本卷包含37章经文,构成传统上所称的《古兰经》第三十卷。这种划分是把《古兰经》分为长度大致相等的30卷,以便人们能够每月通读全经一遍。然而这一卷有着特殊而鲜明的风格。它所包含的所有章,除第98章《明证》和第110章《援助》之外,都是麦加章。这两章分别排在第98和第110位。虽然各章长短不一,但都很短小。更值得注意的是,它们组成了一个主题大体相同的整体,在韵律、意象、涵义和总体风格上都有共同的特点。它们确实就像持续而有力的敲门声,又像一连串大声的呼喊,要唤醒那些沉睡的人,或那些醉酒失去知觉的人,或那些在夜总会里全神贯注于舞蹈和娱乐的人。敲门与呼喊接连不断:醒来吧!看看你周围!思考!反省!有一位主宰!有安排,有考验,有责任,有清算,有报酬,有严厉的惩罚,也有永恒的福乐。同样的警告一次又一次地重复。一只有力的手猛烈地摇撼着他们。他们似乎睁开了眼睛,环顾片刻,又重新陷入昏迷。那只有力的手再次摇撼他们。呼喊和敲门声变得更加响亮地重复。他们或许会醒来一两次,固执地说:“不!”他们可能会向警告他们的人投石,或侮辱他,然后又回到漫不经心的状态。他再次摇撼他们。

This volume contains 37 sūrahs forming what is traditionally known as the thirtieth part of the Qur’ān, on the basis that divides the Qur’ān into 30 parts of equal length, so as to make it easy to read the whole book once a month. Yet this part has a special, distinctive colour. All the sūrahs it includes are Makkan, except two, The Clear Proof and Divine Help, which take numbers 98 and 110 respectively. Although they vary in length, they are all short. More significant, however, is the fact that they form a single group with more or less the same theme. They enjoy the same characteristics of rhythm, images, connotations and overall style. They are, indeed, like a persistent and strong knocking on a door, or a series of loud shouts seeking to awaken those who are fast asleep, or those who are drunk and have lost consciousness, or are in a night club, completely absorbed in their dancing or entertainment. The knocks and the shouts come one after the other: Wake up! Look around you! Think! Reflect! There is a God! There is planning, trial, liability, reckoning, reward, severe punishment and lasting bliss. The same warning is repeated time after time. A strong hand shakes them violently. They seem to open their eyes, look around for a second and return to unconsciousness. The strong hand shakes them again. The shouts and knocks are repeated even more loudly. They may wake up once or twice to say obstinately, “No!” They may stone the person warning them or insult him and then resume their position of inattention. He shakes them anew.

我读这部分古兰经时的感受是：它对少数几个重大事实格外强调，并奏响了触动人心的某些旋律。它聚焦于宇宙与人类灵魂世界中的某些景象，也聚焦于审判日将发生的某些事件。我注意到这些内容以不同的方式反复出现，这表明重复是有意为之的。

This is how I feel when I read this part of the Qur’ān. It places much emphasis on a small number of significant facts and strikes certain notes which touch people’s hearts. It concentrates on certain scenes in the universe and in the world of the human soul, as well as certain events which take place on the Day of Decision. I note how they are repeated in different ways, which suggests that the repetition is intended.

当人读到："让人类思考他所吃的食物吧。"（80：24）时，会有这样的感受。

This is how one feels when one reads: “Let man reflect on the food he eats.” (80: 24)

或者:"让人想想他是从什么被创造的。"(86:5) 或者:"难道他们不看骆驼是怎样被创造的吗?天空是怎样被高举的?山岭是怎样被竖立的?大地是怎样被铺展的?"() 或者:"你们的创造更难,还是天空的创造更难?他建造了它,抬高它的穹顶,使它的形状端正;使它的夜晚昏暗,使它的白昼显露。此后,他铺展大地,从其中引出水和牧草,竖立山岳,作为你们和牲畜的享用。"() 或者:"我难道没有把大地铺展、平整,又把山岳当作桩子吗?我创造你们成双成对,使你们的睡眠成为休息;我使黑夜成为遮蔽,使白昼成为谋生之时;我在你们上面建造了七座坚固的天体,并在其中设置了一盏明灯;我从云中降下大量的雨水,借此生出谷物和各种植物,以及枝叶繁茂的园圃。"()

他们在问什么？[在问]关于那件重大的消息，他们对此有所争议。不然！他们必将知道！再次不然！他们必将知道！（第1至5节）

About what are they asking? About the fateful tiding on which they dispute. No indeed; they shall certainly know! Again, no indeed; they shall certainly know! (Verses 1-5)

这部经章一开始就斥责那些提问者，以及他们的提问。经文对人们竟然对复活与审判提出疑问感到惊讶，而这两点正是激烈争论的核心。因为不信道者几乎无法想象复活是可能的，尽管复活在道理上是最合乎逻辑的。经文问道：“他们在互相询问什么呢？”（第1节）随后给出了答案。这一问并非为了求取信息，而是为了引起人们对他们所问之事及其性质的注意：“就是那件重大的消息，他们对此有争议。”（第2-3节）经文没有直接点明这件事，而是加以描述，以增强人们对这类人感到惊奇与诧异的心情。争论发生在相信复活的人与否认复活的人之间，但提出疑问的只有后者。

The sūrah opens by shunning the enquirers and the enquiry. It wonders that anyone should raise doubts about resurrection and judgement, which were central points of bitter controversy. For the unbelievers could hardly imagine that resurrection were possible, despite the fact that it is most logical. The sūrah asks what they are talking about: “About what are they asking?” (Verse 1) We are then given the answer. The question is not meant to solicit information but rather draws attention to the subject of their questions and stating its nature: “About the fateful tiding on which they dispute.” (Verses 2-3) The answer does not name the event but describes it to enhance the feeling of wonder and amazement at such people. The dispute was between those who believed in resurrection and those who denied it, but the questions were raised by the latter only.

该章并未提供关于所说之事的更多细节。它只是将其描述为重大之事，然后以一种暗含的威胁作结，这比直接的回答更加令人畏惧。"不！他们必将知道！再次强调：不！他们必将知道！"（第4-5节）这里的"不"一词，是对阿拉伯语"kallā"的最接近译法，该词表示强烈的否定与斥责。整句话重复出现，以加强所暗含的威胁。

The sūrah does not provide any more details about the event in question. It simply describes it as great before adding an implicit threat which is much more frightening than a direct answer. “No indeed, they shall certainly know! Again, no indeed, they shall certainly know!” (Verses 4-5) The phrase, ‘no indeed,’ is used here as the nearest possible rendering of the Arabic term, kallā, which denotes strong shunning. The whole sentence is repeated to add force to the threat implied.

该章随后似乎暂且搁置了那件处于争议核心的重大事件，但稍后又重新提起。接着，我们被带往宇宙的一次快速巡览，目睹众多的景象、生灵与现象。

The sūrah then puts aside, apparently, that great event which is at the centre of controversy, only to pick it up later on. We are then taken on a quick round of the universe in which we see a multitude of scenes, creatures and phenomena.

能够强烈震撼任何人心的沉思："难道我没有使大地成为床褥吗？使山岳成为柱桩吗？我创造你们为配偶，使你们的睡眠成为休息，使黑夜成为遮盖，使白昼成为谋生之时，我在你们之上建造了七重坚固的天空，并在其中设置了一盏光明的明灯。我从云中降下倾盆大雨，借此生出五谷和各种植物，以及枝叶繁茂的园圃。"（第6至16节）

Contemplation of which strongly shakes any human heart: “Have We not spread and levelled the earth, and made the mountains as pegs? We created you in pairs, and made your sleep a cessation of activity. We made the night a mantle, and appointed the day for gaining a livelihood. We built above you seven mighty ones, and placed therein a blazing lamp. We send down out of the rain-clouds water in abundance, by which We bring forth grain and varied plants, and gardens thick with trees.” (Verses 6-16)

在这一轮中,我们穿越浩瀚的宇宙,观察到大量的景象与现象,这些景象与现象只用了极为精炼的文字加以勾勒。这使得节奏变得锐利而有穿透力,犹如不停的捶打。这里还刻意运用了以疑问形式暗含陈述的句式。它可以比作一只有力的手,摇醒那些仍然懵懂无知的人。它引导他们注意这些受造之物与现象,这些都有力地证明了其创造背后的周密筹划与精心设计,证明了创造与再造的能力,以及创造背后的智慧——这种智慧决定了没有任何受造之物会被排除在伟大的清算之外。由此,我们回到那件重大的消息,也就是这场辩论的主题。

In this round we traverse the vast universe, observing a great multitude of scenes and phenomena, which are sketched out with great economy of words. This helps make the rhythm sharp and penetrating, like an incessant hammering. The form of questioning implying a statement is also used here deliberately. It may be likened to a strong hand shaking those who are still unaware. It draws their attention to all these creatures and phenomena which provide strong evidence of the deliberate planning and designing which go into their creation, the ability to create and re- create, and the wisdom behind creation, which dictates that no creature will be left out of the great reckoning. Hence we come back to the fateful tiding, the subject of the argument.

这一轮的第一段带我们来看大地与群山：“难道我没有使大地铺展，难道我没有使群山作为桩柱吗？”（第6-7节）这两个事实都很容易被每个人认识并体会。事实上，只要注意力被引向它们，即使是原始人也会为之触动。

The first leg in this round takes us across the earth and the mountains: “Have We not spread and levelled the earth, and made the mountains as pegs?” (Verses 6-7) Both facts mentioned here can be easily recognized and appreciated by everyone. Indeed, even primitive man can be affected by them once his attention is drawn to them.

随着人类知识的进步,人对宇宙及其各种现象本质的认识日益深入,对这两方面的领悟也随之增强。他更加充分地认识到真主对宇宙的周密筹划,创造物的各个种类之间及其各自需要之间所保持的精确平衡,为人类生存而对大地所做的准备,以及人类对其环境的适应能力。大地被专门预备为人类生活的舒适家园,这一事实无可辩驳地证明了此种生存被精心设计。只要地球上现有的条件,或生命所需的条件与比例中有一种关系被打破,大地便不再是人类可以安居踏行的那个舒适家园了。

As human knowledge advances and man acquires better insight into the nature of the universe and its varied phenomena, his appreciation of these two aspects is enhanced. He recognizes more fully God’s elaborate planning of the universe, the accurate balance maintained between the individual kinds of creation and their respective needs, the preparation of the earth for human existence and man’s adaptability to his environment. That the earth has been specially prepared as a comfortable home for human life in particular is irrefutable evidence of the careful designing of this existence. It is sufficient to break one relation in the conditions available on earth or in the conditions and proportions required for life and the earth would no longer be that comfortable home for mankind to tread on.

所有这些都是为了工作与享乐，但之后还有清算与回报，就在那注定的日子：“判决之日是注定的。那日，号角被吹响，你们将成群而来；天空被开启，变成诸门；山岭被移动，看起来如同海市蜃楼。”（第17-20节）

All this has been for work and pleasure, but there are reckoning and reward to follow, on the appointed day: “Fixed is the Day of Decision. On that day the Trumpet is blown and you shall come in crowds, and heaven is opened and becomes gates, and the mountains are made to move away, and seem to have been a mirage.” (Verses 17-20)

创造并非没有目的。造物主精确地衡量了人类的生命，并使其与宇宙之间保持完美的和谐，祂不会让人们白白地生，白白地死。理智无法接受：行善者与作恶者最终都归于尘土。正道者与迷途者、公正者与暴君，不可能有同样的结局。必定有一日，万事都将受到审判与清算。这一日由真主所定：“裁决之日是注定的。”（第17节）

Creation is not without purpose. The Creator, who has accurately measured human life and carefully provided perfect harmony between it and the universe, will not let people just live and die in vain. Reason cannot accept that those who do good and the evildoers should both end in dust. The rightly-guided and the straying folk, the just and the tyrants cannot all share the same fate. There must be a day when everything is judged and evaluated. The day is appointed by God: “Fixed is the Day of Decision.” (Verse 17)

那一天是宇宙遭受剧变、其体系被摧毁的日子。"在那一日,号角被吹响,你们将成群结队地到来;天空开启成为门户,山岭被挪移而去,看起来就像海市蜃楼一般。"(78:18-20)"号角"是一种角状之物,我们除了知道它的名称以及它将被吹响之外,一无所知。我们不必浪费时间去探求它究竟是什么样子,因为这样的探求并不能增强我们的信仰。

It is a day when upheaval overtakes the universe and destroys its systems. “On that day the Trumpet is blown and you shall come in crowds, and heaven is opened and becomes gates, and the mountains are made to move away, and seem to have been a mirage.” (Verses 18-20) The ‘Trumpet’ is a kind of horn of which we know nothing except its name and that it will be blown. We need not waste our time trying to discover how, for such discovery will not strengthen our faith.

真主已经把我们需要知道的宇宙奥秘启示给我们，使我们不致把精力耗费在无益知识的徒劳追求上。然而，我们可以想象号角吹响，人们蜂拥而至、纷纷前来应答的情景。

God has revealed to us what we need to know of the secrets of the universe so that we may not waste our energy in the futile pursuit of useless knowledge. We can imagine, however, a blast on a Trumpet which people answer by arriving in droves.

我们可以想象这样的情景:人类所有世代的人从四面八方蜂拥而起,成群结队地前来参加伟大的清算。我们可以想象人们从坟墓中站起来时那可怕的景象,以及他们所组成的庞大、无边无际的人群。我们可以感受到那一天的恐怖,人们的无助与恐惧。我们不知道这一切将在何处发生,也不知道何时发生,因为宇宙中充满了重大的事件:"天空裂开而成为门户,山岳被移动而如同海市蜃楼。"(第19-20节)

We can visualize the scene whereby all the generations of mankind rise up, walking in their multitudes, from all directions, to attend the great reckoning. We can imagine the fearful sight of people rising from their graves and the great, huge, endless crowd they form. We can feel the horror of the day, people’s helplessness and fear. We do not know where all this will happen, nor when, for the universe is full of great events: “And heaven is opened and becomes gates, and the mountains are made to move away, and seem to have been a mirage.” (Verses 19-20)

这一章再进一步，在复活之后，描述暴虐的不信道者和虔诚的义人各自的结局。它先讲到前一类人，他们对这一重大消息心存疑虑："火狱如同一个伺伏的守卫，是暴虐者和越轨者的归宿。他们将在其中长久停留，既尝不到清凉，也喝不到任何饮料，只有滚烫的沸水和脓血污秽，这是相应的报应。他们不期望受到清算，并且断然否认我的启示。但我已将每一件事都записа在案，[并且将会说]：'你们尝试吧，你们所增加的，只会是刑罚的增加。'"（第21-30节）

The sūrah takes another step, beyond resurrection, to describe the fate of the tyrant unbelievers and also that of the righteous. It begins with the former group who raise doubts about the fateful tiding: “Hell stands as a vigilant watch guard, a home for the tyrants and the transgressors. Therein they shall abide for ages, tasting neither coolness nor any drink, except boiling fluid and decaying filth: a fitting recompense. They did not expect to be faced with a reckoning, and roundly denied Our revelations. But We have placed on record every single thing, [and We shall say]: ‘Taste this, then; the only increase you shall have is increase of torment.’“ (Verses 21-30)

地狱被创造出来，是为了监视暴君和作恶者，并等待他们的到来。他们发现地狱已准备好迎接他们，仿佛他们是在人间暂住一段时间之后，回到了自己原本的归宿。那是一个他们将永远停留的居所。然而他们所尝到的，是“既无清凉，也无饮料”。（第24节）下一节对此作了例外的说明，但这例外比原来的情形更为可怖：“除了滚烫的液体和脓血。”（第25节）当他们饮下那滚烫的液体时，喉咙和肠胃都在灼烧；那是他们唯一的“清凉”。而他们的另一种饮品，则是焚烧的躯体所流出的污秽之物，在极度的高温中腐烂。《古兰经》评论说，这是“相称的报应”。这与他们在今世所作所为是相符的。

Hell has been created so that it may watch the tyrants and transgressors and await their arrival. They find it well prepared to receive them, as if they are returning to their natural home after having sojourned on earth a while. It is a home in which they stay endlessly. But they taste “neither coolness nor any drink.” (Verse 24) The next verse provides an exception to this, but the exception is even worse: “except boiling fluid and decaying filth.” (Verse 25) Their throats and stomachs burn as they drink the boiling fluid, which is the only ‘coolness’ they have, while their other drink is the filth of the burning bodies, decaying in the enormous heat. The Qur’ān comments that this is ‘a fitting recompense’. It is in keeping with what they have done in their lives.

因为他们以为自己永远不会回到真主那里："他们不期望受清算，并且断然否认我的启示。"（第27-28节）正如阿拉伯语经文所示，他们的否认是极其强烈、顽固坚持的。然而真主保存着一份周密的记录，他们所做和所说的任何事都不会被遗漏："而我已将万事记录在册。"（第29节）随后是一句责备，同时告知他们：其处境不会有任何改变，其痛苦的强度也不会有任何减轻："你们尝试吧！除了加重刑罚，我不会给你们增添什么。"（第30节）

For they thought they would never return to God: “They did not expect to be faced with a reckoning, and roundly denied Our revelations.” (Verses 27-28) Their denial, as the Arabic verse suggests, is strongly emphatic and stubbornly upheld. But God keeps a meticulous record which does not leave out anything they do or say: “But We have placed on record every single thing.” (Verse 29) Then follows a reproach coupled with the tiding that they can hope for no change in their condition and no abatement of its intensity: “Taste this, then; the only increase you shall have is increase of torment.” (Verse 30)

本章以那一天所发生之事的最后一幕作结。在这一幕中，我们看到天使吉卜利勒，即圣灵，以及所有天使，整齐列队站立在他们的至仁主面前。他们敬畏他，没有他的事先允许，无人敢开口说一句话。“天地及其间万物的主，至仁的主，众生无权与他交谈。”

The sūrah closes with the final scene of the day when all this happens. It is a scene in which we see the angel Gabriel, who is the Holy Spirit, and all the angels standing in ranks before God, their Most Merciful Lord. They stand in awe of Him; no one dares utter a word without prior permission from Him. “Lord of the heavens and earth and all that lies between them, the Most Gracious, with whom they have no power to speak.

在那一天，灵魂与天使排列成行，除非至仁主允许的人，谁都不能说话；他们所说的都是正确的。（章节 37-38）

On the day when the Spirit and the angels stand in ranks, they shall not speak, except those to whom the Most Gracious has given leave, and who shall say what is right.” (Verses 37-38)

前文所述对正直之人与暴虐悖逆者的报应，都来自你的主。"祂是诸天、大地以及二者之间一切的主，至仁至慈。"（第37节）这样的语境，恰好再次确认了神性这一永恒真理。真主是人类的至高主宰，是诸天与大地的主宰，是今世与后世的主宰；祂既赐报应于正直，也施惩罚于悖逆与暴虐，而在这一切之上，祂是至仁至慈的。

The recompense given to the righteous and to the tyrant transgressors, which was detailed in the previous section, is from your Lord. “Lord of the heavens and earth and all that lies between them, the Most Gracious.” (Verse 37) What a befitting context to reaffirm the eternal truth of Godhead. God is the Supreme Lord of man, the heavens and earth, this life and the next, who metes out reward for righteousness and punishment for transgression and tyranny. But above all He is the Most Gracious.

赐予每一类人的回报，都是祂慈悯的体现。即便是作恶者所承受的刑罚，也源于真主的慈悯。因为惩罚恶行、使恶的结局不同于善的结局，本就是慈悯的一部分。

The reward He assigns to each group is a manifestation of His mercy. Even the torment endured by the transgressors originates from God’s mercy. For it is indeed part of mercy that evil should be punished and that it should not have the same end as good.

另一项隐含的神圣属性是威严（majesty）：“他们无权与祂交谈。”（第37节）在这令人敬畏的情境中，无论人还是天使，都不能在没有至仁主许可的情况下开口。所说的话必然是正确的，因为祂不会允许那些祂所知道的、将说不当之言的人开口。

The other divine attribute implied here is majesty: “with whom they have no power to speak.” (Verse 37) In this awesome situation neither man nor angel can speak without permission from the Most Gracious. Whatever is said will be right because He does not permit anyone to speak whom He knows will not be saying what is right.

当我们想到，那些蒙受真主喜悦、绝对无罪的天使，都在真主面前肃立，未经允许不敢开口，我们便不得不感受到那种庄严的气氛。在引发了这样的感受之后，本章向那些选择不听不看的人发出警告："那日是必然来临的。谁愿意，就让他寻求一条归向主的路。我已经警告你们，一场近在眼前的刑罚即将降临，那日人将看到自己手所先行的事，不信道者将呼喊：'但愿我是尘土！'"（第39-40节）

When we think that the angels, who are favoured by God, and absolutely pure from sin, stand silent in front of God and dare not speak without His permission, we are bound to feel how awesome the atmosphere is. Having motivated such a feeling, the sūrah delivers a warning to those who have chosen not to hear or see: “That day is a certainty. Let him who will seek a way back to his Lord. We have forewarned you of an imminent scourge, on the day when man will look on what his hands have forwarded and the unbeliever will cry: ‘Would that I were dust!” (Verses 39-40)