awning over them.