本章节篇幅较长，论及以物配主的多神论者、否认使者的人、怀疑后世并否定复活的人。开篇以赞颂真主为始。一切赞美唯归于祂，因为祂是真主，即便没有人用言语向祂致以赞颂。宇宙与一切受造物都在赞颂祂，尽管也有人持有不同的态度。
This sūrah, which speaks at length about the idolaters who associated partners with God, denied His Messenger, doubted the hereafter and dismissed the idea of resurrection, begins with praising God. All praise is due to Him for being God, even though no human being utters a word of praise addressed to Him. He is praised by the universe and all creation, even though some human beings take a different attitude.
与此相关的，是真主作为宇宙主宰的属性。天地之间，没有任何人拥有一丝一毫的权柄：唯有祂独自拥有一切。这正是信仰的核心问题：真主的独一性。
Coupled with this is God’s attribute of being the Sovereign of the universe. No one has any portion of heaven or earth: He alone owns all there is. This is the central issue of faith: God’s oneness.
“至于后世，一切赞颂都归于他。”（第1节）在今世，他的一切仆人所献上的赞颂，包括那些在今世不信他、或因迷误而以外物与他并列的人，都将在后世汇聚，纯粹而完全地归于他。“他确是至睿的，确是彻知的。”（第1节）
“To Him will be due all praise in the life to come.” (Verse 1) All the praise offered by all His servants, including those who disbelieved in Him in this life or associated partners with Him as a result of being led astray, will converge in the life to come and be addressed totally and purely to Him. “He is truly Wise, All-Aware.” (Verse 1)
无论祂做什么，都基于智慧。确实，祂以完美的智慧主宰今世与后世的事务，以及整个宇宙的万物。而且，祂知晓一切发生的事情，祂的知识是完备、精确且绝对的。
Whatever He does is based on wisdom. Indeed, He conducts the affairs of this life and the Next, and the affairs of the entire universe in perfect wisdom. Moreover, He is aware of everything that takes place, and His knowledge is full, accurate and absolute.
该章给我们呈现了关于真主知识的一个概念，其背景是天与地：“凡进入地中的，和从地里出来的，凡从天上降下的，和升到天上去的，他都知道。”（第2节）这是用寥寥数语描绘出的一幅宏大图景，展现了难以想象的无数事物、运动、大小、形态、样式与含义。即便全世界的人用尽一生去监测和记录经文所提及的事物在仅仅一瞬间发生的情况，他们也无法做到。在这一瞬间，有多少东西进入地中？有多少东西从地里出来？又有多少东西从天上降下，或升到天上去？
The sūrah gives us a notion of God’s knowledge, portrayed against the background of heaven and earth: “He knows all that goes into the earth and all that comes out of it; all that descends from the skies and all that ascends to them.” (Verse 2) This is a vast image drawn in a few simple words, painting an amazing multitude of things, motions, sizes, shapes, forms and meanings that go beyond any imagination. Should all the people on earth spend their entire lives monitoring and recording what takes place in just one moment of the things mentioned in the verse, they would not be able to do so. How many things go into the earth in such a moment? How many leave it? And how many come down from the sky or go up into it?
试想一下进入大地的东西：埋在地下的种子、蠕虫、昆虫、爬行动物、雨滴、气体、电波……它们被投入这广阔大地的每一个角落，然而真主的眼睛注视着这一切。再看看从大地中涌出的东西：破土而出的植物、汩汩喷涌的泉水、喷发的火山、散逸的气体、离开地下居所的爬虫和昆虫。我们所见所知的、从大地中涌出的事物有多少，而我们所看不见、不了解的又有多少？
Consider what goes into the earth: the seeds that are buried in the ground, the worms, insects, crawling creatures, drops of rain, gases, electrical rays... all poured into every corner of this vast earth, yet God’s eye watches them all. Then look at what comes out of it: plants shooting out, springs gushing forth, erupting volcanoes, emanating gases, crawlers and insects leaving their underground homes. How many countless things do we see and know about that come out of the earth and how many countless others we do not see or know about?
请你也思考一下从天上降下的事物：雨滴、彗星、流星、燃烧或发光的光线、神圣的命令、那些惠及某些受造物同时又造福整个宇宙的恩典，以及上主赐予祂仆人的、或丰盛或有限度的给养。然后再思索一下升往天空的事物：人类、动物和植物的呼吸，以及其他只有真主才知晓的受造物，还有祈祷，无论是大声诵出还是暗中默念，只有真主才能听到。
Reflect also on what comes down from the skies: drops of rain, comets, meteors, rays that burn or give light, divine orders, acts of grace that favour certain creatures while benefiting the whole universe, and also provisions God grants to His servants in plentiful or measured quantities. Then turn over in your mind what goes up into the sky: the breathing of humans, animals and plants, as well as other creatures only known to God, and supplications, uttered aloud or in secret, heard only by God.
多少我们所知或未知的生灵之灵魂被聚集起来并升向真主；多少天使升上去执行真主的命令；多少海水的水滴蒸发并升入大气层；多少气体分子从各类生物体中散发出来。
How many a soul of creatures known or unknown to us is gathered and rises to God; how many an angel ascends to carry out God’s order; how many drops of seawater evaporate and rise into the atmosphere; how many molecules of gas emanate from all type of creatures?
在一瞬间,这一切中有多少事情发生?即便人类穷尽一生去监测和记录,人类的知识又能记录下这一切中所发生的多少呢?然而,真主的知识涵盖这一切,无论在何处、何时,也涵盖人的一切思想、感情、行为和举动。但真主仍然给予我们隐私,并宽恕我们的过失:"祂是至慈的,是至宥的。"(第2节)仅凭像这节经文这样的一处经文,就足以证明这部古兰经不可能出自人手。这样的描述本非任何人会想到的,人的天性也不会如此思考事物。在如此简练的一笔之中,就提供了如此全面的视野,这正体现了真主表达方式的卓越。
How much of all this takes place in one moment? How much can human knowledge record of what happens of all this even should they devote all their lives to monitoring and recording it all? Yet God’s knowledge reckons all this up, in all places and at all times, as well as all human thoughts, feelings, actions and movements. But God nevertheless gives us our privacy and forgives us our shortcomings: “He is the Merciful, the truly Forgiving.” (Verse 2) Just one Qur’ānic verse like the present one is sufficient to prove that this Qur’ān could not have been written by a human being. By nature, such descriptions do not occur to any person, nor does human nature contemplate matters in this way. That such a comprehensive vision is provided in one simple touch reflects the superiority of God’s style.
本章接着提到不信者否认末日必然到来，然而他们对明天会发生什么毫无所知。末日必定会来，这是必然的，因为善行者和作恶者都应得到公正的报应：
The sūrah then mentions the unbelievers’ denial of the inevitability of the Last Hour, even though they are totally unaware what tomorrow will bring. That it will come is certain; it is necessary so that both those who do good and those who do evil should receive their fair reward:
不信道者说:"复活的时刻永不会降临我们。"你说:"不然!我指我的主发誓,它必定降临你们。他是知幽明的,在天下没有一粒微尘逃脱他的鉴察,也没有比微尘更小或更大的事物不记载在明白的天经中。"这是为了使信道并行善的人得到报酬。这等人将得到赦宥和丰厚的给养。至于那些竭力反对我的迹象、企图使之失败的人,将遭受痛苦的刑罚。(第3-5节)
The unbelievers say: ‘Never shall the Last Hour come upon us!’ Say: ‘Yes, by my Lord, it shall most certainly come to you. It is He who knows all that lies beyond the reach of human perception. Not an atom’s weight in the heavens or the earth escapes Him; nor is there anything smaller or larger but is recorded in a clear book, so that He may reward those who believe and do righteous deeds. It is they who shall have forgiveness and generous provisions.’ As for those who strive against Our revelations, seeking to defeat their purpose, these shall have a most painful suffering. (Verses 3-5)
不信道者否认后世，是因为他们不理解真主的智慧。真主以无限的智慧，不任由人们随心所欲地行善或作恶而就此了结，不给行善者以报酬，也不惩罚作恶者。真主已通过使者告知我们，他会在审判日全部或部分地兑现报酬。因此，凡理解真主关于创造物之智慧的人都会认识到，后世对于真主应许的实现是必不可少的。然而，不信道者却忽视了神圣的智慧。因此，他们无礼地说："那末日永不降临于我们。"（第3节）所以真主以有力的回答说："不然！我指我主发誓，它必定降临你们。"他们对于自己世界之外的事物毫无所知，却急于断言一些他们并不了解的事情。
The unbelievers deny the life to come because they do not understand God’s wisdom. In His infinite wisdom, He does not let people do what they please, whether good or evil, and then leave them at that, without giving reward to the doers of good and requiting those who do otherwise. He has informed us, through His messengers, that He leaves the reward in full or in part to the Day of Judgement. Therefore, all those who understand His wisdom with regard to His creation realize that the life to come is essential for the fulfilment of God’s promise. The unbelievers, however, are oblivious of divine wisdom. Hence, they impolitely say: “Never shall the Last Hour come upon us.” (Verse 3) Hence the emphatic retort: “Yes, by my Lord, it shall most certainly come to you.” They have no knowledge of what is beyond their world, but they nevertheless are quick to assert something of which they have no knowledge.
而证实这一点的，正是那位“知晓一切隐秘之事的”主。（第3节）他所陈述的即是真理。此外，这一真理简明、完备，并建立在可靠而真实的知识之上。
Yet the one confirming this is the One “who knows all that lies beyond the reach of human perception.” (Verse 3) What He states is the truth. Furthermore, this truth is simple, complete and based on sound and true knowledge.
再一次，真主的知识被描绘在一个同样普遍的背景之中，再一次见证了《古兰经》的源头。这样的思想根本不会出现在人类的头脑中："天地间没有一个微尘的重量能逃过祂；无论比它更小或更大的，都记录在一部明确的经典里。"（第3节）这样的意象不会出现在普通的散文或诗歌中。当人们描述知识是完备、全面和精确的时候，他们并不会描绘出如此迷人的普遍图景："天地间没有一个微尘的重量能逃过祂；无论比它更小或更大的……"我从未在人类语言中见过这样描绘画面的尝试。这是神对自身知识的描述，它以一种人类并不这样使用语言的方式来运用人类的语言。因此，穆斯林自身对神的概念便被置于一个更为崇高的层次。"记录在一部明确的经典里"这一短语最接近的含义是：神的知识记录了一切事物，包括最微小的原子以及比它更小的东西。
Once more God’s knowledge is portrayed against a similarly universal background testifying once more to the Originator of the Qur’ān. Such thoughts simply do not occur to human minds: “Not an atom’s weight in the heavens or the earth escapes Him; nor is there anything smaller or larger but is recorded in a clear book.” (Verse 3) Such images do not occur in ordinary prose or poetry. When people describe knowledge as complete, comprehensive and accurate, they do not paint such a captivating universal image, ‘Not an atom’s weight in the heavens or the earth escapes Him; nor- is there anything smaller or larger...’ I have never seen in human language any attempt to draw such a picture. This is a description by God of His own knowledge, using human language in a way humans do not use it. Thus the Muslims’ own concept of God is set on a nobler level. The nearest meaning of the phrase, recorded in a clear book,’ is that God’s knowledge takes note of everything, including the tiniest of atoms and what is even smaller.
值得稍加思考一下这句话所用的措辞所提出的问题：“没有一个原子的重量……也没有比它更小的东西。”直到不久以前，人们普遍认为原子是最小的东西。如今，既然已经能够实现原子裂变，人类才得知原子是由若干其他粒子构成的。荣耀归于真主，祂在祂所选定的时候，教导祂的仆人们认识祂的内在属性和创造的奥秘。
It is useful to reflect a little on the point raised by use of the wording: “Not an atom’s weight... nor is there anything smaller.” Until recently, it was universally accepted that the atom is the smallest thing. Now that it has been possible to cause atomic diffusion, man has learnt that the atom is comprised of a number of other elements. All glory to God who teaches His human servants, at a time of His choosing, what He wishes them to learn of His inner attributes and the secrets of His creation.