A. J. Arberry - Sura 10: Jonah lyrics

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compa**ionate 10:1 Alif Lam Ra Those are the signs of the Wise Book. Was it a wonder to the people that We revealed to a man from among them: 'Warn the people, and give thou good tidings to the believers that they have a sure footing with their Lord'? The unbelievers say, 'This is a manifest sorcerer.' Surely your Lord is God, who created the heavens and the earth in six days, then sat Himself upon the Throne, directing the affair. Intercessor there is none, save after His leave that then is God, your Lord; so serve Him. Will you not remember? To Him shall you return, all together -- God's promise, in truth. He originates creation, then He brings it back again that He may recompense those who believe and do deeds of righteousness, justly. And those who disbelieve -- for them awaits a draught of boiling water, and a painful chastisement, for their disbelieving. 10:5 It is He who made the sun a radiance, and the moon a light, and determined it by stations, that you might know the number of the years and the reckoning. God created that not save with the truth, distinguishing the signs to a people who know. In the alternation of night and day, and what God has created in the heavens and the earth -- surely there are signs for a godfearing people. Surely those who look not to encounter Us and are well-pleased with the present life and are at rest in it, and those who are heedless of Our signs, those -- their refuge is the Fire, for that they have been earning. Surely those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness, their Lord will guide them for their belief; beneath them rivers flowing in gardens of bliss; 10:10 their cry therein, 'Glory to Thee, O God,' their greeting, 'Peace,' and their cry ends, 'Praise belongs to God, the Lord of all Being.' If God should hasten unto men evil as they would hasten good, their term would be already decided for them. But We leave those, who look not to encounter Us, in their insolence wandering blindly. When affliction visits a man, he calls Us on his side, or sitting, or standing; but when We have removed his affliction from him, he pa**es on, as if he never called Us to an affliction that visited him. So decked out fair to the prodigal is that they have been doing. We destroyed the generations before you when they did evil, and their Messengers came to them with the clear signs, but they would not believe; so We recompense the people of the sinners. 10:15 Then We appointed you viceroys in the earth after them, that We might behold how you would do. And when Our signs are recited to them, clear signs, those who look not to encounter Us say, 'Bring a Koran other than this, or alter it.' Say: 'It is not for me to alter it of my own accord. I follow nothing, except what is revealed to me. Truly I fear, if I should rebel against my Lord, the chastisement of a dreadful day.' Say: 'Had God willed I would not have recited it to you, neither would He have taught you it; I abode among you a lifetime before it -- will you not understand?' And who does greater evil than he who forges against God a lie, or cries lies to His signs? Surely the sinners do not prosper. They serve, apart from God, what hurts them not neither profits them, and they say, 'These are our intercessors with God.' Say: 'Will you tell God what He knows not either in the heavens or in the earth?' Glory be to Him! High be He exalted above that they a**ociate! 10:20 Mankind were only one nation, then they fell into variance. But for a word that preceded from thy Lord, it had been decided between them already touching their differences. They say, 'Why has a sign not been sent down upon him from his Lord?' Say: 'The Unseen belongs only to God. Then watch and wait; I shall be with you watching and waiting.' When We let the people taste mercy after hardship has visited them, lo, they have a device concerning Our signs. Say: 'God is swifter at devising; surely Our messengers are writing down what you are devising.' It is He who conveys you on the land and the sea; and when you are in the ship -- and the ships run with them with a fair breeze, and they rejoice in it, there comes upon them a strong wind, and waves come on them from every side, and they think they are encompa**ed; they call upon God, making their religion His sincerely: 'If Thou deliverest us from these, surely we shall be among the thankful.' Nevertheless when He has delivered them behold, they are insolent in the earth, wrongfully. O men, your insolence is only against yourselves; the enjoyment of this present life, then unto Us you shall return, then We shall tell you what you were doing. 10:25 The likeness of this present life is as water that We send down out of heaven, and the plants of the earth mingle with it whereof men and cattle eat, till, when the earth has taken on its glitter and has decked itself fair, and its inhabitants think they have power over it, Our command comes upon it by night or day, and We make it stubble, as though yesterday it flourished not. Even so We distinguish the signs for a people who reflect. And God summons to the Abode of Peace, and He guides whomsoever He will to a straight path; to the good-doers the reward most fair and a surplus; neither dust nor abasement shall overspread their faces. Those are the inhabitants of Paradise, therein dwelling forever. And for those who have earned evil deeds the recompense of an evil deed shall be the like of it; abasement shall overspread them, neither have they any defender from God, as if their faces were covered with strips of night shadowy. Those are the inhabitants of the Fire, therein dwelling forever. And the day We shall muster them all, then We shall say to those who a**ociate other gods with God: 'Get you to your place, you and your a**ociates!' Then We shall set a space between them, and their a**ociates 10:30 will say, 'Not us you were serving. God is a sufficient witness between us and you; a**uredly we were heedless of your service.' There every soul shall prove its past deeds; and they shall be restored to God, their Protector, the True, and there shall go astray from them that they were forging. Say: 'Who provides you out of heaven and earth, or who possesses hearing and sight, and who brings forth the living from the dead and brings forth the dead from the living, and who directs the affair?' They will surely say, 'God.' Then say: 'Will you not be godfearing?' That then is God, your Lord, the True; what is there, after truth, but error? Then how are you turned about? Thus the word of thy Lord is realized against the ungodly that they believe not. 10:35 Say: 'Is there any of your a**ociates who originates creation, then brings it back again?' Say: 'God -- He originates creation, then brings it back again; so how are you perverted?' Say: 'Is there any of your a**ociates who guides to the truth?' Say: 'God -- He guides to the truth; and which is worthier to be followed -- He who guides to the truth, or he who guides not unless he is guided? What then ails you, how you judge?' And the most of them follow only surmise, and surmise avails naught against truth. Surely God knows the things they do. This Koran could not have been forged apart from God; but it is a confirmation of what is before it, and a distinguishing of the Book, wherein is no doubt, from the Lord of all Being. Or do they say, 'Why, he has forged it'? Say: 'Then produce a sura like it, and call on whom you can, apart from God, if you speak truly.' 10:40 No; but they have cried lies to that whereof they comprehended not the knowledge, and whose interpretation has not yet come to them. Even so those that were before them cried lies; then behold how was the end of the evildoers! And some of them believe in it, and some believe not in it. Thy Lord knows very well those who do corruption. If they cry lies to thee, then do thou say: 'I have my work, and you have your work; you are quit of what I do, and I am quit of what you do.' And some of them give ear to thee; what, wilt thou make the deaf to hear, though they understand not? And some of them look unto thee; what, wilt thou then guide the blind, though they do not see? 10:45 Surely God wrongs not men anything, but themselves men wrong. And the day He shall muster them, as if they had not tarried but an hour of the day, mutually recognizing one another; lost will be those who cried lies to the encounter with God, and were not guided. Whether We show thee a part of that We promise them, or We call thee unto Us, to Us they shall return; then God is witness of the things they do Every nation has its Messenger; then, when their Messenger comes, justly the issue is decided between them, and they are not wronged. They say, 'When will this promise be, if you speak truly?' 10:50 Say: 'I have no power to profit for myself, or hurt, but as God will. To every nation a term; when their term comes they shall not put it back by a single hour nor put it forward.' Say: 'Have you considered? If His chastisement comes upon you by night or day, what part of it will the sinners seek to hasten? What, when it has come to pa**, will you then believe in it? Now, when already you seek to hasten it!' Then it will be said to the evildoers: 'Taste the chastisement of eternity! Are you recompensed for aught but that you have been earning?' They ask thee to tell them, 'Is it true?' Say: 'Yes, by my Lord! It is true; you cannot frustrate Him.' 10:55 If every soul that has done evil possessed all that is in the earth, he would offer it for his ransom; and they will be secretly remorseful when they see the chastisement, and justly the issue is decided between them, and they are not wronged. Why, surely to God belongs everything that is in the heavens and earth. Why, surely God's promise is true; but the most of them have no knowledge He gives life, and makes to die, and to Him you shall be returned. O men, now there has come to you an admonition from your Lord, and a healing for what is in the breasts, and a guidance, and a mercy to the believers. Say: 'In the bounty of God, and His mercy -- in that let them rejoice; it is better than that they ama**. 10:60 Say: 'Have you considered the provision God has sent down for you, and you have made some of it unlawful, and some lawful?' Say: 'Has God given you leave, or do you forge against God?' What will they think, who forge falsehood against God; on the Day of Resurrection? God is bountiful to men; but most of them are not thankful. Thou art not upon any occupation, neither recitest thou any Koran of it, nor do you any work, without that We are witnesses over you when you press on it; and not so much as the weight of an ant in earth or heaven escapes from thy Lord, neither is aught smaller than that, or greater, but in a Manifest Book. Surely God's friends -- no fear shall be on them, neither shall they sorrow. Those who believe, and are godfearing -- 10:65 for them is good tidings in the present life and in the world to come. There is no changing the words of God; that is the mighty triumph. And do not let their saying grieve thee; the glory belongs altogether to God; He is the All-hearing, the All-knowing. Why, surely to God belongs everyone that is in the heavens and in the earth; they follow, who call upon a**ociates, apart from God -- they follow nothing but surmise, merely conjecturing. It is He who made for you the night to repose in it, and the day, to see; surely in that are signs for a people who have ears. They say, 'God has taken to Him a son. Glory be to Him! He is All-sufficient; to Him belongs all that is in the heavens and in the earth; you have no authority for this. What, do you say concerning God that you know not? 10:70 Say: 'Those who forge against God falsehood shall not prosper. Some enjoyment in this world; then unto Us they shall return; then We shall let them taste the terrible chastisement, for that they were unbelievers. And recite to them the story of Noah when he said to his people, 'My people, if my standing here is grievous to you and my reminding you of the signs of God, in God have I put my trust; so resolve on your affair, with your a**ociates, then let not your affair be a worry to you, but make decision unto me, and respite me not. Then if you turn your backs, I have not asked you for any wage; my wage falls only on God, and I have been commanded to be of those that surrender.' But they cried him lies; so We delivered him, and those with him, in the Ark, and We appointed them as viceroys, and We drowned those who cried lies to Our signs; then behold how was the end of them that were warned! 10:75 Then We sent forth, after him, Messengers to their people, and they brought them the clear signs; but they were not men to believe in that they had cried lies to before. So We seal the hearts of the transgressors. Then We sent forth, after them, Moses and Aaron to Pharaoh and his Council with Our signs, but they waxed proud, and were a sinful people. So, when the truth came to them from Us, they said, 'Surely this is a manifest sorcery.' Moses said, 'What, do you say this to the truth, when it has come to you? Is this a sorcery? But sorcerers do not prosper.' They said, 'Art thou come to us to turn us from that we found our fathers practising, and that the domination in the land might belong to you two? We do not believe you. 10:80 Pharaoh said, 'Bring me every cunning sorcerer.' Then, when the sorcerers came, Moses said to them, 'Cast you down what you will cast.' Then, when they had cast, Moses said, 'What you have brought is sorcery; God will a**uredly bring it to naught. God sets not right the work of those who do corruption. God verifies the truth by His words, though sinners be averse.' So none believed in Moses, save a seed of his people, for fear of Pharaoh and their Council, that they would persecute them; and Pharaoh was high in the land, and he was one of the prodigals. Moses said, 'O my people, if you believe in God, in Him put your trust, if you have surrendered.' 10:85 They said, 'In God we have put our trust. Our Lord, make us not a temptation to the people of the evildoers, and deliver us by Thy mercy from the people of the unbelievers.' And We revealed to Moses and his brother, 'Take you, for your people, in Egypt certain houses; and make your houses a direction for men to pray to; and perform the prayer; and do thou give good tidings to the believers.' Moses said, 'Our Lord, Thou hast given to Pharaoh and his Council adornment and possessions in this present life. Our Lord, let them go astray from Thy way; Our Lord, obliterate their possessions, and harden their hearts so that they do not believe, till they see the painful chastisement.' He said, 'Your prayer is answered; so go you straight, and follow not the way of those that know not.' 10:90 And We brought the Children of Israel over the sea; and Pharaoh and his hosts followed them insolently and impetuously till, when the drowning overtook him, he said, 'I believe that there is no god but He in whom the Children of Israel believe; I am of those that surrender.' 'Now? And before thou didst rebel, being of those that did corruption. So today We shall deliver thee with thy body, that thou mayest be a sign to those after thee. Surely many men are heedless of Our signs.' And We settled the Children of Israel in a sure settlement, and We provided them with good things; so they differed not until the knowledge came to them. Surely thy Lord will decide between them on the Day of Resurrection touching their differences. So, if thou art in doubt regarding what We have sent down to thee, ask those who recite the Book before thee. The truth has come to thee from thy Lord; so be not of the doubters, nor be of those who cry lies to God's signs so as to be of the losers. 10:95 Those against whom thy Lord's word is realized will not believe, though every sign come to them, till they see the painful chastisement. Why was there never a city that believed, and its belief profited it? -- Except the people of Jonah; when they believed, We removed from them the chastisement of degradation in this present life, and We gave unto them enjoyment for a time. 10:100 And if thy Lord had willed, whoever is in the earth would have believed, all of them, all together. Wouldst thou then constrain the people, until they are believers? It is not for any soul to believe save by the leave of God; and He lays abomination upon those who have no understanding. Say: 'Behold what is in the heavens and in the earth!' But neither signs nor warnings avail a people who do not believe. So do they watch and wait for aught but the like of the days of those who pa**ed away before them? Say: 'Then watch and wait; I shall be with you watching and waiting.' Then We shall deliver Our Messengers and the believers. Even so, as is Our bounden duty, We shall deliver the believers. Say: 'O men, if you are in doubt regarding my religion, I serve not those you serve apart from God, but I serve God, who will gather you to Him, and I am commanded to be of the believers, and: 10:105 "Set thy face to the religion, a man of pure faith, and be thou not of the idolaters; and do not call, apart from God, on that which neither profits nor hurts thee, for if thou dost, then thou wilt surely be of the evildoers. And if God visits thee with affliction, none can remove it but He; and if He desires any good for thee, none can repel His bounty; He causes it to fall upon whomsoever He will of His servants." He is the All-forgiving, the All-compa**ionate.' Say: 'O men, the truth has come to you from your Lord. Whosoever is guided is guided only to his own gain, and whosoever goes astray, it is only to his own loss. I am not a guardian over you. And follow thou what is revealed to thee; and be thou patient until God shall judge; and He is the best of judges.