THE LAST HOUR draws near, and the moon is split asunder!

But if they [who reject all thought of the Last Hour] were to see a sign [of its approach], they would turn aside and say, “An ever-recurring delusion!” –

for they are bent on giving it the lie, being always wont to follow their own desires. Yet everything reveals its truth in the end.

And withal, there has come unto them many a tiding that should have restrained [their arrogance]:

far-reaching wisdom [was held out to them]: but [since] all warnings have been of no avail,

turn thou away from them. On the Day when the Summoning Voice will sum­mon [man] unto something that the mind cannot conceive,

they will come forth from their graves, with their eyes downcast, [swarming about] like locusts scattered [by the wind],

running in con­fusion towards the Summoning Voice; [and] those who [now] deny the truth will exclaim, “Calamitous is this Day!”

[LONG] BEFORE those [who now deny resurrec­tion] did Noah’s people call it a lie; and they gave the lie to Our servant and said, “Mad is he!” - and he was repulsed.

Thereupon he called out to his Sustainer, “Verily, I am defeated; come Thou, then, to my succour!”

And so We caused the gates of heaven to open with water pouring down in torrents,

and caused the earth to burst forth with springs, so that the waters met for a purpose pre-ordained:

but him We bore on that [vessel] made of [mere] planks and nails,

and it floated under Our eyes: a recom­pense for him who had been rejected with ingratitude.

And, indeed, We have caused such [floating vessels] to remain forever a sign [of Our grace unto man]: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

And how severe is the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!

Hence, indeed, We made this Qur’an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

TO THE TRUTH gave the lie [the tribe of] Ad: and how severe was the suffering which I inflicted when My warnings were disregarded!

Behold, We let loose upon them a raging storm wind on a day of bitter misfortune:

it swept the people away as though they were palm-trunks uprooted:

for, how severe is the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!

Hence, indeed, We made this Qur’an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

[AND the tribe of] Thamud gave the lie to all [Our] warnings;

and they said: “Are we to follow one single mortal, one from among ourselves? In that case, behold, we would certainly sink into error and folly!

Why - on him alone from among all of us should a [divine] reminder have been bestowed? Nay, but he is a boastful liar!”

[And God said:] “On the morrow they will come to know who the boastful liar is!

Behold, [O Salih] We are letting loose this she-camel as a test for them; and thou but watch them, and contain thyself in patience.

And let them know that the water [of their wells] is to be divided between them, with each share of water equitably apportioned.”

But they summoned their [boldest] companion, and he ventured [upon the evil deed], and cruelly slaughtered [the animal]:

and how severe was the suffering which I inflicted when My warnings were disregarded!

Behold, We let loose upon them one single blast [of Our punishment], and they became like the dried-up, crumbling twigs of a sheepfold.

Hence, indeed, We made this Qur’an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

LOT ’S PEOPLE [too] gave the lie to all [Our] warn­ings:

[and so,] behold, We let loose upon them a deadly tempest; and only Lot ’s kinsfolk did We save at the break of dawn,

as a blessing from Us: thus do We reward all who are grateful.

For he had truly warned them of Our punishing might; but they stubbornly cast doubt on these warn­ings,

and even demanded that he give up his guests [to them]: whereupon We deprived them of their sight [and thus told them, as it were]: “Taste, then, the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!”

And, indeed, abiding suffering did befall them early on the morrow:

“Taste, then, the suffering which I inflict when My warnings are disregarded!”

Hence, indeed, We made this Qur’an easy to bear in mind: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

Now surely, unto Pharaoh’s folk [too] came such warnings;

they, too, gave the lie to all Our messages: and thereupon We took them to task as only the Almighty, who determines all things, can take to task.

ARE, THEN, those of you who [now] deny the truth better than those others - or have you, per­chance, [been promised] immunity in the [ancient] books of [divine] wisdom?

Or do they say, “We are a group united, [and therefore] bound to prevail”?

[Yet] the hosts [of those who deny the truth] shall be routed, and they shall turn their backs [in flight]!

But nay - the Last Hour is the time when they shall truly meet their fate; and that Last Hour will be most calamitous, and most bitter:

for, behold, those who are lost in sin [will at that time come to know that it is they who] were sunk in error and folly!

On the Day when they shall be dragged into the fire on their faces, [they will be told:] “Taste now the touch of hell-fire!”

BEHOLD, everything have We created in due measure and proportion;

and Our ordaining [a thing and its coming into being] is but one [act], like the twinkling of an eye.

Thus, indeed, did We destroy people like you [in the past]: who, then, is willing to take it to heart?

[They were truly guilty] because all [the evil] that they ever did had been [revealed to them as such] in the [ancient] books of [divine] wisdom;

and everything [that man does], be it small or great, is recorded [with God].

[Hence, too,] behold, the God-conscious will find themselves in [a paradise of] gardens and running waters,

in a seat of truth, in the presence of a Sovereign who determines all things.