The Dawn

By the dawn,

And by ten nights,

And by the even and the odd,

And by the night when it departeth,

Indeed in that there is an oath for a man of sense.

Bethinkest thou not in what wise thy Lord did with the 'A'ad:

The people of many-columned lram.

The like of which was not built in the cities,

And With Thamud who hewed out rocks in the vale,

And with Fir'awn, owner of the stakes -

Who all waxed exorbitant in the cities,

And multiplied therein corruption.

Wherefore thy Lord poured on them the scourge of His torment.

Verily thy Lord is in an ambuscade,

As for man - when his Lord proveth him and so honoureth him and is bounteous Unto him, then he saith: 'my Lord hath honoured me,

And when He proveth him, and so stinteth Unto him his provision, he saith: 'my Lord hath despised me.

By no means! But ye honour not the orphan,

Nor urge upon each other the feeding of the poor,

And devour the inheritance devouring greedily,

And ye love riches with exceeding love.

By no means! when the earth shall be ground with grinding, grinding,

And thy Lord shall come and the angels, rank on rank.

And the Hell on that Day shall be brought nigh. On that Day man shall remember, but how will remembrance avail him?

He will say. 'would that I had sent before for this life of mine!

Wherefore on that Day none shall torment with His torment.

Nor shall any bind with His bond.

O thou peaceful soul!

Return Unto thine Lord well pleased and well-pleasing.

Enter thou among My righteous bondmen!

And enter thou My Garden.