Ali Quli Qarai, The Qur’ān with a Phrase-by-Phrase English Translation (2005)

63. Sūrat al-Munāfiqūn ¹

1 When the hypocrites come to you
they say, ‘We bear witness
that you are indeed the apostle of Allah.’
Allah knows that you are indeed His Apostle,
and Allah bears witness that
the hypocrites are indeed liars.
2 They make a shield of their oaths,
and bar from the way of Allah.
Evil indeed is what they used to do.
3 That is because they believed and then disbelieved,
so their hearts were sealed.
Hence they do not understand.
4 When you see them, their bodies impress you,
and if they speak, you listen to their speech.
Yet they are like dry logs set reclining [against a wall].
They suppose every cry is directed against them.
They are the enemy, so beware of them.
May Allah assail them, where do they stray?!
5 When they are told, ‘Come,
that Allah’s Apostle may plead for forgiveness for you,’
they twist their heads,
and you see them turn away while they are disdainful.
6 It is the same for them