Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Did they then not see that it returned no word to them, nor possessed for them harm or benefit!

اَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ اَلَّا يَرْجِعُ اِلَيْهِمْ قَوْلاًۙ وَلَا يَمْلِكُ لَهُمْ ضَراًّ وَلَا نَفْعاً۟
Afala yarawna alla yarjiAAuilayhim qawlan wala yamliku lahum darran walanafAAa
#wordmeaningroot
1afalāThen, did not
2yarawnathey seeراي
3allāthat not
4yarjiʿuit (could) returnرجع
5ilayhimto them
6qawlana wordقول
7walāand not
8yamlikupossessملك
9lahumfor them
10ḍarranany harmضرر
11walāand not
12nafʿanany benefitنفع
  • Aisha Bewley

    Could they not see that it did not reply to them and that it possessed no power to either harm or benefit them?

  • Progressive Muslims

    Did they not see that it did not respond to them, nor did it possess for them any harm or benefit

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    They knew full well that, like all false deities, the golden calf could not respond to queries, and had no control over their harm or benefit.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Did they then not see that it returned no word to them, nor possessed for them harm or benefit!

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Did they not see that it did not respond to them? Nor did it possess for them any harm or benefit?

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Did they not see that it did not respond to them? Nor did it possess for them any harm or benefit?

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Could they not see that it neither responded to them, nor possessed any power to harm them, or benefit them?

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Did they not see that it did not give them any answer, nor had it power to do them harm or bring them gain?

  • Sahih International (Umm Muhammad, Mary Kennedy, Amatullah Bantley)

    Did they not see that it could not return to them any speech and that it did not possess for them any harm or benefit?

  • Muhammad Asad

    Why-did they not see that could not give them any response, and had no power to harm or to benefit them?

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    See they not, then, that it returneth no saying unto them and possesseth for them neither hurt nor use?

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Did they not see that it did not return a word to them, and had no power either to hurt them or to cause them any benefit?

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Did they not see that it was mute, unable to respond to their discourse nor could it cause them harm nor afford them help!

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Were they not able to see that the statue could neither communicate with them nor had the power to do something (good or bad) for them?

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Did they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them good?

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Could they not see that it could not return them a word (for answer), and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them good?

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Did they not see that it did not respond to them, nor could it protect or benefit them?

  • Taqi Usmani

    Have they not been seeing that it did not respond to them (even) with a word, nor did it have power to harm or benefit them?

  • Abdul Haleem

    Did they not see that gave them no answer, that it had no power to harm or benefit them?

  • Arthur John Arberry

    What? Did they not see that thing returned no speech unto them, neither had any power to hurt or profit them?

  • E. Henry Palmer

    What! do they not see that it does not return them any speech, and cannot control for them harm or profit?

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Then he brought forth for the people (out of the fire) a corporeal (a statue of a) calf. It seemed to low, and they said, "This is your god and the god of Moses, but he has forgotten!"

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Do they not then see that it does not return any speech to them, neither does it possess (any power) for harm or profit to them?

  • George Sale

    Did they not therefore see that their idol returned them no answer, and was not able to cause them either hurt or profit?

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Could they not see that it could not reply a word to them, and that it had no power either to harm them or to do them (any) good?

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Could they not see that this (calf) made them no answer and could neither avoid harm to them nor do good (to any).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Did they not see that it did not answer them, nor could it bring them any benefit or harm?