你把它包裹起来了！夜间起来礼拜，除了一小部分，一半，或者比一半少一点，或者再增加一些。要清晰地、从容地诵读《古兰经》。我将要降给你一项重大的言语。夜间的时光，踏脚最有力，言语最端正。白天你有许多漫长的事务要处理。因此，你要记念你主的名，并全心全意地奉献自己于祂。祂是东方和西方的主，除祂之外没有应当崇拜的神明。你要以祂为你的保护者。（第1至9节）

You enfolded one! Stand in prayer at night, all but a small part of it, half of it, or a little less, or add to it. Recite the Quran calmly and distinctly We shall bestow on you a weighty message. The night hours are strongest of tread and most upright of speech. During the day you have a long chain of things to attend to. Therefore, remember your Lord's name and devote yourself wholeheartedly to Him. He is the Lord of the east and the west. There is no deity other than Him. Take Him for your guardian. (Verses 1-9)

“你这裹着衣服的人！起来……这是来自上天的召唤，由全能的真主所降。起来吧，你肩负重大的使命，背负沉重的担子。起来吧，你需要持续不懈地努力。起来吧，睡眠与安逸的时光已经结束。你需要为前方的任务做好准备。”

“ You enfolded one! Stand..This is a call from on high, given by God Almighty. Stand, for you have a great mission and a heavy burden. Stand, for you need to put in sustained efforts. Stand, for the time of sleep and comfort is over. You need to prepare for the task ahead of you.

这是一道庄严的命令，要求先知从舒适的床铺和温暖的家庭生活中起身，投入艰难的奋斗之中，各种力量在他身边拉扯。只为自己而活的人或许能获得安逸与舒适，但他的一生渺小，死去时也渺小。而肩负如此沉重担子的高尚灵魂，则有另一番眼界。

This is an awesome command requiring the Prophet to pull himself out from the warmth of his bed in a comfortable home and with a happy family life so as to place himself in the midst of a hard struggle, with different forces pulling him here and there. A man who lives for himself may find comfort and ease, but he lives small and dies small. The noble soul who shoulders such a heavy burden has a different perspective:

他与睡眠、安逸、温暖的床铺和轻松的生活有什么关系呢？

what has he got to do with sleep, comfort, a warm bed and an easy life?

先知意识到并接受了这一点。有一次，他的妻子赫蒂彦(Khadijah)叫他去睡觉休息，他对她说："睡眠的时光已经过去了。"确实如此。他面前只有漫长的夜晚和漫长的奋斗。

The Prophet realized and accepted this. When his wife, Khadijah, once told him to go to bed and relax, he said to her: “The time for sleep has passed.” Yes, indeed. He had nothing more than long nights and a long struggle ahead of him.

“你这披衣者！夜间起来礼拜，除了少部分时间，或半夜，或比半夜稍少一些，或稍多一些。当从容地、清晰地诵读《古兰经》。”（第1至4节） 这便是承担重大使命的预备。它采用的是神圣的方法，必能取得成功。这一方法就是夜间的功修：在较高层次的记念真主中，夜间的功修占去一夜的一半以上，但不到三分之二；在较低层次上，虽仍是完全地记念真主，则占去夜间的三分之一。这段漫长的时间应用于礼拜和诵读《古兰经》，应大声诵读，但要从容，不可吟唱。据可靠的圣训记载，先知ﷺ的夜间witr礼拜不超过十一拜，但这些拜功几乎占去了三分之二的夜晚，而且他诵读《古兰经》的时间很长。

“ You enfolded one! Stand in prayer at night, all but a small part of it, half of it, or a little less, or add to it. Recite the Qur'an calmly and distinctly” (Verses 1—4) Such is the preparation for the great task. It uses divine methods, which are guaranteed to succeed. The method is night worship, which on the higher level of remembrance of God takes up more than half the night but less than two-thirds, and on the lower level, but still in complete remembrance of Him, takes one-third of the night. This long time should be spent in prayer and recitation of the Qur’an, aloud but with calmness and without singing. It is authentically reported that the Prophet prayed his Witr in no more than 11 rak'ahs, but these took up nearly two-thirds of the night, and he read at length from the Qur’an.

为了让先知能够接受这项重大的使命，所有这些准备都已完成：“我们将把一项重大的话语托付给你”（第5节）。

All these preparations were made so that the Prophet could receive the weighty discourse: “ We shall bestow on you a weighty message" (Verse 5)

这是对《古兰经》的引用，以及该经文赋予先知的使命。

This is a reference to the Qur’an and the assignment it gives the Prophet.

《古兰经》在措辞上并不沉重；相反，它既易于记诵，也易于诵读。然而，它在真理的天平上分量极重，对人心的影响极为深远："若我把这部《古兰经》降示在一座山上，你必看见它因畏惧真主而谦卑下来，崩裂开来。"（59：21）而真主所降示的《古兰经》，却是降在一个人的心上，那颗心接受了它，并且比山岳更加坚定。

The Qur’an is not weighty in its phraseology; on the contrary, it is both easy to bear in mind and recite. However, it is weighty in the scales of truth, and profound in its effect on people’s hearts: “ Had We brought down this Quran upon a mountain, you would have seen it humble itself and break asunder for fear of God." (59: 21) Instead, God sent down the Qur’an to a man’s heart, which received it and was steadier than a mountain.

接受如此充沛的光明、知识与理解，无疑是一项沉重的任务。直面伟大的普遍真理本身，也确实沉重。同样，像先知ﷺ那样与上界、与有生命和无生命的万物之灵保持接触，也是沉重的。此外，毫不犹豫地承担这一使命，不因诱惑而在这里那里摇摆不定，更是分外沉重。这一切无疑都需要长期的准备。

Receiving such an overflow of light and knowledge and understanding it is certainly a weighty task. Dealing with great universal truths as they are is weighty indeed. Likewise, to be in contact with those on high and with the spirits of animate and inanimate creatures in the manner the Prophet was is also weighty. Moreover, to undertake this mission without hesitation and not to turn away here or there in response to temptation is mightily weighty. All this certainly requires long preparation.

在他人入睡之时起身礼夜拜，抛开日常生活的种种纷扰，与真主相接，承蒙祂的光照与恩赐，寻求与祂独处的喜悦；在深夜的寂静中诵读《古兰经》，仿佛此刻正从高天降下，使整个宇宙为之回响；在静谧的夜里，从《古兰经》及其韵律中获得启迪。

Standing up in night worship when others are asleep, leaving aside the distractions of daily life, being in contact with God, receiving His light and bounty, seeking the pleasure of being alone with Him, reciting the Qur’an in the deep silence of the night as if it is being bestowed now from on high so as to be echoed by the whole universe, and receiving inspiration from the Qur’an and its melody in the quiet of the night...

这一切都是准备工作的一部分。它使人具备承担这一重大使命所需的准备,并能投入伊斯兰信息传播者所需的持续而艰苦的努力,包括先知ﷺ以及任何宣扬伊斯兰讯息的人。它照亮传播者在艰难道路上的心灵,保护他们免受撒旦耳语与诱惑的侵扰,引导他们的脚步,使其不致陷入与这条光明之路相邻的黑暗迷宫之中。

is all part of the preparation. It provides the necessary preparedness to shoulder the weighty task and undertake the sustained and strenuous efforts required of the Prophet and anyone who advocates the message of Islam. It enlightens advocates hearts along their hard way, protecting them from Satan’s whispering and temptations, and guiding their footsteps so that they do not fall into the dark maze that stands adjacent to this shining road.

然后，真主指示祂的使者要在一切反对和虚假指控面前保持知足与忍耐，并告诉他把这些如此行事的人交由祂来处理。

God then directs His Messenger to remain content and patient in the face of all opposition and false accusation, telling him to leave those people who so behave to Him to deal with:

忍耐地承受人们所说的话，并以高尚的尊严离开他们的陪伴。那些否认真理、沉溺于今世享乐的人，就交给我来处置吧，暂且容他们一段时间。我那里有沉重的枷锁和熊熊的烈火，有使人哽咽的食物和痛苦的刑罚，那是在大地与山岳都震动的日子，山岳也会崩塌成为流动的沙堆。我已经派遣一位使者去做你的见证，正如我曾派遣一位使者去见法老。

Endure with patience what people may say, and leave their company with noble dignity. Leave to Me those who deny the truth and enjoy the comforts of this life. Bear with them for a little while. We have heavy fetters and a blazing fire, food that chokes and painful suffering on the day when the earth and the mountains will shake, and the mountains will crumble into heaps of shifting sand. We have sent you a Messenger to be your witness, just as We sent a messenger to Pharaoh.

法老违抗了那位使者，于是我们用严厉的惩罚降罚于他。{若你们仍然不信，你们将如何防备那一天？那一天会使孩童的头发变白。那一天，天空将被撕裂。真主的应许必定实现。}（第10至18节） Note: the Qur'an verse text is set in { } as the source marks it; the rule about ﷺ is not triggered here since no mention of the Prophet occurs in this passage.

Pharaoh disobeyed the messenger, and so We inflicted on him a severe punishment. How will you, if you continue to disbelieve, guard yourselves against a day that will turn childrens hair grey? That is the day when the skies shall be rent asunder. God's promise will certainly be fulfilled. (Verses 10-18)

如果关于本章开头启示的第一种说法是正确的,即它发生在伊斯兰使命的早期,那么这段第二节经文便是较晚降示的,时间是在伊斯兰的呼吁公开传播并开始遭到否认者的反对之后。其中一些人在反对时态度傲慢,诋毁先知和信士。反之,如果第二种说法更为准确,那么本章的前半部分是在先知面对非信士们坚决反对其使命之时全部降示的。无论如何,我们看到,要求保持忍耐的命令,是在要求礼拜夜间并赞颂真主的命令之后。这两项指示常常一并给出,其目的是在神圣使命的倡导者漫长的旅途中,给予他们所需的支持和力量。这些倡导者既要应对来自自身内部的困难,也要应对伊斯兰的反对者从外部带来的困难。这两类困难都极其难以应对。因此,第一项指示便是保持忍耐:"对于人们所说的话,你要忍耐," 那些话可能令人愤怒。接下来是一条同样宽厚的指示:

If the first report concerning the revelation of this surah's opening is correct and that it took place during the early days of the Islamic message, this means that this second passage was revealed later, after the call to Islam went public and began to encounter opposition from those who denied it. Some of these were arrogant in their opposition, speaking ill of the Prophet and the believers. If, on the other hand, the second report is more accurate, then the first part of the surah was revealed in full when the Prophet was at the receiving end of the unbelievers’ determined opposition to his message. Be that as it may, we see that the directive to remain patient comes after the one to attend to night worship and engage in glorifying God. These two instructions are often given together with the aim of reinforcing the advocates of the divine message with the help they need along their long journey. These advocates contend with difficulties both from within themselves and from outside by the opponents of Islam. Both types of difficulty are extremely hard to deal with. Hence, the first directive is to remain patient: “Endure with patience what people may say \ which may be infuriating. Next comes a similarly magnanimous directive:

接下来是该章的第二部分，由一节很长的经文组成。根据较可靠的记载，它是在第一部分降示一年之后才被降示的。

Then comes the second part of the surah, consisting of a single, long verse that was revealed one year after the first part, according to the more authentic reports:

你的主知道你与一部分跟随你的人几乎有三分之二的夜晚、或一半、或三分之一在礼拜中站立。{唯有真主决定昼夜的长短。} 祂知道你们无法坚持计算这些时间，因此祂以恩慈转向你们。你们就诵读《古兰经》中你们所能轻松诵读的部分吧。

Your Lord knows that you stand in prayer nearly two-thirds of the night, or one-half or a third of it, as do some of your followers. It is God who determines the measure of night and day He is aware that you will not be able to keep a measure of it, and therefore He turns towards you in His grace. Recite of the Quran as much as may be easy for you.

他知道你们中会有人生病，有人会在地上奔走，寻求真主的恩赐，还有人会为真主的事业而战斗。

He knows that some of you will be sick, others will go about in the land seeking God's bounty, and others will be fighting for God's cause.

因此,你们可以轻松诵读古兰经中便于诵读的部分。谨守拜功,缴纳天课,并向真主献上美好的借贷。你们为自己所行的任何善事,都必在真主那里找到,且更加美好,报酬更加丰厚。你们当向真主求饶,真主确是至赦的,至慈的。(第20节)

Therefore, recite whatever you may do with ease. Attend regularly to prayer, pay your obligatory charity [i.e. zakat], and give God a goodly loan. Whatever good you may offer on your own behalf, you shall find it with God to be better and richer in reward. Seek God's forgiveness, for God is Much-Forgiving, Ever Merciful. (Verse 20)

这是一种体贴的关怀，在经历了长时间的疲惫之后，给人带来了慰藉。

This is a compassionate touch, providing relief after much fatigue.

这是真主给予先知和信士的一种宽限，因为他们已证明自己全心全意地献身于祂的神圣启示。他们在夜间长时间站立礼拜，诵读大段《古兰经》，之后已经筋疲力尽。真主从未想要以《古兰经》使先知ﷺ受苦，让他承受如此艰难。相反，祂只是在为他一生将要承担的艰巨使命做准备。跟随他的信士也必须分担这沉重的责任。

It is a relaxation by God granted to the Prophet and the believers, when they have proved themselves to be dedicated totally to His divine message. They were exhausted after having stood up for long hours at night offering prayers in which very long passages of the Qur’an were recited. God never wanted to afflict His Prophet with the Qur’an, putting him to such hardship. Rather, He was only preparing him for the hard task that he was to undertake for the rest of his life. The believers who followed him would also have to share in this heavy burden.

The verse starts with friendly reassurance: "{Your Lord knows that you stand in prayer nearly two-thirds of the night, or one-half or a third of it, as do some of your followers.}" (Verse 20) He has seen you doing it, and what you and your Companions offered of night worship has been accepted and entered in Gods records. He knows that you have abandoned your beds, warm as they are on a cold night, preferring to listen to His directives. He is Compassionate towards you and those who are with you. "{A is God who determines the measure of night and day}" (Verse 20) He causes the one to be longer and the other to be shorter. Chinese translation: 经文以友善的安慰开始："{你的主知道你站立礼拜的时间，有时接近三分之二的夜晚，有时是一半，或三分之一，你的一些追随者也是如此。}"（第20节）他看见你这样做，你和你的同伴在夜间所作的敬拜已被接受，并记录在真主的记录之中。他知道你们舍弃了温暖的床铺，即便在寒冷的夜晚，你们宁愿倾听他的训示。他对你和与你同在的人充满慈悯。"{真主决定夜与昼的长短}"（第20节）他使这一个变长，那一个变短。