Surah Al-Balad - English Translation by Hamid S Aziz
لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ
I swear (or call to witness) this City (Mecca)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 1
وَأَنتَ حِلُّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ
And you (Muhammad) are a dweller of this City
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 2
وَوَالِدٖ وَمَا وَلَدَ
And the (mystic ties) of Parent and Child
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 3
لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ
We have surely created man in suffering (struggle, trouble, sorrow)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 4
أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٞ
Does he think that none has power over him
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 5
يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالٗا لُّبَدًا
He says, "I have squandered wealth in plenty
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 6
أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
Does he think that no one sees him
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 7
أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ
Have We not made for him two eyes
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 8
وَلِسَانٗا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ
And a tongue, and two lips
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 9
وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ
And guided him in the two highways
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 10
فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ
But he has not attempted the ascent
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 11
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ
And what will explain to you the ascent
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 12
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
It is freeing captives (or prisoners, slaves, the restricted or bound)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 13
أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ
Or feeding on the day of privation
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 14
يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ
An orphan who is a kin
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 15
أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ
Or a destitute lying in the dust (of misery)
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 16
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ
And again (it is) to be of those who believe and encourage each other to patience, and encourage each other to mercy
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 17
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ
These are the fellows of the right
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 18
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ
But those who disbelieve in our signs, they are the fellows of the left
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 19
عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَارٞ مُّؤۡصَدَةُۢ
For them is the enclosing Fire
Surah Al-Balad, Verse 20