إِذۡ عُرِضَ عَلَيۡهِ بِٱلۡعَشِيِّ ٱلصَّـٰفِنَٰتُ ٱلۡجِيَادُ
[Mention] when there were exhibited before him in the afternoon the poised [standing] racehorses.
فَقَالَ إِنِّيٓ أَحۡبَبۡتُ حُبَّ ٱلۡخَيۡرِ عَن ذِكۡرِ رَبِّي حَتَّىٰ تَوَارَتۡ بِٱلۡحِجَابِ
And he said, "Indeed, I gave preference to the love of good [things] over the remembrance of my Lord until it [i.e., the sun] disappeared into the curtain [of darkness]."
رُدُّوهَا عَلَيَّۖ فَطَفِقَ مَسۡحَۢا بِٱلسُّوقِ وَٱلۡأَعۡنَاقِ
[He said], "Return them to me," and set about striking[1] [their] legs and necks.
1- With his sword as expiation. Some commentaries have also suggested the meaning of "stroking" with the hand.
وَلَقَدۡ فَتَنَّا سُلَيۡمَٰنَ وَأَلۡقَيۡنَا عَلَىٰ كُرۡسِيِّهِۦ جَسَدٗا ثُمَّ أَنَابَ
And We certainly tried Solomon and placed on his throne a body;[1] then he returned.[2]
1- Said to be a devil or a lifeless body (one without capability), but AllŒh alone knows.
2- To sovereignty and to AllŒh in repentance.
قَالَ رَبِّ ٱغۡفِرۡ لِي وَهَبۡ لِي مُلۡكٗا لَّا يَنۢبَغِي لِأَحَدٖ مِّنۢ بَعۡدِيٓۖ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلۡوَهَّابُ
He said, "My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom such as will not belong to anyone after me. Indeed, You are the Bestower."
فَسَخَّرۡنَا لَهُ ٱلرِّيحَ تَجۡرِي بِأَمۡرِهِۦ رُخَآءً حَيۡثُ أَصَابَ
So We subjected to him the wind blowing by his command, gently, wherever he directed,
وَٱلشَّيَٰطِينَ كُلَّ بَنَّآءٖ وَغَوَّاصٖ
And [also] the devils [of jinn] – every builder and diver.
وَءَاخَرِينَ مُقَرَّنِينَ فِي ٱلۡأَصۡفَادِ
And others bound together in irons.
هَٰذَا عَطَآؤُنَا فَٱمۡنُنۡ أَوۡ أَمۡسِكۡ بِغَيۡرِ حِسَابٖ
[We said], "This is Our gift, so grant or withhold without account."
وَإِنَّ لَهُۥ عِندَنَا لَزُلۡفَىٰ وَحُسۡنَ مَـَٔابٖ
And indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.
وَٱذۡكُرۡ عَبۡدَنَآ أَيُّوبَ إِذۡ نَادَىٰ رَبَّهُۥٓ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ ٱلشَّيۡطَٰنُ بِنُصۡبٖ وَعَذَابٍ
And remember Our servant Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, Satan has touched me with hardship and torment."
ٱرۡكُضۡ بِرِجۡلِكَۖ هَٰذَا مُغۡتَسَلُۢ بَارِدٞ وَشَرَابٞ
[So he was told], "Strike [the ground] with your foot; this is a [spring for a] cool bath and drink."
وَوَهَبۡنَا لَهُۥٓ أَهۡلَهُۥ وَمِثۡلَهُم مَّعَهُمۡ رَحۡمَةٗ مِّنَّا وَذِكۡرَىٰ لِأُوْلِي ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ
And We granted him his family and a like [number] with them as mercy from Us and a reminder for those of understanding.
وَخُذۡ بِيَدِكَ ضِغۡثٗا فَٱضۡرِب بِّهِۦ وَلَا تَحۡنَثۡۗ إِنَّا وَجَدۡنَٰهُ صَابِرٗاۚ نِّعۡمَ ٱلۡعَبۡدُ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٞ
[We said], "And take in your hand a bunch [of grass] and strike with it and do not break your oath."[1] Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant. Indeed, he was one repeatedly turning back [to AllŒh].
1- At a point during his illness, Job became angry with his wife and swore that if he recovered, he would punish her with one hundred lashes. According to AllŒh's instruction, the oath was fulfilled by striking her once with one hundred blades of grass.
وَٱذۡكُرۡ عِبَٰدَنَآ إِبۡرَٰهِيمَ وَإِسۡحَٰقَ وَيَعۡقُوبَ أُوْلِي ٱلۡأَيۡدِي وَٱلۡأَبۡصَٰرِ
And remember Our servants, Abraham, Isaac and Jacob – those of strength and [religious] vision.
إِنَّآ أَخۡلَصۡنَٰهُم بِخَالِصَةٖ ذِكۡرَى ٱلدَّارِ
Indeed, We chose them for an exclusive quality: remembrance of the home [of the Hereafter].
وَإِنَّهُمۡ عِندَنَا لَمِنَ ٱلۡمُصۡطَفَيۡنَ ٱلۡأَخۡيَارِ
And indeed they are, to Us, among the chosen and outstanding.
وَٱذۡكُرۡ إِسۡمَٰعِيلَ وَٱلۡيَسَعَ وَذَا ٱلۡكِفۡلِۖ وَكُلّٞ مِّنَ ٱلۡأَخۡيَارِ
And remember Ishmael, Elisha and Dhul-Kifl, and all are among the outstanding.
هَٰذَا ذِكۡرٞۚ وَإِنَّ لِلۡمُتَّقِينَ لَحُسۡنَ مَـَٔابٖ
This is a reminder. And indeed, for the righteous is a good place of return –
جَنَّـٰتِ عَدۡنٖ مُّفَتَّحَةٗ لَّهُمُ ٱلۡأَبۡوَٰبُ
Gardens of perpetual residence, whose doors will be opened to them.
مُتَّكِـِٔينَ فِيهَا يَدۡعُونَ فِيهَا بِفَٰكِهَةٖ كَثِيرَةٖ وَشَرَابٖ
Reclining within them, they will call therein for abundant fruit and drink.
۞وَعِندَهُمۡ قَٰصِرَٰتُ ٱلطَّرۡفِ أَتۡرَابٌ
And with them will be women limiting [their] glances[1] and of equal age.
1- To their mates alone.
هَٰذَا مَا تُوعَدُونَ لِيَوۡمِ ٱلۡحِسَابِ
This is what you, [the righteous], are promised for the Day of Account.
إِنَّ هَٰذَا لَرِزۡقُنَا مَا لَهُۥ مِن نَّفَادٍ
Indeed, this is Our provision; for it there is no depletion.
هَٰذَاۚ وَإِنَّ لِلطَّـٰغِينَ لَشَرَّ مَـَٔابٖ
This [is so]. But indeed, for the transgressors is an evil place of return –
جَهَنَّمَ يَصۡلَوۡنَهَا فَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡمِهَادُ
Hell, which they will [enter to] burn, and wretched is the resting place.
هَٰذَا فَلۡيَذُوقُوهُ حَمِيمٞ وَغَسَّاقٞ
This – so let them taste it – is scalding water and [foul] purulence.
وَءَاخَرُ مِن شَكۡلِهِۦٓ أَزۡوَٰجٌ
And other [punishments] of its type [in various] kinds.
هَٰذَا فَوۡجٞ مُّقۡتَحِمٞ مَّعَكُمۡ لَا مَرۡحَبَۢا بِهِمۡۚ إِنَّهُمۡ صَالُواْ ٱلنَّارِ
[Its inhabitants will say], "This is a company bursting in with you. No welcome for them. Indeed, they will burn in the Fire."
قَالُواْ بَلۡ أَنتُمۡ لَا مَرۡحَبَۢا بِكُمۡۖ أَنتُمۡ قَدَّمۡتُمُوهُ لَنَاۖ فَبِئۡسَ ٱلۡقَرَارُ
They will say, "Nor you! No welcome for you. You, [our leaders], brought this upon us, and wretched is the settlement."