| | Talal A. Itani (new translation) rendition of Surah The Pen(al-Qalam)
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| 68:1 | | Noon. By the pen, and by what they inscribe |
| 68:2 | | By the grace of your Lord, you are not insane |
| 68:3 | | In fact, you will have a reward that will never end |
| 68:4 | | And you are of a great moral character |
| 68:5 | | You will see, and they will see |
| 68:6 | | Which of you is the afflicted |
| 68:7 | | Your Lord knows best who has strayed from His path, and He knows best the well-guided |
| 68:8 | | So do not obey the deniers |
| 68:9 | | They would like you to compromise, so they would compromise |
| 68:10 | | And do not obey any vile swearer |
| 68:11 | | Backbiter, spreader of slander |
| 68:12 | | Preventer of good, transgressor, sinner |
| 68:13 | | Rude and fake besides |
| 68:14 | | Just because he has money and children |
| 68:15 | | When Our Verses are recited to him, he says, 'Myths of the ancients!' |
| 68:16 | | We will brand him on the muzzle |
| 68:17 | | We tested them, as We tested the owners of the garden, when they vowed to harvest it in the morning |
| 68:18 | | Without any reservation |
| 68:19 | | But a calamity from your Lord went around it while they slept |
| 68:20 | | And in the morning it was as if picked |
| 68:21 | | In the morning, they called to one another |
| 68:22 | | 'Go early to your plantation, if you are going to harvest.' |
| 68:23 | | So off they went, murmuring to one another |
| 68:24 | | 'No poor person is to enter it upon you today.' |
| 68:25 | | And early they went, resolved in intent |
| 68:26 | | But when they saw it, they said, 'We were wrong |
| 68:27 | | We are now deprived.' |
| 68:28 | | The most reasonable of them said, 'Did I not say to you, 'if only you would glorify?'' |
| 68:29 | | They said, 'Glory to our Lord—We were indeed in the wrong.' |
| 68:30 | | Then they turned to one another, blaming one another |
| 68:31 | | They said, 'Woe to us—we were indeed domineering |
| 68:32 | | Perhaps our Lord will give us a better substitute for it. We are turning to our Lord.' |
| 68:33 | | Such is the punishment; but the punishment of the Hereafter is greater, if they only knew |
| 68:34 | | For the righteous are Gardens of Delight with their Lord |
| 68:35 | | Shall We treat the Muslims like the villains |
| 68:36 | | What is the matter with you? How do you judge |
| 68:37 | | Or do you have a scripture in which you study |
| 68:38 | | Wherein there is whatever you choose |
| 68:39 | | Or do you have oaths from Us, binding until the Day of Resurrection, that you will have whatever you demand |
| 68:40 | | Ask them, which of them will guarantee that |
| 68:41 | | Or do they have partners? Then let them produce their partners, if they are truthful |
| 68:42 | | On the Day when the Shin will be exposed, and they will be called to bow down, but they will be unable |
| 68:43 | | Their eyes subdued, shame will cover them. They were invited to bow down when they were sound |
| 68:44 | | So leave Me to those who reject this discourse; We will proceed against them gradually, from where they do not know |
| 68:45 | | And I will give them respite. My plan is firm |
| 68:46 | | Or do you ask them for a fee, so they are burdened with debt |
| 68:47 | | Or do they know the future, and so they write it down |
| 68:48 | | So wait patiently for the Decision of your Lord, and do not be like the Fellow of the Fish who cried out in despair |
| 68:49 | | Were it not for his Lord's favor that reached him, he would have been thrown into the wilderness, fully despised |
| 68:50 | | But his Lord chose him, and made him one of the righteous |
| 68:51 | | Those who disbelieve almost stab you with their glances when they hear the message, and say, 'He is crazy!' |
| 68:52 | | But it is no less than a reminder to all the Worlds |
