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.

فَأَتبَعَ سَبَبًا

He then continued his journey.

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.”

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.

كَذٰلِكَ وَقَد أَحَطنا بِما لَدَيهِ خُبرًا

We had full knowledge of what he encountered during his journey.

ثُمَّ أَتبَعَ سَبَبًا

Subsequently, he embarked on another expedition.

حَتّىٰ إِذا بَلَغَ بَينَ السَّدَّينِ وَجَدَ مِن دونِهِما قَومًا لا يَكادونَ يَفقَهونَ قَولًا

Upon reaching a pass between two mountains, he encountered people who could hardly understand any language.

قالوا يا ذَا القَرنَينِ إِنَّ يَأجوجَ وَمَأجوجَ مُفسِدونَ فِي الأَرضِ فَهَل نَجعَلُ لَكَ خَرجًا عَلىٰ أَن تَجعَلَ بَينَنا وَبَينَهُم سَدًّا

They implored, “O Dhul-Qarnayn, Gog, and Magog are wreaking havoc in the land; could we possibly compensate you to build a barrier between us and them?’