The story of the Garden

إِنَّا بَلَوْنَٰهُمْ كَمَا بَلَوْنَآ أَصْحَٰبَ ٱلْجَنَّةِ إِذْ أَقْسَمُوا۟ لَيَصْرِمُنَّهَا مُصْبِحِينَ

Verily We have tried them as We tried the People of the Garden, when they resolved to gather the fruits of the (garden) in the morning.

وَلَا يَسْتَثْنُونَ

But made no reservation, ("If it be Allah's Will").

فَطَافَ عَلَيْهَا طَآئِفٌۭ مِّن رَّبِّكَ وَهُمْ نَآئِمُونَ

Then there came on the (garden) a visitation from thy Lord, (which swept away) all around, while they were asleep.

فَأَصْبَحَتْ كَٱلصَّرِيمِ

So the (garden) became, by the morning, like a dark and desolate spot, (whose fruit had been gathered).

فَتَنَادَوْا۟ مُصْبِحِينَ

As the morning broke, they called out, one to another,-

أَنِ ٱغْدُوا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْثِكُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَٰرِمِينَ

"Go ye to your tilth (betimes) in the morning, if ye would gather the fruits."

فَٱنطَلَقُوا۟ وَهُمْ يَتَخَٰفَتُونَ

So they departed, conversing in secret low tones, (saying)-

أَن لَّا يَدْخُلَنَّهَا ٱلْيَوْمَ عَلَيْكُم مِّسْكِينٌۭ

"Let not a single indigent person break in upon you into the (garden) this day."

وَغَدَوْا۟ عَلَىٰ حَرْدٍۢ قَٰدِرِينَ

And they opened the morning, strong in an (unjust) resolve.

فَلَمَّا رَأَوْهَا قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّا لَضَآلُّونَ

But when they saw the (garden), they said: "We have surely lost our way:

بَلْ نَحْنُ مَحْرُومُونَ

"Indeed we are shut out (of the fruits of our labour)!"

قَالَ أَوْسَطُهُمْ أَلَمْ أَقُل لَّكُمْ لَوْلَا تُسَبِّحُونَ

Said one of them, more just (than the rest): "Did I not say to you, 'Why not glorify (Allah)?'"

قَالُوا۟ سُبْحَٰنَ رَبِّنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا ظَٰلِمِينَ

They said: "Glory to our Lord! Verily we have been doing wrong!"

فَأَقْبَلَ بَعْضُهُمْ عَلَىٰ بَعْضٍۢ يَتَلَٰوَمُونَ

Then they turned, one against another, in reproach.

قَالُوا۟ يَٰوَيْلَنَآ إِنَّا كُنَّا طَٰغِينَ

They said: "Alas for us! We have indeed transgressed!