وَإِنَّكَ لَتَدعوهُم إِلىٰ صِراطٍ مُستَقيمٍ

You are inviting them to a straight path.

وَإِنَّ الَّذينَ لا يُؤمِنونَ بِالآخِرَةِ عَنِ الصِّراطِ لَناكِبونَ

Yet, those who don’t believe in the Hereafter veer away from the path.

وَلَو رَحِمناهُم وَكَشَفنا ما بِهِم مِن ضُرٍّ لَلَجّوا في طُغيانِهِم يَعمَهونَ

Even if We were to show them mercy and alleviate their troubles, they would stubbornly persist in their transgression, wandering blindly.

وَلَقَد أَخَذناهُم بِالعَذابِ فَمَا استَكانوا لِرَبِّهِم وَما يَتَضَرَّعونَ

We had afflicted them, yet they didn’t turn to their Lord or humble themselves.

حَتّىٰ إِذا فَتَحنا عَلَيهِم بابًا ذا عَذابٍ شَديدٍ إِذا هُم فيهِ مُبلِسونَ

Until, when We opened upon them a gate of intense pain, they were left in utter despair.

وَهُوَ الَّذي ذَرَأَكُم فِي الأَرضِ وَإِلَيهِ تُحشَرونَ

It is He who scattered you throughout the earth, and to Him, you will be gathered.

وَهُوَ الَّذي يُحيي وَيُميتُ وَلَهُ اختِلافُ اللَّيلِ وَالنَّهارِ ۚ أَفَلا تَعقِلونَ

It is He who gives life and causes death, and His is the alternation of night and day. Don’t you comprehend?

بَل قالوا مِثلَ ما قالَ الأَوَّلونَ

They merely repeat what was said by those before them.

قالوا أَإِذا مِتنا وَكُنّا تُرابًا وَعِظامًا أَإِنّا لَمَبعوثونَ

They question, “After we have died and become dust and bones, will we be resurrected?

لَقَد وُعِدنا نَحنُ وَآباؤُنا هـٰذا مِن قَبلُ إِن هـٰذا إِلّا أَساطيرُ الأَوَّلينَ

We and our forefathers were promised this before—these are nothing but legends of the ancients.”