The Town (Al-Balad)
In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compassionate
۞ No, I swear by this country (Mecca), 1 in which you are now living 2 and I swear by the parent and his offspring: 3 Verily, We have created man into [a life of] pain, toil and trial. 4 Does he think that none has power over him! 5 He says, "I have spent enormous wealth." 6 Does he think that no one sees him? 7 Did We not assign unto him two eyes 8 and a tongue, and a pair of lips, 9 Have We not shown him the ways of good and evil? 10 But he has made no effort to pass on the path that is steep. 11 What will explain to you what the ascent is? 12 [It is] the freeing of one's neck [from the burden of sin,] 13 Or feeding on a day of severe hunger 14 of an orphan near of kin, 15 Or a needy person in misery 16 and being, withal, of those who have attained to faith, and who enjoin upon one another patience in adversity, and enjoin upon one another compassion. 17 Those are the companions of the right. 18 And those who denied Our signs, are the people of the left. 19 over them is a Fire covered down. 20