بَلْ Nay قُلُوْبُهُمْ their hearts فِیْ (are) in غَمْرَةٍ confusion مِّنْ over هٰذَا this وَ لَهُمْ and for them اَعْمَالٌ (are) deeds مِّنْ besides دُوْنِ besides ذٰلِكَ that هُمْ they لَهَا for it عٰمِلُوْنَ (are) doers حَتّٰۤی Until اِذَاۤ when اَخَذْنَا We seize مُتْرَفِیْهِمْ their affluent ones بِالْعَذَابِ with the punishment اِذَا behold! هُمْ They یَجْـَٔرُوْنَؕ cry for help لَا (Do) not تَجْـَٔرُوا cry for help الْیَوْمَ ۫ today اِنَّكُمْ Indeed you مِّنَّا from Us لَا not تُنْصَرُوْنَ will be helped
(23:63) Nay, their hearts are lost in ignorance of all this;58 and their deeds too vary from the way (mentioned above). They will persist in these deeds
(23:64) until We seize with Our chastisement those of them that are given to luxuriant ways.59 They will then begin to groan.60
(23:65) "Put61 a stop to your groaning now! Surely no help shall be provided to you from Us.
58. That is, they are oblivious of the fact that all their deeds, sayings and thoughts are being recorded and that a time will come when they will be held to account for them.
59. We have translated the word mutrafin here as ‘those given to luxuriant ways’. This word is used for those who, having obtained worldly riches, have immersed themselves in the pursuit of pleasure, and have, thus, become oblivious of their duties to God and to His creatures.
The ‘chastisement’ which is mentioned in this verse is not the chastisement with which they will be confronted in the Hereafter. Instead, it refers to the chastisement that will seize them here in this world.
60. The verb used here is derived from the word ju’ar which signifies the lowing of the oxen produced in a state of severe pain. (See J-’-r in Lisan al- ‘Arab— Ed.) In its present usage, the word does not simply denote groaning, but the groaning of one who does not deserve any mercy. The word also carries the nuances of contempt and sarcasm. The meaning conveyed here is: ‘You were completely engaged in your misdeeds. But now that the time for the retribution of those deeds has come, you have ‘burst out in piteous lamentation.’
61. This is what the wrong-doers will be told in response to their groaning.