إِنَّ هَٰذَآ أَخِي لَهُۥ تِسۡعٞ وَتِسۡعُونَ نَعۡجَةٗ وَلِيَ نَعۡجَةٞ وَٰحِدَةٞ فَقَالَ أَكۡفِلۡنِيهَا وَعَزَّنِي فِي ٱلۡخِطَابِ
Indeed this, my brother, has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe; so he said, 'Entrust her to me,' and he overpowered me in speech."
قَالَ لَقَدۡ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعۡجَتِكَ إِلَىٰ نِعَاجِهِۦۖ وَإِنَّ كَثِيرٗا مِّنَ ٱلۡخُلَطَآءِ لَيَبۡغِي بَعۡضُهُمۡ عَلَىٰ بَعۡضٍ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ وَقَلِيلٞ مَّا هُمۡۗ وَظَنَّ دَاوُۥدُ أَنَّمَا فَتَنَّـٰهُ فَٱسۡتَغۡفَرَ رَبَّهُۥ وَخَرَّۤ رَاكِعٗاۤ وَأَنَابَ۩
[David] said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe [in addition] to his ewes. And indeed, many associates oppress one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds – and few are they." And David became certain that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord[1] and fell down bowing [in prostration] and turned in repentance [to AllŒh].
1- For his errors, such as fear and suspicion of the two men at the outset, any mistake in judgement he might have made, concealed feelings of partiality, etc.
فَغَفَرۡنَا لَهُۥ ذَٰلِكَۖ وَإِنَّ لَهُۥ عِندَنَا لَزُلۡفَىٰ وَحُسۡنَ مَـَٔابٖ
So We forgave him that; and indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.
يَٰدَاوُۥدُ إِنَّا جَعَلۡنَٰكَ خَلِيفَةٗ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ فَٱحۡكُم بَيۡنَ ٱلنَّاسِ بِٱلۡحَقِّ وَلَا تَتَّبِعِ ٱلۡهَوَىٰ فَيُضِلَّكَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِۚ إِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ يَضِلُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ لَهُمۡ عَذَابٞ شَدِيدُۢ بِمَا نَسُواْ يَوۡمَ ٱلۡحِسَابِ
[We said], "O David, indeed We have made you a successor upon the earth, so judge between the people in truth and do not follow [your own] desire, as it will lead you astray from the way of AllŒh." Indeed, those who go astray from the way of AllŒh will have a severe punishment for having forgotten the Day of Account.
وَمَا خَلَقۡنَا ٱلسَّمَآءَ وَٱلۡأَرۡضَ وَمَا بَيۡنَهُمَا بَٰطِلٗاۚ ذَٰلِكَ ظَنُّ ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْۚ فَوَيۡلٞ لِّلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ مِنَ ٱلنَّارِ
And We did not create the heaven and the earth and that between them aimlessly. That is the assumption of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the Fire.
أَمۡ نَجۡعَلُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَعَمِلُواْ ٱلصَّـٰلِحَٰتِ كَٱلۡمُفۡسِدِينَ فِي ٱلۡأَرۡضِ أَمۡ نَجۡعَلُ ٱلۡمُتَّقِينَ كَٱلۡفُجَّارِ
Or should We treat those who believe and do righteous deeds like corrupters in the land? Or should We treat those who fear AllŒh like the wicked?
كِتَٰبٌ أَنزَلۡنَٰهُ إِلَيۡكَ مُبَٰرَكٞ لِّيَدَّبَّرُوٓاْ ءَايَٰتِهِۦ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُوْلُواْ ٱلۡأَلۡبَٰبِ
[This is] a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muúammad], that they might reflect upon its verses and that those of understanding would be reminded.
وَوَهَبۡنَا لِدَاوُۥدَ سُلَيۡمَٰنَۚ نِعۡمَ ٱلۡعَبۡدُ إِنَّهُۥٓ أَوَّابٌ
And to David We gave Solomon. An excellent servant, indeed he was one repeatedly turning back [to AllŒh].
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.