Then he followed a way  

ثُمَّ أَتْبَعَ سَبَبًا  

Until, when he reached ˹a pass˺ between two mountains, he found beside them a people who could hardly understand ˹his˺ speech.  

حَتَّىٰ إِذَا بَلَغَ بَيْنَ السَّدَّيْنِ وَجَدَ مِنْ دُونِهِمَا قَوْمًا لَا يَكَادُونَ يَفْقَهُونَ قَوْلًا  

They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are ˹great˺ corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"  

قَالُوا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ إِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْأَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجًا عَلَىٰ أَنْ تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَدًّا  

He said, "That in which my Lord has established me is better ˹than what you offer˺, but assist me with strength; I will make between you and them a dam.  

قَالَ مَا مَكَّنِّي فِيهِ رَبِّي خَيْرٌ فَأَعِينُونِي بِقُوَّةٍ أَجْعَلْ بَيْنَكُمْ وَبَيْنَهُمْ رَدْمًا  

Bring me sheets of iron" - until, when he had leveled ˹them˺ between the two mountain walls, he said, "Blow ˹with bellows˺," until when he had made it ˹like˺ fire, he said, "Bring me, that I may pour over it molten copper."  

آتُونِي زُبَرَ الْحَدِيدِ ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا سَاوَىٰ بَيْنَ الصَّدَفَيْنِ قَالَ انْفُخُوا ۖ حَتَّىٰ إِذَا جَعَلَهُ نَارًا قَالَ آتُونِي أُفْرِغْ عَلَيْهِ قِطْرًا  

So Gog and Magog were unable to pass over it, nor were they able ˹to effect˺ in it any penetration.  

فَمَا اسْطَاعُوا أَنْ يَظْهَرُوهُ وَمَا اسْتَطَاعُوا لَهُ نَقْبًا  

˹Dhul-Qarnayn˺ said, "This is a mercy from my Lord; but when the promise of my Lord comes, He will make it level, and ever is the promise of my Lord true."  

قَالَ هَٰذَا رَحْمَةٌ مِنْ رَبِّي ۖ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي جَعَلَهُ دَكَّاءَ ۖ وَكَانَ وَعْدُ رَبِّي حَقًّا  

And We will leave them that day surging over each other, and ˹then˺ the Horn will be blown, and We will assemble them in ˹one˺ assembly.  

وَتَرَكْنَا بَعْضَهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ يَمُوجُ فِي بَعْضٍ ۖ وَنُفِخَ فِي الصُّورِ فَجَمَعْنَاهُمْ جَمْعًا