Surah “The Moon”

as rendered by Arthur John Arberry — 55 verses

The Hour has drawn nigh: the moon is split
Yet if they see a sign they turn away, and they say 'A continuous sorcery!
They have cried lies, and followed their caprices; but every matter is settled
And there have come to them such tidings as contain a deterrent -
a Wisdom far-reaching; yet warnings do not avail
So turn thou away from them. Upon the day when the Caller shall call unto a horrible thing
abasing their eyes, they shall come forth from the tombs as if they were scattered grasshoppers
running with outstretched necks to the Caller. The unbelievers shall say, 'This is a hard day!
The people of Noah cried lies before them; they cried lies to Our servant, and said, 'A man possessed!' And he was rejected
And so he called unto his Lord, saying, 'I am vanquished; do Thou succour me!
Then We opened the gates of heaven unto water torrential
and made the earth to gush with fountains, and the waters met for a matter decreed
And We bore him upon a well-planked vessel well-caulke
running before Our eyes-a recompense for him denied
And We left it for a sign. Is there any that will remember
How then were My chastisement and My warnings
Now We have made the Koran easy for Remembrance. Is there any that will remember
Ad cried lies. How then were My chastisement and My warnings
We loosed against them a wind clamorous in a day of ill fortune continuous
plucking up men as if they were stumps of uprooted palm-trees
How then were My chastisement and My warnings
Now We have made the Koran easy for Remembrance. Is there any that will remember
Thamood cried lies to the warning
and said, 'What, shall we follow a mortal, one out of ourselves? Then indeed we should be in error and insanity
Has the Reminder been cast upon him alone among us? Nay, rather he is an impudent liar.
'They shall surely know tomorrow who is the impudent liar
They shall send the She-camel as a trial for them; so watch thou them and keep patience
And tell them that the water is to be divided between them, each drink for each in turn
Then they called their comrade, and he took in hand, and hamstrung her
How then were My chastisement and My warnings
We loosed against them one Cry, and they were as the wattles of a pen-builder
Now We have made the Koran easy for Remembrance. Is there any that will remember
The people of Lot cried lies to the warnings
We loosed against them a squall of pebbles except the folk of Lot; We delivered them at the dawn -
a blessing from Us; even so We recompense him who is thankful
He had warned them of Our assault, but they disputed the warnings
Even his guests they had solicited of him; so We obliterated their eyes, saying, 'Taste now My chastisement and My warnings!
In the morning early there came upon them a settled chastisement
'Taste now My chastisement and My warnings!
Now We have made the Koran easy for Remembrance. Is there any that will remember
The warnings came also to Pharaoh's folk
They cried lies to Our signs, all of them, so We seized them with the seizing of One mighty, omnipotent
What, are your unbelievers better than those? Or have you an immunity in the Scrolls
Or do they say, 'We are a congregation that shall be succoured?
Certainly the host shall be routed, and turn their backs
Nay, but the Hour is their tryst, and the Hour is very calamitous and bitter
Surely the sinners are in error and insanity
The day when they are dragged on their faces into the Fire: 'Taste now the touch of Sakar!
Surely We have created everything in measure
Our commandment is but one word, as the twinkling of an eye
We have destroyed the likes of you; is there any that will remember
Every thing that they have done is in the Scrolls
and everything, great and small, is inscribed
Surely the godfearing shall dwell amid gardens and a rive
in a sure abode, in the presence of a King Omnipotent