Surah Al-'An`ām (The Cattle) in English

1. ولا تقربوا مال اليتيم إلا بالتي هي أحسن حتى يبلغ أشده وأوفوا الكيل والميزان بالقسط لا نكلف نفسا إلا وسعها وإذا قلتم فاعدلوا ولو كان ذا قربى وبعهد الله أوفوا ذلكم وصاكم به لعلكم تذكرون

   152

   Do not approach the orphan’s property, except in the best [possible] manner, until he comes of age. And observe fully the measure and the balance with justice.’ We task no soul except according to its capacity. ‘And when you speak, be fair, even if it were a relative; and fulfill Allah’s covenant. This is what He enjoins upon you so that you may take admonition.’

   wa-lā taqrabū māla l-yatīmi ʾillā bi-llatī hiya ʾaḥsanu ḥattā yablugha ʾashuddahū wa-ʾawfū l-kayla wa-l-mīzāna bi-l-qisṭi lā nukallifu nafsan ʾillā wusʿahā wa-ʾidhā qultum fa-ʿdilū wa-law kāna dhā qurbā wa-bi-ʿahdi llāhi ʾawfū dhālikum waṣṣākum bihī laʿallakum tadhakkarūna

2. وأن هذا صراطي مستقيما فاتبعوه ولا تتبعوا السبل فتفرق بكم عن سبيله ذلكم وصاكم به لعلكم تتقون

   153

   ‘This indeed is my straight path, so follow it, and do not follow [other] ways, for they will separate you from His way. This is what He enjoins upon you so that you may be Godwary.’

   wa-ʾanna hādhā ṣirāṭī mustaqīman fa-ttabiʿūhu wa-lā tattabiʿū s-subula fa-tafarraqa bikum ʿan sabīlihī dhālikum waṣṣākum bihī laʿallakum tattaqūna

3. ثم آتينا موسى الكتاب تماما على الذي أحسن وتفصيلا لكل شيء وهدى ورحمة لعلهم بلقاء ربهم يؤمنون

   154

   Then We gave Moses the Book, completing [Our blessing] on him who is virtuous, and as an elaboration of all things, and as a guidance and mercy, so that they may believe in the encounter with their Lord.

   thumma ʾātaynā mūsā l-kitāba tamāman ʿalā lladhī ʾaḥsana wa-tafṣīlan li-kulli shayʾin wa-hudan wa-raḥmatan laʿallahum bi-liqāʾi rabbihim yuʾminūna

4. وهذا كتاب أنزلناه مبارك فاتبعوه واتقوا لعلكم ترحمون

   155

   And this Book that We have sent down is a blessed one; so follow it, and be Godwary so that you may receive [His] mercy.

   wa-hādhā kitābun ʾanzalnāhu mubārakun fa-ttabiʿūhu wa-ttaqū laʿallakum turḥamūna

5. أن تقولوا إنما أنزل الكتاب على طائفتين من قبلنا وإن كنا عن دراستهم لغافلين

   156

   Lest you should say, ‘The Book was sent down only to two communities before us, and we were indeed unaware of their studies,’

   ʾan taqūlū ʾinnamā ʾunzila l-kitābu ʿalā ṭāʾifatayni min qablinā wa-ʾin kunnā ʿan dirāsatihim la-ghāfilīna

6. أو تقولوا لو أنا أنزل علينا الكتاب لكنا أهدى منهم فقد جاءكم بينة من ربكم وهدى ورحمة فمن أظلم ممن كذب بآيات الله وصدف عنها سنجزي الذين يصدفون عن آياتنا سوء العذاب بما كانوا يصدفون

   157

   or [lest] you should say, ‘If the Book had been sent down to us, surely we would have been better-guided than them.’ There has already come to you a manifest proof from your Lord and a guidance and mercy. So who is a greater wrongdoer than him who denies the signs of Allah, and turns away from them? Soon We shall requite those who turn away from Our signs with a terrible punishment because of what they used to evade.

   ʾaw taqūlū law ʾannā ʾunzila ʿalaynā l-kitābu la-kunnā ʾahdā minhum fa-qad jāʾakum bayyinatun min rabbikum wa-hudan wa-raḥmatun fa-man ʾaẓlamu mimman kadhdhaba bi-ʾāyāti llāhi wa-ṣadafa ʿanhā sa-najzī lladhīna yaṣdifūna ʿan ʾāyātinā sūʾa l-ʿadhābi bi-mā kānū yaṣdifūna