Surah As-Saaffaat

لِمِثْلِهَٰذَافَلْيَعْمَلِٱلْعَٰمِلُونَ

For the like of this, then, let them labour, those who labour [in God’s way]!

أَذَٰلِكَخَيْرٌۭنُّزُلًاأَمْشَجَرَةُٱلزَّقُّومِ

Is such [a paradise] the better welcome - or the [hellish] tree of deadly fruit?

إِنَّاجَعَلْنَٰهَافِتْنَةًۭلِّلظَّٰلِمِينَ

Verily, We have caused it to be a trial for evildoers:

إِنَّهَاشَجَرَةٌۭتَخْرُجُفِىٓأَصْلِٱلْجَحِيمِ

for, behold, it is a tree that grows in the very heart of the blazing fire [of hell],

طَلْعُهَاكَأَنَّهُۥرُءُوسُٱلشَّيَٰطِينِ

its fruit [as repulsive] as satans’ heads;

فَإِنَّهُمْلَءَاكِلُونَمِنْهَافَمَالِـُٔونَمِنْهَاٱلْبُطُونَ

and they [who are lost in evil] are indeed bound to eat thereof, and to fill their bellies therewith.

ثُمَّإِنَّلَهُمْعَلَيْهَالَشَوْبًۭامِّنْحَمِيمٍۢ

And, behold, above all this they will be confounded with burning des­pair!

ثُمَّإِنَّمَرْجِعَهُمْلَإِلَىٱلْجَحِيمِ

And once again: Verily, the blazing fire is their ultimate goal –

إِنَّهُمْأَلْفَوْا۟ءَابَآءَهُمْضَآلِّينَ

for, behold, they found their forebears on a wrong way,

فَهُمْعَلَىٰٓءَاثَٰرِهِمْيُهْرَعُونَ

and [now] they make haste to follow in their footsteps!

وَلَقَدْضَلَّقَبْلَهُمْأَكْثَرُٱلْأَوَّلِينَ

Thus, indeed, most of the people of old went astray before them,

وَلَقَدْأَرْسَلْنَافِيهِممُّنذِرِينَ

although, verily, We had sent warners unto them:

فَٱنظُرْكَيْفَكَانَعَٰقِبَةُٱلْمُنذَرِينَ

and behold what happened in the end to those that had been warned [to no avail]!

إِلَّاعِبَادَٱللَّهِٱلْمُخْلَصِينَ

EXCEPT for God’s true servants, [most people are apt to go astray.]

وَلَقَدْنَادَىٰنَانُوحٌۭفَلَنِعْمَٱلْمُجِيبُونَ

And, indeed, [it was for this reason that] Noah cried unto Us - and how excellent was Our response:

وَنَجَّيْنَٰهُوَأَهْلَهُۥمِنَٱلْكَرْبِٱلْعَظِيمِ

for We saved him and his household from that awesome calamity,

وَجَعَلْنَاذُرِّيَّتَهُۥهُمُٱلْبَاقِينَ

and caused his offspring to endure [on earth];

وَتَرَكْنَاعَلَيْهِفِىٱلْءَاخِرِينَ

and We left him thus to be remembered among later generations:

سَلَٰمٌعَلَىٰنُوحٍۢفِىٱلْعَٰلَمِينَ

“Peace be upon Noah throughout all the worlds!”

إِنَّاكَذَٰلِكَنَجْزِىٱلْمُحْسِنِينَ

Verily, thus do We reward the doers of good –