قَالُواْ لَمۡ نَكُ مِنَ ٱلۡمُصَلِّينَ

They will say, "We were not of those who prayed,

وَلَمۡ نَكُ نُطۡعِمُ ٱلۡمِسۡكِينَ

Nor did we used to feed the poor.

وَكُنَّا نَخُوضُ مَعَ ٱلۡخَآئِضِينَ

And we used to enter into vain discourse with those who engaged [in it],

وَكُنَّا نُكَذِّبُ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلدِّينِ

And we used to deny the Day of Recompense

حَتَّىٰٓ أَتَىٰنَا ٱلۡيَقِينُ

Until there came to us the certainty [i.e., death]."

فَمَا تَنفَعُهُمۡ شَفَٰعَةُ ٱلشَّـٰفِعِينَ

So there will not benefit them the intercession of [any] intercessors.

فَمَا لَهُمۡ عَنِ ٱلتَّذۡكِرَةِ مُعۡرِضِينَ

Then what is [the matter] with them that they are, from the reminder, turning away.

كَأَنَّهُمۡ حُمُرٞ مُّسۡتَنفِرَةٞ

As if they were alarmed donkeys.

فَرَّتۡ مِن قَسۡوَرَةِۭ

Fleeing from a lion?

بَلۡ يُرِيدُ كُلُّ ٱمۡرِيٕٖ مِّنۡهُمۡ أَن يُؤۡتَىٰ صُحُفٗا مُّنَشَّرَةٗ

Rather, every person among them desires that he[1] would be given scriptures spread about.[2]

كَلَّاۖ بَل لَّا يَخَافُونَ ٱلۡأٓخِرَةَ

No! But they do not fear the Hereafter.

كَلَّآ إِنَّهُۥ تَذۡكِرَةٞ

No! Indeed, it [i.e., the QurÕŒn] is a reminder.

فَمَن شَآءَ ذَكَرَهُۥ

Then whoever wills will remember it.

وَمَا يَذۡكُرُونَ إِلَّآ أَن يَشَآءَ ٱللَّهُۚ هُوَ أَهۡلُ ٱلتَّقۡوَىٰ وَأَهۡلُ ٱلۡمَغۡفِرَةِ

And they will not remember except that AllŒh wills. He is worthy of fear and adequate for [granting] forgiveness.

لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِيَوۡمِ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ

I swear by the Day of Resurrection

وَلَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِٱلنَّفۡسِ ٱللَّوَّامَةِ

And I swear by the reproaching soul[1] [to the certainty of resurrection].

أَيَحۡسَبُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ أَلَّن نَّجۡمَعَ عِظَامَهُۥ

Does man think that We will not assemble his bones?

بَلَىٰ قَٰدِرِينَ عَلَىٰٓ أَن نُّسَوِّيَ بَنَانَهُۥ

Yes. [We are] Able [even] to proportion his fingertips.

بَلۡ يُرِيدُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ لِيَفۡجُرَ أَمَامَهُۥ

But man desires to continue in sin.[1]

يَسۡـَٔلُ أَيَّانَ يَوۡمُ ٱلۡقِيَٰمَةِ

He asks, "When is the Day of Resurrection?"

فَإِذَا بَرِقَ ٱلۡبَصَرُ

So when vision is dazzled.

وَخَسَفَ ٱلۡقَمَرُ

And the moon darkens.

وَجُمِعَ ٱلشَّمۡسُ وَٱلۡقَمَرُ

And the sun and the moon are joined,

يَقُولُ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ يَوۡمَئِذٍ أَيۡنَ ٱلۡمَفَرُّ

Man will say on that Day, "Where is the [place of] escape?"

كَلَّا لَا وَزَرَ

No! There is no refuge.

إِلَىٰ رَبِّكَ يَوۡمَئِذٍ ٱلۡمُسۡتَقَرُّ

To your Lord, that Day, is the [place of] permanence.

يُنَبَّؤُاْ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ يَوۡمَئِذِۭ بِمَا قَدَّمَ وَأَخَّرَ

Man will be informed that Day of what he sent ahead[1] and kept back.[2]

بَلِ ٱلۡإِنسَٰنُ عَلَىٰ نَفۡسِهِۦ بَصِيرَةٞ

Rather, man, against himself, will be a witness,[1]

وَلَوۡ أَلۡقَىٰ مَعَاذِيرَهُۥ

Even if he presents his excuses.

لَا تُحَرِّكۡ بِهِۦ لِسَانَكَ لِتَعۡجَلَ بِهِۦٓ

Move not your tongue with it, [O Muúammad], to hasten with it [i.e., recitation of the QurÕŒn].