Chapter 103 - Al-‘Asr
A more explicit and representative translation of this Chapter is attempted hereunder. Please go through by comparing it with the traditional stuff also copy/pasted.
وَالْعَصْرِ ﴿١﴾ إِنَّ الْإِنسَانَ لَفِي خُسْرٍ ﴿٢﴾ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالْحَقِّ وَتَوَاصَوْا بِالصَّبْرِ ﴿٣﴾
Transliteration: “Wal’asri, innal insaana la-fi khusrin; illa allazina aamanu wa ‘amiloo as-saalihaati, wa tawaasaw bil-haqqi wa tawaasaw bis-sabr.”
A specimen of traditional Translation:
“CONSIDER the flight of time! Verily, man is bound to lose himself unless he be of those who attain to faith, and do good works, and enjoin upon one another the keeping to truth, and enjoin upon one another patience in adversity.” (Asad)
The latest academic and rational Translation:
103:1-3(52) “The past chapters of history testify to the fact that the mankind has in general been made the target of deception and suffering; except in those communities which followed the path of peace and faith and pursued reformative and constructive policies and enjoined the conduct of truthfulness, patience and steadfastness.”