فَلا أُقسِمُ بِمَواقِعِ النُّجومِ

I swear by the positions of the stars.

وَإِنَّهُ لَقَسَمٌ لَو تَعلَمونَ عَظيمٌ

It is a most significant oath, if you only knew.

إِنَّهُ لَقُرآنٌ كَريمٌ

It is a noble Quran.

في كِتابٍ مَكنونٍ

In a safeguarded Book.

لا يَمَسُّهُ إِلَّا المُطَهَّرونَ

None but the purified shall touch it.

أَفَبِهـٰذَا الحَديثِ أَنتُم مُدهِنونَ

Do you take this message lightly?

وَتَجعَلونَ رِزقَكُم أَنَّكُم تُكَذِّبونَ

And make its denial your livelihood?

فَلَولا إِذا بَلَغَتِ الحُلقومَ

Then why, when it reaches the throat?

وَأَنتُم حينَئِذٍ تَنظُرونَ

And you are intently watching at that moment.

وَنَحنُ أَقرَبُ إِلَيهِ مِنكُم وَلـٰكِن لا تُبصِرونَ

We are closer to it than you are, yet you don’t perceive.