اِسْتَأْثَرَHe alone has takenاللَّـهُGodبِالْوَفَاءِfor loyaltyوَبِالْـand forحَمْدٍthanksوَوَلَّىand He has assignedالْمَلَامَةَthe blameالرُّجُلَto men
God alone has taken for loyalty and for thanks, and has assigned the blame to men.
فَأَيَّSo whichنِعْمَةًblessingوَصَلَتْcameمِنَfromاللَّـهِGodإِلَيْهِto himاَسْتَكْثَرَهَاhe deemed it excessiveعَلَىonنَفْسِهِhimselfوَرَأَىand he sawنَفْسَهُhimselfدُونَهَاbeneath itوَلَمْand notيَرَهَاsee itأَهْلًاworthyلَهَاof it
So which blessing that came from God to him did he deem excessive for himself, and he saw himself beneath it, and did not see it as worthy of him?
وَأَيَّAnd anyنَقْمَةٍcalamityأَوْorبَلِيَّةٍafflictionوَصَلَتْcameإِلَيْهto himرَأَىhe sawنَفْسَهُhimselfأَهْلًاworthyلِمَاof whatهُوَisأَكْبَرُgreaterمِنْهَاthan it
And any calamity or affliction that came to him, he saw himself worthy of what is greater than it.
وَرَأَىAnd he sawمَوْلاهُhis Lordقَدْindeedأَحْسَنَdone goodإِلَيْهِto himإِذْasلَمْnotيُعَاقِبْهُpunish himعَلَىforقَدْرِthe extentجُرْمِهِof his crimeوَلَاnorشَطْرَهُits halfوَلَاnorأَدْنَىthe slightestجُزْءٍpartمِنْهُof it
And he saw that his Lord had indeed done good to him, as He did not punish him for the extent of his crime, nor its half, nor the slightest part of it.
فَإِنَّFor indeedمَاwhatيَسْتَحِقُّهُhe deservesمِنَofالْعُقُوبَةِthe punishmentلَاnotتَحْمِلُهُbear itالْجِبَالُthe mountainsالرَّاسِيَاتُthe firmفَضْلًاlet aloneعَنْfromهَذَاthisالْعَبْدِservantالضَّعِيفِthe weakالْعَاجِزِthe incapable
For indeed, what he deserves of punishment cannot be borne by the firm mountains, let alone by this weak and incapable servant.
فَإِنَّFor indeedالذَّنْبَthe sinوَإِنْand ifصَغُرَsmallفَإِنَّfor indeedمُقَابَلَةًthe confrontationالْعَظِيمِthe greatالَّذِيwhoلَاnoشَيْءًthingأَعْظَمُgreaterمِنْهُthan himالْكَبِيرُthe mightyالَّذِيwhoلَاnoشَيْءًthingأَكْبَرُgreaterمِنْهُthan himالْكَرِيمُthe generousالَّذِيwhoلَاnoأَجَلَّnoblerمِنْهُthan himوَلَاand notأَجْمَلَmore beautifulالْمُنْعِمُthe bountifulبِجَمِيعِwith allأَصْنَافِtypesالنِّعَمِof blessingsدَقِيقَهَاits subtleوَجَلِيلَهَاand its grand
For indeed, the sin, even if small, in confronting the One who is the greatest of all things, the mighty who is greater than any other, the generous who is nobler and more beautiful than any other, and the bestower of all kinds of blessings, both subtle and grand, is among the most heinous, horrific, and disgraceful matters.
فَإِنَّFor indeedمُقَابَلَةًthe confrontationالْعَظَمَاءِthe greatوَالْأَجِلَّاءِand the reveredوَسُيُودَand the mastersالنَّاسِof peopleبِمَثْلِwith suchذَٰلِكَthatيُسْتَقْبَحُis deemed uglyكُلُّby everyoneأَحَدٍoneمُؤْمِنٍbelieverوَكَافِرٍand non-believer
For indeed, the confrontation of the great and the revered and the masters of people with such actions is deemed ugly by everyone, be they believers or non-believers.
وَأَرَذَلَAnd the most vileالنَّاسُof peopleوَأَسْقَطَهُمُand the most debased of themمَرُؤَةٌmoral integrityمَنْwhoقَابَلَهُمconfronts themبِالرَّذَائِلِwith vile actsفَكَيْفَhowبِعَظِيمِabout the magnificentالسَّمَاوَاتِof the heavensوَالْأَرْضِand the earthوَمَلِكِand the Kingالسَّمَاوَاتِof the heavensوَالْأَرْضِand the earthوَإِلَٰهِand the God ofأَهْلِthe people ofالسَّمَاوَاتِthe heavensوَالْأَرْضِand the earth
And the most vile of people, and the most debased of them in moral integrity, are those who confront them with vile acts; how then about the magnificent of the heavens and the earth, the King of the heavens and the earth, and the God of the people of the heavens and the earth?
وَلَوْلَاAnd if not forأَنْthatرَحْمَتَهُHis mercyغَلَبَتْovercameغَضَبَهُHis angerوَمَغْفِرَتُهُand His forgivenessسَبَقَتْprecededعُقُوبَتَهُHis punishmentوَالَّاand if not
And if not for His mercy that overcame His anger, and His forgiveness that preceded His punishment, and if not...