Quran chapter 10 Jonah with a new English translation

Translated, written and read by: Sinead Brick Hassen

These are the signs of the book of wisdom. And why is it unusual for people to be
revealed to a man among them: to warn people and make believers happy about what
they will have: the firmness of sincerity with their lord? And the unbelievers say:
this is an obvious sorcerer. - Your lord is the God who created the heavens and the
earth in six periods and then governs the throne by determining the commandments.
There is no mediator without his will. That is God: your lord and him you serve.
Won't you think? To him we all return and God's promise is true. He creates and
then repeats it, to reward those who believe and do good according to justice. And
the unbelievers will have a drink of boiling water and a painful punishment because
they did not believe. He is the one who made the sun a lamp and the moon to shine,
and determined their course so that you could count the years and measure the time.
God creates with truth and explains his signs to the people who know.

In the alternation of night and day, and in God's creation of the heavens and the
earth, there are signs for an attentive people. Those who do not hope to meet me
and are content with this fleeting life enjoying it: these are the ones who are
careless of my signs. Their destination is the fire because of what they have done.
And those who believe and do good will be guided by the Lord with faith. They will
be beside the rivers which will flow through the gardens of bliss and will say in
them: immeasurable glory to you, and their greeting will be: peace. Then they will
say: glory to God, Lord of the worlds. - And if God were to hasten evil to people
as he hastens good to them: everything would be finished, but he leaves them to
wander arrogantly and blindly. When trouble touches people, they turn to him lying
down, sitting and standing, but when he removes the trouble: they move on as if
they never asked for help because of the trouble they had. That is how it appears
beautified to the proud about what they do. He destroyed the previous nations which
were evil. Messengers came to them with explanation, but they still did not believe
them. Such is the reckoning with the criminal people.

Then he made you stewards of the earth after them to see how you would act. And
when my signs are explained to them, those who do not hope to meet me say: give us
a different reader or change it. - Say: it is not fitting for me to change it and I
follow only what is revealed to me: fearing for disobedience to the lord regarding
the great punishment. Say: if God had willed otherwise, I would not have read it to
you, nor taught you about it - and before that I was among you for so many years,
so don't you understand? - And who is more evil than those who invent lies about
God and think that his signs are false? And the criminals will not succeed. And
they serve beside God those who neither harm nor help them and say: these are our
mediators with God. - Are you informing God about this, and he already knows
everything about the heavens and the earth? Glory be to Him and He is supreme over
what you associate with Him.

People were one community, but they got separated. And if there was no determined
commandment of the lord, everything would already be concluded regarding their
disagreement. And they say: why was he not given a sign from the lord? - Say: only
God's is unknown, so wait and I will also wait. - And when people are given grace
after the tribulation, they begin to devise tricks against the signs. - Say: God's
cunning is the greatest and his messengers write down all their tricks.

He made you travel on land and water. Then as you sail the ships you rejoice in the
breeze, but when a storm comes and the water begins to penetrate the ship from all
sides and you are convinced that it is the end: in those moments you pray to God
with sincere faith that you will be grateful if he saves you, but after he saves
them - they break their promise by making disorder on earth. - O people:
disobedience is to your harm. It is only the enjoyment of this fleeting life, and
then you will return to him afterwards and he will inform you of what you have been
doing. An example of this transitory life is like water that descends from the
clouds and then plants grow on the earth which are eaten by humans and animals, and
then when the earth is decorated and beautified, his determination comes by night
or day and everything becomes as grinded: as if nothing ever existed before. Thus
he explains his signs to the people who understand.

God calls to a place of peace and directs whomever He wants to the right path.
Those who do good will be rewarded with better than that, and their faces will not
be covered by darkness and shame: these are the inhabitants of the garden in which
they will reside. And those who commit sins will only be punished so much and will
be shamed. There will be no one to help them besides God and their faces will be
covered with darkness like the black night: these are the inhabitants of the fire
in which they will dwell. - And on the day when he gathers them, he will say to
those who associated: where are those whom you associated with me now? - And they
will be separated from each other. And those who were associated with him will say
to them: you did not serve us and therefore God is sufficient as a witness between
us and you, because we did not know about your service. And then it will be given
to everyone for what they have done and they will be returned to God: the true
guardian and what they invented will be removed from them. - Say: who cares for you
from heaven and earth, and who arranged hearing and sight, and who brings the
living out of the dead and brings the dead out of the living and who determines
everything? - They will say: God. - Say: then why aren't you careful? That is your
God: the true lord. And what is there besides the truth but delusion? So why are
you turning away?

It is the true decree of the Lord that those who make disorder: that they will not
believe. - Say: can those whom you associate with God create and then repeat? -
Say: God creates and repeats. Then why are you turning around? - Say: can those
whom you join guide with the truth? - Say: God guides with the truth. Is he who
guides with the truth more truthful than those who do not guide, unless they are
guided? How do you judge that? They only follow assumptions, and the assumption
does not correspond to the truth and God knows what you are doing. This reader was
not invented besides God, it confirms previous revelations and fully explains the
book, in which there is no doubt about because it is from the lord of the worlds.
Are they saying you're making it up? - Say: then give a similar chapter and invite
those next to God if you are sincere. And they are already declaring it false even
though they are not yet familiar with it, nor do they have an explanation. That's
how those before them also declared in the same way to be false, so look what was
the end of the criminals. There are those who believe in him, and there are those
who do not, and the Lord knows the unrighteous. If they declare you false, say:
your works are yours, and mine is mine, and you have nothing to do with what I do,
nor do I have anything to do with what you do. - There are some who come to listen
to you, but can you make the deaf hear, even though they will not understand? There
are those who come to look at you, but can you guide the blind who cannot see? God
does not do evil to people, but people do evil to themselves.

And on the day he gathers them, it will look like they spent only an hour in one
day and they will recognize each other. Those who thought it was a lie to meet with
God and were not instructed: will perish. If he shows you what he threatens them
with or makes you die, then you all will return and God is witness to what you did.
Every community has its messenger, so when a messenger comes to them: they would be
judged according to the justice and evil would not be done to anyone. - And they
say: when will this warning come true if you are honest? Say: I have no power over
troubles, nor over blessings, and everything will be as God wills. Every community
has its own end, and when it comes to an end: they will not be able to postpone it
for a single hour of time, nor accelerate it to happen sooner. - Say: if your
punishment came at night or during the day, why would criminals hasten it, because
in that case: will they believe in it when it happens to them? How is it that you
believe now, and before that you were hurrying it up? - Then it will be said to the
criminals: experience permanent punishment and are you being punished for anything
else, except for what you have done? - And they ask you: is it true? - Say: yes by
my lord, that is certainly true and you will not escape from him. Anyone who does
evil will wish they could redeem themselves with all that is on earth and will be
filled with great remorse when they see the punishment that awaits them. They will
be judged justly and no harm will be done to them.

Everything in the heavens and on earth is God's and God's promise is true, but most
of them do not know that. He gives life and death and to him you will return. O
people: there has come to you a warning from your Lord and a healing for what is in
your breasts: a guidance and a mercy to the believers. Say: Let them rejoice in
God's grace and mercy, because that is better than what they accumulate. - Say:
tell me why you divide God's provision into forbidden and permitted? Did God order
you to do so or are you making up lies about God? And what will those who invent
lies about God do on judgment day? God gives favors to people, but most of them are
ungrateful. - You don't do anything, or read a book, or do anything else, without a
witness present with you from the beginning of what you are doing, and not a single
particle on earth, nor in the heavens, nor anything else, small or large, is hidden
from the Lord: without everything being recorded in a clear book. God's servants
should not be afraid and should not be sad: those who believe and are careful -
they have joy in this world and the next, because there is no change in God's
determination. It is a great success.

Don't be saddened by their speech, because all power is God's. He hears and knows.
Everything in the heavens and on earth is God's, and they invite and follow next to
God those whom they associate with him. They follow assumptions and just make
things up. He made the night rest and the day visible. These are signs for an
obedient people. And they say: God gave birth. Glory to him: he is independent and
his are the heavens and the earth, and you have no evidence for such a claim and
are you speaking about God what you do not know? - Say: those who invent lies about
God will not succeed, because they will only enjoy this world for a short time and
afterwards will return, and then you will experience a great punishment because you
did not believe.

Tell them the news about Noah, when he said to his people: O my people, if it is
difficult for you because of my being among you and my warning with God's signs,
and in God I trust: then make a decision with those whom you associate with him and
do not hesitate in your decision, and then accomplish the decision and don't delay
it. And if you turn away, know that I am not asking you for any reward, because my
reward is with God and I am commanded to obey him. - But they declared him false
and he then saved him together with others on the ship and made them stewards on
earth, and drowned those who thought his signs were false, so see what was the end
of those who were warned. Then he sent messengers to other nations with an
explanation, but despite this they did not believe: in what they had already
declared to be false, because that is how he closes the hearts of sinners.

Then after that he sent Moses and Aaron: to Pharaoh and his chiefs with signs, but
they were a proud and criminal people. And after the truth came to them, they said:
this is an obvious sorcery. And Moses said: Is that how you speak about the truth
that has come to you? This sorcery? And wizards are not successful. - They said:
have you come to turn us away from what our ancestors followed and for you two to
take over power on earth? We won't believe you. - And Pharaoh said: bring all the
known sorcerers. - And when the sorcerers came, Moses said to them: throw what you
have to throw. - And when they cast, Moses said: what you have done is a sorcery
and God will undo it, because God will not allow the actions of criminals to
succeed. God will uphold the truth by his determination, even if it bothers
sinners.

And not even a few believed in Moses, except for a few of his own people because of
the fear of Pharaoh and his chiefs, so that they would not be tortured for it.
Pharaoh was proud on earth and was arrogant. - And Moses said: O my people, if you
believe in God: then trust in him, if you have submitted to him. - And they said:
we trust in God. Lord, do not allow us to be tempted by a criminal people and save
us with your grace from an unbelieving people. - And it was revealed to Moses and
his brother: take your homes where you live in Misr and make them places of service
and prayer and make the believers happy. - And Moses said: lord, you gave Pharaoh
and his chiefs all the beauty and wealth of this life, while they seduce, the lord:
from your path. Lord, destroy their riches and harden their hearts, so that they do
not believe until they see great suffering. - He said: your request is accepted and
continue on the right path and do not follow the path of those who do not know.

And he led the children of Israel to pass through the sea, while Pharaoh and his
army followed them to seize them to torture and oppress them. And then when he
began to drown in the water, he said: there is no God but the one in whom the
children of Israel believe and I submit to him. - Is it now? And before you were
disobedient and a criminal. Your body will be saved to be a sign to those after
you, and most people are careless of my signs. - Then he gave the children of
Israel the promised abode and provided for them virtuously, but they did not divide
among themselves - until the truth came to them. The Lord will judge them on the
day of judgment regarding what they disagreed about. And if you doubt in what is
being revealed, then ask those who read books which have already been revealed
before. The truth has come to you from the Lord, so don't be one of those who doubt
and think that God's signs are false, because such will be the sufferers. For those
for whom God's decree is fulfilled, they will not believe, even if they see all the
signs, until they see the great suffering.

And there was not a single settlement that believed, so that their belief helped
them: except Jonah's people, who after they believed, the shameful suffering of
this life was removed from them and they were blessed until the appointed time. And
if the Lord willed, all the people on earth would be believers, so will you insist
until they become believers? No one is a believer without God's will, and he
abandons to filth those who do not want to understand. - Say: look at the heavens
and the earth, and no signs or warnings will help the unbelieving people. Are they
waiting for the same thing to happen to them which happened to those before them?
Say: so wait and I will wait. Then afterwards the messengers would be saved and
those who believe with them, because that is how it was determined that believers
are saved. Say: O people, if you doubt my faith, then know that I do not serve
those whom you serve besides God, but I serve God to whom I will return and I was
ordered to be a believer. Guide yourself towards the right faith and do not be one
of those who associate, and do not invite besides God those who can neither help
nor harm, because in that case you would be a criminal. And if trouble befalls you
from God, know that there is no one but him to remove it. And if he gives you good,
know that no one can prevent his grace, because he gives it to whomever he wants
from among his servants. He is forgiving and merciful. - Say: O people, the truth
has come to you from the lord, so that whoever is guided: will be guided for his
own good, and whoever goes astray: he has gone astray to his own detriment, and I
am not your supervisor. - And follow the revelation and be patient, until God
judges, because he is the best judge.