ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَ ٱلْمَوْتَ وَٱلْحَيَوٰةَ لِيَبْلُوَكُمْ أَيُّكُمْ أَحْسَنُ عَمَلًا ۚ وَهُوَ ٱلْعَزِيزُ ٱلْغَفُورُ
Allazee khalaqal mawta walhayaata liyabluwakum ayyukum ahsanu 'amalaa; wa huwal 'azeezul ghafoor
اسی نے موت اور زندگی کو پیدا کیا تاکہ تمہاری آزمائش کرے کہ تم میں کون اچھے عمل کرتا ہے۔ اور وہ زبردست (اور) بخشنے والا ہے
the one who created death and life to test which of you is best in deed — and he is the Mighty, the Forgiving —
Death is named before life, an order the commentaries have taken in several directions: some as the state preceding a lifetime, others as the fact that gives the test its seriousness. The measure set is the best deed, a matter of quality where a count would have been easier to state. Might and forgiveness close the verse together, so whoever sets the test also pardons failure in it.