该章描述了伊斯兰讯息在麦加所面临的处境。它的另一个目的是唤醒人们的心灵，引起他们对一件新事件的注意，这件事将帮助阿拉伯人，乃至全人类，在生活中迈向新的转折。这件事指的是天启讯息降临大地。

The sūrah describes the conditions the Islamic message faced in Makkah. Its other objective is to awaken people’s hearts and draw their attention to the new event which would help the Arabs, and mankind in general, to take a new turn in their lives. The event in question is the arrival of the divine message to earth.

这部经文开篇便描绘了阿拉伯社会的一个特定面貌:此章以大日子来警告那些缺斤短两的人,那一天"众人都要站在全世界的主的面前"。(6节)此种警告的缘由在章末揭示出来:经文描绘了恶人的种种行径,他们对信士的态度,嘲笑信士,路过信士时彼此使眼色,并断言信士已经迷失了正道。此外,经文一方面展示了正直之人的真实处境,另一方面展示了作恶者的真实处境。

A particular aspect of Arabian society is portrayed at the outset, as the sūrah threatens the stinters with what will befall them on the great day, “the day when all mankind shall stand before the Lord of all the worlds.” (Verse 6) The reason for such a threat is revealed at the end, when the sūrah sketches the manners of the evildoers, their attitude towards the believers, their scoffing at them, winking to one another as they pass by and their assertion that the believers have gone astray. Moreover, the sūrah shows the reality of the righteous on the one hand and the transgressors on the other.

该章可分为四个部分。第一部分以对欺诈者宣战开篇："当他们向人量取时，他们要求足量；当他们为人计量或称重时，他们却克扣。他们难道不认为自己将在一个伟大的日子复活吗？那一天，众人将站立在全世界的主面前。"（第1-6节）

The sūrah can be divided into four parts The first opens with a declaration of war against the stinters: “Woe to the stinters who, when others measure for them, exact in full, but who, when they measure or weigh for others, defraud them. Do such people not think that they will be raised to life on a great day, the day when all mankind shall stand before the Lord of all worlds?” (Verses 1-6)

第二部分警告违法作恶者，以严厉的言辞谴责他们。它威胁他们将遭受祸患与毁灭，确立了他们的罪过与侵犯。它解释了他们心盲的原因，并描述了在审判日等待他们的刑罚。"不然！恶人的记录必在思哲因中。你怎知思哲因是什么？它是一部written的record。那日，否认审判日的不信道者必遭祸殃。唯有犯罪的侵犯者、作恶者才否认它；当我的启示被诵读给他们听时，他们说：'这是古人的神话！'不然！他们自己的行为在心上蒙上了锈垢。不然！那日，他们必被隔离于主的恩惠之外。他们将进入烈火，并被告知：'这就是你们曾经否认的！'"（第7至17节）

The second part warns the transgressors and denounces them in strong terms. It threatens them with woe and ruin and establishes their guilt and aggression. It explains the reasons for their blindness and describes the punishment awaiting them on the Day of Judgement. “No indeed! The record of the transgressors is in Sijjīn. Would that you knew what Sijjīn is! It is a record inscribed. Woe on that day to the unbelievers who deny the Day of Judgement. None denies it but the guilty aggressors, the evildoers, who, when Our revelations are recited to them, cry: ‘Fables of the ancients! No indeed! Their own deeds have cast a layer of rust over their hearts. No indeed! On that day they shall be shut out from their Lord. They shall enter the blazing fire, and will be told: ‘This is [the reality) which you denied!” (Verses 7-17)

你们这些奸商有祸了！他们别人为自己称量时，就要足量收取；他们为别人称量或过秤时，就克扣别人。难道他们不认为自己将在那伟大的日子被复活吗？那一天，全人类都将站在万世之主面前。（第1-6节）

Woe to the stinters who, when others measure for them, exact in full, but who, when they measure or weigh for others, defraud them. Do such people not think that they will be raised to life on a great day, the day when all mankind shall stand before the Lord of all the worlds? (Verses 1-6)

该sūrah开篇即是神对“欺短斤两者”的宣战：“亵渎之人，祸哉！”阿拉伯语用于“祸哉”的词wayl，含有毁灭与败亡之意。无论将此节视为对未来事件的陈述，还是一种诅咒，其含义都是相同的，因为神所降的诅咒与关于未来将要发生之事的陈述，效力并无二致。接下来的两节解释了本sūrah所指的“欺短斤两者”或诈骗者的含义：他们是“当别人为他们量取时，他们要求足量；而当他们为别人量取或称量时，他们却克扣”。（第2至3节）他们在购买时希望所得货物足量完好，而在出售时却不给足分量。随后的三节则对这些诈骗者感到惊讶，因为他们的行为仿佛自己在今世所获得的，将无需向人交代。“这些人难道不以为他们将被复活吗？在那伟大的日子，全人类都将站立在万世的主面前。” 这一章以麦加启示的形式处理此种行为，十分引人深思。麦加章节通常着重于根本信仰，例如确立神的独一性、祂的意志至高无上，以及祂对宇宙和人类的主宰，并论证启示与先知身份的真实性，以及末日审判、清算与报偿的真实性。麦加启示还致力于树立并发展道德意识，并将其与信仰的根本相联系。至于针对某一具体道德问题，例如缺斤短两，或一般的商业交易，则属于后期的关注；这更多是麦地那启示的特点，因为麦地那启示规范着伊斯兰国家中社群的生活。因此，这一麦加章节以克扣作为其核心议题，这一事实值得仔细深思。

The sūrah opens with God’s declaration of war against the stinters: “Woe to the stinters”. The Arabic term, way, used for ‘woe’ implies destruction and ruin. The implication is the same whether we consider this verse as a statement of a future eventuality or a curse, for a curse made by God has the same effect as that of a statement about what is going to happen. The next two verses explain the meaning of the ‘stinters’ or defrauders as intended in the sūrah. They are those “who, when others measure for them, exact in full, but who, when they measure or weigh for others, defraud them.” (Verses 2-3) They are those who want their merchandise complete and intact when they buy, but who do not give the right amount when they sell. The following three verses wonder at the defrauders, who behave as if they will not have to account for what they gain in this life. “Do such people not think that they will be raised to life on a great day, the day when all mankind shall stand before the Lord of all the worlds?” The fact that the defrauders’ behaviour is tackled in this manner in a Makkan revelation is very interesting. Makkan sūrahs generally concentrate on the fundamentals, such as the assertion of God’s unity, the supremacy of His will and His dominion over the universe and mankind, and with assertions about the truth of revelation and prophethood, the truth of the Day of Judgement, reckoning and reward. The Makkan revelations also endeavour to form and develop the moral sense and relate it to the fundamentals of faith. The tackling of a specific issue of morality, such as the stinting of weights and measures, or business dealings in general, is a later concern; it is more characteristic of Madinan revelations, which regulate the life of the community in an Islamic state. The fact that this Makkan sūrah makes the issue of stinting its focal point therefore deserves careful consideration.

在这章经文的第一部分，他们被称为“少量克扣者”；而在第二部分，他们被描述为“犯罪者”。本章接着描述这一群体在主面前的地位、他们在今世的处境，以及在那伟大的日子里等待他们的结局。“绝非如此！恶人的记录确在西贾因之中。你怎知西贾因是什么？它是一部铭刻的记录。在那日，否认审判日的人有祸了。否认它的，只有那些越轨的罪人。当我们的启示被诵读给他们听时，他们却说：‘这不过是古人的神话！’绝非如此！他们所做的恶行，在他们的心上蒙上了一层锈垢。绝非如此！在那日，他们必定被挡在主的恩惠之外。他们必将入烈火，并被告知：‘这就是你们过去所否认的！’”（第7-17节）他们以为死后不会复活，所以《古兰经》斥责他们，并肯定他们的行为都有记录被保存。

They are called stinters in the first part of the sūrah; but in the second they are described as transgressors. The sūrah proceeds to describe the standing of this group with God, their situation in this life, and what awaits them on the great day. “No indeed! The record of the transgressors is in Sijjīn. Would that you knew what Sijjīn is! It is a record inscribed. Woe on that day to the unbelievers who deny the Day of Judgement. None denies it but the guilty aggressors, the evildoers, who, when Our revelations are recited to them, cry: ‘Fables of the ancients!’ No indeed! Their own deeds have cast a layer of rust over their hearts. No indeed! On that day they shall be shut out from their Lord. They shall enter the blazing fire, and will be told: ‘This is (the reality) which you denied!” (Verses 7-17) They think they will not be raised to life after death, so the Qur’ān rebukes them and affirms that a record of their actions is kept.

关于该记录所在之处的说明，是对这一事实的又一确证，尽管那是人所不知的地方。当他们的记录被查阅的那一日，他们将受到威胁，并遭遇灾祸与毁灭："不然！恶人的记录必定在西吉因。你怎能知道西吉因是什么？那是一本写定的记录。那日，否认者必遭灾祸。"（第7至10节）

The location of that record is specified as an additional confirmation of the fact, albeit a location unknown to man. They are threatened with woe and ruin on that day when their record shall be reviewed: “No indeed! The record of the transgressors is in Sijjīn. Would that you knew what Sijjīn is! It is a record inscribed. Woe on that day to the unbelievers.” (Verses 7-10)

转辞者，正如阿拉伯语词"fujjār"在此所含之义，是指那些过度沉溺于罪恶之人。他们的书是其行为的记录。我们不知道这本书的性质，也不被要求去知道。整件事属于那个我们一无所知的领域，除了真主所告诉我们的之外。经文说，转辞者的行为记录在Sijjīn中，随后是《古兰经》中常见的表达形式，带有伟大之意的含义："你怎能知道Sijjīn是什么呢？"（第8节）由此，听者被引导去感觉到，整件事太过伟大，无法被完全理解。

The transgressors, as the Arabic term, fujjār, here connotes, are those who indulge excessively in sin. Their book is the record of their deeds. We do not know the nature of this book and nor are we required to know. The whole matter belongs to that realm of which we know nothing except what we are told by God. The statement that there is a record in Sijjīn of the transgressors’ deeds, is followed by the familiar Qur’ānic form of expression associated with connotations of greatness: “Would that you knew what Sijjīn is!” (Verse 8) Thus, the addressee is made to feel that the whole matter is too great to be fully understood.

该章接着进一步叙述了罪人之书：“那是一部铭刻的记录。”（第9节）其中既不会有增加，也不会有遗漏，直到那伟大的日子它被展开。届时，“那日否认者有祸了。”（第10节）随后，我们得知了否认的实质，以及否认末日的人的真实品性。“唯有越轨的罪人才否认它；当我们的启示被诵读给他们听时，他们说：这是古人的神话！”（第12-13节）可见，越轨与恶行促使犯事者否认末日，并以粗鲁无礼的态度对待《古兰经》，称它为“古人的神话”。当然，否认者之所以如此描述，是因为《古兰经》中包含一些关于往昔民族的历史记载。这些记载被作为后人的鉴戒，因为它们清楚地展示了真主的律例在所有民族和世代中的运行。

随后是对另一群人——正义者——的叙述。这依照《古兰经》惯常的方式，给出两幅形成鲜明对比的详细图景，以便进行细致的比较："但善人的record（记录）在《至高者之册》中。"

Then follows an account of the other group, the righteous. This is given in the customary Qur’ānic manner of providing two elaborately contrasting images, so that a detailed comparison may be drawn: “But the record of the righteous is in ‘Illiyūn.

"唉，你们若知道‘私验’是什么就好了！它是一部被书写的典籍，由那些最亲近真主的人作证。善人必定处于福乐之中。他们将斜倚在床榻上，纵目观望。你会在他们的脸上看到福乐的光彩。他们将被赐饮一种纯净的饮料，封存严密，封口是麝香，为此，努力奋进的人就应当争先努力。这饮料掺和着‘天尼木’的泉水，那是一眼泉水，最亲近真主的人将从中饮用。”（第18-28节）

Would that you knew what ‘Illiyūn is! It is a record inscribed, witnessed by those who are closest to God. The righteous will surely be in bliss. [Reclining] on couches, they will look around them. In their faces you shall mark the glow of bliss. They will be given to drink of a pure-drink, securely sealed, with a seal of musk, for this let the strivers emulously strive. It is a drink mixed with the waters of Tasnīm, a fountain at which those who are closest to God will drink.”(Verses 18-28)

这一段以阿拉伯语词“kallā”开头，该词含有强烈的斥责意味，是对违逆者的坚定命令，要求他们停止拒绝真理。接着，经文转而谈论善人。既然违逆者的记录在Sijjīn，那么善人的记录便在‘Illiyūn。“善人”一词指顺服并行善的人，他们与极端放纵的违逆者恰恰相反。‘Illiyūn这个名字含有崇高与尊贵之意，这也暗示Sijjīn与卑下和耻辱相关联。紧接在这个名字之后的是《古兰经》中常用的感叹句式，用以表达神秘与宏伟的意味：“你怎么知道‘Illiyūn是什么呢！”（第19节）

This section of the sūrah starts with the Arabic term, kallā, which connotes strong reproach and a firm command to the transgressors to desist from their rejection of the truth. It then proceeds to speak about the righteous. Since the record of the transgressors is in Sijjīn, that of the righteous is in ‘Illiyūn. The term ‘righteous’ refers to the obedient who do good. They are the exact opposite of the transgressors, who indulge in every excess. The name ‘Illiyūn connotes elevation and sublimity, which suggests that Sijjīn is associated with baseness and ignominy. The name is followed by the form of exclamation often used in the Qur’ān to cast notions of mystery and grandeur: “Would that you knew what ‘Illiyūn is!” (Verse 19)

接着,这章经文说,善人的记录是“铭刻之书,由那些最接近真主的人见证”。(第20-21节)我们前面已经说明了“铭刻之书”的含义。经文在这里告诉我们,离真主最近的天使会看到这份记录,并为之作证。这句话给人的感觉是:善人的记录与尊贵、纯洁和崇高联系在一起。离真主最近的天使注视着它,并欣赏其中对高尚行为和卓越品格的记载。整个画面证明了善人所获得的尊崇。

The sūrah then states that the book of the righteous is “a record inscribed, witnessed by those who are closest to God.” (Verses 20-21) We have already stated what is meant by ‘a record inscribed.’ We are told here that the angels closest to God see this book and witness it. This statement gives the feeling that the record of the righteous is associated with nobility, purity and sublimity. The angels closest to God look at it and enjoy its description of noble deeds and glorious characteristics. The whole image provides evidence of the honour the righteous receive.

对正义之人所享有的福乐，经文做了详细的论述，以便描绘他们在恶人手中所遭受的种种苦难、羞辱和侮慢。本章的结尾嘲讽不信道者，他们看到正义之人享受天堂的福乐：“犯罪的人们，过去曾嘲笑信道的人们；他们经过信道者的时候，互相使眼色；他们回到自己的家人那里，便戏谑地谈论；他们看见信道者的时候，便说：”

The beatitude enjoyed by the righteous is discussed at length in order to give a detailed account of the hardships, humiliation and insolence they are made to suffer at the hands of the transgressors. The final comment of the sūrah taunts the unbelievers as they behold the righteous enjoying heavenly bliss: “Those who are given to sinful practices scoff at the faithful and wink at one another as they pass by them. When they go back to their folk they speak of them with jests, and when they see them they say:

“这些人确实迷失了！”然而，他们并未被委任为他们的监护者。因此在这一日（审判日），信士们将嘲笑不信者，他们斜倚在宝座上环顾四周。不信者所做的，岂不是正得其报吗？”（第29-36节）

‘These have indeed gone astray!’ Yet they have not been assigned the mission of being their guardians. So on this Day [of Judgement] the faithful will laugh at the unbelievers, as they recline upon their couches and look around them. Shall the unbelievers be requited for what they were wont to do?” (Verses 29-36)

《古兰经》所描绘的恶人嘲讽信士、粗鲁傲慢、称信士为“迷误”的种种情形，取材于当时麦加的实际生活。然而，同样的行为在各个时代、各个地方不断重演。当今许多人都亲眼目睹过类似的情景，仿佛这一章经文正是为描述他们亲眼所见而降示的。这证明，犯罪者和作恶者对信士的态度，很少因国家的不同或时代的变迁而改变。

The images portrayed by the Qur’ān of the evildoers’ derision of the faithful, their rudeness and insolence, and their description of the faithful, as having ‘gone astray’ are taken directly from Makkan life at the time. But the same actions happen over and over again in all ages and places. Many people in our own age have witnessed similar actions, and it is as if the sūrah was revealed to describe what they see with their own eyes. This proves that the attitude of the transgressors and the evildoers to the believers hardly ever changes from one country to another or from one period of time to another.

“那些沉溺于罪恶行为的人，曾经嘲笑信士们。”（第29节）在阿拉伯原文中，这里使用过去时，是为了把我们带离今世，去看见义人在乐园中的喜乐，同时也让我们听到他们在今世所遭遇的事。信士们或因贫穷、软弱，或因自尊不肯以恶言回敬那些卑劣的作恶者，因而遭受恶人的讥讽和嘲弄。何等鲜明的对比：作恶者迫害信士，肆无忌惮地嘲笑他们；而信士们则保持着端庄的自尊与坚忍。

“Those who are given to sinful practices scoff at the faithful.” (Verse 29) In the Arabic original, the past tense is used here so as to take us away from this world to the hereafter to see the righteous in their bliss while we also hear what happened to them in this world. The believers were made to suffer ridicule and derision by the transgressors, either because they were poor or weak or because their self-respect would not allow them to return the abuse of base evildoers. What a contrast: the evildoers persecute the believers and laugh at them shamelessly while the believers stick to dignified self respect and perseverance.

对恶人嘲笑信士的场景值得进一步探讨。这一场景被描绘得相当详尽，与前面关于义人享受天堂福乐的场景一样。这种细致的描写极具艺术性，同时也产生了显著的心理效果，既能抚慰人心，给人安慰，又能带来保障与安定。麦加的穆斯林少数群体当时面临着不间断的、令人士气低落的攻击，来自不信者的压力，但真主并没有让穆斯林独自承受：祂安慰他们，并督促他们坚持下去。

The scene of the evildoers’ ridicule of the believers merits further discussion. It is portrayed in considerable detail, in the same way as the earlier scene of the righteous in heavenly bliss. This detailed description is highly artistic. It also has a marked psychological effect which is at once soothing, comforting and reassuring. The Muslim minority in Makkah was facing a sustained, demoralizing onslaught by the unbelievers, but God did not leave the Muslims on their own: He comforted them and urged them to persevere.

他们因为真主详细记载了他们所受的苦难而感到宽慰。真主看到信士所承受的苦难，不会对所见视而不见，尽管祂可能会暂时任由不信之人为所欲为。祂也看到罪人如何毫无悔意地嘲笑信士的苦难。既然祂在《古兰经》中描述了这一切，那么祂必定会将其纳入考量。仅此一点，就足以给信士带来慰藉。

They are comforted by the very fact that their sufferings are outlined by God in detail. He sees what the believers suffer and does not ignore what He sees, although He may let the unbelievers do as they wish, if only for a while. He also sees how the transgressors laugh unrepentantly at the sufferings of the faithful. Since He describes all this in the Qur’ān then He must take it into account. This, in itself, is enough consolation for the believers.

还有一些针对恶人的讥讽之语。不信道者或许察觉不到这些话，因为他们沉溺于罪恶的行为，已经变得麻木不仁。然而，信士们敏感的心灵却会因这些话而受到触动，并得到慰藉。

There are also those scornful remarks about the evildoers. They may go unnoticed by the unbelievers because their indulgence in their sinful practices have made them insensitive. The highly sensitive hearts of the believers, however, are touched and comforted by them.

必须指出，真主给予那些遭受严厉对待和痛苦嘲讽的信士的唯一慰藉，对信士而言是天堂，对不信者而言是火狱。同样，当信士们为伊斯兰事业献出全部财产和生命时，先知（愿主赐福并使他平安）向信士们所作的唯一承诺，也是如此。在麦加时期的古兰经启示中，今世的胜利从未被提及作为慰藉或激励坚持下去的动力。古兰经反而是在培育信士的心灵，使他们做好完成所托付之任务的准备。这样的心灵必须达到极高的坚强与克己的标准，才能付出一切，忍受一切艰辛，而不为今世谋求任何东西。他们只追求后世的报酬，以求得真主的喜悦。他们准备好经历人生中种种艰难与匮乏，而不指望今世有任何回报，甚至连为伊斯兰事业取得胜利这一点也不指望。

It must be noted that the only consolation offered by God to the believers who were subjected to harsh treatment and painful ridicule was heaven for the believers and hell for the unbelievers. This, again, was the only promise the Prophet (peace be upon him) made to the believers when they pledged all their property as well as their lives for the cause of Islam. Victory in this life was never mentioned in the Makkan Qur’ānic revelations as a consolation or as an incentive to persevere. The Qur’ān was instead cultivating the hearts of the believers, and preparing them to fulfil the task with which they were entrusted. It was necessary that such hearts attain a high standard of strength and self-denial so that they would give everything and suffer all hardship without looking for anything in this life. They were to seek only the reward of the hereafter and to win God’s pleasure. They were prepared to go through life suffering all sorts of hardship and deprivation with no promise of reward in this life, not even victory for the cause of Islam.