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

1. واتقوا الذي خلقكم والجبلة الأولين

   184

   Be wary of Him who created you and the earlier generations.’

   wa-ttaqū lladhī khalaqakum wa-l-jibillata l-ʾawwalīna

2. قالوا إنما أنت من المسحرين

   185

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

   qālū ʾinnamā ʾanta mina l-musaḥḥarīna

3. وما أنت إلا بشر مثلنا وإن نظنك لمن الكاذبين

   186

   You are just a human being like us, and we indeed consider you to be a liar.

   wa-mā ʾanta ʾillā basharun mithlunā wa-ʾin naẓunnuka la-mina l-kādhibīna

4. فأسقط علينا كسفا من السماء إن كنت من الصادقين

   187

   Make a fragment of the sky falls upon us, should you be truthful.’

   fa-ʾasqiṭ ʿalaynā kisafan mina s-samāʾi ʾin kunta mina ṣ-ṣādiqīna

5. قال ربي أعلم بما تعملون

   188

   He said, ‘My Lord knows best what you are doing.’

   qāla rabbī ʾaʿlamu bi-mā taʿmalūna

6. فكذبوه فأخذهم عذاب يوم الظلة إنه كان عذاب يوم عظيم

   189

   So they impugned him, and then they were overtaken by the punishment of the day of the overshadowing cloud. It was indeed the punishment of a terrible day.

   fa-kadhdhabūhu fa-ʾakhadhahum ʿadhābu yawmi ẓ-ẓullati ʾinnahū kāna ʿadhāba yawmin ʿaẓīmin

7. إن في ذلك لآية وما كان أكثرهم مؤمنين

   190

   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

8. وإن ربك لهو العزيز الرحيم

   191

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

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

9. وإنه لتنزيل رب العالمين

   192

   This is indeed [a Book] sent down by the Lord of all the worlds,

   wa-ʾinnahū la-tanzīlu rabbi l-ʿālamīna

10. نزل به الروح الأمين

    193

    brought down by the Trustworthy Spirit

    nazala bihi r-rūḥu l-ʾamīnu

11. على قلبك لتكون من المنذرين

    194

    upon your heart (so that you may be one of the warners),

    ʿalā qalbika li-takūna mina l-mundhirīna

12. بلسان عربي مبين

    195

    in a clear Arabic language.

    bi-lisānin ʿarabiyyin mubīnin

13. وإنه لفي زبر الأولين

    196

    It is indeed [foretold] in the scriptures of the ancients.

    wa-ʾinnahū la-fī zuburi l-ʾawwalīna

14. أولم يكن لهم آية أن يعلمه علماء بني إسرائيل

    197

    Is it not a sign for them that the learned of the Children of Israel recognize it?

    ʾa-wa-lam yakun lahum ʾāyatan ʾan yaʿlamahū ʿulamāʾu banī ʾisrāʾīla

15. ولو نزلناه على بعض الأعجمين

    198

    Had We sent it down upon some non-Arab

    wa-law nazzalnāhu ʿalā baʿḍi l-ʾaʿjamīna

16. فقرأه عليهم ما كانوا به مؤمنين

    199

    and had he recited it to them, they would not have believed in it.

    fa-qaraʾahū ʿalayhim mā kānū bihī muʾminīna

17. كذلك سلكناه في قلوب المجرمين

    200

    This is how We let it pass through the hearts of the guilty:

    ka-dhālika salaknāhu fī qulūbi l-mujrimīna

18. لا يؤمنون به حتى يروا العذاب الأليم

    201

    they do not believe in it until they sight the painful punishment.

    lā yuʾminūna bihī ḥattā yarawu l-ʿadhāba l-ʾalīma

19. فيأتيهم بغتة وهم لا يشعرون

    202

    It will overtake them suddenly while they are unaware.

    fa-yaʾtiyahum baghtatan wa-hum lā yashʿurūna

20. فيقولوا هل نحن منظرون

    203

    Thereupon they will say, ‘Shall we be granted any respite?’

    fa-yaqūlū hal naḥnu munẓarūna

21. أفبعذابنا يستعجلون

    204

    So do they seek to hasten on Our punishment?

    ʾa-fa-bi-ʿadhābinā yastaʿjilūna

22. أفرأيت إن متعناهم سنين

    205

    Tell me, should We let them enjoy for some years,

    ʾa-fa-raʾayta ʾin mattaʿnāhum sinīna

23. ثم جاءهم ما كانوا يوعدون

    206

    then there comes to them what they have been promised,

    thumma jāʾahum mā kānū yūʿadūna