3 Lit. forbidden or prevented by shame.

4 See next Sura. v. 16.

SURA LV.-THE MERCIFUL [XLVIII.]

Mecca.-78 Verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

The God of mercy hath taught the Koran,

Hath created man,

Hath taught him articulate speech,

The Sun and the Moon have each their times,

And the plants and the trees bend in adoration.

And the Heaven, He hath reared it on high, and hath appointed the balance;

That in the balance ye should not transgress.

Weigh therefore with fairness, and scant not the balance.

And the Earth, He hath prepared it for the living tribes: 

Therein are fruits, and the palms with sheathed clusters,

And the grain with its husk, and the fragrant plants.

Which then of the bounties of your Lord will ye twain1 deny?

He created man of clay like that of the potter.

And He created the djinn of pure fire: 

Which then of the bounties, etc.

He is the Lord of the East,2

He is the Lord of the West: 

Which, etc.

He hath let loose the two seas3 which meet each other: 

Yet between them is a barrier which they overpass not: 

Which, etc.

From each he bringeth up pearls both great and small: 

Which, etc.

And His are the ships towering up at sea like mountains: 

Which, etc.

All on the earth shall pass away,

But the face of thy Lord shall abide resplendent with majesty and glory: 

Which, etc.

To Him maketh suit all that is in the Heaven and the Earth.  Every day doth some new work employ Him: 

Which, etc.

We will find leisure to judge you, O ye men and djinn:4

Which, etc.

O company of djinn and men, if ye can overpass the bounds of the Heavens and the Earth, then overpass them.  But by our leave only shall ye overpass them: 

Which, etc.

A bright flash of fire shall be hurled at you both, and molten brass, and ye shall not defend yourselves from it: 

Which, etc.

When the Heaven shall be cleft asunder, and become rose red, like stained leather: 

Which, etc.

On that day shall neither man nor djinn be asked of his sin: 

Which, etc.

By their tokens shall the sinners be known, and they shall be seized by their forelocks and their feet: 

Which, etc.

“This is Hell which sinners treated as a lie.”

To and fro shall they pass between it and the boiling water: 

Which, etc.

But for those who dread the majesty of their Lord shall be two gardens: