The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

210
The Quran 22: 10
Fire. 10 [It will be said], ‘This is for what you have stored up with
your own hands: God is never unjust to His creatures.’
11 There are also some who serve God with unsteady faith: if
something good comes their way, they are satisfied, but if they
are tested, they revert to their old ways, losing both this world
and the next – that is the clearest loss.12 Instead of God, they call
upon what can neither harm nor help them – that is straying far
away – 13 or invoke one whose harm is closer than his help: an
evil master and an evil companion. 14 But God will admit those
who believe and do good deeds to Gardens graced with flowing
streams. God does whatever He wishes. 15 Anyone who thinks that
God will not support him in this world and the next should stretch
a rope up to the sky, climb all the way up it, a and see whether
this strategy removes the cause of his anger. 16 In this way, We send
the Quran down as clear messages, and God guides whoever He
will.
17 As for the believers, those who follow the Jewish faith, the
Sabians, b the Christians, the Magians, c and the idolaters, God will
judge between them on the Day of Resurrection; God witnesses all
things. 18 Do you not realize [Prophet] that everything in the heavens
and earth submits d to God: the sun, the moon, the stars, the mountains,
the trees, and the animals? So do many human beings, though
for many others punishment is well deserved. Anyone disgraced by
God will have no one to honour him: God does whatever He will.
19 These two kinds of people disagree about their Lord. Garments of
fire will be tailored for those who disbelieve; scalding water will be
poured over their heads, 20 melting their insides as well as their skins;
21 there will be iron crooks to restrain them; 22 whenever, in their
anguish, they try to escape, they will be pushed back in and told,
‘Taste the suffering of the Fire.’ 23 But God will admit those who
believe and do good deeds to Gardens graced with flowing streams;
there they will be adorned with golden bracelets and pearls; there
they will have silken garments. 24 They were guided to good speech
and to the path of the One Worthy of all Praise.
a See also 6: 35. Another interpretation of this verse is ‘stretch a rope up to the ceiling
and hang himself ’.
b See note to 2: 62.
c Followers of an ancient Persian and Median religion, based on monotheism,
identified with Zoroastrians.
d Literally, prostrates.