NUN. I swear by the Pen and by that which they write
By the grace of your Lord you (Muhammad) are not mad (or stupid, deluded or possessed)
And most surely you shall have a reward unfailing
And most surely you have the most sublime (or exalted) character
Soon will you see, and they too shall see
Which of you is afflicted with madness (stupidity or delusion)
Surely your Lord best knows him who errs from His way, and He best knows the followers of the right guidance
So do not yield to the rejecters
They desire that you should be pliant (or compromise) so they too would be pliant (compromise)
And yield not to any mean swearer
Defamer, going about with slander
Hinderer (obstructer) of good, transgressor beyond limits, malefactor
Ignoble (violent, cruel and greedy), besides all that, base-born (inherently degenerate)
Because he possesses wealth and sons
When Our communications are recited to him, he says, "Stories of those of old"
We will brand him on the snout
Surely We will try them as We tried the people of the garden, when they resolved to cut the produce in the morning
And were not willing to set aside a portion (for the poor)
Then there encompassed it (the garden) a visitation from your Lord while they were sleeping
So it became as black, barren land
And they called out to each other in the morning (unaware of what had happened)
Saying, "Go early to your tilth if you would cut the produce."
So they went, while they murmured to each other secretly
Saying, "Let no poor man enter it today besides you."
And in the morning they went, strong in this (evil) resolve
But when they saw it (the garden), they said, "Most surely we have gone astray
"Nay! We are made to suffer privation."
The best of them said, "Did I not say to you, ´Why not glorify (Allah)?´"
They said, "Glory be to our Lord, surely we were unjust."
Then some of them advanced against others, blaming each other
Said they, "O woe to us! Surely we were outrageous transgressors
"Maybe, our Lord will give us instead a garden better than this; lo! We beseech (or turn in repentance to) our Lord."
Such is the chastisement, and certainly the chastisement of the Hereafter is even greater, did they but know
Surely those who guard against evil shall have with their Lord Gardens of Delight
What! Shall We then treat those who have Surrendered (in Islam) as those who are guilty
What ails you? How do you judge
Or have you a Book wherein you learn
That you shall have through it whatever you choose
Or have you received from Us an agreement, confirmed by an oath, extending until the Day of Resurrection, that you shall have what you demand
Ask them which of them will vouch for that
Or have they associates (in the Godhead); then let them produce them if they are truthful
On the day when the Shin (the Hidden Mystery or Truth) shall be laid bare, and they shall be called upon to make obeisance, but they shall not be able
Their looks cast down, abasement shall overtake them seeing that they had been called upon to make obeisance indeed while yet they were safe
So leave Me and him who rejects this Announcement (The Message of Muhammad); We will overtake them by degrees, from whence they perceive not
Yet I do bear with them, for lo! My plan is firm
Or do you ask from them a reward, so that they are burdened with debt
Or have they the knowledge of the unseen, so that they write it down
So wait patiently for the judgment of your Lord, and be not like the Companion of the Fish (Jonah), when he cried while he was in distress
Were it not that favour from his Lord had reached him, he would certainly have been cast down upon the naked shore while he was blameworthy
Then his Lord chose him, and He made him of the righteous
And those who disbelieve would almost smite you with their eyes when they hear the Reminder (Quran), and they say, "Most surely he is mad (or possessed)
And it is naught but a reminder to creation (or all the worlds)