Surah Az-Zukhruf (The Ornaments of Gold) in English

1. وما نريهم من آية إلا هي أكبر من أختها وأخذناهم بالعذاب لعلهم يرجعون

   48

   We did not show them a sign but it was greater than the other, and We visited on them punishment so that they might come back.

   wa-mā nurīhim min ʾāyatin ʾillā hiya ʾakbaru min ʾukhtihā wa-ʾakhadhnāhum bi-l-ʿadhābi laʿallahum yarjiʿūna

2. وقالوا يا أيه الساحر ادع لنا ربك بما عهد عندك إننا لمهتدون

   49

   They would say, ‘O magician! Invoke your Lord for us by the covenant He has made with you [to remove this scourge]. We will indeed be guided [when it is removed].’

   wa-qālū yā-ʾayyuha s-sāḥiru dʿu lanā rabbaka bi-mā ʿahida ʿindaka ʾinnanā la-muhtadūna

3. فلما كشفنا عنهم العذاب إذا هم ينكثون

   50

   But when We lifted the punishment from them, behold, they would break their pledge.

   fa-lammā kashafnā ʿanhumu l-ʿadhāba ʾidhā hum yankuthūna

4. ونادى فرعون في قومه قال يا قوم أليس لي ملك مصر وهذه الأنهار تجري من تحتي أفلا تبصرون

   51

   And Pharaoh proclaimed to his people, saying, ‘O my people! Do not the kingdom of Egypt and these rivers that run at my feet belong to me? Do you not perceive?

   wa-nādā firʿawnu fī qawmihī qāla yā-qawmi ʾa-laysa lī mulku miṣra wa-hādhihi l-ʾanhāru tajrī min taḥtī ʾa-fa-lā tubṣirūna

5. أم أنا خير من هذا الذي هو مهين ولا يكاد يبين

   52

   Am I not better than this wretch who cannot even speak clearly?

   ʾam ʾana khayrun min hādhā lladhī huwa mahīnun wa-lā yakādu yubīnu

6. فلولا ألقي عليه أسورة من ذهب أو جاء معه الملائكة مقترنين

   53

   Why no bracelets of gold have been thrown to him, nor any angels accompany him as escorts?’

   fa-law-lā ʾulqiya ʿalayhi ʾaswiratun min dhahabin ʾaw jāʾa maʿahu l-malāʾikatu muqtarinīna

7. فاستخف قومه فأطاعوه إنهم كانوا قوما فاسقين

   54

   Thus did he mislead his people and they obeyed him. Indeed, they were a transgressing lot.

   fa-stakhaffa qawmahū fa-ʾaṭāʿūhu ʾinnahum kānū qawman fāsiqīna

8. فلما آسفونا انتقمنا منهم فأغرقناهم أجمعين

   55

   So when they roused Our wrath, We took vengeance on them and drowned them all.

   fa-lammā ʾāsafūnā ntaqamnā minhum fa-ʾaghraqnāhum ʾajmaʿīna

9. فجعلناهم سلفا ومثلا للآخرين

   56

   Thus We made them the vanguard and an example for posterity.

   fa-jaʿalnāhum salafan wa-mathalan li-l-ʾākhirīna

10. ولما ضرب ابن مريم مثلا إذا قومك منه يصدون

    57

    When the Son of Mary was cited as an example, behold, your people raise an outcry.

    wa-lammā ḍuriba bnu maryama mathalan ʾidhā qawmuka minhu yaṣiddūna

11. وقالوا أآلهتنا خير أم هو ما ضربوه لك إلا جدلا بل هم قوم خصمون

    58

    They say, ‘Are our gods better or he?’ They cite him to you only for the sake of contention. Indeed, they are a contentious lot.

    wa-qālū ʾa-ʾālihatunā khayrun ʾam huwa mā ḍarabūhu laka ʾillā jadalan bal hum qawmun khaṣimūna

12. إن هو إلا عبد أنعمنا عليه وجعلناه مثلا لبني إسرائيل

    59

    He was just a servant whom We had blessed and made an exemplar for the Children of Israel.

    ʾin huwa ʾillā ʿabdun ʾanʿamnā ʿalayhi wa-jaʿalnāhu mathalan li-banī ʾisrāʾīla

13. ولو نشاء لجعلنا منكم ملائكة في الأرض يخلفون

    60

    Had We wished We would have set angels in your stead to be [your] successors on the earth.

    wa-law nashāʾu la-jaʿalnā minkum malāʾikatan fī l-ʾarḍi yakhlufūna