فَلَا ٱقۡتَحَمَ ٱلۡعَقَبَةَ
If only they had attempted the challenging path ˹of goodness instead˺!
وَمَآ أَدۡرَىٰكَ مَا ٱلۡعَقَبَةُ
And what will make you realize what ˹attempting˺ the challenging path is?
فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ
It is to free a slave;
أَوۡ إِطۡعَٰمٞ فِي يَوۡمٖ ذِي مَسۡغَبَةٖ
or to give food in times of famine
يَتِيمٗا ذَا مَقۡرَبَةٍ
to an orphaned relative
أَوۡ مِسۡكِينٗا ذَا مَتۡرَبَةٖ
or to a poor person in distress;
ثُمَّ كَانَ مِنَ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُواْ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلصَّبۡرِ وَتَوَاصَوۡاْ بِٱلۡمَرۡحَمَةِ
and—above all—to be one of those who have faith and urge each other to perseverance and urge each other to compassion.
أُوْلَـٰٓئِكَ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَيۡمَنَةِ
These are the people of the right.
وَٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ بِـَٔايَٰتِنَا هُمۡ أَصۡحَٰبُ ٱلۡمَشۡـَٔمَةِ
As for those who deny Our signs, they are the people of the left.