当这一章完成了所有这些内容之后，它便给出了终极的教训，提及那些违抗神的命令、不遵从祂的使者的民族的命运。他们既不听从劝诫，也不回应他们的先知向他们发出的呼唤。
When the surah has completed all this, it provides the ultimate lesson referring to the fates of those communities that defied God’s commandments and disobeyed His messengers. They neither listened to admonition, nor responded to calls given them by their prophets.
由他们的结局所得出的教训因此摆在我们面前,提醒众人:那些不敬畏真主、违抗祂的人,将遭遇悲惨的结局。这也提醒人们,真主赐予信士的恩典——这些律法正是对他们而言的。
The lessons derived from their fates are thus placed before us, reminding all of the miserable fate that awaits those who do not fear God and who disobey Him. It also reminds people of the grace God bestows on believers, to whom the legislation is addressed:
许多社群肆意违抗其主及其使者的命令，我们便严厉地清算了他们，并降下可怕的惩罚。于是他们尝到了自己行为的后果。他们行为的终局乃是毁灭。真主已为他们预备了严厉的刑罚。所以，你们这些有见识的人，你们这些信道的人，当敬畏真主。真主已从高天赐给你们一个教诲。[他已派遣]一位使者，向你们诵读真主阐明真理的启示，以便他引领那些信道并行善的人，走出黑暗的深渊，进入光明。真主将使每一个信仰祂并行善的人进入下临诸河的乐园，他们将永居其中。真主必将为他们预备最优厚的给养。（第8–11节）
Many a community that insolently defied the commandment of their Lord and His messengers We have brought to account in a severe manner and inflicted on them terrible suffering. Thus they tasted the outcome of their own conduct. Yet the end of their conduct was ruin. God has prepared a severe punishment for them. So, you who are endowed with insight, you who have faith, fear God. God has bestowed on you a reminder from on high. [He has sent you] a Messenger who recites to you God's revelations that make things clear, so that He may lead those who believe and do righteous deeds out of the depths of darkness into the light. God will admit everyone who believes in Him and does righteous deeds into gardens through which running waters flow, where they will abide for ever. God will have granted them a most excellent provision. (Verses 8-11)
这是一段冗长的警示，包含详细的场景和画面描写。
This is a long warning incorporating detailed scenes and images.
这也是对真主恩典的深刻提醒，这恩典体现在信仰之中，体现在祂通过信仰所赐予的光明里。此外，它还提醒人们注意祂在后世所赐的回报，那是一切供给中最好、最丰厚的。
It is also a profound reminder of Gods grace, represented by faith and the light He grants through it. A further reminder is given of His reward in the life to come, which is the best and most generous of all provisions.
首先，真主对那些违背祂的命令、不回应祂的使者的人所施的惩罚，是祂所设立的一条定律："曾有许多城乡的居民悖逆其主及其使者的命令，我就严厉地清算他们，并且惩罚他们，惩罚得很厉害。"（第8节）这节经文提到了他们受清算的更多细节，突出了其严厉程度，以及加在他们身上的可怕苦难。接着是他们行为的最终结局："他们尝了自己行为的恶果，他们的行为的结局是亏折。"（第9节）关于这一结局的描述则延至下一节："真主为他们预备了严厉的刑罚。"（第10节）
To start with, the punishment God metes out to those who defy His orders and do not respond to His messengers is a law He has set in operation: “Many a community that insolently defied the commandment of their Lord and His messengers We have brought to account in a severe manner and inflicted on them terrible suffering." (Verse 8) The verse mentions more details about the way in which they were brought to account, highlighting its severity and the terrible suffering inflicted on them. This is followed by the final outcome of their actions: “Thus they tasted the outcome of their own conduct. Yet the end of their conduct was ruin.” (Verse 9) The image given of this outcome is delayed to the next verse: “God has prepared a severe punishment for them.” (Verse 10)
这一切都是为了让场景更加悠长，并详细展现其步骤与阶段。这正是《古兰经》所运用的方式之一，用以增强其所欲传达的信息的感染力。
All this serves to make the scene longer and provide details of its steps and stages. This is one of the ways the Qur’an employs to enhance the effects of the message it wants to give.
我们需要对这一警告稍作思索。我们意识到，每当某些民族违背主的命令、悖逆主的使者时，主都会逐一追究他们的责任。我们注意到，这一警告是在阐述离婚律例的语境中给出的。
We need to reflect a little on this warning. We realize that God brought different communities to account, one at a time, whenever they defied His commandments and disobeyed His messengers. We note that this warning is given here in the context of outlining the rulings on divorce.
因此,离婚与这一神圣律法之间便确立了联系。这表明,离婚问题并不仅仅是夫妻和家庭的问题,而是整个穆斯林社群的问题,因为社群有责任执行真主的律法。在这一问题上,或者说在神圣律法的其他方面,乃至真主所赐予的生活准则上违抗真主,是一种悖逆行为,应受惩罚;不仅那些犯下此类违抗的个人应受惩罚,那些发生此种悖逆的社群或国家也应受惩罚。这种悖逆意味着建立一套与真主所制定的律法相悖的生活体系。伊斯兰教是从天而降的,其目的是为了让人们遵守并执行它,从而全面规范人的生活。因此,即便是在个人事务的领域违抗它,也会使违抗者遭受先前各民族所曾遭受的真主的惩罚。
Thus, a link between divorce and this divine law is established. This suggests that the divorce issue is not merely one of couples and families; it is an issue for the entire Muslim community, which is responsible for implementing Gods law. To disobey God in this question, or indeed in other aspects of the divine law, or rather the code of living God has given, is an act of defiance which merits punishment, not only for the individuals who commit such disobedience, but also for the community or the country where such defiance takes place. Such defiance means setting up a life system that differs from what God has legislated. The religion of Islam has been bestowed from on high so that it will be obeyed and implemented in a way that regulates life as a whole. Therefore, defying it, even in the area of an individuals personal affairs, exposes the defiant to what earlier communities suffered of God’s punishment.
那些社群尝到了自身行为的苦果，他们行为所导致的终局便是彻底的毁灭，这毁灭在今世就已降临于他们，早于审判日的最终清算。当城市、民族和国家违逆真主，拒绝遵循祂所启示的生活准则时，它们都尝到了这样的后果。今天，正如我们的前人一样，我们目睹了这种后果以腐败、道德败坏、贫困、干旱、不公以及缺乏平安与安全感的恐惧生活等形式显现出来。我们亲眼看到了这一警告的真实性。
Those communities tasted the results of their own conduct, and the end to which their actions led was utter ruin, which they suffered in this life, before the final reckoning on the Day of Judgement. Cities, peoples and nations tasted such outcomes when they defied God and refused to adopt the code of living He revealed to them. Today, we witness, as did our predecessors, such an outcome being suffered in the form of corruption, loose morality, poverty, drought, injustice and a life of fear that is devoid of peace and security. We see with our own eyes the truth of this warning.
此外，那些违抗真主的命令、抛弃祂所规定的生活方式的人，等待他们的将是沉重的苦难。祂是最真实的，祂说：“真主为他们预备了严厉的刑罚。”（第10节）
On top of this, there will be grievous suffering that awaits those who defy Gods orders and discard the way of life He has laid down. He, the most truthful of all, says: “God has prepared a severe punishment for them” (Verse 10)
在第十六卷中，我们在讨论第61章“列队”（Surah Al-Saff）时已经阐明，伊斯兰旨在建立一个以其独特制度而著称的穆斯林社会。因此，这是一个集体的制度，管理着社会成员生活的一切事务。由此，整个社会共同负有实施该制度、执行其律法的责任。当社会抛弃伊斯兰所确立的律法与裁决时，它便使自己暴露于一种命运之中，本章正是对此发出警告，正如此前那些违抗的民族所遭遇的一样。
In Volume XVI, we explained in our discussion of Surah 61, the Ranks, that Islam aims to create a Muslim community distinguished by its special system. It is, therefore, a collective system that conducts all the life affairs of its community. Hence, the community as a whole is responsible for putting it into practice and enforcing its laws. When the community discards the laws and rulings Islam puts in place, it leaves itself exposed to a fate which it is warned about here, just like it befell earlier defiant communities.
本章在长篇警告及其详尽的意象之后，转而向具有理解力的信士发出呼吁。他们被召唤要保持敬畏真主之心：“有理智的人啊！你们当敬畏真主，你们是信道的人。真主已经降示你们一个教训。”（第10节）本章使这一教训获得生命，将它体现在先知ﷺ身上。因此，真主的使者本人就是这一教训：“一位使者，向你们诵读真主明白的启示。”（第11节）
The surah follows the long warning and its detailed images with an address to believers endowed with insight. They are called upon to remain God-fearing: “So, you who are endowed with insight, you who have faith, fear God. God has bestowed on you a reminder from on high.” (Verse 10) The surah gives life to this reminder embodying it in the Prophet (peace be upon him). Thus, Gods Messenger in person is the reminder: “A Messenger who recites to you God's revelations that make things clear” (Verse 11)
这是一个绝佳的例子，展现了古兰经的文体如何给出深刻而真实的画面，并且蕴含不止一层含义。首先，它表明：神所颁布给他们的这份教诲，是通过神的使者传达给他们的，仿佛这教诲是直接降临到他们身上一样。先知并没有对其中的任何内容加以遮蔽或筛选。它还意味着：神的使者本人便是一份教诲。他的品格已成为这份教诲的体现，他的言行便是古兰经的真实诠释。因此，先知穆罕默德ﷺ正是如此。他的妻子阿伊莎用这样的话描述他："他的品德与操行就是古兰经。"古兰经始终萦绕在他的心中，他面对生活时，他本身就是向生活诉说的古兰经。
Here we have a superb example of the Quranic style giving us a profound and true image and that imparts more than one meaning. It first indicates that this reminder, which has been issued to them by God, has been given to them through the person of Gods Messenger. It is as if the reminder was given directly to them. Nothing of it was screened by the Prophet. It also means that Gods Messenger, in person, is a reminder. His personality has become an embodiment of this reminder, and his actions are a true translation of the Qur’an. Thus, indeed, was the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). ‘A’ishah, his wife, describes him in these words: “His morals and manners were the Qur’an.” The Qur’an was always in his mind as he faced life, and he himself was the Qur’an addressing life.
除了这份教诲的恩典，以及神所赐予的光明与引导之外，我们还获得了进入天堂的应许，信士们将在那里享受永恒的福乐。这里有一个提醒，明确指出这是最美好的供给，而人们在今世所得到的一切，都无法与之相比：“真主必为他们预备了一份极好的供给。”（第11节）在今世与来世，供给都是神所赐予的，但有些供给比其他的更好。神对最好之物的选择，是正确的选择。我们在这里再次提到美好的供给，目的是让人们深刻认识到，天堂中的供给远远胜过此世所赐予的一切。此外，这还补充了前面所作的真实应许：对那些持守敬畏的人，必赐予美好的供给。
In addition to the blessings of the reminder, and the light and guidance given by God, we also have a promise of admission to heaven where believers will enjoy its everlasting bliss. There is a reminder here making clear that this is the best of all provisions, and that whatever people are given in this present life cannot be compared to it: “God will have granted them a most excellent provision.” (Verse 11) It is God who grants all provisions in the life of this world and in the life to come, but some provisions are better than others. His choice of what is best is the right choice. We see how the point of good provisions is mentioned here again so as to impress on people that the provisions in heaven are immeasurably better than what is provided here. Yet this is in addition to the true promise made earlier of giving good provisions to those who remain God-fearing.