68.Surah Al-Qalam

The Quranic Text & Ali’s Version:

كَذَلِكَ الْعَذَابُ ...

68: 33.  Such is the Punishment (in this life);

... وَلَعَذَابُ الْآخِرَةِ أَكْبَرُ ...

but greater is the Punishment in the Hereafter --

C5616. Even in this life the punishment for heedless or selfish arrogance and sin comes suddenly when we least expect it. But there is always room for Allah's Mercy if we sincerely repent. If the Punishment in this fife seems to us so stupefying, how much worse will it be in the Hereafter, when the Punishment will not be only for a limited time, and the time for repentance will have passed?

... لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿٣٣﴾

if only they knew!

Asad’s Version:

68:33 SUCH is the suffering [with which We try some people in this world]; 16 but greater by far will be the suffering [which sinners shall have to bear] in the life to come - if they but knew it!

[[Asad’s note - 16 This connects with the first clause of verse 17 above, which, in its turn, contains an allusion to the mentality spoken of in verses 14-15.]]