A. J. Arberry - LVIII The Disputer lyrics

In the Name of God, the Merciful, the Compa**ionate 58:1 God has heard the words of her that disputes with thee concerning her husband, and makes complaint unto God. God hears the two of you conversing together; surely God is All-hearing, All-seeing. Those of you who say, regarding their wives, 'Be as my mother's back,' they are not truly their mothers; their mothers are only those who gave them birth, and they are surely saying a dishonourable saying, and a falsehood. Yet surely God is All-pardoning, All-forgiving. And those who say, regarding their wives, 'Be as my mother's back,' and then retract what they have said, they shall set free a slave, before the two of them touch one another. By that you are admonished; and God is aware of the things you do. 58:5 But whosoever finds not the means, then let him fast two successive months, before the two of them touch one another. And if any man is not able to, then let him feed sixty poor persons -- that, that you may believe in God and His Messenger. Those are God's bounds; and for the unbelievers there awaits yet a painful chastisement. Surely those who oppose God and His Messenger shall be frustrated as those before them were frustrated. Now We have sent down signs, clear signs; and for the unbelievers awaits a humbling chastisement, upon the day when God shall raise them up all together, then He shall tell them what they did. God has numbered it, and they have forgotten it. God is witness over everything. Hast thou not seen that God knows whatsoever is in the heavens, and whatsoever is in the earth? Three men conspire not secretly together, but He is the fourth of them, neither five men, but He is the sixth of them, neither fewer than that, neither more, but He is with them, wherever they may be; then He shall tell them what they have done, on the Day of Resurrection. Surely God has knowledge of everything. Hast thou not regarded those who were forbidden to converse secretly together, then they return to that they were forbidden, and they converse secretly together in sin and enmity, and in disobedience to the Messenger? Then, when they come to thee, they greet thee with a greeting God never greeted thee withal; and they say within themselves, 'Why does God not chastise us for what we say?' Sufficient for them shall be Gehenna, at which they, shall be roasted -- an evil homecoming! 58:10 O believers, when you conspire secretly, then conspire not together in sin and enmity and disobedience to the Messenger, but conspire in piety and godfearing. Fear God, unto whom you shall be mustered. Conspiring secretly together is of Satan, that the believers may sorrow; but he will not hurt them anything, except by the leave of God. And in God let the believers put all their trust. O believers, when it is said to you 'Make room in the a**emblies', then make room, and God will make room for you; and when it is said, 'Move up', move up, and God will raise up in rank those of you who believe and have been given knowledge. And God is aware of the things you do. O believers, when you conspire with the Messenger, before your conspiring advance a freewill offering; that is better for you and purer. Yet if you find not means, God is All-forgiving, All-compa**ionate. Are you afraid, before your conspiring, to advance freewill offerings? If you do not so, and God turns again unto you, then perform the prayer, and pay the alms, and obey God and His Messenger. God is aware of the things you do. 58:15 Hast thou not regarded those who have taken for friends a people against whom God is wrathful? They belong neither to you nor to them; and they swear upon falsehood, and that wittingly. God has made ready for them a chastisement terrible; surely they -- evil are the things they have been doing. They have taken their oaths as a covering, and barred from God's way; so there awaits them a humbling chastisement. Neither their riches nor their children shall avail them anything against God; those -- they are the inhabitants of the Fire, therein dwelling forever. Upon the day when God shall raise them up all together, and they will swear to Him, as they swear to you, and think they are on something. Surely, they are the liars! 58:20 Satan has gained the mastery over them, and caused them to forget God's Remembrance. Those are Satan's party; why, Satan's party, surely, they are the losers! Surely those who oppose God and His Messenger, those are among the most abject. God has written, 'I shall a**uredly be the victor, I and My Messengers.' Surely God is All-strong, All-mighty. Thou shalt not find any people who believe in God and the Last Day who are loving to anyone who opposes. God and His Messenger, not though they were their fathers, or their sons, or their brothers, or their clan. Those -- He has written faith upon their hearts, and He has confirmed them with a Spirit from Himself; and He shall admit them into gardens underneath which rivers flow, therein to dwell forever, God being well-pleased with them, and they well-pleased with Him. Those are God's party; why, surely God's party -- they are the prosperers.