The Qur'an Sura LIV — THE MOON
1The hour hath approached and the MOON hath been cleft:
2But whenever they see a miracle they turn aside and say, This is well-devised magic.
3And they have treated the prophets as impostors, and follow their own lusts; but everything is unalterably fixed.
4A message of prohibition had come to them–
5Consummate wisdom–but warners profit them not.
6Quit them then. On the day when the summoner shall summon to a stern business,
7With downcast eyes shall they come forth from their graves, as if they were scattered locusts,
8Hastening to the summoner. "This," shall the infidels say, "is the distressful day."
9Before them the people of Noah treated the truth as a lie. Our servant did they charge with falsehood, and said, "Demoniac!" and he was rejected.
10Then cried he to his Lord, "Verily, they prevail against me; come thou therefore to my succour."
11So we opened the gates of Heaven with water which fell in torrents,
12And we caused the earth to break forth with springs, and their waters met by settled decree.
13And we bare him on a vessel made with planks and nails.
14Under our eyes it floated on: a recompence to him who had been rejected with unbelief.
15And we left it a sign: but, is there any one who receives the warning?
16And how great was my vengeance and my menace!
17Easy for warning have we made the Koran–but, is there any one who receives the warning?
18The Adites called the truth a lie: but how great was my vengeance and my menace;
19For we sent against them a roaring wind in a day of continued distress:
20It tore men away as though they were uprooted palm stumps.
21And how great was my vengeance and my menace!
22Easy for warning have we made the Koran–but, is there any one who receives the warning?
23The tribe of Themoud treated the threatenings as lies:
24And they said, "Shall we follow a single man from among ourselves? Then verily should we be in error and in folly.
25To him alone among us is the office of warning entrusted? No! he is an impostor, an insolent person."
26To-morrow shall they learn who is the impostor, the insolent.
27"For we will send the she-camel to prove them: do thou mark them well, O Saleh, and be patient:
28And foretell them that their waters shall be divided between themselves and her, and that every draught shall come by turns to them."
29But they called to their comrade, and he took a knife and ham-strung her.
30And how great was my vengeance and my menance!
31We sent against them a single shout; and they became like the dry sticks of the fold-builders.
32Easy have we made the Koran for warning–but, is there any one who receives the warning?
33The people of Lot treated his warning as a lie;
34But we sent a stone-charged wind against them all, except the family of Lot, whom at daybreak we delivered,
35By our special grace–for thus we reward the thankful.
36He, indeed, had warned them of our severity, but of that warning they doubted.
37Even this guess did they demand: therefore we deprived them of sight,
38And said, "Taste ye my vengeance and my menace;"
39And in the morning a relentless punishment overtook them.
40Easy have we made the Koran for warning but, is there any one who receives the warning?
41To the people of Pharaoh also came the threatenings:
42All our miracles did they treat as impostures. Therefore seized we them as he only can seize, who is the Mighty, the Strong.
43Are your infidels, O Meccans, better men than these? Is there an exemption for you in the sacred Books?
44Will they say, "We are a host that lend one another aid?"
45The host shall be routed, and they shall turn them back.
46But, that Hour is their threatened time, and that Hour shall be most severe and bitter.
47Verily, the wicked are sunk in bewilderment and folly.
48On that day they shall be dragged into the fire on their faces. "Taste ye the touch of Hell."
49All things have we created after a fixed decree:
50Our command was but one word, swift as the twinkling of an eye.
51Of old, too, have we destroyed the like of you–yet is any one warned?
52And everything that they do is in the Books;
53Each action, both small and great, is written down.
54Verily, amid gardens and rivers shall the pious dwell.
55In the seat of truth, in the presence of the potent King.
Suras are in the standard order; verse divisions follow Rodwell's 1861 edition and do not always match the standard ayah numbering.