The Dawn 89

There surely is an oath for thinking man.

Dost thou not consider how thy Lord dealt with (the tribe of) A'ad,

The like of which was not created in the lands;

And with (the tribe of) Thamud, who clove the rocks in the valley;

Who (all) were rebellious (to Allah) in these lands,

Therefore thy Lord poured on them the disaster of His punishment.

As for man, whenever his Lord trieth him by honouring him, and is gracious unto him, he saith: My Lord honoureth me.

But whenever He trieth him by straitening his means of life, he saith: My Lord despiseth me.

Nay, but ye (for your part) honour not the orphan

And urge not on the feeding of the poor.

And ye devour heritages with devouring greed.

Nay, but when the earth is ground to atoms, grinding, grinding,

And thy Lord shall come with angels, rank on rank,

And hell is brought near that day; on that day man will remember, but how will the remembrance (then avail him)?

He will say: Ah, would that I had sent before me (some provision) for my life!

None punisheth as He will punish on that day!

Return unto thy Lord, content in His good pleasure!