وَالسَّمَاءِ وَالطَّارِقِ (1)

By the heavens and al-tariq.

وَمَا أَدْرَاكَ مَا الطَّارِقُ (2)

Do you know what al-tariq is?

النَّجْمُ الثَّاقِبُ (3)

(It is a nightly radiant star).

إِنْ كُلُّ نَفْسٍ لَمَّا عَلَيْهَا حَافِظٌ (4)

There is no soul which is not guarded (by the two angels who record all of its deeds).

فَلْيَنْظُرِ الْإِنْسَانُ مِمَّ خُلِقَ (5)

Let the human being reflect that from what he has been created.

خُلِقَ مِنْ مَاءٍ دَافِقٍ (6)

He has been created from an ejected drop of fluid

يَخْرُجُ مِنْ بَيْنِ الصُّلْبِ وَالتَّرَائِبِ (7)

which comes out of the loins and ribs.

إِنَّهُ عَلَىٰ رَجْعِهِ لَقَادِرٌ (8)

God has all power to resurrect him.

يَوْمَ تُبْلَى السَّرَائِرُ (9)

On the day when all secrets will be made public,

فَمَا لَهُ مِنْ قُوَّةٍ وَلَا نَاصِرٍ (10)

he will have no power, nor anyone to help him.

وَالسَّمَاءِ ذَاتِ الرَّجْعِ (11)

By the rotating heavens

وَالْأَرْضِ ذَاتِ الصَّدْعِ (12)

and the replenishing earth,

إِنَّهُ لَقَوْلٌ فَصْلٌ (13)

the Quran is the final word,

وَمَا هُوَ بِالْهَزْلِ (14)

and it is certainly not a jest.

إِنَّهُمْ يَكِيدُونَ كَيْدًا (15)

They (disbelievers) plot every evil plan,

وَأَكِيدُ كَيْدًا (16)

but I too plan against them.

فَمَهِّلِ الْكَافِرِينَ أَمْهِلْهُمْ رُوَيْدًا (17)

Give respite to the disbelievers and leave them alone for a while.