وَاللَّيْلِ إِذَا يَغْشَىٰ
CONSIDER the night as it veils [the earth] in darkness,
The Night · al-Layl · سورة الليل · 21 ayahs
بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَٰنِ الرَّحِيمِ
In the name of God, The Most Gracious, The Dispenser of Grace:
وَالنَّهَارِ إِذَا تَجَلَّىٰ
and the day as it rises bright!
وَمَا خَلَقَ الذَّكَرَ وَالْأُنْثَىٰ
Consider the creation of the male and the female!
إِنَّ سَعْيَكُمْ لَشَتَّىٰ
Verily, [O men,] you aim at most divergent ends!
فَأَمَّا مَنْ أَعْطَىٰ وَاتَّقَىٰ
Thus, as for him who gives [to others] and is conscious of God,
وَصَدَّقَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ
and believes in the truth of the ultimate good
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْيُسْرَىٰ
for him shall We make easy the path towards [ultimate] ease.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ بَخِلَ وَاسْتَغْنَىٰ
But as for him who is niggardly, and thinks that he is self-sufficient,
وَكَذَّبَ بِالْحُسْنَىٰ
and calls the ultimate good a lie –
فَسَنُيَسِّرُهُ لِلْعُسْرَىٰ
for him shall We make easy the path towards hardship:
وَمَا يُغْنِي عَنْهُ مَالُهُ إِذَا تَرَدَّىٰ
and what will his wealth avail him when he goes down [to his grave]?
إِنَّ عَلَيْنَا لَلْهُدَىٰ
BEHOLD, it is indeed for Us to grace [you] with guidance;
وَإِنَّ لَنَا لَلْآخِرَةَ وَالْأُولَىٰ
and, behold, Ours is [the dominion over] the life to come as well as [over] this earlier part [of your life]:
فَأَنْذَرْتُكُمْ نَارًا تَلَظَّىٰ
and so I warn you of the raging fire -
لَا يَصْلَاهَا إِلَّا الْأَشْقَى
[the fire] which none shall have to endure but that most hapless wretch
الَّذِي كَذَّبَ وَتَوَلَّىٰ
who gives the lie to the truth and turns away [from it].
وَسَيُجَنَّبُهَا الْأَتْقَى
For, distant from it shall remain he who is truly conscious of God:
الَّذِي يُؤْتِي مَالَهُ يَتَزَكَّىٰ
he that spends his possessions [on others] so that he might grow in purity –
وَمَا لِأَحَدٍ عِنْدَهُ مِنْ نِعْمَةٍ تُجْزَىٰ
not as payment for favours received,
إِلَّا ابْتِغَاءَ وَجْهِ رَبِّهِ الْأَعْلَىٰ
but only out of a longing for the countenance of his Sustainer, the All-Highest:
وَلَسَوْفَ يَرْضَىٰ
and such, indeed, shall in time be well-pleased.