Fazlollah Nikayin, The Quran; The First Poetic Translation (2000)
They say: "shall we believe
As the fools have believed?"
Certainly they themselves are fools,
Although they may not so perceive.
14. And when they meet the faithful,
They claim: "We are believers too."
And, when alone with their own devils,1
They say: "We are indeed with you,
It's only mocking what we do!"
15. God's mocking them by keeping them in sin,
To blindly blunder in rebellion!
16. These are the folks who barter,
Guidance for error, so their bargain,
Is not to bring them any gain:
And they'll receive no guidance ever.
17. Their parable is surely that of men,
Who start a fire, and when it does illumine
Around them, lo! Allah puts out their light,
Leaving them in deep darkness, seeing naught,
18. Deaf, dumb and blind are they, so they will never
Come back unto the passage right;
19. Or they are like some men beneath a stormy,
Dark cloud that's charged with thunder and with lightning,
Thrusting their fingers in their ears to keep
Themselves from thunder-claps for fear of dying;
1. Their heathen chiefs or their idols.
