The Ascending Stairways, The Ladders — Arthur John Arberry Translation

70:1

سَأَلَ سَاۤىِٕلُۢ بِعَذَابࣲ وَاقِعࣲ ۝١

Arthur John Arberry

A questioner asked of a chastisement about to fal

sa-ala sāilun biʿadhābin wāqiʿi

70:2

لِّلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ لَیۡسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعࣱ ۝٢

Arthur John Arberry

for the unbelievers, which none may avert

lil'kāfirīna laysa lahu dāfiʿu

70:3

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِی ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ ۝٣

Arthur John Arberry

from God, the Lord of the Stairways

mina l-lahi dhī l-maʿārij

70:4

تَعۡرُجُ ٱلۡمَلَـٰۤىِٕكَةُ وَٱلرُّوحُ إِلَیۡهِ فِی یَوۡمࣲ كَانَ مِقۡدَارُهُۥ خَمۡسِینَ أَلۡفَ سَنَةࣲ ۝٤

Arthur John Arberry

To Him the angels and the Spirit mount up, in a day whereof the measure is fifty thousand years

taʿruju l-malāikatu wal-rūḥu ilayhi fī yawmin kāna miq'dāruhu khamsīna alfa sanati

70:5

فَٱصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرࣰا جَمِیلًا ۝٥

Arthur John Arberry

So be thou patient with a sweet patience

fa-iṣ'bir ṣabran jamīla

70:6

إِنَّهُمۡ یَرَوۡنَهُۥ بَعِیدࣰا ۝٦

Arthur John Arberry

behold, they see it as if far off

innahum yarawnahu baʿīda

70:7

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِیبࣰا ۝٧

Arthur John Arberry

but We see it is nigh

wanarāhu qarība

70:8

یَوۡمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَاۤءُ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ ۝٨

Arthur John Arberry

Upon the day when heaven shall be as molten coppe

yawma takūnu l-samāu kal-muh'l

70:9

وَتَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ ۝٩

Arthur John Arberry

and the mountains shall be as plucked wool-tufts

watakūnu l-jibālu kal-ʿih'n

70:10

وَلَا یَسۡءَلُ حَمِیمٌ حَمِیمࣰا ۝١٠

Arthur John Arberry

no loyal friend shall question loyal friend

walā yasalu ḥamīmun ḥamīma

70:11

یُبَصَّرُونَهُمۡۚ یَوَدُّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُ لَوۡ یَفۡتَدِی مِنۡ عَذَابِ یَوۡمِىِٕذِۭ بِبَنِیهِ ۝١١

Arthur John Arberry

as they are given sight of them. The sinner will wish that he might ransom himself from the chastisement of that day even by his sons

yubaṣṣarūnahum yawaddu l-muj'rimu law yaftadī min ʿadhābi yawmi-idhin bibanīh

70:12

وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِیهِ ۝١٢

Arthur John Arberry

his companion wife, his brother

waṣāḥibatihi wa-akhīh

70:13

وَفَصِیلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِی تُءۡوِیهِ ۝١٣

Arthur John Arberry

his kin who sheltered him

wafaṣīlatihi allatī tu'wīh

70:14

وَمَن فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِیعࣰا ثُمَّ یُنجِیهِ ۝١٤

Arthur John Arberry

and whosoever is in the earth, all together, so that then it might deliver him

waman fī l-arḍi jamīʿan thumma yunjīh

70:15

كَلَّاۤۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ ۝١٥

Arthur John Arberry

Nay, verily it is a furnac

kallā innahā laẓ

70:16

نَزَّاعَةࣰ لِّلشَّوَىٰ ۝١٦

Arthur John Arberry

snatching away the scalp

nazzāʿatan lilshaw

70:17

تَدۡعُوا۟ مَنۡ أَدۡبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ۝١٧

Arthur John Arberry

calling him who drew back and turned away

tadʿū man adbara watawall

70:18

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوۡعَىٰۤ ۝١٨

Arthur John Arberry

who amassed and hoarded

wajamaʿa fa-awʿ

70:19

۞ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ۝١٩

Arthur John Arberry

Surely man was created fretful

inna l-insāna khuliqa halūʿa

70:20

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعࣰا ۝٢٠

Arthur John Arberry

when evil visits him, impatient

idhā massahu l-sharu jazūʿa

70:21

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلۡخَیۡرُ مَنُوعًا ۝٢١

Arthur John Arberry

when good visits him, grudging

wa-idhā massahu l-khayru manūʿa

70:22

إِلَّا ٱلۡمُصَلِّینَ ۝٢٢

ٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ دَاۤىِٕمُونَ ۝٢٣

Arthur John Arberry

and continue at their prayers

alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim dāimūn

70:24

وَٱلَّذِینَ فِیۤ أَمۡوَ ٰلِهِمۡ حَقࣱّ مَّعۡلُومࣱ ۝٢٤

Arthur John Arberry

those in whose wealth is a right know

wa-alladhīna fī amwālihim ḥaqqun maʿlūmu

70:25

لِّلسَّاۤىِٕلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ ۝٢٥

Arthur John Arberry

for the beggar and the outcast

lilssāili wal-maḥrūm

70:26

وَٱلَّذِینَ یُصَدِّقُونَ بِیَوۡمِ ٱلدِّینِ ۝٢٦

Arthur John Arberry

who confirm the Day of Doo

wa-alladhīna yuṣaddiqūna biyawmi l-dīn

70:27

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ ۝٢٧

Arthur John Arberry

and go in fear of the chastisement of their Lor

wa-alladhīna hum min ʿadhābi rabbihim mush'fiqūn

70:28

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمۡ غَیۡرُ مَأۡمُونࣲ ۝٢٨

Arthur John Arberry

(from their Lord's chastisement none feels secure

inna ʿadhāba rabbihim ghayru mamūni

70:29

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِفُرُوجِهِمۡ حَـٰفِظُونَ ۝٢٩

Arthur John Arberry

and guard their private part

wa-alladhīna hum lifurūjihim ḥāfiẓūn

70:30

إِلَّا عَلَىٰۤ أَزۡوَ ٰجِهِمۡ أَوۡ مَا مَلَكَتۡ أَیۡمَـٰنُهُمۡ فَإِنَّهُمۡ غَیۡرُ مَلُومِینَ ۝٣٠

Arthur John Arberry

save from their wives and what their right hands own, then not being blameworth

illā ʿalā azwājihim aw mā malakat aymānuhum fa-innahum ghayru malūmīn

70:31

فَمَنِ ٱبۡتَغَىٰ وَرَاۤءَ ذَ ٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡعَادُونَ ۝٣١

Arthur John Arberry

(but whoso seeks after more than that, they are the transgressors)

famani ib'taghā warāa dhālika fa-ulāika humu l-ʿādūn

70:32

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَ ٰعُونَ ۝٣٢

Arthur John Arberry

and who preserve their trusts and their covenant

wa-alladhīna hum li-amānātihim waʿahdihim rāʿūn

70:33

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم بِشَهَـٰدَ ٰتِهِمۡ قَاۤىِٕمُونَ ۝٣٣

Arthur John Arberry

and perform their witnessings

wa-alladhīna hum bishahādātihim qāimūn

70:34

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ یُحَافِظُونَ ۝٣٤

Arthur John Arberry

and who observe their prayers

wa-alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim yuḥāfiẓūn

70:35

أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ فِی جَنَّـٰتࣲ مُّكۡرَمُونَ ۝٣٥

Arthur John Arberry

Those shall be in Gardens, high-honoured

ulāika fī jannātin muk'ramūn

70:36

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهۡطِعِینَ ۝٣٦

Arthur John Arberry

What ails the unbelievers, running with outstretched neck

famāli alladhīna kafarū qibalaka muh'ṭiʿīn

70:37

عَنِ ٱلۡیَمِینِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِینَ ۝٣٧

Arthur John Arberry

towards thee on the right hand and on the left hand in knots

ayaṭmaʿu kullu im'ri-in min'hum an yud'khala jannata naʿīmi

70:38

أَیَطۡمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِىࣲٕ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن یُدۡخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِیمࣲ ۝٣٨

Arthur John Arberry

What, is every man of them eager to be admitted to a Garden of Bliss

AyatmaAAu kullu imri-in minhum an yudkhala jannata naAAeemin

70:39

كَلَّاۤۖ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُم مِّمَّا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٣٩

Arthur John Arberry

Not so; for We have created them of what they know

kallā innā khalaqnāhum mimmā yaʿlamūn

70:40

فَلَاۤ أُقۡسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡمَشَـٰرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغَـٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـٰدِرُونَ ۝٤٠

Arthur John Arberry

No! I swear by the Lord of the Easts and Wests, surely We are abl

falā uq'simu birabbi l-mashāriqi wal-maghāribi innā laqādirūn

70:41

عَلَىٰۤ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَیۡرࣰا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِینَ ۝٤١

Arthur John Arberry

to substitute a better than they; We shall not be outstripped

fadharhum yakhūḍū wayalʿabū ḥattā yulāqū yawmahumu alladhī yūʿadūn

70:42

فَذَرۡهُمۡ یَخُوضُوا۟ وَیَلۡعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یُلَـٰقُوا۟ یَوۡمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِی یُوعَدُونَ ۝٤٢

Arthur John Arberry

Then leave them alone to plunge and play until they encounter that day of theirs which they are promised

Fatharhum yakhoodoo wayalAAaboo hatta yulaqoo yawmahumu allathee yooAAadoona

70:43

یَوۡمَ یَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعࣰا كَأَنَّهُمۡ إِلَىٰ نُصُبࣲ یُوفِضُونَ ۝٤٣

Arthur John Arberry

the day they shall come forth from the tombs hastily, as if they were hurrying unto a waymark

yawma yakhrujūna mina l-ajdāthi sirāʿan ka-annahum ilā nuṣubin yūfiḍūn

70:44

خَـٰشِعَةً أَبۡصَـٰرُهُمۡ تَرۡهَقُهُمۡ ذِلَّةࣱۚ ذَ ٰلِكَ ٱلۡیَوۡمُ ٱلَّذِی كَانُوا۟ یُوعَدُونَ ۝٤٤

Arthur John Arberry

humbled their eyes, overspreading them abasement. That is the day which they were promised

khāshiʿatan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum dhillatun dhālika l-yawmu alladhī kānū yūʿadūn

Surah 70. The Ascending Stairways, The Ladders (al-Ma`arij)

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