ثُمَّ لَم تَكُن فِتنَتُهُم إِلّا أَن قالوا وَاللَّهِ رَبِّنا ما كُنّا مُشرِكينَ

Their only response will be, “By God, our Lord, we were not polytheists.”

انظُر كَيفَ كَذَبوا عَلىٰ أَنفُسِهِم ۚ وَضَلَّ عَنهُم ما كانوا يَفتَرونَ

See how they lie to themselves, and how the falsehoods they invented have forsaken them.

وَمِنهُم مَن يَستَمِعُ إِلَيكَ ۖ وَجَعَلنا عَلىٰ قُلوبِهِم أَكِنَّةً أَن يَفقَهوهُ وَفي آذانِهِم وَقرًا ۚ وَإِن يَرَوا كُلَّ آيَةٍ لا يُؤمِنوا بِها ۚ حَتّىٰ إِذا جاءوكَ يُجادِلونَكَ يَقولُ الَّذينَ كَفَروا إِن هـٰذا إِلّا أَساطيرُ الأَوَّلينَ

Some of them listen to you, but We placed veils over their hearts, preventing them from understanding it, and deafness in their ears. Even if they witnessed every sign, they wouldn’t believe in it. When they come to argue with you, the disbelievers say, “This is nothing but legends of the ancients.”

وَهُم يَنهَونَ عَنهُ وَيَنأَونَ عَنهُ ۖ وَإِن يُهلِكونَ إِلّا أَنفُسَهُم وَما يَشعُرونَ

They deter others from it and avoid it themselves. They destroy nothing but themselves, yet they don’t perceive it.

وَلَو تَرىٰ إِذ وُقِفوا عَلَى النّارِ فَقالوا يا لَيتَنا نُرَدُّ وَلا نُكَذِّبَ بِآياتِ رَبِّنا وَنَكونَ مِنَ المُؤمِنينَ

If only you could see, when they’re made to stand before the Fire. They will plead, “If only we could return, not reject our Lord’s revelations, and be among the believers.”

وَقالوا إِن هِيَ إِلّا حَياتُنَا الدُّنيا وَما نَحنُ بِمَبعوثينَ

They say, “There is nothing beyond our worldly life, and we won’t be resurrected.”

وَلَو تَرىٰ إِذ وُقِفوا عَلىٰ رَبِّهِم ۚ قالَ أَلَيسَ هـٰذا بِالحَقِّ ۚ قالوا بَلىٰ وَرَبِّنا ۚ قالَ فَذوقُوا العَذابَ بِما كُنتُم تَكفُرونَ

If only you could see when they are presented before their Lord. He will ask, “Isn’t this the truth?” They will reply, “Yes, by our Lord.” He will say, “Then taste the punishment for your disbelief.”

قَد خَسِرَ الَّذينَ كَذَّبوا بِلِقاءِ اللَّهِ ۖ حَتّىٰ إِذا جاءَتهُمُ السّاعَةُ بَغتَةً قالوا يا حَسرَتَنا عَلىٰ ما فَرَّطنا فيها وَهُم يَحمِلونَ أَوزارَهُم عَلىٰ ظُهورِهِم ۚ أَلا ساءَ ما يَزِرونَ

Those who deny the meeting with God have lost. When the Hour suddenly overtakes them, they will exclaim, “Woe to us for neglecting this!” And they will bear their burdens on their backs—what a terrible load they bear!

وَمَا الحَياةُ الدُّنيا إِلّا لَعِبٌ وَلَهوٌ ۖ وَلَلدّارُ الآخِرَةُ خَيرٌ لِلَّذينَ يَتَّقونَ ۗ أَفَلا تَعقِلونَ

The life of this world is but a game and a diversion. The Home in the Hereafter is far superior for the righteous. Don’t you understand?

قَد نَعلَمُ إِنَّهُ لَيَحزُنُكَ الَّذي يَقولونَ ۖ فَإِنَّهُم لا يُكَذِّبونَكَ وَلـٰكِنَّ الظّالِمينَ بِآياتِ اللَّهِ يَجحَدونَ

We know that what they say grieves you. It’s not you they reject, but it is God’s verses that the wrongdoers deny.