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

1. إن هذا إلا خلق الأولين

   137

   These are nothing but the traditions of the ancients,

   ʾin hādhā ʾillā khuluqu l-ʾawwalīna

2. وما نحن بمعذبين

   138

   and we will not be punished.’

   wa-mā naḥnu bi-muʿadhdhabīna

3. فكذبوه فأهلكناهم إن في ذلك لآية وما كان أكثرهم مؤمنين

   139

   So they impugned him, whereupon We destroyed them. There is indeed a sign in that; but most of them do not have faith.

   fa-kadhdhabūhu fa-ʾahlaknāhum ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

4. وإن ربك لهو العزيز الرحيم

   140

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

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

5. كذبت ثمود المرسلين

   141

   [The people of] Thamud impugned the apostles

   kadhdhabat thamūdu l-mursalīna

6. إذ قال لهم أخوهم صالح ألا تتقون

   142

   when Salih, their brother, said to them, ‘Will you not be wary [of Allah]?

   ʾidh qāla lahum ʾakhūhum ṣāliḥun ʾa-lā tattaqūna

7. إني لكم رسول أمين

   143

   Indeed I am a trusted apostle [sent] to you.

   ʾinnī lakum rasūlun ʾamīnun

8. فاتقوا الله وأطيعون

   144

   So be wary of Allah and obey me.

   fa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʾaṭīʿūni

9. وما أسألكم عليه من أجر إن أجري إلا على رب العالمين

   145

   I do not ask you any reward for it; my reward lies only with the Lord of all the worlds.

   wa-mā ʾasʾalukum ʿalayhi min ʾajrin ʾin ʾajriya ʾillā ʿalā rabbi l-ʿālamīna

10. أتتركون في ما هاهنا آمنين

    146

    Will you be left secure in that which is here

    ʾa-tutrakūna fī mā hāhunā ʾāminīna

11. في جنات وعيون

    147

    —amid gardens and springs,

    fī jannātin wa-ʿuyūnin

12. وزروع ونخل طلعها هضيم

    148

    farms and date palms with dainty spathes

    wa-zurūʿin wa-nakhlin ṭalʿuhā haḍīmun

13. وتنحتون من الجبال بيوتا فارهين

    149

    —while you skillfully hew out houses from the mountains?

    wa-tanḥitūna mina l-jibāli buyūtan fārihīna

14. فاتقوا الله وأطيعون

    150

    So be wary of Allah and obey me,

    fa-ttaqū llāha wa-ʾaṭīʿūni

15. ولا تطيعوا أمر المسرفين

    151

    and do not obey the dictates of the transgressors,

    wa-lā tuṭīʿū ʾamra l-musrifīna

16. الذين يفسدون في الأرض ولا يصلحون

    152

    who cause corruption in the land and do not bring about reform.’

    alladhīna yufsidūna fī l-ʾarḍi wa-lā yuṣliḥūna

17. قالوا إنما أنت من المسحرين

    153

    They said, ‘Indeed you are one of the bewitched.

    qālū ʾinnamā ʾanta mina l-musaḥḥarīna

18. ما أنت إلا بشر مثلنا فأت بآية إن كنت من الصادقين

    154

    You are just a human being like us. So bring us a sign, should you be truthful.’

    mā ʾanta ʾillā basharun mithlunā fa-ʾti bi-ʾāyatin ʾin kunta mina ṣ-ṣādiqīna

19. قال هذه ناقة لها شرب ولكم شرب يوم معلوم

    155

    He said, ‘This is a she-camel; she shall drink and you shall drink on known days.

    qāla hādhihī nāqatun lahā shirbun wa-lakum shirbu yawmin maʿlūmin

20. ولا تمسوها بسوء فيأخذكم عذاب يوم عظيم

    156

    Do not cause her any harm, for then you shall be seized by the punishment of a terrible day.’

    wa-lā tamassūhā bi-sūʾin fa-yaʾkhudhakum ʿadhābu yawmin ʿaẓīmin

21. فعقروها فأصبحوا نادمين

    157

    But they hamstrung her, whereupon they became regretful.

    fa-ʿaqarūhā fa-ʾaṣbaḥū nādimīna

22. فأخذهم العذاب إن في ذلك لآية وما كان أكثرهم مؤمنين

    158

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

    fa-ʾakhadhahumu l-ʿadhābu ʾinna fī dhālika la-ʾāyatan wa-mā kāna ʾaktharuhum muʾminīna

23. وإن ربك لهو العزيز الرحيم

    159

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

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