Page 570

فَلَآ أُقْسِمُ بِرَبِّ ٱلْمَشَـٰرِقِ وَٱلْمَغَـٰرِبِ إِنَّا لَقَـٰدِرُونَ﴿٤٠﴾

But nay! I swear by the Lord of the rising-places and the setting-places of the planets that We verily are Able

عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّبَدِّلَ خَيْرًا مِّنْهُمْ وَمَا نَحْنُ بِمَسْبُوقِينَ﴿٤١﴾

To replace them by (others) better than them. And we are not to be outrun.

فَذَرْهُمْ يَخُوضُوا۟ وَيَلْعَبُوا۟ حَتَّىٰ يُلَـٰقُوا۟ يَوْمَهُمُ ٱلَّذِى يُوعَدُونَ﴿٤٢﴾

So let them chat and play until they meet their Day which they are promised,

يَوْمَ يَخْرُجُونَ مِنَ ٱلْأَجْدَاثِ سِرَاعًا كَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَىٰ نُصُبٍ يُوفِضُونَ﴿٤٣﴾

The day when they come forth from the graves in haste, as racing to a goal,

خَـٰشِعَةً أَبْصَـٰرُهُمْ تَرْهَقُهُمْ ذِلَّةٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ ٱلْيَوْمُ ٱلَّذِى كَانُوا۟ يُوعَدُونَ﴿٤٤﴾

With eyes aghast, abasement stupefying them: Such is the Day which they are promised.

إِنَّآ أَرْسَلْنَا نُوحًا إِلَىٰ قَوْمِهِۦٓ أَنْ أَنذِرْ قَوْمَكَ مِن قَبْلِ أَن يَأْتِيَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ﴿١﴾

Lo! We sent Noah unto his people (saying): Warn thy people ere the painful doom come unto them.

قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ إِنِّى لَكُمْ نَذِيرٌ مُّبِينٌ﴿٢﴾

He said: O my people! Lo! I am a plain warner unto you

أَنِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَٱتَّقُوهُ وَأَطِيعُونِ﴿٣﴾

(Bidding you): Serve Allah and keep your duty unto Him and obey me,

يَغْفِرْ لَكُم مِّن ذُنُوبِكُمْ وَيُؤَخِّرْكُمْ إِلَىٰٓ أَجَلٍ مُّسَمًّى ۚ إِنَّ أَجَلَ ٱللَّهِ إِذَا جَآءَ لَا يُؤَخَّرُ ۖ لَوْ كُنتُمْ تَعْلَمُونَ﴿٤﴾

That He may forgive you somewhat of your sins and respite you to an appointed term. Lo! the term of Allah, when it cometh, cannot be delayed, if ye but knew.

قَالَ رَبِّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُ قَوْمِى لَيْلًا وَنَهَارًا﴿٥﴾

He said: My Lord! Lo! I have called unto my people night and day

فَلَمْ يَزِدْهُمْ دُعَآءِىٓ إِلَّا فِرَارًا﴿٦﴾

But all my calling doth but add to their repugnance;

وَإِنِّى كُلَّمَا دَعَوْتُهُمْ لِتَغْفِرَ لَهُمْ جَعَلُوٓا۟ أَصَـٰبِعَهُمْ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَٱسْتَغْشَوْا۟ ثِيَابَهُمْ وَأَصَرُّوا۟ وَٱسْتَكْبَرُوا۟ ٱسْتِكْبَارًا﴿٧﴾

And lo! whenever I call unto them that Thou mayst pardon them they thrust their fingers in their ears and cover themselves with their garments and persist (in their refusal) and magnify themselves in pride.

ثُمَّ إِنِّى دَعَوْتُهُمْ جِهَارًا﴿٨﴾

And lo! I have called unto them aloud,

ثُمَّ إِنِّىٓ أَعْلَنتُ لَهُمْ وَأَسْرَرْتُ لَهُمْ إِسْرَارًا﴿٩﴾

And lo! I have made public proclamation unto them, and I have appealed to them in private.

فَقُلْتُ ٱسْتَغْفِرُوا۟ رَبَّكُمْ إِنَّهُۥ كَانَ غَفَّارًا﴿١٠﴾

And I have said: Seek pardon of your Lord. Lo! He was ever Forgiving.