“Stern indeed is your Lord’s vengeance.” (Verse 12) 这一句话恰好与暴君所施的渺小而微不足道的报复形成对照。暴君的报复，连他们自己以及普通人都认为极具威力。真正的力量，是全能者所施加的力量，天地都属于祂；而不是那些微不足道的人所施加的力量，他们只在有限的土地上、在有限的时间里实行统治。
Further comments follow: “Stern indeed is your Lord’s vengeance.” (Verse 12) This comment suitably contrasts God’s punishment with the petty and trifling vengeance exacted by tyrants, and thought by them and by people generally to be very powerful. The real power is that levelled by the Almighty, to whom belongs the heavens and the earth, not that levelled by insignificant people who impose their rule over a limited piece of land for a limited period of time.
该陈述还强调了两者之间的关系：受话人是上主的使者ﷺ，说话者则是全能的上主。祂对他说："你的主的惩罚确实严厉。"祂是你的主，你信仰祂的神性，并依靠祂的护佑。在信士遭受暴君迫害的情形下，这种关系尤为重要。
The statement also emphasizes the relationship between the addressee, namely, God’s Messenger (peace be upon him) and the speaker, who is God Almighty. He says to him, “stern indeed is your Lord’s vengeance.” He is your Lord, in whose Godhead you believe, and on whose assistance you rely. This relationship is very significant in situations where believers are afflicted by tyrants.
“祂是创造万物并使其复活的。”（第13节）从广义上讲，“创造”与“复活”分别指生命的第一次与第二次产生过程。然而，这两个词所指的是两种不断发生的事件。每时每刻，既有创造，也有已死亡和衰朽之物的复活。整个宇宙处于持续更新与不断衰朽的状态之中。在这种反复出现的创造与再创造的循环之中，那个坑的整件事及其表面上的结果，实际上似乎只是可以被重新创造之物的开端，或是对已经被创造之物的再创造。它是一个持续过程的一部分。
“It is He who brings into being, and then restores to life.” (Verse 13) In their wider connotations, origination and restoration refer to the first and second processes of bringing into life. The two terms, however, signify two events which constantly take place. In every moment there is origination as well as restoration of what has died and decayed. The whole universe is in a state of continuous renovation, and constant decay. Within the context of this ever-repeated cycle of origination and re-origination the whole affair of the pit and its apparent results seem to be, in reality, no more than a beginning of what can be created anew, or a re-creation of what has already been originated. It is part of a continuous process.
“他是至极宽恕的，是至极慈爱的。”（第14节）宽恕与前文的“且不要再回来（即悔改）”相关。宽恕是真主慈悯与恩典的一部分，这种恩典没有界限，没有限制。对于任何悔过的人，无论他的罪过多么严重，这扇门都永远不会向他关闭。而慈爱则与信士的态度相关，他们选择主胜过一切事物。这是真主慷慨的恩惠。真主提升那些爱慕并选择祂的仆人，使他们达到一种品级，若非真主出于祂的恩赐而赐予，人们几乎不敢去描述。这是主与仆之间的友谊品级，是真主与祂所眷顾的仆人之间存在的爱的纽带。与这份壮丽而温柔的爱中哪怕微小的一部分相比，他们所舍弃的短暂生命和所承受的片刻苦难显得何等微不足道。有些人甘受他人的奴役，为了从主人那里获得一句鼓励的话语或一个表示喜悦的表情，他们甘冒致命的风险。尽管主人与仆人同为真主的奴仆，他们仍然如此。那么，那些从“宝座的主、尊贵者”，即全能的、至高无上的主那里获得如此慈爱与恩惠的真主仆人，又该持怎样的态度呢？当可爱的宝座之主的喜悦成为关键时，生命变得何等渺小，一切苦难变得何等微薄，每一件珍视之物又变得何等无足轻重。
“He is All-Forgiving, Compassionate.” (Verse 14) Forgiveness relates to the earlier statement: “and do not repent”. Forgiveness is part of God’s mercy and grace which have no limits or restrictions. It is an open door which is never closed in the face of anyone who repents, no matter how grave his sins are. Compassion, however, relates to the believers’ attitude who choose their Lord in preference to all things. It is a generous touch of divine benevolence. God elevates His servants who love and choose Him to a grade which one would hesitate to describe except for the fact that God, out of His blessing, bestows it. It is the grade of friendship between Lord and servant. It is a tie of love which exists between God and His favoured servants. How insignificant the transitory life they have sacrificed and the momentary affliction they have suffered appear when compared to only a small part of this splendid and tender love. Some of those who live in servitude to another human being take fatal risks in order to win a word of encouragement or receive a sign of pleasure from their master. They do this although both master and servant are God’s slaves. What, then, should be the attitude of God’s servants who receive that compassionate love and benevolence from the “Lord of the Throne, the Glorious”, the All- Powerful, the Sublime. So petty becomes life, so paltry becomes all suffering, and so trifling becomes every treasured object when the pleasure of the loving Lord of the Throne is at stake.
“祂随心所欲地行事。”（第16节）这是祂持续显现、永不落空的属性。祂的意志是绝对的。祂可能在某些时候，出于恩典，选择让信士们获得胜利，以成就祂所欲达成的特定目的；祂也可能在其他时候选择让信仰战胜迫害与考验。
“He does whatever He wills.” (Verse 16) This is His constantly realized, never failing attribute. His will is absolute. He may choose, on a certain occasion, that believers should, by His grace, win victory for a specific purpose He wants to accomplish. He may choose, on other occasions, that faith should triumph over persecution and trial.
这一点有时可能通过让信士们从这一暂时的生命中被物理性地消除来体现，同样是为了达成某个特定的目的。他可能决定在今世惩罚暴君，也可能将他们的惩罚推迟到所应许的日子。无论哪种做法，都实现了某种目的，其背后蕴含着神圣的智慧。他所做的任何事都是他那明确的计划的一部分，也是他随心所欲而行的能力的体现。所有这些都与关于坑沟的记载十分吻合，也与后文提到的法老和赛姆德人及其军队的命运相呼应。在所有这些事件之外，在生命与宇宙之外，存在着神的自由意志与绝对权能。
This may be manifested, at times, through the physical elimination of believers from this transitory life, again to accomplish a specific purpose. He may decide to smite tyrants in this life, or to delay their punishment to the promised day. Either course of action fulfils a certain purpose behind which divine wisdom lies. Any action He performs is part of His well-defined scheme and His ability to do what He wills. All this fits very well with the account of the pit and with what comes later of reference to the fates of Pharaoh and Thamūd and their respective hosts. Beyond all these events and beyond life and the universe there exist the free will and absolute power of God.
“你听说过那些军队的故事吗，法老和赛莫德的故事？”（第17-18节）这是在提及两个长篇故事，这两个故事对听众来说十分熟悉，因为它们在《古兰经》中已多次提到。此处用“军队”一词指代这两个民族，是着眼于他们的强大和装备。你听说过他们的故事，以及真主如何按照自己的意愿对待他们吗？
Examples of this are given: “Have you heard the story of the hosts, of Pharaoh and Thamūd?” (Verses 17-18) This is a reference to two long stories well known to the addressees as they have been mentioned several times in the Qur’ān. The two nations concerned are described here by the term “the hosts” in reference to their might and equipment. Have you heard their stories and how God did with them as He pleased?
他们两者的故事，性质和结果各不相同。法老及其军队被消灭，而以色列的后裔则蒙真主所救。真主赐予他们统治的权力，持续一段时间，以成就某个特定的计划。至于samood（塞母德）人，真主将他们灭绝，并拯救了他的先知萨利赫以及他那少数追随者。在这个事例中，信士们并没有建立属于自己的国家；他们只是从腐败的敌人手中得救而已。
Theirs were two stories, different in nature and consequence. Pharaoh and his army were eliminated when the Children of Israel were saved by God. He gave them power to rule for a certain period in order to accomplish a certain scheme. As for the Thamūd, God exterminated them and saved His prophet, Şāliĥ, along with his few followers. The believers in this instance did not establish a state of their own; they were merely saved from corrupt enemies.
这两个故事都是神圣意志及其实现的体现。它们提供了伊斯兰信仰的倡导者可能遭遇之事的两个例子。它们与第三种可能性一并被提及，而第三种可能性使坑道事件与众不同。《古兰经》向麦加的信士以及所有世代的信士阐明了这三种情况。
Both stories are manifestations of the divine will and its performance. They provide two examples of what may befall advocates of the Islamic faith. They are mentioned along with a third possibility which distinguishes the pit event. The Qur’ān explains all three eventualities to the believers in Makkah and to all generations of believers.
该章以两句节奏短促而果断的话作结,每句都既是陈述事实,也是最终的裁定。"然而,不信道者仍在否认〔真理〕。而真主从四面包围着他们。"(第19—20节)关于不信道者的实情是:他们始终处于不信的状态之中,从早到晚都在大喊"谎言"。"而真主从四面包围着他们。"他们不知道,真主的大能与全知笼罩着他们,使他们比困在大洪水中的老鼠还要无力。
The sūrah concludes with two statements characterized by their sharp and decisive rhythm. Each is a statement of fact and a final verdict. “Yet the unbelievers persist in their denial [of the truth]. But God surrounds them all.” (Verses 19-20) The truth about the unbelievers is that they are in a constant state of disbelief, crying “lies” morning and evening “But God surrounds them all.” They are unaware that God’s might and His knowledge engulf them, making them even more powerless than mice stranded in a great flood.
“这确是一部尊贵的《古兰经》，记载于一块受保护的石板上。”（第21-22节）
“This is indeed a glorious Qur’ān, inscribed on an imperishable tablet.” (Verses 21-22)
"光荣"一词意味着高贵与崇高。确实，没有什么比真主的话语更高贵、更崇高、更光荣的了。它被铭刻在一块永存的界板上，其本质我们无法领会，因为这属于真主为自己保留的知识。然而，我们可以从这一表述的内涵，以及它所留下的印象中获益：《古兰经》是被妥善保存、严密守护的，它在所论及的每一件事上都是最终的定论。
The term ‘glorious’ signifies nobility and sublimity. Indeed, there is nothing more noble or more sublime or more glorious than God’s word. It is inscribed on an imperishable tablet, the nature of which we cannot comprehend because it is part of the knowledge God has reserved for Himself. We benefit, however, from the connotations of the statement and the impression it leaves that the Qur’ān is well preserved and well-guarded. It is the final word in every matter it deals with.
《古兰经》阐明了关于“坑”事件的裁决及其背后的含义。这一裁决是最终的。
The Qur’ān states its judgement in the pit event and what lies behind it. This judgement is final.