The Ascending Stairways, The Ladders — John Medows Rodwell Translation

70:1

سَأَلَ سَاۤىِٕلُۢ بِعَذَابࣲ وَاقِعࣲ ۝١

John Medows Rodwell

A SUITOR sued for punishment to light suddenl

sa-ala sāilun biʿadhābin wāqiʿi

70:2

لِّلۡكَـٰفِرِینَ لَیۡسَ لَهُۥ دَافِعࣱ ۝٢

John Medows Rodwell

On the infidels: none can hinde

lil'kāfirīna laysa lahu dāfiʿu

70:3

مِّنَ ٱللَّهِ ذِی ٱلۡمَعَارِجِ ۝٣

John Medows Rodwell

God from inflicting it, the master of those ASCENTS

mina l-lahi dhī l-maʿārij

70:4

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

John Medows Rodwell

By which the angels and the spirit ascend to him in a day, whose length is fifty thousand years

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

70:5

فَٱصۡبِرۡ صَبۡرࣰا جَمِیلًا ۝٥

John Medows Rodwell

Be thou patient therefore with becoming patience

fa-iṣ'bir ṣabran jamīla

70:6

إِنَّهُمۡ یَرَوۡنَهُۥ بَعِیدࣰا ۝٦

John Medows Rodwell

They forsooth regard that day as distant

innahum yarawnahu baʿīda

70:7

وَنَرَىٰهُ قَرِیبࣰا ۝٧

یَوۡمَ تَكُونُ ٱلسَّمَاۤءُ كَٱلۡمُهۡلِ ۝٨

John Medows Rodwell

The day when the heavens shall become as molten brass

yawma takūnu l-samāu kal-muh'l

70:9

وَتَكُونُ ٱلۡجِبَالُ كَٱلۡعِهۡنِ ۝٩

John Medows Rodwell

And the mountains shall become like flocks of wool

watakūnu l-jibālu kal-ʿih'n

70:10

وَلَا یَسۡءَلُ حَمِیمٌ حَمِیمࣰا ۝١٠

John Medows Rodwell

And friend shall not question of friend

walā yasalu ḥamīmun ḥamīma

70:11

یُبَصَّرُونَهُمۡۚ یَوَدُّ ٱلۡمُجۡرِمُ لَوۡ یَفۡتَدِی مِنۡ عَذَابِ یَوۡمِىِٕذِۭ بِبَنِیهِ ۝١١

John Medows Rodwell

Though they look at one another. Fain would the wicked redeem himself from punishment on that day at the price of his children

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

70:12

وَصَـٰحِبَتِهِۦ وَأَخِیهِ ۝١٢

John Medows Rodwell

Of his spouse and his brother

waṣāḥibatihi wa-akhīh

70:13

وَفَصِیلَتِهِ ٱلَّتِی تُءۡوِیهِ ۝١٣

John Medows Rodwell

And of his kindred who shewed affection for him

wafaṣīlatihi allatī tu'wīh

70:14

وَمَن فِی ٱلۡأَرۡضِ جَمِیعࣰا ثُمَّ یُنجِیهِ ۝١٤

John Medows Rodwell

And of all who are on the earth that then it might deliver him

waman fī l-arḍi jamīʿan thumma yunjīh

70:15

كَلَّاۤۖ إِنَّهَا لَظَىٰ ۝١٥

نَزَّاعَةࣰ لِّلشَّوَىٰ ۝١٦

John Medows Rodwell

Dragging by the scalp

nazzāʿatan lilshaw

70:17

تَدۡعُوا۟ مَنۡ أَدۡبَرَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ ۝١٧

John Medows Rodwell

Shall claim him who turned his back and went away

tadʿū man adbara watawall

70:18

وَجَمَعَ فَأَوۡعَىٰۤ ۝١٨

John Medows Rodwell

And amassed and hoarded

wajamaʿa fa-awʿ

70:19

۞ إِنَّ ٱلۡإِنسَـٰنَ خُلِقَ هَلُوعًا ۝١٩

John Medows Rodwell

Man truly is by creation hasty

inna l-insāna khuliqa halūʿa

70:20

إِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلشَّرُّ جَزُوعࣰا ۝٢٠

John Medows Rodwell

When evil befalleth him, impatient

idhā massahu l-sharu jazūʿa

70:21

وَإِذَا مَسَّهُ ٱلۡخَیۡرُ مَنُوعًا ۝٢١

John Medows Rodwell

But when good falleth to his lot, tenacious

wa-idhā massahu l-khayru manūʿa

70:22

إِلَّا ٱلۡمُصَلِّینَ ۝٢٢

ٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ دَاۤىِٕمُونَ ۝٢٣

John Medows Rodwell

Who are ever constant at their prayers

alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim dāimūn

70:24

وَٱلَّذِینَ فِیۤ أَمۡوَ ٰلِهِمۡ حَقࣱّ مَّعۡلُومࣱ ۝٢٤

John Medows Rodwell

And of whose substance there is a due and stated portio

wa-alladhīna fī amwālihim ḥaqqun maʿlūmu

70:25

لِّلسَّاۤىِٕلِ وَٱلۡمَحۡرُومِ ۝٢٥

John Medows Rodwell

For him who asketh, and for him who is ashamed to beg

lilssāili wal-maḥrūm

70:26

وَٱلَّذِینَ یُصَدِّقُونَ بِیَوۡمِ ٱلدِّینِ ۝٢٦

John Medows Rodwell

And who own the judgment - day a truth

wa-alladhīna yuṣaddiqūna biyawmi l-dīn

70:27

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم مِّنۡ عَذَابِ رَبِّهِم مُّشۡفِقُونَ ۝٢٧

John Medows Rodwell

And who thrill with dread at the chastisement of their Lord

wa-alladhīna hum min ʿadhābi rabbihim mush'fiqūn

70:28

إِنَّ عَذَابَ رَبِّهِمۡ غَیۡرُ مَأۡمُونࣲ ۝٢٨

John Medows Rodwell

For there is none safe from the chastisement of their Lord

inna ʿadhāba rabbihim ghayru mamūni

70:29

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِفُرُوجِهِمۡ حَـٰفِظُونَ ۝٢٩

John Medows Rodwell

And who control their desires

wa-alladhīna hum lifurūjihim ḥāfiẓūn

70:30

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

John Medows Rodwell

(Save with their wives or the slaves whom their right hands have won, for there they shall be blameless

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

70:31

فَمَنِ ٱبۡتَغَىٰ وَرَاۤءَ ذَ ٰلِكَ فَأُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ هُمُ ٱلۡعَادُونَ ۝٣١

John Medows Rodwell

But whoever indulge their desires beyond this are transgressors)

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

70:32

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ لِأَمَـٰنَـٰتِهِمۡ وَعَهۡدِهِمۡ رَ ٰعُونَ ۝٣٢

John Medows Rodwell

And who are true to their trusts and their engagements

wa-alladhīna hum li-amānātihim waʿahdihim rāʿūn

70:33

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُم بِشَهَـٰدَ ٰتِهِمۡ قَاۤىِٕمُونَ ۝٣٣

John Medows Rodwell

And who witness uprightly

wa-alladhīna hum bishahādātihim qāimūn

70:34

وَٱلَّذِینَ هُمۡ عَلَىٰ صَلَاتِهِمۡ یُحَافِظُونَ ۝٣٤

John Medows Rodwell

And who keep strictly the hours of prayer

wa-alladhīna hum ʿalā ṣalātihim yuḥāfiẓūn

70:35

أُو۟لَـٰۤىِٕكَ فِی جَنَّـٰتࣲ مُّكۡرَمُونَ ۝٣٥

John Medows Rodwell

These shall dwell, laden with honours, amid gardens

ulāika fī jannātin muk'ramūn

70:36

فَمَالِ ٱلَّذِینَ كَفَرُوا۟ قِبَلَكَ مُهۡطِعِینَ ۝٣٦

John Medows Rodwell

But what hath come to the unbelievers that they run at full stretch around thee

famāli alladhīna kafarū qibalaka muh'ṭiʿīn

70:37

عَنِ ٱلۡیَمِینِ وَعَنِ ٱلشِّمَالِ عِزِینَ ۝٣٧

John Medows Rodwell

On the right hand and on the left, in bands

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

70:38

أَیَطۡمَعُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِىࣲٕ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن یُدۡخَلَ جَنَّةَ نَعِیمࣲ ۝٣٨

John Medows Rodwell

Is it that every man of them would fain enter that garden of delights

AyatmaAAu kullu imri-in minhum an yudkhala jannata naAAeemin

70:39

كَلَّاۤۖ إِنَّا خَلَقۡنَـٰهُم مِّمَّا یَعۡلَمُونَ ۝٣٩

John Medows Rodwell

Not at all. We have created them, they know of what

kallā innā khalaqnāhum mimmā yaʿlamūn

70:40

فَلَاۤ أُقۡسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلۡمَشَـٰرِقِ وَٱلۡمَغَـٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـٰدِرُونَ ۝٤٠

John Medows Rodwell

It needs not that I swear by the Lord of the East and of the West that we have power

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

70:41

عَلَىٰۤ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَیۡرࣰا مِّنۡهُمۡ وَمَا نَحۡنُ بِمَسۡبُوقِینَ ۝٤١

John Medows Rodwell

To replace them with better than themselves: neither are we to be hindered

fadharhum yakhūḍū wayalʿabū ḥattā yulāqū yawmahumu alladhī yūʿadūn

70:42

فَذَرۡهُمۡ یَخُوضُوا۟ وَیَلۡعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ یُلَـٰقُوا۟ یَوۡمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِی یُوعَدُونَ ۝٤٢

John Medows Rodwell

Wherefore let them flounder on and disport them, till they come face to face with their threatened day

Fatharhum yakhoodoo wayalAAaboo hatta yulaqoo yawmahumu allathee yooAAadoona

70:43

یَوۡمَ یَخۡرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلۡأَجۡدَاثِ سِرَاعࣰا كَأَنَّهُمۡ إِلَىٰ نُصُبࣲ یُوفِضُونَ ۝٤٣

John Medows Rodwell

The day on which they shall flock up out of their graves in haste like men who rally to a standard:

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

70:44

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

John Medows Rodwell

Their eyes downcast; disgrace shall cover them. Such their threatened day

khāshiʿatan abṣāruhum tarhaquhum dhillatun dhālika l-yawmu alladhī kānū yūʿadūn

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

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