53. Sura al-Najm

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

أَلَّا تَزِرُ وَازِرَةٌ وِزْرَ أُخْرَى ﴿٣٨﴾

53: 38.  Namely, that no bearer of burdens can bear the burden of another;

C5113. Here follows a series of eleven aphorisms.

• The first is that a man's spiritual burden-the responsibility for his sin must be borne by himself and not by another: Cf. 6:164.

There can be no vicarious atonement.

وَأَن لَّيْسَ لِلْإِنسَانِ إِلَّا مَا سَعَى ﴿٣٩﴾

53: 39.  That man can have nothing but what he strives for;

وَأَنَّ سَعْيَهُ سَوْفَ يُرَى ﴿٤٠﴾

53: 40.  That (the fruit of) his striving will soon come in sight;

C5114. The second and third aphorisms are that

• man must strive, or he will gain nothing;

• and that if he strives, the result must soon appear in sight and he will find his reward in full measure.

ثُمَّ يُجْزَاهُ الْجَزَاء الْأَوْفَى ﴿٤١﴾

53: 41.  Then will he be rewarded with a reward complete;

Asad’s Version:

53: 38 THAT NO BEARER OF BURDENS SHALL BE MADE TO BEAR ANOTHER’S BURDEN; see Asad note 31 ( similar verses 5 places in Quran:

53: 39 and that nought shall be accounted unto man but what he is striving for;

see Asad note 32

53: 40,41 and that in time all his striving will be shown (to him in its true light),

whereupon he shall be requited for it with the fullest requital;