38:1  Sad. By the Quran, the possessor of the Reminder.

38:2  Nay, but those who disbelieve are in pride and schism.

38:3  How many a generation have We destroyed before them, and they cried out, but it was no time to escape.

38:4  And they wonder that a warner has come from them, and the disbelievers say, 'This is a magician, a liar.

38:5  Does he make the gods one God? Indeed, this is surely a wonderful thing.'

38:6  And the chiefs of them went away: 'Go on and be patient upon your gods; indeed, this is surely a thing to be desired;

38:7  We have not heard of this in the last religion; this is not except fiction.

38:8  Has a reminder come down upon him from amongst us?' Nay, they are in doubt concerning My reminder; nay, they have not yet tasted of My punishment.

38:9  Or do they have the treasures of the mercy of your Lord, the Mighty, the Bestower?

38:10  Or is theirs the kingdom of the heavens and the earth and what is between them? - Then let them ascend by the ropes.

38:11  Any host whatever of the confederates shall there be routed.

38:12  Before them Noah's people, and 'Ad, and Pharaoh, owner of the stakes, called the messengers liars;

38:13  And Thamud and the people of Lot, and the fellows of the Grove - those were the Confederates.

38:14  All not except denied the messengers, and just was My punishment.

38:15  And these wait not except for one noise for which there shall be no delay.

38:16  And they say, 'Our Lord, hasten for us our share before the Day of Account.'

38:17  Be patient of what they say, and remember our servant David, possessor of strength, indeed, he was frequent in repenting.

38:18  Indeed, We subjected the mountains to glorify with him in the evening and sunrise,

38:19  And the birds gathered together, all for Him frequent in repenting.

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

38:21  And has there come to you the story of the litigants, when they scaled the chamber wall?

38:22  When they entered in unto David, and he was terrified of them, they said, 'Fear not, we are two litigants; one of us has injured the other; judge then between us with the truth and do not exceed the due bounds, and guide us to a level way.

38:23  Indeed, this is my brother, he had ninety-nine ewes and I had one ewe; and he said, "Give her over to my charge;" and he overcame me in the discourse.'

38:24  He said, 'Certainly, he wronged you in asking for your ewe in addition to his ewes. And indeed, many partners surely injure, some of them on some, except those who believed and did good works and few are they.' And he thought that We were trying him; and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing, and turned in repentance.

38:25  And We pardoned him that; and indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.

38:26  O David! Indeed, We have made you a vicegerent, judge between men with truth and do not follow lust, for it will lead you astray from the path of God. Indeed, those who go astray from the path of God, for them is severe punishment, because they have forgotten the Day of Account.

38:27  And We have not created the heavens and the earth, and what is between them, in vain. That is the thought of those who disbelieve, so woe to those who disbelieve from the fire.

38:28  Or shall We make those who believe and do good works like those who do evil in the earth? Or shall We make the pious like the wicked?

38:29  A blessed Book which We have sent down to you that they may ponder its signs, and that possessors of understanding may remember.

38:30  And We gave to David, Solomon, an excellent servant; indeed, he was frequent in repenting.

38:31  When there were set before him in the evening lightfooted coursers,

38:32  And he said, 'Indeed, I have loved the love of good things better than the remembrance of my Lord, until they were taken out of sight behind the curtain.

38:33  Bring them back to me; and he began to smite the shanks and the necks.

38:34  And certainly We tried Solomon, and We cast upon his throne a body; then he repented.

38:35  He said, 'My Lord, forgive me and grant me a kingdom that is not appropriate for anyone after me; indeed You, You are the Bestower.'

38:36  And We subjected to him the wind to run on at his command gently wherever he directed it;

38:37  And the devils - every builder and diver,

38:38  And others bound in fetters -

38:39  'This is Our gift, so grant favour or withhold without account.'

38:40  And indeed, for him is nearness to Us and a good place of return.

38:41  And remember Our servant Job when he called upon his Lord that me, indeed, the devil has touched me with toil and torment.

38:42  'Stamp with your foot, this is a cool washing-place and a drink.'

38:43  And We granted him his family, and the like of them with them, as a mercy from Us and a reminder for possessors of understanding,

38:44  'And take in your hand a bundle, and strike with it, and do not break your oath!' Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant; indeed, he was frequent in repenting.

38:45  And remember Our servants Abraham and Isaac and Jacob, endowed with the hands and the eyesights;

38:46  Indeed, We made them sincere by a sincere quality - the remembrance of the abode;

38:47  And indeed, they were with Us of the chosen, the best.

38:48  And remember Ishmael and Al Yasa'a and Dhu-l-Kifl, and each was of the best.

38:49  This is a reminder. Indeed, for the pious surely is a good place of return, -

38:50  Gardens of Eden with the doors open to them;

38:51  Reclining therein; calling therein for much fruit and drink;

38:52  And with them, women restraining their glances, of equal age,

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

38:54  'Indeed, this is surely Our provision, it is never spent.'

38:55  This. And indeed, for the immoderate surely is an evil place of return,

38:56  Hell; they shall broil therein, and evil is the bed.

38:57  This, so let them taste it, - hot water and pus

38:58  And other kinds of the same sort.

38:59  'This is a troop plunged in with you. There is no welcome for them. Indeed, they will broil in the fire.'

38:60  They said, 'Nay, you, there is no welcome for you. You sent it forth for us, and evil is the resting-place.'

38:61  They shall say, 'Our Lord! Whoever prepared this beforehand for us, give him double punishment in the fire.'

38:62  And they shall say, 'What ails us that we do not see men whom we used to count amongst the wicked?

38:63  Did we take them for a laughing-stock or the eyesights deviated from them?'

38:64  Indeed, that is the truth; the contention of the people of the fire.

38:65  Say, 'I am only a warner; and there is no god but God, the One, the Subduer,

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

38:67  Say, 'It is great news

38:68  From which you turn away.

38:69  I had no knowledge of the exalted chiefs when they contended.

38:70  I am only inspired that I am a plain warner.'

38:71  When your Lord said to the angels, 'Indeed, I am about to create a mortal from clay;

38:72  And when I have fashioned him and I have blown into him of My spirit, then fall down prostrating to him.'

38:73  And the angels prostrated all of them together.

38:74  Except Iblis, he was big with pride, and was of the disbelievers.

38:75  He said, 'O Iblis! What prevents you from prostrating to what I have created with My two hands? Are you big with pride? Or are you amongst the exalted?'

38:76  He said, 'I am better than him, You have created me from fire, and him you have created from clay.'

38:77  He said, 'Then go forth therefrom, for indeed, you are stoned;

38:78  And indeed, upon you is My curse until the Day of Judgment.'

38:79  He said, 'My Lord! Then respite me until the day they shall be raised.'

38:80  He said, 'Then indeed, you are amongst the respited

38:81  Until the day of the known time.'

38:82  He said, 'Then by Your might! I will surely cause them to err all together,

38:83  Except Your servants amongst them who are sincere.'

38:84  He said, 'Then it is the truth, and the truth I speak;

38:85  Surely I will definitely fill Hell with you and with those who follow you amongst them all together.'

38:86  Say, 'I do not ask you for it any payment, and I am not of the pretentious.

38:87  It is not except a reminder to the worlds,

38:88  And you shall surely, definitely know its story after a time.'