Al-Balad

سُورَةُ البَلَدِ

The City

1. بِسْمِ ٱللَّهِ ٱلرَّحْمَٰنِ ٱلرَّحِيمِ لَآ أُقْسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ

   Laaa uqsimu bihaazal balad

   I CALL THIS earth to witness --

2. وَأَنتَ حِلٌّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلْبَلَدِ

   Wa anta hillum bihaazal balad

   And you are free to live upon it, --

3. وَوَالِدٍۢ وَمَا وَلَدَ

   Wa waalidinw wa maa walad

   And the parent and the offspring,

4. لَقَدْ خَلَقْنَا ٱلْإِنسَٰنَ فِى كَبَدٍ

   Laqad khalaqnal insaana fee kabad

   That We created man in toil and trouble.

5. أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقْدِرَ عَلَيْهِ أَحَدٌۭ

   Ayahsabu al-lai yaqdira 'alaihi ahad

   Does he think that no one has power over him?

6. يَقُولُ أَهْلَكْتُ مَالًۭا لُّبَدًا

   Yaqoolu ahlaktu maalal lubadaa

   He says: "I have wasted a great deal of wealth."

7. أَيَحْسَبُ أَن لَّمْ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ

   Ayahsabu al lam yarahooo ahad

   Does he think that no one sees him?

8. أَلَمْ نَجْعَل لَّهُۥ عَيْنَيْنِ

   Alam naj'al lahoo 'aynayn

   Did We not give him two eyes,

9. وَلِسَانًۭا وَشَفَتَيْنِ

   Wa lisaananw wa shafatayn

   One tongue, and two lips,

10. وَهَدَيْنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ

    Wa hadaynaahun najdayn

    And showed him two highways (of good and evil)?

11. فَلَا ٱقْتَحَمَ ٱلْعَقَبَةَ

    Falaq tahamal-'aqabah

    But he could not scale the steep ascent.

12. وَمَآ أَدْرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلْعَقَبَةُ

    Wa maaa adraaka mal'aqabah

    How will you comprehend what the Steep ascent is? --

13. فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

    Fakku raqabah

    To free a neck (from the burden of debt or slavery),

14. أَوْ إِطْعَٰمٌۭ فِى يَوْمٍۢ ذِى مَسْغَبَةٍۢ

    Aw it'aamun fee yawmin zee masghabah

    Or to feed in times of famine

15. يَتِيمًۭا ذَا مَقْرَبَةٍ

    Yateeman zaa maqrabah

    The orphan near in relationship,

16. أَوْ مِسْكِينًۭا ذَا مَتْرَبَةٍۢ

    Aw miskeenan zaa matrabah

    Or the poor in distress;

17. ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلصَّبْرِ وَتَوَاصَوْا۟ بِٱلْمَرْحَمَةِ

    Summa kaana minal lazeena aamanoo wa tawaasaw bissabri wa tawaasaw bilmarhamah

    And to be of those who believe, and urge upon one another to persevere, and urge upon each other to be kind.

18. أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَيْمَنَةِ

    Ulaaa'ika As-haabul maimanah

    They are the people of the right hand (and will succeed).

19. وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمْ أَصْحَٰبُ ٱلْمَشْـَٔمَةِ

    Wallazeena kafaroo bi aayaatinaa hum as-haabul Mash'amah

    But those who deny Our revelations are the people of the left hand:

20. عَلَيْهِمْ نَارٌۭ مُّؤْصَدَةٌۢ

    Alaihim naarum mu'sadah

    The Fire will vault them over.