这段经文讲述的是先知舒阿卜的故事。从历史的角度看，他的时代早于穆萨（摩西），但这里讲述它，是为了本章所涉及的所有故事中蕴含的教训。"林地居民"很可能指的是麦德彦人。麦德彦似乎靠近这片树木茂密的林地，正如古兰经的描述所暗示的那样。麦德彦位于亚喀巴湾附近，地处沙特阿拉伯的汉志省与巴勒斯坦之间。
This passage tells the story of the Prophet Shu`ayb which, from a historical point of view, comes before that of Moses, but it is told here for the lessons involved in all the stories given in this sūrah. The dwellers of the ‘wooded dales’ were most probably the people of Madyan. It seems that Madyan was close to this wooded land, thick with trees, as the Qur’ānic description implies. Madyan lies close to the Gulf of `Aqaba, in the area between the Ĥijāz province of Saudi Arabia and Palestine.
舒阿伊卜像其他先知一样开始劝导民众，向他们讲解信仰的基本要义，并明确表示，他不为自己的劝导索取任何报酬。随后，他向他们谈到困扰其社会的种种弊病：
Shu`ayb began in the same way as other prophets calling on people, explaining to them the basic essentials of faith, and making it clear that he sought no gain in return for his advocacy. He then spoke to them about the ills that plagued their own society:
“要足量地给予，不要做减少他人权利的人；要用公平的秤称量；不要克扣他人应得的东西；不要在大地上作恶、散布腐败。”（第181-183节）
“Give full measure, and be not of those who give others less [than their duel; and weigh with even scales; and do not deprive others of what rightfully belongs to them; and do not act wickedly on earth spreading corruption.” (Verses 181-183)
正如第7章《高处》和第11章《呼德》中明确提到的那样，他们每当为别人称量东西时，都会少给分量。他们还仗着自己的权势，多取本不属于自己的东西，而却少给别人应得的部分。他们低价买进货物，高价卖出。看来他们居住在商队贸易路线附近，这使他们能够主宰交易条件。上帝派去的使者劝导他们在一切此类交易中追求公平。他所传扬的真正信仰必然要求善待他人，并且不能容忍人与人之间的交易和往来中的不公正。
As clearly mentioned in Sūrahs 7 and 11, The Heights and Hūd respectively, they used to give people short measure whenever they weighed things out for them. They also used their power to take more than what was rightly theirs, while they would give people less than what was due to them. They would buy things for less than their fair price, but would sell for higher prices. It appears that they lived close to the caravan trade routes, and this enabled them to dictate their terms. The messenger God sent them counselled them to pursue fairness in all such dealings. He preached the true faith which inevitably requires good treatment of others, and which cannot overlook injustice in dealings and interactions between people.
随后，舒阿卜提醒他们敬畏真主，并提醒他们那位创造了他们的造物主，正如祂也曾创造过以往的各个世代一样，以此诉诸他们内心对敬畏上主的意识：
Shu`ayb then appealed to their sense of the fear of God as he reminded them of the Creator who brought them into existence as He did with all past generations:
“敬畏那创造你们以及往古无数世代的主。”（第184节）
“Fear Him who has created you as well as the countless generations of old.” (Verse 184)
他们的反应十分荒谬。他们指责他中了魔法，胡言乱语，不知自己在说什么："他们说：'你只不过是一个中了魔法的人。'"（第185节）他们还质疑他是否真是真主的使者，因为他和他们一样也是人。在他们看来，真主的使者应当与众不同。因此，他们指控他说谎："你不过是和我们一样的人！我们确信你是在撒谎。"（第186节）他们还挑战他，要他兑现自己的警告，降下真主的惩罚，并要求他让天空的碎片落在他们身上："如果你是诚实的人，那就让天上的碎片掉下来砸我们吧。"（第187节）
Their response was absurd. They accused him of being bewitched, speaking all sorts of nonsense without knowing what he said: “They said: You are but one who has been bewitched.” (Verse 185) They also questioned the fact that he was God’s messenger, since he was a man of their own kind. To them, a messenger of God should be different. Hence, they accused him of telling lies: “You are only a human being like us! And, indeed, we believe that you are lying.” (Verse 186) They further challenged him to put his warnings into effect, bringing God’s punishment upon them, demanding that he should cause the sky to fall upon them: “Cause, then, fragments of the sky to fall down on us, if you are a man of truth.” (Verse 187)
这样的挑战只可能出自那些粗心大意、不顾后果的人。这与麦加的拜偶像者在先知号召他们信仰时向他提出的挑战如出一辙。但舒艾卜选择不回应他们轻率的挑战，他的回答仅限于说："我的主完全知道你们所做的一切。"（第188节）
Such a challenge could only be made by careless people who think little of the consequences. It is akin to the challenge the idolaters in Makkah put to the Prophet when he called on them to believe. But Shu`ayb chose not to answer their thoughtless challenge. He limited his reply to simply saying: “My Lord knows fully well all that you do.” (Verse 188)
这一章接着便讲述了他们的结局，但并未加入任何细节："但他们却否认他，于是，遮天的云日的刑罚就降临了他们。那确是一个可怕的日子的刑罚。"（第189节）
The sūrah moves straight on to tell us about the end they met, but without adding any detail: “But they denied him. Thus suffering overtook them on the day of the darkening cloud. It was indeed the suffering of an awesome day.” (Verse 189)
据传，他们起初遭受酷热，呼吸困难，热气压迫着他们的肺部。接着，他们看见一片云，欣然迎上前去，寻求它所提供的荫蔽，感受着它起初带来的凉意。然而不久，一道巨大的雷霆将他们全部毁灭。这便是“乌云蔽日之日”，因为那片云是这一日最显著的标志。
It is reported that they first suffered very hot weather that made breathing difficult and which weighed heavily on their lungs. Then they saw a cloud, which they welcomed and sought the shade it provided, feeling the coolness it initially gave them. But soon a great thunderbolt destroyed them all. This was the ‘day of the darkening cloud’, as the cloud was its most distinctive mark.
这之后是《古兰经》此章在提及每个古代民族的故事后所给出的相同结论："这里面确有一种迹象，但他们大多数是不信的。而你的主确是万能的，确是至慈的。"（第190－191节）
This is followed by the same conclusion given in the sūrah after each of the stories of past communities it mentions: “Indeed, there is in this a sure sign; yet most of them will not believe. And indeed it is your Lord who is the Mighty One, the Merciful.” (Verses 190- 191)