O believers, go out in the cause of God, (whether) light or heavy, and strive in the service of God, wealth and soul. This is better for you if you understand.

(O Prophet), had the gain been close at hand, and easy the journey, they would surely have followed you; but hard was the journey and long the going. Even then they swear by God (and say): "If we had the strength we would surely have gone out with you." They are only ruining themselves, for God is aware they lie.

May God forgive you. Why did you allow them (to stay behind) without ascertaining who spoke the truth and who were liars?

Those who believe in God and the Last Day, do not ask your leave to be excused from fighting wealth and soul (in the cause of God), for God knows the pious and devout.

Only they ask (for leave) who do not believe in God and the Last Day, whose hearts are full of doubt; and doubting they waver (between gain and loss).

If they had intended to go out (to fight) they would surely have made preparations. But God did not like their setting forth, and they were held back and told: "Stay at home with those who stay behind."

Had they gone out with you, they would only have been a hindrance and let loose confusion among you to create discord; for there are some in your midst who spy for them. But God knows who are the wicked.

They had tried to create disorder before and intrigued against you, but truth came out in the end and God´s will prevailed, even though they did not like it.

And (many a one) there is among them who says: "Allow me (to stay back at home), and put me not on trial." Surely they have put themselves on trial already, and Hell will enclose the unbelievers from all sides.

If good comes your way they are vexed, but if calamity befalls you, they say: "We had taken precautions in advance;" and pleased, turn away.

Tell them: "Nothing can befall us except what God decrees. Our protector is He, and in God should the faithful place their trust."

Say: "Are you waiting for anything else but one of two good things for us, (victory or martyrdom)? Yet what we are waiting for you is the punishment of God, direct or through us. So keep waiting; we are waiting with you."

Tell them: "You may spend (in the way of God), whether willingly or with reluctance, it will not be accepted from you, for you are reprobates."

Nothing prevents the acceptance of what they spend except that they do not believe in God and His Apostle, and come to worship but languidly and spend only grudgingly.

Do not marvel at their wealth and children. God intends to punish them through these in the world; and their souls will depart in a state of disbelief.

They swear by God they are with you, though in fact they are not. They are only a frightened lot.

If they find a place of shelter or a cave or hole to hide, they will turn to it.

There are some among them who blame you (of partiality) in distributing the offerings made in the name of God. In case they receive some of these they are pleased, if not, they are incensed.

They should rather have been pleased with what God and His Prophet had given them, and said: "God is sufficient for us; He will give us of His largesse as will His Apostle. We supplicate no one but God."

Charities are meant for the indigent and needy, and those who collect and distribute them, and those whom you wish to win over, and for redeeming slaves (and captives) and those who are burdened with debt, and in the cause of God, and the wayfarers: So does God ordain. God is all-knowing and all-wise.

There are some among them who talk ill of the Prophet by saying: "He listens to everyone." Tell them: "He listens for your good, and trusts in God and trusts the faithful, and he is a blessing for those who believe. For those who offend the Apostle of God there is painful punishment."

They swear by God to please you; but if they are believers it would have been worthier to have pleased God and His Apostle.

Have they not realised that anyone who opposes God and His Prophet, will abide in Hell for ever? And that is the worst disgrace.

The hypocrites fear lest a Surah is revealed concerning them, exposing what is in their hearts. Say to them: "Mock as much as you like; God will surely expose what you dread."

But if you ask them, they will say: "We were only gossiping and jesting." You ask them: "Were you jesting with God, His revelations and His messengers?"

Do not make excuses: You turned unbelievers after having come to faith. If We pardon a section of you (for being frivolous), We shall punish the other for being guilty (of deliberate sin).

The hypocrites (are the same) whether men or women, the one of them being of the other. They encourage what is bad and dissuade from the good, and tighten their purses (when it comes to spending in the way of God). Of God they are oblivious; so He is oblivious of them. The hypocrites are indeed transgressors.

God has reserved for hypocrites, whether men or women, and for unbelievers, the fire of Hell, where they will abide for ever. This is sufficient for them: They have God´s condemnation and lasting torment,

Like those before you who were greater in strength, had more wealth and children than you, who enjoyed their lot in this world, as you have enjoyed your share like them. You indulge in idle talk, as they had indulged in vain discourse. Yet nothing of what they did remains in this world or will in the next, and they are the losers.

Has not the account of those before them come to them, -- of the people of Noah and ´Ad and Thamud, of Abraham and Midian, and all the habitations that were destroyed? Their apostles had come to them with clear proofs; and God did not surely wrong them, they wronged themselves.

Those who believe, men and women, befriend one another, and enjoin what is right and prohibit what is wrong. They observe their devotional obligations, pay the zakat, and obey God and His Apostle. God will be merciful to them, for God is all-mighty and all-wise.

God has promised men and women who believe gardens with streams of running water where they will abide for ever, and beautiful mansions in the Garden of Eden, and the blessings of God above all. That will be happiness supreme.

Strive, O Prophet, against the unbelievers and the hypocrites, and deal with them firmly. Their final abode is Hell: And what a wretched destination!

They swear by God: "We never said this." But they surely said words disbelieving the truth, and they turned unbelievers after having come to faith, and designed what they could not accomplish. They did it only out of vengeance for God and His Apostle had enriched them by their grace. So, if they repent it is better for them. If they turn away then God would afflict them with painful punishment in this world and the next; and none will they have on the face of the earth to protect or help them.

Some of them made a covenant with God: "If You give us in Your bounty we shall give alms and be upright."

But when He gave them of His bounty they became greedy, and then turned away.

As a consequence of breaking their promise made to God, and telling lies, he filled their hearts with hypocrisy which will last till the day they come before Him.

Have they not realised that God knows their secrets and their confidential talk, and that God has the knowledge of unknown things?

They who defame those of the believers who give alms willingly, and deride those who have nothing besides what they earn by their labour (to give in charity), will be derided by God, and will suffer painful punishment.

Whether you plead forgiveness for them or not, God will not forgive them, even though you plead seventy times, for they disbelieved in God and His Apostle; and God does not show transgressors the way.