38:1  Truthful God! By the Qur’an, possessing eminence

38:2  Nay, those who disbelieve are in self-exaltation and opposition

38:3  How many a generation We destroyed before them, then they cried when there was no longer time for escape

38:4  And they wonder that a warner from among themselves has come to them, and the disbelievers say: This is an enchanter, a liar

38:5  Makes he the gods a single God? Surely this is a strange thing

38:6  And the chiefs among them say: Go and steadily adhere to your gods: surely this is a thing intended

38:7  We never heard of this in the former faith: this is nothing but a forgery

38:8  Has the Reminder been revealed to him from among us? Nay, they are in doubt as to My Reminder. Nay, they have not yet tasted My chastisement

38:9  Or, have they the treasures of the mercy of thy Lord, the Mighty, the Great Giver

38:10  Or is the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between them theirs? Then let them rise higher in means

38:11  What an army of the allies is here put to flight

38:12  The people of Noah, and ‘Ad, and Pharaoh, the lord of hosts, rejected (prophets) before them

38:13  And Thamud and the people of Lot and the dwellers of the thicket. These were the parties (opposing Truth)

38:14  Not one of them but rejected the messengers, so just was My retribution

38:15  And these wait but for one cry, wherein there is no delay

38:16  And they say: Our Lord, hasten on for us our portion before the day of Reckoning

38:17  Bear patiently what they say, and remember Our servant David, the possessor power. He ever turned (to Allah)

38:18  Truly We made the mountains subject to him, glorifying (Allah) at nightfall and sunrise

38:19  And the birds gathered together. All were obedient to him

38:20  And We strengthened his kingdom and We gave him wisdom and a clear judgment

38:21  And has the story of the adversaries come to thee? When they made an entry into the private chamber by climbing the wall -

38:22  When they came upon David so he was afraid of them. They said: Fear not; two litigants, of whom one has wronged the other, so decide between us with justice, and act not unjustly, and guide us to the right way

38:23  This is my brother. He has ninety-nine ewes and I have a single ewe. Then he said, Make it over to me, and he has prevailed against me in dispute

38:24  He said: Surely he has wronged thee in demanding thy ewe (to add) to his own ewes. And surely many partners wrong one another save those who believe and do good, and very few are they! And David knew that We had tried him, so he asked his Lord for protection, and he fell down bowing and turned (to God)

38:25  So We gave him this protection, and he had a nearness to Us and an excellent resort

38:26  O David, surely We have made thee a ruler in the land; so judge between men justly and follow not desire, lest it lead thee astray from the path of Allah. Those who go astray from the path of Allah, for them is surely a severe chastisement because they forgot the day of Reckoning

38:27  And We created not the heaven and the earth and what is between them in vain. That is the opinion of those who disbelieve. So woe to those who disbelieve on account of the Fire

38:28  Shall We treat those who believe and do good like the mischief-makers in the earth? Or shall We make the dutiful like the wicked

38:29  (This is) a Book that We have revealed to thee abounding in good, that they may ponder over its verses, and that the men of understanding may mind

38:30  And We gave to David Solomon. Most excellent the servant! Surely he ever turned (to Allah)

38:31  When well-bred, swift (horses) were brought to him at evening -

38:32  So he said, I love the good things on account of the remembrance of my Lord -- until they were hidden behind the veil

38:33  (He said): Bring them back to me. So he began to stroke (their) legs and necks

38:34  And certainly we tried Solomon, and We put on his throne a (mere) body, so he turned (to Allah)

38:35  He said: My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom which is not fit for any one after me; surely Thou art the Great Giver

38:36  So We made the wind subservient to him; it made his command to run gently wherever he desired

38:37  And the devils, every builder and diver

38:38  And others fettered in chains

38:39  This is Our free gift, so give freely or withhold, without reckoning

38:40  And surely he had a nearness to Us and an excellent resort

38:41  And remember Our servant Job. When he cried to his Lord: The devil has afflicted me with toil and torment

38:42  Urge with thy foot; here is a cool washing-place and a drink

38:43  And We gave him his people and the like of them with them, a mercy from Us, and a reminder for men of understanding

38:44  And take in thy hand few worldly goods and earn goodness therewith and incline not to falsehood. Surely We found him patient; most excellent the servant! Surely he (ever) turned (to Us)

38:45  And remember Our servants Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, men of power and insight

38:46  We indeed purified them by a pure quality, the keeping in mind of the (final) abode

38:47  And surely they were with Us, of the elect, the best

38:48  And remember Ishmael and Elisha and Dhu-l-Kifl; and they were all of the best

38:49  This is a reminder and surely there is an excellent resort for the dutiful

38:50  Gardens of perpetuity -- the doors are opened for them

38:51  Reclining therein, calling therein for many fruits and drink

38:52  And with them are those modest in gaze, equals in age

38:53  This is what you are promised for the day of Reckoning

38:54  Surely this is Our sustenance; it will never come to an end -

38:55  This (is for the good)! And surely there is an evil resort for the inordinate -

38:56  Hell. They will enter it. So evil is the resting-place

38:57  This -- so let them taste it, boiling and intensely cold (drink)

38:58  And other similar (punishment), of various sorts

38:59  This is an army rushing headlong with you -- no welcome for them! Surely they will burn in fire

38:60  They say: Nay! you -- no welcome to you! You prepared it for us, so evil is the resting-place

38:61  They say: Our Lord, whoever prepared it for us, give him more, a double, punishment in the Fire

38:62  And they say: What is the matter with us? -- we see not men whom we used to count among the vicious

38:63  Did we (only) take them in scorn, or do our eyes miss them

38:64  That surely is the truth -- the contending one with another of the inmates of the Fire

38:65  Say: I am only a warner; and there is no God but Allah, the One, the Subduer (of all) -

38:66  The Lord of the heavens and the earth and what is between them, the Mighty, the Forgiving

38:67  Say: It is a message of importance

38:68  From which you turn away

38:69  I have no knowledge of the exalted chiefs when they contend

38:70  Only this is revealed to me that I am a plain warner

38:71  When thy Lord said to the angels: Surely I am going to create a mortal from dust

38:72  So when I have made him complete and breathed into him of My spirit, fall down submitting to him

38:73  And the angels submitted, all of them

38:74  But not Iblis. He was proud and he was one of the disbelievers

38:75  He said: O Iblis, what prevented thee from submitting to him whom I created with both My hands? Art thou proud or art thou of the exalted ones

38:76  He said: I am better than he; Thou hast created me of fire, and him Thou didst create of dust

38:77  He said: Go forth from hence! surely thou art driven away

38:78  And surely My curse is on thee to the day of Judgment

38:79  He said: My Lord, respite me to the day that they are raised

38:80  He said: Surely thou art of the respited ones

38:81  Till the day of the time made known

38:82  He said: Then by Thy Might! I will surely lead them all astray

38:83  Except Thy servants from among them, the purified ones

38:84  He said: The Truth is, and the truth I speak -

38:85  That I shall fill hell with thee and with all those among them who follow thee

38:86  Say: I ask you no reward for it; nor am I of the impostors

38:87  It is naught but a Reminder to the nations

38:88  And certainly you will come to know about it after a time