The Star — Arthur John Arberry Translation

إِنۡ هِیَ إِلَّاۤ أَسۡمَاۤءࣱ سَمَّیۡتُمُوهَاۤ أَنتُمۡ وَءَابَاۤؤُكُم مَّاۤ أَنزَلَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَا مِن سُلۡطَـٰنٍۚ إِن یَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّ وَمَا تَهۡوَى ٱلۡأَنفُسُۖ وَلَقَدۡ جَاۤءَهُم مِّن رَّبِّهِمُ ٱلۡهُدَىٰۤ ۝٢٣

Arthur John Arberry

They are naught but names yourselves have named, and your fathers; God has sent down no authority touching them. They follow only surmise, and what the souls desire; and yet guidance has come to them from their Lord

in hiya illā asmāon sammaytumūhā antum waābāukum mā anzala l-lahu bihā min sul'ṭānin in yattabiʿūna illā l-ẓana wamā tahwā l-anfusu walaqad jāahum min rabbihimu l-hud

53:24

أَمۡ لِلۡإِنسَـٰنِ مَا تَمَنَّىٰ ۝٢٤

Arthur John Arberry

Or shall man have whatever he fancies

am lil'insāni mā tamann

53:25

فَلِلَّهِ ٱلۡءَاخِرَةُ وَٱلۡأُولَىٰ ۝٢٥

Arthur John Arberry

And to God belongs the First and the Last

falillahi l-ākhiratu wal-ūl

53:26

۞ وَكَم مِّن مَّلَكࣲ فِی ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ لَا تُغۡنِی شَفَـٰعَتُهُمۡ شَیۡءًا إِلَّا مِنۢ بَعۡدِ أَن یَأۡذَنَ ٱللَّهُ لِمَن یَشَاۤءُ وَیَرۡضَىٰۤ ۝٢٦

Arthur John Arberry

How many an angel there is in the heavens whose intercession avails not anything, save after that God gives leave to whomsoever He wills and is well-pleased

wakam min malakin fī l-samāwāti lā tugh'nī shafāʿatuhum shayan illā min baʿdi an yadhana l-lahu liman yashāu wayarḍ

53:27

إِنَّ ٱلَّذِینَ لَا یُؤۡمِنُونَ بِٱلۡءَاخِرَةِ لَیُسَمُّونَ ٱلۡمَلَـٰۤىِٕكَةَ تَسۡمِیَةَ ٱلۡأُنثَىٰ ۝٢٧

Arthur John Arberry

Those who do not believe in the world to come name the angels with the names of females

inna alladhīna lā yu'minūna bil-ākhirati layusammūna l-malāikata tasmiyata l-unth

53:28

وَمَا لَهُم بِهِۦ مِنۡ عِلۡمٍۖ إِن یَتَّبِعُونَ إِلَّا ٱلظَّنَّۖ وَإِنَّ ٱلظَّنَّ لَا یُغۡنِی مِنَ ٱلۡحَقِّ شَیۡءࣰا ۝٢٨

Arthur John Arberry

They have not any knowledge thereof; they follow only surmise, and surmise avails naught against truth

wamā lahum bihi min ʿil'min in yattabiʿūna illā l-ẓana wa-inna l-ẓana lā yugh'nī mina l-ḥaqi shaya

53:29

فَأَعۡرِضۡ عَن مَّن تَوَلَّىٰ عَن ذِكۡرِنَا وَلَمۡ یُرِدۡ إِلَّا ٱلۡحَیَوٰةَ ٱلدُّنۡیَا ۝٢٩

Arthur John Arberry

So turn thou from him who turns away from Our Remembrance, and desires only the present life

fa-aʿriḍ ʿan man tawallā ʿan dhik'rinā walam yurid illā l-ḥayata l-dun'y

53:30

ذَ ٰلِكَ مَبۡلَغُهُم مِّنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَن ضَلَّ عَن سَبِیلِهِۦ وَهُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱهۡتَدَىٰ ۝٣٠

Arthur John Arberry

That is their attainment of knowledge. Surely thy Lord knows very well those who have gone astray from His way, and He knows very well those who are guided

dhālika mablaghuhum mina l-ʿil'mi inna rabbaka huwa aʿlamu biman ḍalla ʿan sabīlihi wahuwa aʿlamu bimani ih'tad

53:31

وَلِلَّهِ مَا فِی ٱلسَّمَـٰوَ ٰتِ وَمَا فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ لِیَجۡزِیَ ٱلَّذِینَ أَسَـٰۤءُوا۟ بِمَا عَمِلُوا۟ وَیَجۡزِیَ ٱلَّذِینَ أَحۡسَنُوا۟ بِٱلۡحُسۡنَى ۝٣١

Arthur John Arberry

To God belongs whatsoever is in the heavens and whatsoever is in the earth, that He may recompense those who do evil for what they have done, and recompense those who have done good with the reward most fair

walillahi mā fī l-samāwāti wamā fī l-arḍi liyajziya alladhīna asāū bimā ʿamilū wayajziya alladhīna aḥsanū bil-ḥus'n

53:32

ٱلَّذِینَ یَجۡتَنِبُونَ كَبَـٰۤىِٕرَ ٱلۡإِثۡمِ وَٱلۡفَوَ ٰحِشَ إِلَّا ٱللَّمَمَۚ إِنَّ رَبَّكَ وَ ٰسِعُ ٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِۚ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِكُمۡ إِذۡ أَنشَأَكُم مِّنَ ٱلۡأَرۡضِ وَإِذۡ أَنتُمۡ أَجِنَّةࣱ فِی بُطُونِ أُمَّهَـٰتِكُمۡۖ فَلَا تُزَكُّوۤا۟ أَنفُسَكُمۡۖ هُوَ أَعۡلَمُ بِمَنِ ٱتَّقَىٰۤ ۝٣٢

Arthur John Arberry

Those who avoid the heinous sins and indecencies, save lesser offences surely thy Lord is wide in His forgiveness. Very well He knows you, when He produced you from the earth, and when you were yet unborn in your mothers' wombs; therefore hold not yourselves purified; God knows very well him who is godfearing

alladhīna yajtanibūna kabāira l-ith'mi wal-fawāḥisha illā l-lamama inna rabbaka wāsiʿu l-maghfirati huwa aʿlamu bikum idh ansha-akum mina l-arḍi wa-idh antum ajinnatun fī buṭūni ummahātikum falā tuzakkū anfusakum huwa aʿlamu bimani ittaq

53:33

أَفَرَءَیۡتَ ٱلَّذِی تَوَلَّىٰ ۝٣٣

Arthur John Arberry

Hast thou considered him who turns his bac

afara-ayta alladhī tawall

53:34

وَأَعۡطَىٰ قَلِیلࣰا وَأَكۡدَىٰۤ ۝٣٤

Arthur John Arberry

and gives a little, and then grudgingly

wa-aʿṭā qalīlan wa-akd

53:35

أَعِندَهُۥ عِلۡمُ ٱلۡغَیۡبِ فَهُوَ یَرَىٰۤ ۝٣٥

Arthur John Arberry

Does he possess the knowledge of the Unseen, and therefore he sees

aʿindahu ʿil'mu l-ghaybi fahuwa yar

53:36

أَمۡ لَمۡ یُنَبَّأۡ بِمَا فِی صُحُفِ مُوسَىٰ ۝٣٦

Arthur John Arberry

Or has he not been told of what is in the scrolls of Moses

am lam yunabba bimā fī ṣuḥufi mūs

53:37

وَإِبۡرَ ٰهِیمَ ٱلَّذِی وَفَّىٰۤ ۝٣٧

Arthur John Arberry

and Abraham, he who paid his debt in full

wa-ib'rāhīma alladhī waff

53:38

أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةࣱ وِزۡرَ أُخۡرَىٰ ۝٣٨

Arthur John Arberry

That no soul laden bears the load of another

allā taziru wāziratun wiz'ra ukh'r

53:39

وَأَن لَّیۡسَ لِلۡإِنسَـٰنِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَىٰ ۝٣٩

Arthur John Arberry

and that a man shall have to his account only as he has laboured

wa-an laysa lil'insāni illā mā saʿ

53:40

وَأَنَّ سَعۡیَهُۥ سَوۡفَ یُرَىٰ ۝٤٠

Arthur John Arberry

and that his labouring shall surely be seen

wa-anna saʿyahu sawfa yur

53:41

ثُمَّ یُجۡزَىٰهُ ٱلۡجَزَاۤءَ ٱلۡأَوۡفَىٰ ۝٤١

Arthur John Arberry

then he shall be recompensed for it with the fullest recompense

thumma yuj'zāhu l-jazāa l-awf

53:42

وَأَنَّ إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ ٱلۡمُنتَهَىٰ ۝٤٢

Arthur John Arberry

and that the final end is unto thy Lord

wa-anna ilā rabbika l-muntah

53:43

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَضۡحَكَ وَأَبۡكَىٰ ۝٤٣

Arthur John Arberry

and that it is He who makes to laugh, and that makes to weep

wa-annahu huwa aḍḥaka wa-abk

53:44

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَمَاتَ وَأَحۡیَا ۝٤٤

Arthur John Arberry

and that it is He who makes to die, and that makes to live

wa-annahu huwa amāta wa-aḥy

53:45

وَأَنَّهُۥ خَلَقَ ٱلزَّوۡجَیۡنِ ٱلذَّكَرَ وَٱلۡأُنثَىٰ ۝٤٥

Arthur John Arberry

and that He Himself created the two kinds, male and female

wa-annahu khalaqa l-zawjayni l-dhakara wal-unth

53:46

مِن نُّطۡفَةٍ إِذَا تُمۡنَىٰ ۝٤٦

Arthur John Arberry

of a sperm-drop, when it was cast forth

min nuṭ'fatin idhā tum'n

53:47

وَأَنَّ عَلَیۡهِ ٱلنَّشۡأَةَ ٱلۡأُخۡرَىٰ ۝٤٧

Arthur John Arberry

and that upon Him rests the second growth

wa-anna ʿalayhi l-nashata l-ukh'r

53:48

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ أَغۡنَىٰ وَأَقۡنَىٰ ۝٤٨

Arthur John Arberry

and that it is He who gives wealth and riches

wa-annahu huwa aghnā wa-aqn

53:49

وَأَنَّهُۥ هُوَ رَبُّ ٱلشِّعۡرَىٰ ۝٤٩

Arthur John Arberry

and that it is He who is the Lord of Sirius

wa-annahu huwa rabbu l-shiʿ'r

53:50

وَأَنَّهُۥۤ أَهۡلَكَ عَادًا ٱلۡأُولَىٰ ۝٥٠

Arthur John Arberry

and that He destroyed Ad, the ancient

wa-annahu ahlaka ʿādan l-ūl

53:51

وَثَمُودَا۟ فَمَاۤ أَبۡقَىٰ ۝٥١

Arthur John Arberry

and Thamood, and He did not spare them

wathamūdā famā abq

53:52

وَقَوۡمَ نُوحࣲ مِّن قَبۡلُۖ إِنَّهُمۡ كَانُوا۟ هُمۡ أَظۡلَمَ وَأَطۡغَىٰ ۝٥٢

Arthur John Arberry

and the people of Noah before -- certainly they did exceeding evil, and were insolen

waqawma nūḥin min qablu innahum kānū hum aẓlama wa-aṭgh

53:53

وَٱلۡمُؤۡتَفِكَةَ أَهۡوَىٰ ۝٥٣

Arthur John Arberry

and the Subverted City He also overthrew

wal-mu'tafikata ahw

53:54

فَغَشَّىٰهَا مَا غَشَّىٰ ۝٥٤

Arthur John Arberry

so that there covered it that which covered

faghashāhā mā ghash

53:55

فَبِأَیِّ ءَالَاۤءِ رَبِّكَ تَتَمَارَىٰ ۝٥٥

Arthur John Arberry

Then which of thy Lord's bounties disputest thou

fabi-ayyi ālāi rabbika tatamār

53:56

هَـٰذَا نَذِیرࣱ مِّنَ ٱلنُّذُرِ ٱلۡأُولَىٰۤ ۝٥٦

Arthur John Arberry

This is a warner, of the warners of old

hādhā nadhīrun mina l-nudhuri l-ūl

53:57

أَزِفَتِ ٱلۡءَازِفَةُ ۝٥٧

Arthur John Arberry

The Imminent is imminent

azifati l-āzifat

53:58

لَیۡسَ لَهَا مِن دُونِ ٱللَّهِ كَاشِفَةٌ ۝٥٨

Arthur John Arberry

apart from God none can disclose it

laysa lahā min dūni l-lahi kāshifatu

53:59

أَفَمِنۡ هَـٰذَا ٱلۡحَدِیثِ تَعۡجَبُونَ ۝٥٩

Arthur John Arberry

Do you then marvel at this discourse

afamin hādhā l-ḥadīthi taʿjabūn

53:60

وَتَضۡحَكُونَ وَلَا تَبۡكُونَ ۝٦٠

Arthur John Arberry

and do you laugh, and do you not weep

wataḍḥakūna walā tabkūn

53:61

وَأَنتُمۡ سَـٰمِدُونَ ۝٦١

فَ̅ٱ̅سۡ̅جُ̅دُ̅و̅ا۟̅ لِلَّهِ وَٱعۡبُدُوا۟ ۝٦٢ ۩

Arthur John Arberry

So bow yourselves before God, and serve Him

fa-us'judū lillahi wa-uʿ'bud

Surah 53. The Star (an-Najm)

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