سُورَةُ اللَّيۡلِ

وَٱلَّیۡلِ إِذَا یَغۡشَىٰ (۱)

CONSIDER the night as it veils [the earth] in darkness,

وَٱلنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ (۲)

and the day as it rises bright!

وَمَا خَلَقَ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰۤ (۳)

Consider the creation of the male and the female!

إِنَّ سَعۡیَكُمۡ لَشَتَّىٰ (۴)

Verily, [O men,] you aim at most divergent ends!

فَأَمَّا مَنۡ أَعۡطَىٰ وَٱتَّقَىٰ (۵)

Thus, as for him who gives [to others] and is conscious of God,

وَصَدَّقَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ (۶)

and believes in the truth of the ultimate good

فَسَنُیَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡیُسۡرَىٰ (۷)

for him shall We make easy the path towards [ultimate] ease.

وَأَمَّا مَنۢ بَخِلَ وَٱسۡتَغۡنَىٰ (۸)

But as for him who is niggardly, and thinks that he is self-sufficient,

وَكَذَّبَ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَىٰ (۹)

and calls the ultimate good a lie –

فَسَنُیَسِّرُهُۥ لِلۡعُسۡرَىٰ (۱۰)

for him shall We make easy the path towards hardship:

وَمَا یُغۡنِی عَنۡهُ مَالُهُۥۤ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰۤ (۱۱)

and what will his wealth avail him when he goes down [to his grave]?

إِنَّ عَلَیۡنَا لَلۡهُدَىٰ (۱۲)

BEHOLD, it is indeed for Us to grace [you] with guidance;

وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلۡـَٔاخِرَةَ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰ (۱۳)

and, behold, Ours is [the dominion over] the life to come as well as [over] this earlier part [of your life]:

فَأَنذَرۡتُكُمۡ نَارࣰا تَلَظَّىٰ (۱۴)

and so I warn you of the raging fire -

لَا یَصۡلَىٰهَاۤ إِلَّا ٱلۡأَشۡقَى (۱۵)

[the fire] which none shall have to endure but that most hapless wretch

ٱلَّذِی كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ (۱۶)

who gives the lie to the truth and turns away [from it].

وَسَیُجَنَّبُهَا ٱلۡأَتۡقَى (۱۷)

For, distant from it shall remain he who is truly conscious of God:

ٱلَّذِی یُؤۡتِی مَالَهُۥ یَتَزَكَّىٰ (۱۸)

he that spends his possessions [on others] so that he might grow in purity –

وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِندَهُۥ مِن نِّعۡمَةࣲ تُجۡزَىٰۤ (۱۹)

not as payment for favours received,

إِلَّا ٱبۡتِغَاۤءَ وَجۡهِ رَبِّهِ ٱلۡأَعۡلَىٰ (۲۰)

but only out of a longing for the countenance of his Sustainer, the All-Highest:

وَلَسَوۡفَ یَرۡضَىٰ (۲۱)

and such, indeed, shall in time be well-pleased.