74. The Clothe Done

O thou wrapped up (in the mantle)!

Arise and deliver thy warning!

And thy Lord do thou magnify!

And thy garments keep free from stain!

And all abomination shun!

Nor expect, in giving, any increase (forthyself)!

But, for thy Lord’s (Cause), be patientand constant!

Finally, when the Trumpet is sounded,

That will be- that Day – a Day ofDistress,-

Far from easy for those without Faith.

Leave Me alone, (to deal) with the(creature) whom I created (bare and) alone!-

To whom I granted resources inabundance,

And sons to be by his side!-

To whom I made (life) smooth andcomfortable!

Yet is he greedy-that I should add (yetmore);-

By no means! For to Our Signs he hasbeen refractory!

Soon will I visit him with a mount ofcalamities!

For he thought and he plotted;-

And woe to him! How he plotted!-

Yea, Woe to him; How he plotted!-

Then he looked round;

Then he frowned and he scowled;

Then he turned back and was haughty;

Then said he: “This is nothing butmagic, derived from of old;

“This is nothing but the word of amortal!”

Soon will I cast him into Hell-Fire!

And what will explain to thee whatHell-Fire is?

Naught doth it permit to endure, andnaught doth it leave alone!-

Darkening and changing the colour ofman!

Over it are Nineteen.

And We have set none but angels asGuardians of the Fire; and We have fixed their number only as a trial forUnbelievers,- in order that the People of the Book may arrive at certainty,and the Believers may increase in Faith,- and that no doubts may be left forthe People of the Book and the Believers, and that those in whose hearts isa disease and the Unbelievers may say, “What symbol doth Allah intend bythis ?” Thus doth Allah leave to stray whom He pleaseth, and guide whom Hepleaseth: and none can know the forces of thy Lord, except He and this is noother than a warning to mankind.

Nay, verily: By the Moon,

And by the Night as it retreateth,

And by the Dawn as it shineth forth,-

This is but one of the mighty(portents),

A warning to mankind,-

To any of you that chooses to pressforward, or to follow behind;-

Every soul will be (held) in pledge forits deeds.

Except the Companions of the Right Hand.

(They will be) in Gardens (of Delight):they will question each other,

And (ask) of the Sinners:

“What led you into Hell Fire?”

They will say: “We were not of those whoprayed;

“Nor were we of those who fed theindigent;

“But we used to talk vanities with vaintalkers;

“And we used to deny the Day ofJudgment,

“Until there came to us (the Hour) thatis certain.”

Then will no intercession of (any)intercessors profit them.

Then what is the matter with them thatthey turn away from admonition?-

As if they were affrighted asses,

Fleeing from a lion!

Forsooth, each one of them wants to begiven scrolls (of revelation) spread out!

By no means! But they fear not theHereafter,

Nay, this surely is an admonition:

Let any who will, keep it inremembrance!

But none will keep it in remembranceexcept as Allah wills: He is the Lord of Righteousness, and the Lord ofForgiveness.