38:1  Sad. By the Koran, containing the Remembrance -

38:2  nay, but the unbelievers glory in their schism

38:3  How many a generation We destroyed before them, and they called, but time was none to escape

38:4  Now they marvel that a warner has come to them from among them; and the unbelievers say, 'This is a lying sorcerer

38:5  What, has he made the gods One God? This is indeed a marvellous thing.

38:6  And the Council of them depart, saying 'Go! Be steadfast to your gods; this is a thing to be desired

38:7  We have not heard of this in the last religion; this is surely an invention

38:8  What, has the Remembrance been sent down on him out of us all?' Nay, but they are in doubt of My Remembrance; nay, they have not yet tasted My chastisement

38:9  Or have they the treasuries of thy Lord's mercy, the All-mighty, the All-giving

38:10  Or is theirs the kingdom of the heavens and earth and of what between them is? Why, then let them ascend the cords

38:11  A very host of parties is routed there

38:12  Cried lies before them the people of Noah, and Ad, and Pharaoh, he of the tent-pegs

38:13  and Thamood, and the people of Lot, and the men of the Thicket - those were the parties

38:14  not one, that cried not lies to the Messengers, so My retribution was just

38:15  These are only awaiting for a single Cry, to which there is no delay

38:16  They say, 'Our Lord, hasten to us our share before the Day of Reckoning.

38:17  Bear patiently what they say, and remember Our servant David, the man of might; he was a penitent

38:18  With him We subjected the mountains to give glory at evening and sunrise

38:19  and the birds, duly mustered, every one to him reverting

38:20  We strengthened his kingdom, and gave him wisdom and speech decisive

38:21  Has the tiding of the dispute come to thee? When they scaled the Sanctuary

38:22  when they entered upon David, and he took fright at them; and they said, 'Fear not; two disputants we are -- one of us has injured the other; so judge between us justly, and transgress not, and guide us to the right path.

38:23  'Behold, this my brother has ninety-nine ewes, and I have one ewe. So he said, "Give her into my charge"; and he overcame me in the argument.

38:24  Said he, 'Assuredly he has wronged thee in asking for thy ewe in addition to his sheep; and indeed many intermixers do injury one against the other, save those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness -- and how few they are!' And David thought that We had only tried him; therefore he sought forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down, bowing, and he repented

38:25  Accordingly We forgave him that, and he has a near place in Our presence and a fair resort

38:26  'David, behold, We have appointed thee a viceroy in the earth; therefore judge between men justly, and follow not caprice, lest it lead thee astray from the way of God. Surely those who go astray from the way of God -- there awaits them a terrible chastisement, for that they have forgotten the Day of Reckoning.

38:27  We have not created the heavens and earth, and what between them is, for vanity; such is the thought of the unbelievers, wherefore woe unto the unbelievers because of the Fire

38:28  Or shall We make those who believe and do righteous deeds as the workers of corruption in the earth, or shall We make the godfearing as the transgressors

38:29  A Book We have sent down to thee, Blessed, that men possessed of minds may ponder its signs and so remember

38:30  And We gave unto David Solomon; how excellent a servant he was! He was a penitent

38:31  When in the evening were presented to him the standing steeds

38:32  he said, 'Lo, I have loved the love of good things better than the remembrance of my Lord, until the sun was bidden behind the veil

38:33  Return them to me!' And he began to stroke their shanks and necks

38:34  Certainly We tried Solomon, and We cast upon his throne a mere body; then he repented

38:35  He said, 'My Lord, forgive me, and give me a kingdom such as may not befall anyone after me; surely Thou art the All-giver.

38:36  So We subjected to him the wind, that ran at his commandment, softly, wherever he might light on

38:37  and the Satans, every builder and dive

38:38  and others also, coupled in fetters

38:39  'This is Our gift; bestow or withhold without reckoning.

38:40  And he had a near place in Our presence and a fair resort

38:41  Remember also Our servant Job; when he called to his Lord, 'Behold, Satan has visited me with weariness and chastisement.

38:42  'Stamp thy foot! This is a laving-place cool, and a drink.

38:43  And We gave to him his family, and the like of them with them, as a mercy from us, and a reminder unto men possessed of minds

38:44  and, 'Take in thy hand a bundle of rushes, and strike therewith, and do not fail in thy oath.' Surely We found him a steadfast man. How excellent a servant he was! He was a penitent

38:45  Remember also Our servants Abraham, Isaac and Jacob -- men of might they and of vision

38:46  Assuredly We purified them with a quality most pure, the remembrance of the Abode

38:47  and in Our sight they are of the chosen, the excellent

38:48  Remember also Our servants Ishmael, Elisha, and Dhul Kifl; each is among the excellent

38:49  This is a Remembrance; and for the godfearing is a fair resort

38:50  Gardens of Eden, whereof the gates are open to them

38:51  wherein they recline, and wherein they call for fruits abundant, and sweet potions

38:52  and with them maidens restraining their glances of equal age

38:53  'This is what you were promised for the Day of Reckoning

38:54  this is Our provision, unto which there is no end.

38:55  All this; but for the insolent awaits an ill resort

38:56  Gehenna, wherein they are roasted - an evil cradling

38:57  All this; so let them taste it - boiling water and pus

38:58  and other torments of the like kind coupled together

38:59  'This is a troop rushing in with you; there is no Welcome for them; they shall roast in the Fire.

38:60  They say, 'No, it is you have no Welcome; you forwarded it for us; how evil a stablishment!

38:61  They say, 'Our Lord, whoso forwarded this for us, give him a double chastisement in the Fire!

38:62  They say, 'How is it with us, that we do not see men here that we counted among the wicked

38:63  What, did we take them for a laughing-stock? Or have our eyes swerved away from them?

38:64  Surely that is true -- the disputing of the inhabitants of the Fire

38:65  Say: 'I am only a warner. There is not any god but God, the One, the Omnipotent

38:66  Lord of the heavens and earth, and of what between them is, the All-mighty, the All-forgiving.

38:67  Say: 'It is a mighty tidin

38:68  from which you are turning away

38:69  I had no knowledge of the High Council when they disputed

38:70  This alone is revealed to me, that I am only a clear warner.

38:71  When thy Lord said to the angels, 'See, I am creating a mortal of a clay

38:72  When I have shaped him, and breathed My spirit in him, fall you down, bowing before him!

38:73  Then the angels bowed themselves all together

38:74  save Iblis; he waxed proud, and was one of the unbelievers

38:75  Said He, 'Iblis, what prevented thee to bow thyself before that I created with My own hands? Hast thou waxed proud, or art thou of the lofty ones?

38:76  Said he, 'I am better than he; Thou createdst me of tire, and him Thou createdst of clay.

38:77  Said He, 'Then go thou forth hence; thou art accursed

38:78  Upon thee shall rest My curse, till the Day of Doom.

38:79  Said he, 'My Lord, respite me till the day they shall be raised.

38:80  Said He, 'Thou art among the ones that are respite

38:81  until the day of the known time.

38:82  Said he, 'Now, by Thy glory, I shall pervert them all together

38:83  excepting those Thy servants among them that are sincere.

38:84  Said He, 'This is the truth, and the truth I say

38:85  I shall assuredly fill Gehenna with thee, and with whosoever of them follows thee, all together.

38:86  Say: 'I ask of you no wage for it, neither am I of those who take things upon themselves

38:87  It is nothing but a reminder unto all beings

38:88  and you shall surely know its tiding after a while.