Sūra XVIII.: Kahf, or the Cave.

Section 3

18. Watahsabuhum ayqathan wahum ruqoodun wanuqallibuhum thata alyameeni wathata alshshimali wakalbuhum basitun thiraAAayhi bialwaseedi lawi ittalaAAta AAalayhim lawallayta minhum firaran walamuli/ta minhum ruAAban

18. Thou wouldst have deemed them
Awake, whilst they were asleep,
And We turned them
On their right and on
Their left sides: their dog
Stretching forth his two fore-legs
On the threshold: if thou
Hadst come up on to them,
Thou wouldst have certainly
Turned back from them in flight,
And wouldst certainly have been
Filled with terror of them.

19. Wakathalika baAAathnahum liyatasaaloo baynahum qala qa-ilun minhum kam labithtum qaloo labithna yawman aw baAAda yawmin qaloo rabbukum aAAlamu bima labithtum faibAAathoo ahadakum biwariqikum hathihi ila almadeenati falyanthur ayyuha azka taAAaman falya/tikum birizqin minhu walyatalattaf wala yushAAiranna bikum ahadan

19. Such (being their state),
We raised them up (from sleep),
That they might question
Each other. Said one of them,
"How long have ye stayed (here)?"
They said, "We have stayed
(Perhaps) a day, or part
Of a day." (At length)
They (all) said, "God (alone)
Knows best how long
Ye have stayed here…
Now send ye then one of you
With this money of yours
To the town: let him
Find out which is the best
Food (to be had) and bring some
To you, that (ye may)
Satisfy your hunger therewith:
And let him behave
With care and courtesy,
And let him not inform
Any one about you.

20. Innahum in yathharoo AAalaykum yarjumookum aw yuAAeedookum fee millatihim walan tuflihoo ithan abadan

20. "For if they should
Come upon you, they would
Stone you or force you
To return to their cult,
And in that case ye would
Never attain prosperity."

21. Wakathalika aAAtharna AAalayhim liyaAAlamoo anna waAAda Allahi haqqun waanna alsaAAata la rayba feeha ith yatanazaAAoona baynahum amrahum faqaloo ibnoo AAalayhim bunyanan rabbuhum aAAlamu bihim qala allatheena ghalaboo AAala amrihim lanattakhithanna AAalayhim masjidan

21. Thus did We make
Their case known to the people,
That they might know
That the promise of God
Is true, and that there can
Be no doubt about the Hour
Of Judgment. Behold,
They dispute among themselves
As to their affair. (Some) said,
"Construct a building over them":
Their Lord knows best
About them: those who prevailed
Over their affair said,
"Let us surely build a place
Of worship over them."

22. Sayaqooloona thalathatun rabiAAuhum kalbuhum wayaqooloona khamsatun sadisuhum kalbuhum rajman bialghaybi wayaqooloona sabAAatun wathaminuhum kalbuhum qul rabbee aAAlamu biAAiddatihim ma yaAAlamuhum illa qaleelun fala tumari feehim illa miraan thahiran wala tastafti feehim minhum ahadan

22. (Some) say they were three,
The dog being the fourth
Among them; (others) say
They were five, the dog
Being the sixth,—doubtfully
Guessing at the unknown;
(Yet others) say they were
Seven, the dog being the eighth.
Say thou: "My Lord
Knoweth best their number;
It is but few that know
Their (real case)." Enter not,
Therefore, into controversies
Concerning them, except
On a matter that is clear,
Nor consult any of them
About (the affair of) the Sleepers.

Next: Section 4 (23-31)