Surah Ash-Shu`arā (The Poets) in English

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

1. طسم

   1

   Ta, Seen, Meem.

   ṭ-s-m (ṭā sīn mīm)

2. تلك آيات الكتاب المبين

   2

   These are the signs of the Manifest Book.

   tilka ʾāyātu l-kitābi l-mubīni

3. لعلك باخع نفسك ألا يكونوا مؤمنين

   3

   You are liable to imperil your life [out of distress] that they will not have faith.

   laʿallaka bākhiʿun nafsaka ʾallā yakūnū muʾminīna

4. إن نشأ ننزل عليهم من السماء آية فظلت أعناقهم لها خاضعين

   4

   If We wish We will send down to them a sign from the sky before which their heads will remain bowed in humility.

   ʾin nashaʾ nunazzil ʿalayhim mina s-samāʾi ʾāyatan fa-ẓallat ʾaʿnāquhum lahā khāḍiʿīna

5. وما يأتيهم من ذكر من الرحمن محدث إلا كانوا عنه معرضين

   5

   There does not come to them any new reminder from the All-beneficent but that they disregard it.

   wa-mā yaʾtīhim min dhikrin mina r-raḥmāni muḥdathin ʾillā kānū ʿanhu muʿriḍīna

6. فقد كذبوا فسيأتيهم أنباء ما كانوا به يستهزئون

   6

   They have already denied [the truth], but soon there will come to them the news of what they have been deriding.

   fa-qad kadhdhabū fa-sa-yaʾtīhim ʾanbāʾu mā kānū bihī yastahziʾūna

7. أولم يروا إلى الأرض كم أنبتنا فيها من كل زوج كريم

   7

   Have they not regarded the earth, how many of every splendid kind [of vegetation] We have caused to grow in it?

   ʾa-wa-lam yaraw ʾilā l-ʾarḍi kam ʾanbatnā fīhā min kulli zawjin karīmin

8. إن في ذلك لآية وما كان أكثرهم مؤمنين

   8

   There is indeed a sign in that; but most of them do not have faith.

   ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

9. وإن ربك لهو العزيز الرحيم

   9

   Indeed your Lord is the All-mighty, the All-merciful.

   wa-ʾinna rabbaka la-huwa l-ʿazīzu r-raḥīmu

10. وإذ نادى ربك موسى أن ائت القوم الظالمين

    10

    When your Lord called out to Moses: [saying,] ‘Go to those wrongdoing people,

    wa-ʾidh nādā rabbuka mūsā ʾani ʾti l-qawma ẓ-ẓālimīna

11. قوم فرعون ألا يتقون

    11

    the people of Pharaoh. Will they not be wary [of Allah]?’

    qawma firʿawna ʾa-lā yattaqūna

12. قال رب إني أخاف أن يكذبون

    12

    He said, ‘My Lord! I fear they will impugn me,

    qāla rabbi ʾinnī ʾakhāfu ʾan yukadhdhibūni

13. ويضيق صدري ولا ينطلق لساني فأرسل إلى هارون

    13

    and I will become upset and my tongue will fail me. So send for Aaron [to join me].

    wa-yaḍīqu ṣadrī wa-lā yanṭaliqu lisānī fa-ʾarsil ʾilā hārūna

14. ولهم علي ذنب فأخاف أن يقتلون

    14

    Besides, they have a charge against me, and I fear they will kill me.’

    wa-lahum ʿalayya dhanbun fa-ʾakhāfu ʾan yaqtulūni

15. قال كلا فاذهبا بآياتنا إنا معكم مستمعون

    15

    He said, ‘Certainly not! Let both of you go with Our signs: We will indeed be with you, hearing [everything].

    qāla kallā fa-dhhabā bi-ʾāyātinā ʾinnā maʿakum mustamiʿūna

16. فأتيا فرعون فقولا إنا رسول رب العالمين

    16

    So approach Pharaoh and say, ‘‘We are indeed envoys of the Lord of the worlds

    fa-ʾtiyā firʿawna fa-qūlā ʾinnā rasūlu rabbi l-ʿālamīna

17. أن أرسل معنا بني إسرائيل

    17

    that you let the Children of Israel leave with us.’’ ’

    ʾan ʾarsil maʿanā banī ʾisrāʾīla

18. قال ألم نربك فينا وليدا ولبثت فينا من عمرك سنين

    18

    He [i.e. Pharaoh] said, ‘Did we not rear you as a child among us, and did you not stay with us for years of your life?

    qāla ʾa-lam nurabbika fīnā walīdan wa-labithta fīnā min ʿumurika sinīna

19. وفعلت فعلتك التي فعلت وأنت من الكافرين

    19

    Then you committed that deed of yours, and you are an ingrate.’

    wa-faʿalta faʿlataka llatī faʿalta wa-ʾanta mina l-kāfirīna