لَقَد خَلَقنَا الإِنسانَ في كَبَدٍ

We have certainly created man into hardship.

أَيَحسَبُ أَن لَن يَقدِرَ عَلَيهِ أَحَدٌ

Does he think that never will anyone overcome him?

يَقولُ أَهلَكتُ مالًا لُبَدًا

He says, "I have spent wealth in abundance."

أَيَحسَبُ أَن لَم يَرَهُ أَحَدٌ

Does he think that no one has seen him?

أَلَم نَجعَل لَهُ عَينَينِ

Have We not made for him two eyes?

وَهَدَيناهُ النَّجدَينِ

And have shown him the two ways?

فَلَا اقتَحَمَ العَقَبَةَ

But he has not broken through the difficult pass.

وَما أَدراكَ مَا العَقَبَةُ

And what can make you know what is [breaking through] the difficult pass?

فَكُّ رَقَبَةٍ

It is the freeing of a slave

أَو إِطعامٌ في يَومٍ ذي مَسغَبَةٍ

Or feeding on a day of severe hunger