In the name of Allah, the Beneficent, the Merciful.


 1. Noon. I swear by the pen and what the angels write,

 2. By the grace of your Lord you are not mad.

 3. And most surely you shall have a reward never to be cut 
 off.

 4. And most surely you conform (yourself) to sublime 
 morality.

 S. So you shall see, and they (too) shall see,

 6. Which of you is afflicted with madness.

 7. Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, 
 and He best knows the followers of the right course.

 8. So do not yield to the rejecters.

 9. They wish that you should be pliant so they (too) would 
 be pliant.

 10. And yield not to any mean swearer

 11. Defamer, going about with slander

 12. Forbidder of good, outstepping the limits, sinful,

 13. Ignoble, besides all that, base-born;

 14. Because he possesses wealth and sons.

 15. When Our communications are recited to him, he says: 
 Stories of those of yore.

 16. We will brand him on the nose.

 17. Surely We will try them as We tried the owners of the 
 garden, when they swore that they would certainly cut off 
 the produce in the morning,

 18. And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the 
 poor).

 19. Then there encompassed it a visitation from your Lord 
 while they were sleeping.

 20. So it became as black, barren land.

 21. And they called out to each other in the morning,

 22. Saying: Go early to your tilth if you would cut (the 
 produce).

 23. So they went, while they consulted together secretly,

 24. Saying: No poor man shall enter it today upon you.

 25. And in the morning they went, having the power to 
 prevent.

 26. But when they saw it, they said: Most surely we have 
 gone astray

 27. Nay! we are made to suffer privation.

 28. The best of them said: Did I not say to you, Why do you 
 not glorify (Allah)?

 29. They said: Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust.

 30. Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each 
 other.

 31. Said they: O woe to us! surely we were inordinate:

 32. Maybe, our Lord will give us instead one better than it; 
 surely to our Lord do we make our humble petition.

 33. Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement 
 of the hereafter is greater, did they but know!

 34. Surely those who guard (against evil) shall have with 
 their Lord gardens of bliss.

 35. What! shall We then make (i.e. treat) those who submit 
 as the guilty?

 36. What has happened to you? How do you judge?

 37. Or have you a book wherein you read,

 38. That you have surely therein what you choose?

 39. Or have you received from Us an agreement confirmed by 
 an oath extending to the day of resurrection that you shall 
 surely have what you demand?

 40. Ask them which of them will vouch for that,

 41. Or have.they associates if they are truthful.

 42. On the day when there shall be a severe affliction, and 
 they shall be called upon to make obeisance, but they shall 
 not be able,

 43. Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them; 
 and they were called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet 
 they were safe.

 44. So leave Me and him who rejects this announcement; We 
 will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive 
 not:

 45. And I do bear with them, surely My plan is firm.

 46. Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are 
 burdened with debt?

 47. Or have they (the knowledge of) the unseen, so that they 
 write (it) down?

 48. So wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord, and be 
 not like the companion of the fish, when he cried while he 
 was in distress.

 49. Were it not that favor from his Lord had overtaken him, 
 he would certainly have been cast down upon the naked Found 
 while he was blamed.

 50. Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the good.

 51. And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with 
 their eyes when they hear the reminder, and they say: Most 
 surely he is mad.

 52. And it is naught but a reminder to the nations.