[68.1] Nun. By the pen and that which they write (therewith),
[68.2] Thou art not, for thy Lord's favour unto thee, a madman.
[68.3] And lo! thine verily will be a reward unfailing.
[68.4] And lo! thou art of a tremendous nature.
[68.5] And thou wilt see and they will see
[68.6] Which of you is the demented.
[68.7] Lo! thy Lord is Best Aware of him who strayeth from His way, and He is Best Aware of those who walk aright.
[68.8] Therefor obey not thou the rejecters
[68.9] Who would have had thee compromise, that they may compromise.
[68.10] Neither obey thou each feeble oath-monger,
[68.11] Detracter, spreader abroad of slanders,
[68.12] Hinderer of the good, transgressor, malefactor
[68.13] Greedy therewithal, intrusive.
[68.14] It is because he is possessed of wealth and children
[68.15] That, when Our revelations are recited unto him, he saith: Mere fables of the men of old.
[68.16] We shall brand him on the nose.
[68.17] Lo! We have tried them as We tried the owners of the garden when they vowed that they would pluck its fruit next morning,
[68.18] And made no exception (for the Will of Allah);
[68.19] Then a visitation from thy Lord came upon it while they slept
[68.20] And in the morning it was as if plucked.
[68.21] And they cried out one unto another in the morning,
[68.22] Saying: Run unto your field if ye would pluck (the fruit).
[68.23] So they went off, saying one unto another in low tones:
[68.24] No needy man shall enter it to-day against you.
[68.25] They went betimes, strong in (this) purpose.
[68.26] But when they saw it, they said: Lo! we are in error!
[68.27] Nay, but we are desolate!
[68.28] The best among them said: Said I not unto you: Why glorify ye not (Allah) ?
[68.29] They said: Glorified be our Lord! Lo! we have been wrong-doers.
[68.30] Then some of them drew near unto others, self-reproaching.
[68.31] They said: Alas for us! In truth we were outrageous.
[68.32] It may be that our Lord will give us better than this in place thereof. Lo! we beseech our Lord.
[68.33] Such was the punishment. And verily the punishment of the Hereafter is greater if they did but know.
[68.34] Lo! for those who keep from evil are gardens of bliss with their Lord.
[68.35] Shall We then treat those who have surrendered as We treat the guilty ?
[68.36] What aileth you ? How foolishly ye judge!
[68.37] Or have ye a scripture wherein ye learn
[68.38] That ye shall indeed have all that ye choose ?
[68.39] Or have ye a covenant on oath from Us that reacheth to the Day of Judgment, that yours shall be all that ye ordain ?
[68.40] Ask them (O Muhammad) which of them will vouch for that!
[68.41] Or have they other gods ? Then let them bring their other gods if they are truthful
[68.42] On the day when it befalleth in earnest, and they are ordered to prostrate themselves but are not able,
[68.43] With eyes downcast, abasement stupefying them. And they had been summoned to prostrate themselves while they were yet unhurt.
[68.44] Leave Me (to deal) with those who give the lie to this pronouncement. We shall lead them on by steps from whence they know not.
[68.45] Yet I bear with them, for lo! My scheme is firm.
[68.46] Or dost thou (Muhammad) ask a fee from them so that they are heavily taxed ?
[68.47] Or is the Unseen theirs that they can write (thereof) ?
[68.48] But wait thou for thy Lord's decree, and be not like him of the fish, who cried out in despair.
[68.49] Had it not been that favour from his Lord had reached him he surely had been cast into the wilderness while he was reprobate.
[68.50] But his Lord chose him and placed him among the righteous.
[68.51] And lo! those who disbelieve would fain disconcert thee with their eyes when they hear the Reminder, and they say: Lo! he is indeed mad;
[68.52] When it is naught else than a Reminder to creation.