A. J. Arberry - XXIX The Spider lyrics

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compa**ionate 29:1 Alif Lam Mim Do the people reckon that they will be left to say 'We believe,' and will not be tried? We certainly tried those that were before them, and a**uredly God knows those who speak truly, and a**uredly He knows the liars. Or do they reckon, those who do evil deeds, that they will outstrip Us? Ill they judge! Whoso looks to encounter God, God's term is coming; He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing. 29:5 Whosoever struggles, struggles only to his own gain; surely God is All-sufficient nor needs any being. And those who believe, and do righteous deeds, We shall surely acquit them of their evil deeds, and shall recompense them the best of what they were doing. We have charged man, that he be kind to his parents; but if they strive with thee to make thee a**ociate with Me that whereof thou hast no knowledge, then do not obey them; unto Me you shall return, and I shall tell you what you were doing. And those who believe, and do righteous deeds a**uredly We shall admit them among the righteous. Some men there are who say, 'We believe in God,' but when such a man is hurt in God's cause, he makes the persecution of men as it were God's chastisement; then if help comes from thy Lord, he will say 'We were with you.' What, does not God know very well what is in the breasts of all beings? 29:10 God surely knows the believers, and He knows the hypocrites. The unbelievers say to the believers, 'Follow our path, and let us carry your offences'; yet they cannot carry anything, even of their own offences; they are truly liars. They shall certainly carry their loads, and other loads along with their loads, and upon the Day of Resurrection they shall surely be questioned concerning that they were forging. Indeed, We sent Noah to his people, and he tarried among them a thousand years, all but fifty; so the Flood seized them, while they were evildoers. Yet We delivered him, and those who were in the ship, and appointed it for a sign unto all beings. 29:15 And Abraham, when he said to his people, 'Serve God, and fear Him; that is better for you, did you know. You only serve, apart from God, idols and you create a calumny; those you serve, apart from God, have no power to provide for you. So seek after your provision with God, and serve Him, and be thankful to Him; unto Him you shall be returned. 'But if you cry me lies, nations cried lies before you; and it is only for the Messenger to deliver the Manifest Message.' (Have they not seen how God originates creation, then brings it back again? Surely that is an easy matter for God. Say: Journey in the land, then behold how He originated creation; then God causes the second growth to grow; God is powerful over everything, 29:20 chastising whom He will, and having mercy on whomsoever He will, and unto Him you shall be turned. You are not able to frustrate Him either in the earth or in heaven; and you have not, apart from God, either protector or helper. And those who disbelieve in God's signs and the encounter with Him -- they despair of My mercy, and there awaits them a painful chastisement.) But the only answer of his people was that they said, 'Slay him, or burn him!' Then God delivered him from the fire; surely in that are signs for a people who believe. And he said, 'You have only taken to yourselves idols, apart from God, as a mark of mutual love between you in the present life; then upon the Day of Resurrection you will deny one another, and you will curse one another, and your refuge will be the Fire, and you will have no helpers.' 29:25 But Lot believed him; and he said, 'I will flee to my Lord; He is the All-mighty, the All-wise.' And We gave him Isaac and Jacob, and We appointed the Prophecy and the Book to be among his seed; We gave him his wage in this world, and in the world to come he shall be among the righteous. And Lot, when he said to his people 'Surely you commit such indecency as never any being in all the world committed before you. What, do you approach men, and cut the way, and commit in your a**embly dishonour?' But the only answer of his people was that they said, 'Then bring us the chastisement of God, if thou speakest truly.' He said, 'My Lord, help me against the people that work corruption.' 29:30 And when Our messengers came to Abraham with the good tidings, they said, 'We shall destroy the people of this city, for its people are evildoers.' He said, 'Lot is in it.' They said, 'We know very well who is in it; a**uredly We shall deliver him and his family, except his wife; she has become of those that tarry.' When that Our messengers came to Lot he was troubled on their account and distressed for them; but they said, 'Fear not, neither sorrow, for surely we shall deliver thee and thy family, except thy wife; she has become of those that tarry. We shall send down upon the people of this city wrath out of heaven for their ungodliness.' And indeed, We have left thereof a sign, a clear sign? unto a people who understand. 29:35 And to Midian their brother Shuaib; he said, 'O my people, serve God, and look you for the Last Day; and do not mischief in the land, working corruption.' But they cried lies to him; so the earthquake seized them, and morning found them in their habitation fallen prostrate. And Ad, and Thamood -- it has become clear to you from their dwelling-places; and Satan decked out fair to them their works, and barred them from the way, though they saw clearly. And Korah, and Pharaoh, and Haman; Moses came to them with the clear signs, but they waxed proud in the earth, yet they outstripped Us not. Each We seized for his sin; and of them against some We loosed a squall of pebbles and some were seized by the Cry, and some We made the earth to swallow, and some We drowned; God would never wrong them, but they wronged themselves. 29:40 The likeness of those who have taken to them protectors, apart from God, is as the likeness of the spider that takes to itself a house; and surely the frailest of houses is the house of the spider, did they but know. God knows whatever thing they call upon apart from Him; He is the All-mighty, the All-wise. And those similitudes -- We strike them for the people, but none understands them save those who know. God created the heavens and the earth with the truth; surely in that is a sign to the believers. Recite what has been revealed to thee of the Book, and perform the prayer; prayer forbids indecency and dishonour. God's remembrance is greater; and God knows the things you work. 29:45 Dispute not with the People of the Book save in the fairer manner, except for those of them that do wrong; and say, 'We believe in what has been sent down to us, and what has been sent down to you; our God and your God is One, and to Him we have surrendered.' Even so We have sent down to thee the Book. Those to whom We have given the Book believe in it; and some of these believe in it; and none denies Our signs but the unbelievers. Not before this didst thou recite any Book, or inscribe it with thy right hand, for then those who follow falsehood would: have doubted. Nay; rather it is signs, clear signs in the breasts of those who have been given knowledge; and none denies Our signs but the evildoers. They say, 'Why have signs not been sent down upon him from his Lord?' Say: 'The signs are only with God, and I am only a plain warner. 29:50 What, is it not sufficient for them that We have sent down upon thee the Book that is recited to them? Surely in that is a mercy, and a reminder to a people who believe. Say: 'God suffices as a witness between me and you.' He knows whatsoever is in the heavens and earth. Those who believe in vanity and disbelieve in God -- those, they are the losers. And they demand of thee to hasten the chastisement! But for a stated term the chastisement would have come upon them; but it shall come upon them suddenly, when they are not aware. They demand of thee to hasten the chastisement! Lo, Gehenna encompa**es the unbelievers. 29:55 Upon the day the chastisement shall overwhelm them from above them and from under their feet, and He shall say, 'Taste now what you were doing!' O My servants who believe, surely My earth is wide; therefore Me do you serve! Every soul shall taste of d**h; then unto Us you shall be returned. And those who believe, and do righteous deeds, We shall surely lodge them in lofty chambers of paradise, underneath which rivers flow, therein dwelling forever; and excellent is the wage of those who labour, such men as are patient, and put their trust in their Lord. 29:60 How many a beast that bears not its own provision, but God provides for it and you! He is the All-hearer, the All-knower. If thou askest them, 'Who created the heavens and the earth and subjected the sun and the moon?' they will say, 'God.' How then are they perverted? God outspreads and straitens His provision to whomsoever He will of His servants; God has knowledge of everything. If thou askest them, 'Who sends down out of heaven water, and therewith revives the earth after it is dead?' they will say, 'God.' Say: 'Praise belongs to God.' Nay, but most of them have no understanding. This present life is naught but a diversion and a sport; surely the Last Abode is Life, did they but know. 29:65 When they embark in the ships, they call on God, making their religion sincerely His; but when He has delivered them to the land, they a**ociate others with Him, that they may be ungrateful for what We have given them, and take their enjoyment; they will soon know! Have they not seen that We have appointed a sanctuary secure, while all about them the people are snatched away? What, do they believe in vanity, and do they disbelieve in God's blessing? And who does greater evil than he who forges against God a lie, or cries lies to the truth when it comes to him? What, is there not in Gehenna a lodging for the unbelievers? But those who struggle in Our cause, surely We shall guide them in Our ways; and God is with the good-doers.