The Moon

[XLIX.]

Mecca.—55 Verses

In the Name of God, the Compassionate, the Merciful

The hour hath approached and the MOON hath been cleft:

But whenever they see a miracle they turn aside and say, This is well-devised magic.

And they have treated the prophets as impostors, and follow their own lusts; but everything is unalterably fixed.

A message of prohibition had come to them—

Consummate wisdom—but warners profit them not.

Quit them then. On the day when the summoner shall summon to a stern business,

With downcast eyes shall they come forth from their graves, as if they were scattered locusts,

Hastening to the summoner. “This,” shall the infidels say, “is the distressful day.”

Before 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.

Then cried he to his Lord, “Verily, they prevail against me; come thou therefore to my succour.”

So we opened the gates of Heaven with water which fell in torrents,

And we caused the earth to break forth with springs, and their waters met by settled decree.

And we bare him on a vessel made with planks and nails.

Under our eyes it floated on: a recompence to him who had been rejected with unbelief.

And we left it a sign: but, is there any one who receives the warning?

And how great was my vengeance and my menace!

Easy for warning have we made the Koran—but, is there any one who receives the warning?

The Adites called the truth a lie: but how great was my vengeance and my menace;

For we sent against them a roaring wind in a day of continued distress:

It tore men away as though they were uprooted palm stumps.

And how great was my vengeance and my menace!

Easy for warning have we made the Koran—but, is there any one who receives the warning?

The tribe of Themoud treated the threatenings as lies:

And they said, “Shall we follow a single man from among ourselves? Then verily should we be in error and in folly.

To him alone among us is the office of warning entrusted? No! he is an impostor, an insolent person.”