عبس

١HE FROWNED and turned away

٢because the blind man approached him!

٣Yet for all thou didst know, [O Muhammad,] he might perhaps have grown in purity,

٤or have been reminded [of the truth], and helped by this reminder.

٥Now as for him who believes himself to be self-sufficient

٦to him didst thou give thy whole attention,

٧although thou art not accountable for his failure to attain to purity;

٨but as for him who came unto thee full of eagerness

٩and in awe [of God]

١٠him didst thou disregard!

١١NAY, VERILY, these [messages] are but a reminder:

١٢and so, whoever is willing may remember Him

١٣in [the light of His] revelations blest with dignity,

١٤lofty and pure,

١٥[borne] by the hands of messengers

١٦noble and most virtuous.

١٧[But only too often] man destroys himself: how stubbornly does he deny the truth!

١٨[Does man ever consider] out of what substance [God] creates him?

١٩Out of a drop of sperm He creates him, and thereupon determines his nature,

٢٠and then makes it easy for him to go through life;

٢١and in the end He causes him to die and brings him to the grave;

٢٢and then, if it be His will, He shall raise him again to life,

٢٣Nay, but [man] has never yet fulfilled what He has enjoined upon him!

٢٤Let man, then, consider [the sources of] his food:

٢٥[how it is] that We pour down water, pouring it down abundantly;

٢٦and then We cleave the earth [with new growth], cleaving it asunder,

٢٧and thereupon We cause grain to grow out of it,

٢٨and vines and edible plants,

٢٩and olive trees and date-palms,

٣٠and gardens dense with foliage,

٣١and fruits and herbage,

٣٢for you and for your animals to enjoy.

٣٣AND SO, when the piercing call [of resurrection] is heard

٣٤on a Day when everyone will [want to] flee from his brother,

٣٥and from his mother and father,

٣٦and from his spouse and his children:

٣٧on that Day, to every one of them will his own state be of sufficient concern.

٣٨Some faces will on that Day be bright with happiness,

٣٩laughing, rejoicing at glad tidings.

٤٠And some faces will on that Day with dust be covered,

٤١with darkness overspread:

٤٢these, these will be the ones who denied the truth and were immersed in iniquity!