وَأَمَّا الغُلامُ فَكانَ أَبَواهُ مُؤمِنَينِ فَخَشينا أَن يُرهِقَهُما طُغيانًا وَكُفرًا

As for the boy, his parents were believers, and we feared he would overburden them with transgression and disbelief.

فَأَرَدنا أَن يُبدِلَهُما رَبُّهُما خَيرًا مِنهُ زَكاةً وَأَقرَبَ رُحمًا

So we desired that their Lord would give them in exchange someone better in purity and closer in mercy.

وَأَمَّا الجِدارُ فَكانَ لِغُلامَينِ يَتيمَينِ فِي المَدينَةِ وَكانَ تَحتَهُ كَنزٌ لَهُما وَكانَ أَبوهُما صالِحًا فَأَرادَ رَبُّكَ أَن يَبلُغا أَشُدَّهُما وَيَستَخرِجا كَنزَهُما رَحمَةً مِن رَبِّكَ ۚ وَما فَعَلتُهُ عَن أَمري ۚ ذٰلِكَ تَأويلُ ما لَم تَسطِع عَلَيهِ صَبرًا

As for the wall, it belonged to two orphan boys in the city, and beneath it was a treasure that was theirs. Their father was righteous, and your Lord intended for them to reach maturity and retrieve their treasure. I didn’t act of my own accord. This is the interpretation of that over which you couldn’t be patient.”

وَيَسأَلونَكَ عَن ذِي القَرنَينِ ۖ قُل سَأَتلو عَلَيكُم مِنهُ ذِكرًا

They ask you about Dhul-Qarnayn. Say, “I will narrate a portion of his story to you.”

إِنّا مَكَّنّا لَهُ فِي الأَرضِ وَآتَيناهُ مِن كُلِّ شَيءٍ سَبَبًا

We established him on earth, and We provided him with a means to do all things.

حَتّىٰ إِذا بَلَغَ مَغرِبَ الشَّمسِ وَجَدَها تَغرُبُ في عَينٍ حَمِئَةٍ وَوَجَدَ عِندَها قَومًا ۗ قُلنا يا ذَا القَرنَينِ إِمّا أَن تُعَذِّبَ وَإِمّا أَن تَتَّخِذَ فيهِم حُسنًا

Upon reaching the setting of the sun, he found it setting in a vast muddy spring, and he found people there. We said, “O Dhul-Qarnayn, you can either punish or treat them with kindness.”

قالَ أَمّا مَن ظَلَمَ فَسَوفَ نُعَذِّبُهُ ثُمَّ يُرَدُّ إِلىٰ رَبِّهِ فَيُعَذِّبُهُ عَذابًا نُكرًا

He answered, “As for those who commit wrongdoings, we will punish them. Then, they will be returned to their Lord, subjecting them to an even more severe punishment.

وَأَمّا مَن آمَنَ وَعَمِلَ صالِحًا فَلَهُ جَزاءً الحُسنىٰ ۖ وَسَنَقولُ لَهُ مِن أَمرِنا يُسرًا

However, those who believe and perform righteous deeds will receive the finest rewards, we will command them in an easy way.”

ثُمَّ أَتبَعَ سَبَبًا

He then continued on his way.

حَتّىٰ إِذا بَلَغَ مَطلِعَ الشَّمسِ وَجَدَها تَطلُعُ عَلىٰ قَومٍ لَم نَجعَل لَهُم مِن دونِها سِترًا

Upon reaching the rising point of the sun, he found it rising over a people for whom We had not provided any form of protection against it.