The Pen

The Koran





068.001
Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),

068.002
Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman.

068.003
And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.

068.004
And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.

068.005
And thou wilt see and they will see

068.006
Which of you is the demented.

068.007
Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.

068.008
Therefor obey not thou the rejecters

068.009
Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.

068.010
Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger,

068.011
Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,

068.012
Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor

068.013
Greedy therewithal, intrusive.

068.014
It is because he is possessed of wealth and children

068.015
That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.

068.016
We shall brand him on the nose.

068.017
Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,

068.018
And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);

068.019
Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept

068.020
And in the morning it was as if plucked.

068.021
And they cried out one unto another in the morning,

068.022
Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).

068.023
So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:

068.024
No needy man shall enter it to-day against you.

068.025
They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.

068.026
But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!

068.027
Nay, but we are desolate!

068.028
The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah) ?

068.029
They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong-doers.

068.030
Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching.

068.031
They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.

068.032
It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.

068.033
Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know.

068.034
Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with their Lord.

068.035
Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty ?

068.036
What aileth you ? How foolishly ye judge!

068.037
Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn

068.038
That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose ?

068.039
Or have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain ?

068.040
Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that!

068.041
Or have they other gods ? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthful

068.042
On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able,

068.043
With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt.

068.044
Leave Me (to deal) with those who give the lie to this pronouncement. We shall lead them on by steps from whence they know not.

068.045
Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm.

068.046
Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are heavily taxed ?

068.047
Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof) ?

068.048
But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair.

068.049
Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate.

068.050
But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous.

068.051
And lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee with their eyes when they hear the Reminder, and they say: Lo! he is indeed mad;

068.052
When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation.