在这一波经文中，此章将多神崇拜者的本性与真主的大能直接对照；确切地说，当经文谈到他们可能遭受真主的惩罚时，也就让他们直面自己的本性。当人的本性被迫面对前方可怕的景象时，会发生什么？它必然会抛下一切负担，无论是错误的观念还是虚假的神明，转而归向它所熟知的真正的主。它只向祂一人祈求，以求从迫近的灾难中获救。

In this new wave, the sūrah puts the idolaters’ nature face to face with God’s might; indeed, it puts them face to face with their own nature when it confronts the prospect of being smitten by God’s might. What happens to human nature when it is overwhelmed by the terrible prospects ahead? It is certain to shed all its burdens, whether of false concepts or false deities, and turn to its true Lord, whom it knows well. It appeals to Him alone for help to be saved from the impending doom.

本章经文牵着多神教徒的手，向他们展示先前的民族是如何被毁灭的。在叙述过程中，它阐明了真主的律法与旨意如何运行。经文清楚地说明：那些先前的民族拒绝了真主的使者，否认了他们的讯息之后，便一次又一次地接受考验，有时遭遇苦难与不幸，有时享受安逸与富足。他们一次次获得机会，以便从沉睡中醒悟。当他们用尽了所有机会，仍对考验和苦难视而不见，并被所享受的安逸与享乐所迷惑时，真主的旨意便开始运行。惩罚突然降临到他们身上：“这样，不义的民族的最后余孽被消灭殆尽。”

The sūrah takes the idolaters by the hand to show them how earlier communities were destroyed. Along the way, it describes how God’s law and His will operate. It makes clear how, after those earlier communities had rejected God’s messengers and denied their messages, they were set one test after another, sometimes with hardship and misfortune, and sometimes with comfort and affluence. They were given chance after chance to wake up from their deep slumber. When they had had all their chances, remained oblivious to trials and hardship, and were deluded by the comforts and pleasures they enjoyed, God’s will came into operation. Punishment overtook them suddenly: “Thus the last remnant of the wrongdoing people was wiped out.

"{所有的赞颂都归于真主，全世界的主。}"（第45节）

All praise is due to God, the Lord of all the worlds.” (Verse 45)

就在这一令人心灵剧烈震动的场景逐渐消失之际,另一幅新的场景呈现在他们面前,使他们暴露于真主的大能之下。他们的听觉和视觉被夺走,他们的心被封闭。他们找不到除真主以外的神明,来代替他们的听觉、视觉和理解能力。

Just as this scene that violently shakes people’s hearts begins to disappear, a new scene shows them exposed to God’s might. Their hearing and sight are taken away and their hearts are sealed off. They cannot find a deity other than God to replace their faculties of hearing, seeing and comprehension.

在这两个令人敬畏的场景背景之下，经文告诉我们使者的职责：他们被派遣来报喜与警告，这便是他们所要做的全部。他们不带来神迹，也不回应别人的建议或请求，只是传达所受托的讯息。有些人信仰并行善，因此他们得以平安，既无所畏惧，也不忧伤。

Against the background of these two awesome scenes, they are told about the role of the messengers who are sent to give good news and to warn. That is all they are required to do. They do not bring any miraculous events, or respond to suggestions and requests. They simply convey the messages entrusted to them. Some people believe and do well, and, as a result, they are safe, experiencing no fear or grief.

你说：如果真主的刑罚降临你们，或者末日来临你们，你们难道会祈求真主以外的谁吗？如果你们是诚实的，就回答我吧！不，你们只会向Ta一人祈求，若Ta愿意，便会除去你们所祈求的苦难；而你们将忘记所有你们拿来与Ta并列的偶像。（第40-41节）

Say: If God’s punishment befalls you or the Hour comes upon you, can you see yourselves calling upon anyone other than God? [Answer me] if you are truthful! No, on Him alone you will call, whereupon He will, if He so wills, remove the ill which caused you to call on Him; and you will have forgotten all those you associate as partners with Him. (Verses 40-1)

这里呈现的是《古兰经》为了向人性传达伊斯兰信仰而采用的多种方法之一。我们已经看到，《古兰经》如何引导人们关注生命体系的精密与众多的生物，以及真主的知识如何全面、完美、绝对。这里，《古兰经》的训诫运用的是真主的大能，以及人性在思考真主大能的任何方面时所作出的反应，从而摆脱一切偶像崇拜的痕迹。如此，人性重获自由，撕掉了那些曾阻碍它正确认识其主、信仰其独一的东西："你说：'如果真主的刑罚降临你们，或者复活的时辰降临你们，你们能看见自己祈求的不是真主吗？如果你们是诚实的，那就告诉我吧！'"（第40节）

Here we have one of the various methods the Qur’ān employs to address human nature in order to present to it the Islamic faith. We have already seen how the Qur’ān draws people’s attentions to the elaborate system of life and the multitude of living creatures, and how God’s knowledge is total, flawless, absolute. Here, the Qur’ānic address makes use of God’s power and how human nature reacts when it reflects on any aspect of God’s might, shaking off all traces of idolatry. Thus, human nature regains its freedom and tears off what used to prevent it from acquiring proper knowledge of its Lord and believing in His oneness: “Say: If God’s punishment befalls you or the Hour comes upon you, can you see yourselves calling upon anyone other than God? [Answer me] if you are truthful!” (Verse 40)

人性因此被置于两种可能之前：一种是在今世降临的彻底毁灭的惩罚，另一种是完全出乎意料地到来的末日。一旦人性被引导去设想这种情形，它便会对真理作出积极的回应。真主知道，这种积极的回应潜藏在人性之中。人性因此而震动，因为它必须承认自己所知道的真理。真主向不信道者发问，要求他们用言语作答，以表达他们真实的本性感受："你们看看，你们会祈求真主以外的任何神灵吗？[回答我]如果你们是诚实的！"（第40节）

Human nature is, thus, put face to face with the possibility of total destruction which may come as punishment in this life, or with the totally unexpected arrival of the Last Hour. Once human nature is made to visualize this eventuality, it responds positively to the truth. God knows that such a positive response remains latent within it. Human nature is shaken as it must own up to the truth it knows. God puts the question to the unbelievers, demanding a verbal answer to express their true, natural feelings: “can you see yourselves calling upon anyone other than God? [Answer me] if you are truthful!” (Verse 40)

这一章接着陈述了真实的答案，它与人们内心的自然感受相符，尽管他们未必用言语表达出来："不然！你们只会向他祈祷，如果他愿意，就会消除你们向他祈求的苦难；而你们将忘记所有你们与他并列为伴的对象。"（第41节）

The sūrah then states the true answer which corresponds to their natural feelings, although they may not give it verbal expression: “No, on Him alone you will call, whereupon He will, if He so wills, remove the ill which caused you to call on Him; and you will have forgotten all those you associate as partners with Him.” (Verse 41)

我确实曾派遣使者到你之前的各民族中，并以困苦和灾难考验他们，以便他们谦卑下来。当我所降的灾难临到他们时，他们若能谦卑下来，那该多好！然而，他们的心变得刚硬，撒旦又把他们的行为装扮得十分美好。待他们忘记了曾被提醒的教诲时，我便为他们开启了一切美好事物的大门；直到他们正为所获得的恩赐而欢喜时，我忽然惩罚了他们，他们便陷入了彻底的绝望。这样，作恶之民的最后残余被彻底消灭了。一切赞颂都归于真主，全世界的主。（第42-45节）

Indeed We sent messengers before your time to other nations, and visited them with misfortune and hardship so that they might humble themselves. If only, when the misfortune decreed by Us befell them, they humbled themselves! Rather, their hearts were hardened and Satan made their deeds seem goodly to them. Then, when they had clean forgotten what they had been reminded of We threw open to them the gates of all good things, until just when they were rejoicing in what they had been granted, We suddenly took them to task; and they were plunged into utter despair. Thus the last remnant of the wrongdoing people was wiped out. All praise is due to God, the Lord of all the worlds. (Verses 42-5)

这些经文向我们呈现了一个历史范例：世人如何使自己暴露于神的威能之下，以及由此而来的后果。神一次又一次地给予他们机会，不断降下相继的警示，但他们依然遗忘。若他们所遭遇的磨难不能促使他们归向神并祈求祂，若他们所享有的恩典不能激发他们感恩并警惕恶行，那么他们的天性便已无可挽回地败坏，他们的生命也不再值得延续。神的惩罚随之降临，他们的世界被毁灭："在你之前，我确已派遣使者到各民族中去，并以灾难和困苦降临他们，以便他们谦卑。当我所命定的灾难降临他们时，他们若能谦卑，那该多好！然而他们的心变得刚硬，撒旦又把他们的所作所为装饰得美好。"（第42-43节）

These verses place before our eyes an historical example of how people expose themselves to God’s might and what happens to them in consequence. God gives them one chance after another and issues them with successive reminders, but they still forget. If the trials they encounter do not persuade them to turn to God and implore Him, and if His grace which they enjoy does not prompt them to be grateful and to guard against evil, then their nature has become irremediably corrupt and their lives are no longer worth extending. God’s punishment befalls them and their world is destroyed: “Indeed We sent messengers before your time to other nations, and visited them with misfortune and hardship so that they might humble themselves. If only, when the misfortune decreed by Us befell them, they humbled themselves! Rather, their hearts were hardened and Satan made their deeds seem goodly to them.” (Verses 42-3)

人类历史上曾出现过许多这样的民族，《古兰经》中记载了他们的故事，这些故事可以追溯到有文字记载的历史之前的时代。这样的历史是新近才有的，它只涵盖了地球上人类历史的一小部分。这段由人类记录下来的历史虽然短暂，却充满了歪曲和虚假。它也有一个明显的缺陷：无法全面考虑影响人类历史进程的所有因素。其中一些因素深藏于人的灵魂之中，另一些则超出了人所能感知的范围。只有部分因素是显而易见的，但即便如此，它们也未能得到恰当或正确的辨识与解释。事实上，人们无法在这些因素中分辨真伪。

Human history has known many such nations and the Qur’ān gives us accounts of them which date back to periods long before recorded history. Such history is new and it contains only a small portion of human history on earth. Short as it is, this history recorded by human beings is full of misrepresentation and falsehood. It is also marked by its inability to take full account of all factors which influence the movement of human history. Some of these lie deep in the human soul, while others remain beyond the realm of what is perceptible by man. Only some of these factors are made visible, but these are nevertheless not identified or interpreted properly or correctly. Indeed, people cannot distinguish the false from the true in these factors.

随着这一章的推进,它让那些以物配主的人直面真主的大能,以及这大能可能如何降临到他们自身:夺去他们的听力与视力,封住他们的心。他们对此毫无抵御之力,除了真主之外,也找不到任何神明能够归还真主所夺走的东西。这里描绘的场景极为生动,显示出他们在真主的大能面前完全无能为力。它也为他们勾勒出一幅残酷的现实图景:当他们面临真正严峻的境况时,他们所配与真主的那些同伴究竟是什么模样。这一场景使他们剧烈震颤。创造人性的真主,深知这一场景及其所描述的真相对人性的影响有多深。人性也认识到,真主能够夺去人的听力与视力,并封住人的心。届时,这些器官都将完全无法运作。倘若真主这样做了,便再没有任何其他神明能够逆转他所做的一切。

As the sūrah moves on, it puts those who associate partners with God face to face with His might and how it may strike them personally, taking away their hearing and eyesight and sealing their hearts. They are defenceless against it, and they can find no deity other than God to return what God may take away from them. The scene depicted here is very vivid, showing them their total powerlessness against God’s might. It also paints for them the stark reality of those partners they associate with God when they have to face a truly grave situation. The scene shakes them violently. God, the Creator of human nature knows how far it is affected by this scene and the truth it describes. Human nature realizes that God is able to take away people’s hearing and sight and seal their hearts. None of these organs can then function at all. Should He do this, there is no other deity to reverse what He has done.

随着这一场景在人们心中激起战栗,它显示出偶像崇拜这一观念是多么空洞而谬误。这章经文惊叹于那些被展示了各种各样、层出不穷、多方面的迹象,并被召唤归信,却仍然背离而去的人。在这里,他们的态度被描绘成一头腿部患有某种疾病的骆驼的形象,这疾病使它行走时外表一瘸一拐。这一场景对于最先被《古兰经》所训导的阿拉伯人来说是熟悉的。它使我们对那些转身离去的人生出一种鄙夷之感:“你看我们把我们的迹象变化多端、层出不穷地呈现,他们却仍然背离!”(第46节)

As this scene sends a shiver into people’s hearts, it shows how hollow and erroneous the concept of idolatry is. The sūrah wonders at those who are shown different, wide-ranging and multi-faceted signs, beckoning them to faith, and yet still they turn away. Here, their attitude is painted in the image of a camel which has a particular disease in its legs, causing it to limp outwardly as it walks. The scene was familiar to the Arabs who were the first to be addressed by the Qur’ān. It fills us with a feeling of contempt for those who turn away: “See how varied and multifaceted We make Our signs, and yet they turn away!” (Verse 46)

他们几乎来不及喘息，就又被置于另一种可能之前，而那可能距离他们或许并不遥远。他们被展示自己的毁灭，因为他们确实是不义者——这个词常与以物配主者交替使用。此处的场景描绘了不义者的毁灭：当他们猝不及防，或当真主的惩罚在光天化日之下降临他们之时：“你说：你们想一想，如果真主的惩罚突然或明显地降临你们，除了不义的民众，还有谁会被毁灭呢？”（第47节）

They are hardly allowed to take their breath before they are put face to face with another possibility that may well not be far away from them. They are shown their own destruction as they are indeed the wrongdoers, a term which is often used interchangeably with those who associate partners with God. The scene here paints the destruction of the wrongdoers when they are taken unawares or when God’s punishment is inflicted on them in open daylight: “Say: Do but consider, if God’s punishment befalls you suddenly or in a perceptible manner, would any but the wrongdoing folk be destroyed?” (Verse 47)