这章经文在麦加降示,主要论及三个问题:神的独一、启示,以及末日的清算。这三个问题在前十六节中得到论述。经文描述了麦加长老们对先知号召他们信仰神的独一、并且他是神拣选的使者这一呼吁感到惊讶。经文说:"他们以为奇怪,有一位警告者从他们中间来到他们那里。不信道者说:'这是一个说谎的术士。他把所有的神变成一位神吗?这实在太奇怪了!'他们的首领四处走动说:'你们走开吧,坚持崇拜你们的神明,这是唯一应当做的事。我们在近世的任何宗教中从未听说过这样的说法,这不过是捏造。启示只降给了他一人,而不是我们中间的其他人吗?'"(第4-8节)在这些经文中,我们还得知他们如何回应神关于来世刑罚的警告:"他们说:'我们的主啊!在清算日之前,先把我们应得的刑罚赐给我们吧!'"(第16节)

Revealed in Makkah, this sūrah addresses three issues: God’s oneness, revelation, and the reckoning on the Day of Judgement. These three issues are discussed in its first part comprising 16 verses. Here the Makkan elders’ amazement at the Prophet’s call on them to believe in God’s oneness and that he was chosen by God to be His Messenger is described. “They deem it strange that one from among them has come to warn them. The unbelievers say: ‘This is a sorcerer telling lies. Does he make all the gods into one God? This is indeed most strange!’ Their leaders go about saying: ‘Walk away, and hold steadfastly to your deities: this is the only thing to do. Never did we hear of a claim like this in any faith of latter days! It is all an invention. Was the message given to him alone out of all of us?’” (Verses 4-8) In these verses we are also told how they met God’s warnings of punishment in the life to come: “They say: Our Lord! Hasten to us our share of punishment even before the Day of Reckoning.” (Verse 16)

他们难以相信，真主会从他们之中选出一人来传达祂的启示，而且这个人竟然是穆罕默德·本·阿卜杜拉，此人在他们之中从未担任过任何权威职位。

Basically, they found it impossible to believe that God would choose one of their own number to deliver His message and moreover that this person should be Muĥammad ibn Abdullah who had not held a position of authority among them.

因此,针对他们对祂的选择所提出的质疑,真主也反问他们:“难道他们掌握着你主的恩典宝库,即万能的、至慷的主吗?或者他们拥有诸天与大地以及两者之间的一切主权吗?那么,就让他们想尽办法攀登上去吧。”(第9-10节)这告诉他们:当真主欲向任何人敞开祂慈悯之门时,没有任何力量能够阻挡。经文还告诉他们:人类在诸天和大地中一无所有;这是真主的给养与慈悯之事,祂将其赐予祂所意欲的人。是祂选择那些祂所知晓配得祂恩惠的人,并毫无限制地将祂所意欲的赐予他们。

Therefore, in reply to their question about His choice, God too questions them: “Or do they own the treasures of your Lord’s grace, the Almighty, the Munificent? Or do they have control over the heavens and the earth and all that is between them? Let them, then, try to ascend by all conceivable means.” (Verses 9-10) This tells them that when God wishes to open the gates of His mercy to anyone, nothing can withhold it. They are further told that human beings own nothing in the heavens and earth; it is a matter of God’s sustenance and mercy, which He bestows on whomever He wishes. It is He who chooses those He knows to deserve His bounty and bestows on them whatever He will, without limit or restriction.

在这一语境中，该章讲述了达五德与所罗门的故事，以及真主赐予他们的恩典，包括先知的身份、王权，以及山岭、飞鸟、精灵和风都受他们驱使。然而，他们终究也是普通的人，同样受到与常人一样的人性弱点所困扰。因此，他们同样需要真主的怜悯与眷顾，才能克服这些弱点。在这方面，他们的悔罪被接受，并被引上蒙受真主喜悦的道路。

Within this context the sūrah gives an account of David and Solomon and the favours God blessed them with, including prophethood, kingdom, and the fact that the mountains, birds, jinn and wind were subjected to them. Yet they were ordinary human beings afflicted by the same type of human weakness as anyone else. They too then needed God’s mercy and care to overcome such weaknesses. In this respect, their repentance is accepted and they are set on the way to God’s pleasure.

通过这两个故事,先知被教导要在面对不信者对他所设的种种反对时坚忍不拔。他应当留意真主如何眷顾并庇佑大卫和所罗门:"他们说什么,你都要忍耐,你应当记念我的仆人大卫,他是有能力的,他常常归向我。"(第17节)

By means of both stories the Prophet is instructed to persevere in the face of all the opposition the unbelievers put up against him. He should look to God’s grace and care as demonstrated to David and Solomon: “Bear with patience whatever they say, and remember Our servant David who was endowed with strength. He always turned to Us.” (Verse 17)

本章还简略叙述了先知约伯的事迹，说明真主可能以苦难和灾祸考验祂真诚的仆人。约伯在逆境中所展现的坚忍，为如何保持坚定提供了极好的榜样。这段叙述还描述了约伯最终所获得的善终：真主降下慈悯，消除了他所有的痛苦。由此，身处麦加的穆斯林得以看到，如何在不信者不断施加的苦难中寻得慰藉。他们被提醒：这样的苦难必然会为通往真主无尽的慈悯打开道路。

The sūrah also gives a brief account of the Prophet Job, describing how God may test His true servants with hardship and affliction. The patience Job showed in adversity provides a splendid example of how to remain steadfast. The account also describes the good end Job experienced as God bestowed His mercy on him, dispelling all his pain. The Muslims in Makkah are thus shown how to find solace amidst the constant hardship the unbelievers try to inflict on them. They are reminded that such hardship invariably opens the way to God’s mercy, which is inexhaustible.

这些故事构成了本章的第二部分，也是主要部分。本章还回应了不信者催促真主降下惩罚的言论，描绘了末日的景象，描述了为敬畏真主者准备的幸福，以及为拒绝真理者准备的熊熊烈火。真理的价值在来世中得到确立，并成为审判的标准。傲慢的麦加首领们在看到自己的命运，并将之与他们曾经加以嘲笑的弱者的命运相比较时，就会明白这一点。他们曾声称，真主的慈悯绝不会施与如此软弱的人。所描绘的景象呈现出鲜明的对比："敬畏者必有美好的归宿：永久的乐园，园门为他们敞开。他们将在其中舒适地倚坐，要求丰盛的果品和饮料，身旁有相配的、目光贞静的伴侣。"（第49-52节）另一方面，"逾越正道者必有最恶劣的归宿：他们将进入火狱，那是何等恶劣的归宿。让他们尝尝这个吧：滚烫的汁液，和污秽的食物，以及与之类似的其他痛苦。"（第55-58节）他们在火狱中将互相争辩、吵闹和诅咒，并会想起自己过去如何嘲笑信士："他们将说：'我们怎么看不见那些我们以为是恶人、并曾拿他们取笑的人呢？或者是我们的眼睛没有看见他们？'"（第62-63节）他们在火狱中找不到这些人，因为这些人属于天堂。这便是对他们催促真主惩罚和嘲笑信士两方面的回答。这一场景构成了本章的第三部分。

These stories form the second and major part of the sūrah. It also includes a reply to the unbelievers’ hastening of God’s punishment, presenting a scene from the Day of Judgement, describing the happiness that awaits the God-fearing and the blazing fire that awaits those who reject the truth. The values of truth are well established in the life to come, providing the criterion for judgement. The arrogant Makkan chiefs will realize this when they see their fate and compare it with that of the weak elements on whom they poured their derision, claiming that God’s mercy would never he shown to those so weak. The scene so described provides contrasting images: “The God-fearing will certainly have a good place to return to: gardens of perpetual bliss, with gates wide open to them. They will he comfortably seated there, and they will call for abundant fruit and drink, having beside them well-matched mates of modest gaze.” (Verses 49-52) On the other hand, “those who transgress the bounds of what is right will have the most evil place to return to: hell will they have to endure; and how evil a resting place. Let them, then, taste this: a scalding fluid and a dark, disgusting food, and coupled with it, further [suffering! of a similar nature.” (Verses 55-58) They will argue, quarrel and curse one another in hell, and they will remember how they used to ridicule the believers: “They will say: How is it that we do not see here men whom we considered to be wicked, and whom we made the target of our derision? Or is it that our eyes have missed them?” (Verses 62-63) They cannot find such people in hell, because they are the ones who belong to heaven. This then is the answer to both their hastening of God’s punishment and their ridicule of the believers. This scene forms the third part of the sūrah.

在他们对先知所告知的、从至高处所降示的启示表示不信之后，他告诉他们关于阿丹以及至高处所发生的事情。先知并不在场，那件事发生时，他只是从真主那里得知的。事实上，除了阿丹之外，没有任何人在场。从这段叙述中，我们了解到易卜劣斯被谴责，也了解到他因嫉妒真主对阿丹的青睐，才被逐出天堂。由于不信者认为真主从他们当中拣选穆罕默德是一种过大的恩赐，他们的态度与易卜劣斯的态度并无二致。这一章的最后部分，以先知一句明确的声明作结："你说：'我不为此向你们索取任何报酬，我也不是自称我所不是的人。这只是对全世界的一种教诫，你们不久必将知道它的真实性。'"（第86至88节）

In reply to their disbelieving reaction to what the Prophet had told them of the revelations he received from on high, he tells them about Adam and what happened on high. The Prophet was not present when this took place; he was only told about it by God. Indeed no human being, other than Adam, was present. From this account we learn about Iblīs’ condemnation and that it was his envy at God’s preference for Adam that brought about his expulsion from heaven. Since the unbelievers thought it was too big a favour for God to choose Muĥammad from among them, their attitude is not dissimilar to that of Iblīs. This last part of the sūrah concludes with a clear statement from the Prophet: “Say: No reward do I ask of you for this, and I am not one to claim what I am not. This is no less than a reminder to all the worlds, and in time you will certainly come to know its truth.” (Verses 86-88)

该章从四个部分描绘了先前民族的毁灭:他们以傲慢自居,指控真主的使者说谎,并轻视信士。简言之,他们自己注定了自己的失败与屈辱:"任何军队,无论属于哪一派,都必将溃败。在他们之前,努哈的民族、阿德人、有木桩的法老、塞莫德人、鲁特的民族和林中居民都曾否认真理:他们是不同的群体;然而他们每一个都指控真主的使者说谎。因此,我的惩罚便降临了。"(第11-14节)该章与此形成对比的是真主赐予其拣选的仆人的恩惠,使他们获得权力并得到悉心照顾。大卫、所罗门和约伯的故事对此作了充分的说明。

The sūrah, in all its four parts, depicts the destruction of earlier communities when they resorted to arrogance, accusing God’s messengers of lying and holding the believers in contempt. In short, they themselves sealed their own defeat and humiliation: “Whatever hosts, of any affiliation, may be raised will suffer defeat. Before their time, the truth was rejected by Noah’s people, the Ad, Pharaoh of the tent-pegs, the Thamūd, Lot’s people and the dwellers of the wooded dales: these were different groupings; yet each one of them accused God’s messengers of lying. Therefore, My retribution fell due.” (Verses 11- 14) The sūrah contrasts this with the favours God bestows on His chosen servants, giving them power and taking good care of them. This is made abundantly clear in the stories about David, Solomon and Job.

该章还带领我们走过一段历程，让我们看到审判日之后的景象，既有幸福与喜乐的画面，也有刑罚的画面。章末的最后一段讲述了第一个人的故事，以及他的第一个敌人所表现出的敌意。那个敌人故意引人走入歧途，而人们在不知其图谋的情况下跟随他。

The sūrah also takes us on a round in which we see what lies in store beyond the Day of Judgement, giving us images of happiness and bliss on the one hand, and torment on the other. The last round in the sūrah gives the story of the first human being and the hostility shown by his first enemy, the one who deliberately leads people astray, and who they follow unaware of his designs.

该章还包含一个特别的笔触，旨在唤醒人们的心灵，使其领悟天地创造所体现的真理。这真理正是真主通过祂所派遣的使者，要在大地上确立的真理。两者相互关联："我没有无目的地创造天地以及它们之间的一切。"（第27节）

The sūrah also includes a special touch that is meant to alert hearts to the truth reflected in the creation of the heavens and earth. This is the truth that God wants to establish on earth through the messengers He sends. The two are interrelated: “We have not created heaven and earth and all that is between them without a purpose.” (Verse 27)