31:1  A. L. M

31:2  These are the signs of the wise Book

31:3  a guidance and a mercy to those who do well

31:4  who are steadfast in prayer and give alms and who of the hereafter are sure

31:5  these are in Guidance from their Lord, and these are the prosperous

31:6  And amongst men is one who buys sportive legends, to lead astray from God's path, without knowledge, and to make a jest of it; these, for them is shameful woe

31:7  And when our signs are recited to him, he turns his back, too big with pride, as though he heard them not, - as if in his two ears were dullness. But give to him glad tidings of grievous woe

31:8  Verily, those who believe and do right, for them are gardens of pleasure

31:9  to dwell therein for aye;- God's promise in truth, and He is mighty, wise

31:10  He created the heavens without pillars that ye can see, and He threw upon the earth firm mountains lest it should move with you; and He dispersed thereon every sort of beast; and we send down from the heavens water, and we caused to grow therein of every noble kind

31:11  This is God's creation; show me what others beside Him have created; - nay, the unjust are in obvious error

31:12  We did give unto Loqman wisdom, saying, 'Thank God; for he who thanks God is only thankful for his own soul; and he who is ungrateful - verily, God is independent, worthy of praise!

31:13  And when Loqman said to his son while admonishing him, 'O my boy! associate none with God, for, verily, such association is a mighty wrong.'

31:14  For we have commended his parents to man; his mother bore him with weakness upon weakness; and his weaning is in two years; - 'Be thankful to me and to thy parents; for unto me shall your journey be

31:15  But if they strive with thee that thou shouldst associate with me that which thou hast no knowledge of, then obey them not. But associate with them in the world with kindness, and follow the way of him who repentant unto me; then unto me is your return, and I will inform you of that which ye have done!

31:16  'O my son! verily, if there were the weight of a grain of mustard seed and it were (hidden) in the rock, or in the heaven, or in the earth, God would bring it (to light). Verily, God is subtle, well aware

31:17  'O my son! be steadfast in prayer, and bid what is reasonable and forbid what is wrong; be patient of what befalls thee, verily, that is one of the determined affairs

31:18  'And twist not thy cheek proudly, nor walk in the land haughtily; verily, God loves not every arrogant boaster

31:19  but be moderate in thy walk, and lower thy voice; verily, the most disagreeable of voices is the voice of asses!

31:20  Have ye not seen that God has subjected to you what is in the heavens and what is in the earth, and has poured down upon you His favours, outwardly and inwardly? but amongst men are those who wrangle about God, without knowledge, and without guidance, and without an illuminating book

31:21  And when it is said to them, 'Follow what God has sent down;' they say, 'Nay! we will follow what we found our fathers agreed upon;' - what! though Satan calls them to the torment of the blaze

31:22  But he who resigns his face unto God, and does good, he has grasped the firm handle; unto God is the issue of affairs

31:23  But he who misbelieves, let not his misbelief grieve thee; to us is their return, and we will inform them of what they do; - for, verily, God knows the nature of men's breasts

31:24  We will let them enjoy themselves a little; then we will force them to rigorous woe

31:25  And if thou shouldst ask them who created the heavens and the earth, they will surely say, 'God.' Say, 'Praise be to God!' but most of them do not know

31:26  God's is what is in the heavens and what is in the earth; verily, God, He is the independent, worthy of praise

31:27  And were the trees that are in the earth pens, and the sea (ink) with seven more seas to swell its tide, the words of God would not be spent; verily, God is mighty, wise

31:28  Your creation and your rising again are but as that of one soul; verily, God both hears and sees

31:29  Dost thou not see that God joins on the night to the day, and joins on the day to the night, and has subjected the sun and the moon, - each of them runs on unto an appointed time? and that God of what ye do is well aware

31:30  That is because God, He is true, and because what ye call on beside Him is falsehood, and because God, He is the high, the great

31:31  Dost thou not see that the ship rides on in the sea by the favour of God, that He may show you of His signs? verily, in that are signs to every grateful person

31:32  And when a wave like shadows covers them, they call on God, being sincere in their religion; and when He saves them to the shore, then amongst them are some who halt between two opinions. But none gainsays our signs save every perfidious misbeliever

31:33  O ye folk! fear your Lord and dread the day when the father shall not atone for his son, nor shall the child atone aught for its parent. Verily, the promise of God is true! Say, 'Let not the life of this world beguile you; and let not the beguiler beguile you concerning God.

31:34  Verily, God, with Him is the knowledge of the Hour; and He sends down the rain; and He knows what is in the wombs; and no soul knows what it is that it shall earn to-morrow; and no soul knows in what land it shall die; verily, God is knowing, well aware