1

لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَٰذَا اَ۬لۡبَلَدِ

I swear by (the sanctity of) this town (of Makkah)

2

وَأَنتَ حِلُّۢ بِهَٰذَا اَ۬لۡبَلَدِ

(Because) you (oh Muhammad, SAW), are allowed in this town

3

وَوَالِدࣲ وَمَا وَلَدَ

By the father (the first man, prophet Adam), and (all) the children he begot

4

لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا اَ۬لۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ

Surely, We have fashioned man to toil (and undergo a trial)

5

أَيَحۡسِبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدࣱ‏

Does man think that nobody has any power over him

6

يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالࣰ ا لُّبَدًا

(Boastfully) he says, "I have squandered heaps of wealth

7

أَيَحۡسِبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ

Does he think nobody watches over him

8

أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ

Did We not give him two eyes

9

وَلِسَانࣰ ا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ

A tongue, and the lips

10

وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ اُ۬لنَّجۡدَيۡنِ

And showed him the two (divergent) paths (of good and evil)

11

فَلَا اَ۪قۡتَحَمَ اَ۬لۡعَقَبَةَ

But man does not attempt the harder (uphill course)

12

وَمَآ أَدۡر۪ىٰكَ مَا اَ۬لۡعَقَبَةُ

And how would you know what the harder course (of action) is

13

فَكَّ رَقَبَةً

(It is) freeing slaves

14

أَوۡ أَطۡعَمَ فِي يَوۡمࣲ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةࣲ‏

And on a day of hunger, feeding (the hungry)

15

يَتِيمࣰ ا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ

Orphans among the kinsfolk

16

أَوۡ مِسۡكِينࣰ ا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةࣲ‏

And the needy among the destitute

17

ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ اَ۬لَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِالصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِالۡمَرۡحَمَةِ

Furthermore, (the harder course is) to be among those who believe and persevere (in belief), and persevere with kindness and compassion

18

أُوْلَٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ اُ۬لۡمَيۡمَنَةِ

Such are the people of the right side _ (the righteous ones)

19

وَاَلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ اُ۬لۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ

While those who disbelieve Our verses (and Our signs) are the people of the left side _ (the rebellious ones)

20

عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَارࣱ مُّؤۡصَدَةُۢ

Fire shall besiege and beset them, all around