The Ascending Stairways, The Ladders — Dr Laleh Bakhtiar Translation

70:1

سَأَلَ سَاۤىِٕلُۢ بِعَذَابࣲ وَاقِعࣲ ۝١

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

One who supplicates asked for a punishment that will fall

sa-ala sāilun biʿadhābin wāqiʿi

70:2

لِّلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ لَیۡسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعࣱ ۝٢

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

on the ones who are ungrateful for which there will be no one to avert

lil'kāfirīna laysa lahu dāfiʿu

70:3

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِی ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ ۝٣

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

from God, the Possessor of the Stairways of Ascent.

mina l-lahi dhī l-maʿārij

70:4

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

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

The angels and the Spirit go up to Him on a Day whose measure had been fifty thousand years.

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

70:5

فَٱصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرࣰا جَمِیلًا ۝٥

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

So have thou patience with a graceful patience.

fa-iṣ'bir ṣabran jamīla

70:6

إِنَّهُمۡ یَرَوۡنَهُۥ بَعِیدࣰا ۝٦

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

Truly, they see it as distant,

innahum yarawnahu baʿīda

70:7

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِیبࣰا ۝٧

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

but We see it as near at hand.

wanarāhu qarība

70:8

یَوۡمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَاۤءُ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ ۝٨

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

On a Day the heaven will become as molten copper

yawma takūnu l-samāu kal-muh'l

70:9

وَتَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ ۝٩

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

and the mountains be as wool clusters

watakūnu l-jibālu kal-ʿih'n

70:10

وَلَا یَسۡءَلُ حَمِیمٌ حَمِیمࣰا ۝١٠

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

and no loyal friend will ask a loyal friend,

walā yasalu ḥamīmun ḥamīma

70:11

یُبَصَّرُونَهُمۡۚ یَوَدُّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُ لَوۡ یَفۡتَدِی مِنۡ عَذَابِ یَوۡمِىِٕذِۭ بِبَنِیهِ ۝١١

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

although they are given sight of them. One who sins would wish that he offer for ransom —from the punishment of that day—his children

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

70:12

وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِیهِ ۝١٢

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

or his companion wife, or his brother

waṣāḥibatihi wa-akhīh

70:13

وَفَصِیلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِی تُءۡوِیهِ ۝١٣

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

or his relatives who gave him refuge,

wafaṣīlatihi allatī tu'wīh

70:14

وَمَن فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِیعࣰا ثُمَّ یُنجِیهِ ۝١٤

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

or whoever is on the earth altogether, again, if that would rescue him.

waman fī l-arḍi jamīʿan thumma yunjīh

70:15

كَلَّاۤۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ ۝١٥

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

No indeed. Truly, it is the furnace of hell

kallā innahā laẓ

70:16

نَزَّاعَةࣰ لِّلشَّوَىٰ ۝١٦

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

removing their scalps,

nazzāʿatan lilshaw

70:17

تَدۡعُوا۟ مَنۡ أَدۡبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ۝١٧

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

calling whoever drew back and turned away

tadʿū man adbara watawall

70:18

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوۡعَىٰۤ ۝١٨

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

and gathered wealth and amassed.

wajamaʿa fa-awʿ

70:19

۞ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ۝١٩

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

Truly, the human being was created fretful.

inna l-insāna khuliqa halūʿa

70:20

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعࣰا ۝٢٠

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

When the worst afflicted him, he is impatient.

idhā massahu l-sharu jazūʿa

70:21

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلۡخَیۡرُ مَنُوعًا ۝٢١

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

And when the good afflicted him, begrudging.

wa-idhā massahu l-khayru manūʿa

70:22

إِلَّا ٱلۡمُصَلِّینَ ۝٢٢

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

But the ones who formally pray,

illā l-muṣalīn

70:23

ٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ دَاۤىِٕمُونَ ۝٢٣

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

those, they are ones who continue with their formal prayers

alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim dāimūn

70:24

وَٱلَّذِینَ فِیۤ أَمۡوَ ٰلِهِمۡ حَقࣱّ مَّعۡلُومࣱ ۝٢٤

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

and those who in their wealth there is a known obligation towards

wa-alladhīna fī amwālihim ḥaqqun maʿlūmu

70:25

لِّلسَّاۤىِٕلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ ۝٢٥

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

the one who begs and the one who is deprived

lilssāili wal-maḥrūm

70:26

وَٱلَّذِینَ یُصَدِّقُونَ بِیَوۡمِ ٱلدِّینِ ۝٢٦

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

and those who sincerely validate the Day of Judgment.

wa-alladhīna yuṣaddiqūna biyawmi l-dīn

70:27

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ ۝٢٧

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

And those, they are ones who are apprehensive of the punishment of their Lord.

wa-alladhīna hum min ʿadhābi rabbihim mush'fiqūn

70:28

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمۡ غَیۡرُ مَأۡمُونࣲ ۝٢٨

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

Truly, as to the punishment of their Lord, there is no one who is safe from it.

inna ʿadhāba rabbihim ghayru mamūni

70:29

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِفُرُوجِهِمۡ حَـٰفِظُونَ ۝٢٩

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

Those, they are ones who guard their private parts,

wa-alladhīna hum lifurūjihim ḥāfiẓūn

70:30

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

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

but not from their spouses or what their right hands possessed. Truly, they are not ones who will be reproached.

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

70:31

فَمَنِ ٱبۡتَغَىٰ وَرَاۤءَ ذَ ٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡعَادُونَ ۝٣١

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

But whoever was looking beyond that, those, they are ones who turn away.

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

70:32

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَ ٰعُونَ ۝٣٢

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

And those, they who in their trusts and to their compacts are ones who shepherd.

wa-alladhīna hum li-amānātihim waʿahdihim rāʿūn

70:33

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم بِشَهَـٰدَ ٰتِهِمۡ قَاۤىِٕمُونَ ۝٣٣

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

And those, they who, giving their testimony, are ones who uphold.

wa-alladhīna hum bishahādātihim qāimūn

70:34

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ یُحَافِظُونَ ۝٣٤

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

And those, they who over their formal prayers are watchful.

wa-alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim yuḥāfiẓūn

70:35

أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ فِی جَنَّـٰتࣲ مُّكۡرَمُونَ ۝٣٥

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

Those will be in Gardens, ones who are honored.

ulāika fī jannātin muk'ramūn

70:36

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهۡطِعِینَ ۝٣٦

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

What is with those who were ungrateful—ones who run forward towards thee, eyes fixed in horror,

famāli alladhīna kafarū qibalaka muh'ṭiʿīn

70:37

عَنِ ٱلۡیَمِینِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِینَ ۝٣٧

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

to the right and the left, tied 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

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

Is not every man of them desirous of being caused to enter into a Garden of Bliss?

AyatmaAAu kullu imri-in minhum an yudkhala jannata naAAeemin

70:39

كَلَّاۤۖ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُم مِّمَّا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٣٩

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

No indeed. Truly, We created them out of what they know.

kallā innā khalaqnāhum mimmā yaʿlamūn

70:40

فَلَاۤ أُقۡسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡمَشَـٰرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغَـٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـٰدِرُونَ ۝٤٠

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

So I swear an oath by the Lord of the rising places and the setting places, that We certainly are ones who have power

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

70:41

عَلَىٰۤ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَیۡرࣰا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِینَ ۝٤١

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

to substitute better for them. And We are not ones who are outrun.

fadharhum yakhūḍū wayalʿabū ḥattā yulāqū yawmahumu alladhī yūʿadūn

70:42

فَذَرۡهُمۡ یَخُوضُوا۟ وَیَلۡعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یُلَـٰقُوا۟ یَوۡمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِی یُوعَدُونَ ۝٤٢

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

So let them engage in idle talk and play until they encounter the Day of theirs that they are promised,

Fatharhum yakhoodoo wayalAAaboo hatta yulaqoo yawmahumu allathee yooAAadoona

70:43

یَوۡمَ یَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعࣰا كَأَنَّهُمۡ إِلَىٰ نُصُبࣲ یُوفِضُونَ ۝٤٣

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

the Day when they will go forth swiftly from their tombs as though they had been hurrying to a goal

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

70:44

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

Dr. Laleh Bakhtiar

with their sight, that which is humbled. Abasement will come over them. That is the Day which they had been 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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