Surah Şād (The Letter "Saad") in English

1. اصبر على ما يقولون واذكر عبدنا داوود ذا الأيد إنه أواب

   17

   Be patient over what they say, and remember Our servant, David, [the man] of strength. Indeed he was a penitent [soul].

   iṣbir ʿalā mā yaqūlūna wa-dhkur ʿabdanā dāwūda dhā l-ʾaydi ʾinnahū ʾawwābun

2. إنا سخرنا الجبال معه يسبحن بالعشي والإشراق

   18

   We disposed the mountains to glorify [Allah] with him at evening and dawn,

   ʾinnā sakhkharnā l-jibāla maʿahū yusabbiḥna bi-l-ʿashiyyi wa-l-ʾishrāqi

3. والطير محشورة كل له أواب

   19

   and the birds [as well], mustered [in flocks]; all echoing him [in a chorus].

   wa-ṭ-ṭayra maḥshūratan kullun lahū ʾawwābun

4. وشددنا ملكه وآتيناه الحكمة وفصل الخطاب

   20

   We consolidated his kingdom and gave him wisdom and conclusive speech.

   wa-shaddadnā mulkahū wa-ʾātaynāhu l-ḥikmata wa-faṣla l-khiṭābi

5. وهل أتاك نبأ الخصم إذ تسوروا المحراب

   21

   Has there not come to you the account of the contenders, when they scaled the wall into the sanctuary?

   wa-hal ʾatāka nabaʾu l-khaṣmi ʾidh tasawwarū l-miḥrāba

6. إذ دخلوا على داوود ففزع منهم قالوا لا تخف خصمان بغى بعضنا على بعض فاحكم بيننا بالحق ولا تشطط واهدنا إلى سواء الصراط

   22

   When they entered into the presence of David, he was alarmed by them. They said, ‘Do not be afraid. [We are only] two contenders: one of us has bullied the other. So judge justly between us, and do not exceed [the bounds of justice], and show us the right path.’

   ʾidh dakhalū ʿalā dāwūda fa-faziʿa minhum qālū lā takhaf khaṣmāni baghā baʿḍunā ʿalā baʿḍin fa-ḥkum baynanā bi-l-ḥaqqi wa-lā tushṭiṭ wa-hdinā ʾilā sawāʾi ṣ-ṣirāṭi

7. إن هذا أخي له تسع وتسعون نعجة ولي نعجة واحدة فقال أكفلنيها وعزني في الخطاب

   23

   ‘This brother of mine has ninety-nine ewes, while I have only a single ewe, and [yet] he says, ‘Commit it to my care,’ and he browbeats me in speech.’

   ʾinna hādhā ʾakhī lahū tisʿun wa-tisʿūna naʿjatan wa-liya naʿjatun wāḥidatun fa-qāla ʾakfilnīhā wa-ʿazzanī fī l-khitābi

8. Recommended prostration

   قال لقد ظلمك بسؤال نعجتك إلى نعاجه وإن كثيرا من الخلطاء ليبغي بعضهم على بعض إلا الذين آمنوا وعملوا الصالحات وقليل ما هم وظن داوود أنما فتناه فاستغفر ربه وخر راكعا وأناب

   24

   He said, ‘He has certainly wronged you by asking your ewe in addition to his own ewes, and indeed many partners bully one another, except such as have faith and do righteous deeds, and few are they.’ Then David knew that We had tested him, whereat he pleaded with his Lord for forgiveness, and fell down in prostration and repented.

   qāla la-qad ẓalamaka bi-suʾāli naʿjatika ʾilā niʿājihī wa-ʾinna kathīran mina l-khulaṭāʾi la-yabghī baʿḍuhum ʿalā baʿḍin ʾillā lladhīna ʾāmanū wa-ʿamilū ṣ-ṣāliḥāti wa-qalīlun mā hum wa-ẓanna dāwūdu ʾannamā fatannāhu fa-staghfara rabbahū wa-kharra rākiʿan wa-ʾanāba

9. فغفرنا له ذلك وإن له عندنا لزلفى وحسن مآب

   25

   So We forgave him that, and indeed he has [a station of] nearness with Us and a good destination.

   fa-ghafarnā lahū dhālika wa-ʾinna lahū ʿindanā la-zulfā wa-ḥusna maʾābin

10. يا داوود إنا جعلناك خليفة في الأرض فاحكم بين الناس بالحق ولا تتبع الهوى فيضلك عن سبيل الله إن الذين يضلون عن سبيل الله لهم عذاب شديد بما نسوا يوم الحساب

    26

    ‘O David! Indeed, We have made you a vicegerent on the earth. So judge between people with justice, and do not follow your desires, or they will lead you astray from the way of Allah. Indeed there is a severe punishment for those who stray from the way of Allah, because of their forgetting the Day of Reckoning.’

    yā-dāwūdu ʾinnā jaʿalnāka khalīfatan fī l-ʾarḍi fa-ḥkum bayna n-nāsi bi-l-ḥaqqi wa-lā tattabiʿi l-hawā fa-yuḍillaka ʿan sabīli llāhi ʾinna lladhīna yaḍillūna ʿan sabīli llāhi lahum ʿadhābun shadīdun bi-mā nasū yawma l-ḥisābi