Surah Al-Balad - English Translation by Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall
لَآ أُقۡسِمُ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ
                  Nay, I swear by this city                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 1
                
وَأَنتَ حِلُّۢ بِهَٰذَا ٱلۡبَلَدِ
                  And thou art an indweller of this city                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 2
                
وَوَالِدٖ وَمَا وَلَدَ
                  And the begetter and that which he begat                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 3
                
لَقَدۡ خَلَقۡنَا ٱلۡإِنسَٰنَ فِي كَبَدٍ
                  We verily have created man in an atmosphere                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 4
                
أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّن يَقۡدِرَ عَلَيۡهِ أَحَدٞ
                  Thinketh he that none hath power over him                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 5
                
يَقُولُ أَهۡلَكۡتُ مَالٗا لُّبَدًا
                  And he saith: I have destroyed vast wealth                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 6
                
أَيَحۡسَبُ أَن لَّمۡ يَرَهُۥٓ أَحَدٌ
                  Thinketh he that none beholdeth him                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 7
                
أَلَمۡ نَجۡعَل لَّهُۥ عَيۡنَيۡنِ
                  Did We not assign unto him two eyes                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 8
                
وَلِسَانٗا وَشَفَتَيۡنِ
                  And a tongue and two lips                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 9
                
وَهَدَيۡنَٰهُ ٱلنَّجۡدَيۡنِ
                  And guide him to the parting of the mountain ways                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 10
                
فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ
                  But he hath not attempted the Ascent                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 11
                
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ
                  Ah, what will convey unto thee what the Ascent is                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 12
                
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
                  (It is) to free a slave                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 13
                
أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ
                  And to feed in the day of hunger                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 14
                
يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ
                  An orphan near of kin                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 15
                
أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ
                  Or some poor wretch in misery                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 16
                
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ
                  And to be of those who believe and exhort one another to perseverance and exhort one another to pity                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 17
                
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ
                  Their place will be on the right hand                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 18
                
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ
                  But those who disbelieve Our revelations, their place will be on the left hand                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 19
                
عَلَيۡهِمۡ نَارٞ مُّؤۡصَدَةُۢ
                  Fire will be an awning over them                  
                  Surah Al-Balad, Verse 20