Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

But We gave these and their fathers enjoyment until life became long for them. Have they then not considered that We come to the earth, diminishing it from its extremities? Is it then they who will be the victors?

بَلْ مَتَّعْنَا هٰٓؤُ۬لَٓاءِ وَاٰبَٓاءَهُمْ حَتّٰى طَالَ عَلَيْهِمُ الْعُمُرُۜ اَفَلَا يَرَوْنَ اَنَّا نَأْتِي الْاَرْضَ نَنْقُصُهَا مِنْ اَطْرَافِهَاۜ اَفَهُمُ الْغَالِبُونَ
Bal mattaAAna haola-iwaabaahum hatta talaAAalayhimu alAAumuru afala yarawna anna na/teeal-arda nanqusuha min atrafihaafahumu alghaliboon
#wordmeaningroot
1balNay
2mattaʿnāWe gave provisionمتع
3hāulāi(to) these
4waābāahumand their fathersابو
5ḥattāuntil
6ṭālagrew longطول
7ʿalayhimufor them
8l-ʿumuruthe lifeعمر
9afalāThen do not
10yarawnathey seeراي
11annāthat We
12natīWe comeاتي
13l-arḍa(to) the landارض
14nanquṣuhāWe reduce itنقص
15minfrom
16aṭrāfihāits bordersطرف
17afahumuSo is (it) they
18l-ghālibūna(who will be) overcomingغلب
  • Aisha Bewley

    No indeed! We have given these people enjoyment, as We did their fathers, until life seemed long and good to them. Do they not see how We come to the land eroding it from its extremities? Or are they the victors?

  • Progressive Muslims

    It was Us who gave luxury to these and their fathers, until they grew old with age. Do they not see that We come to the land and make it shrink from its edges Will they be able to win

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Nay, We let these people and their ancestors enjoy the good things of life for a long time. Don't they see that Our Law visits the earth and We gradually reduce the land in their control? Can they prevail against Our Laws? (Don't they see that every day on earth brings them closer to the end? (13:41)).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    But We gave these and their fathers enjoyment until life became long for them. Have they then not considered that We come to the earth, diminishing it from its extremities? Is it then they who will be the victors?

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    It was Us who gave luxury to these and their fathers, until they grew old with age. Do they not see that We come to the land and reduce it from its edges? Will they be able to win?

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    It was Us who gave luxury to these and their fathers, until they grew old with age. Do they not see that We come to the land and make it shrink from its edges? Will they be able to win?

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    We have provided for these people and their ancestors, up until an old age. Do they not see that every day on earth brings them closer to the end? Can they reverse this process?

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    We allowed them and their fathers time to enjoy till the very end of their lives. Do they not see Us advancing into the land, reducing its frontiers? Would they still prevail?

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

    But, , We have provided good things for these and their fathers until life was prolonged for them. Then do they not see that We set upon the land, reducing it from its borders? So it is they who will overcome?

  • Muhammad Asad

    Nay, We have allowed these – as their forebears – to enjoy the good things of life for a great length of time: but then – have they never yet seen how We visit the earth , gradually depriving it of all that is best thereon? Can they, then, be the winners?

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Nay, but We gave these and their fathers ease until life grew long for them. See they not how we aim to the land, reducing it of its outlying parts? Can they then be the victors?

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Nay, We generously provided them and their fathers, and they enjoyed Our provision for long.* Do they not see that We are now advancing into their territory, diminishing it from different sides?* Is it they, then, who will triumph?"*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    We granted these people together with their fathers comfort and enjoyment and all that advantaged them of Our blessings in life as long as they lived. Do they not see that We reduce their territories and straiten their outlying borders -by rapid progress of Islam-. is it then they who are the winners or the conquerors!

  • Bijan Moeinian

    I have given to the disbelievers (as well as their ancestors) a fixed life span. Can they not see how, every day, they get closer and closer to the end of their life? Can they reverse this process?

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Nay, We gave the luxuries of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them. See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will overcome?

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Nay, We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers until the period grew long for them; See they not that We gradually reduce the land (in their control) from its outlying borders? Is it then they who will win?

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    In fact, We have allowed enjoyment for these ˹Meccans˺ and their forefathers for such a long time ˹that they took it for granted˺. Do they not see that We gradually reduce ˹their˺ land from its borders? Is it they who will then prevail?

  • Taqi Usmani

    But We have given benefits to these and their fathers until life was prolonged for them. So do they not see that We are coming to the land narrowing it down from all its sides? Then, are they the ones to prevail?

  • Abdul Haleem

    We have allowed these sinners and their forefathers to enjoy life for a long time. But do they not see how We are shrinking their borders? Is it they who will prevail?

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Nay, but Ourselves gave these and their fathers enjoyment of days, until their life had lasted long while upon them. What, do they not see how We come to the land, diminishing it in its extremities? Or are they the victors?

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Nay, but we have granted enjoyment to these men and to their fathers whilst life was prolonged. Do they not see that we come to the land and shorten its borders? Shall they then prevail?

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Have they gods to defend them against Us? These cannot help themselves, nor can they be defended against Us.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    No indeed, (but) We gave these and their fathers enjoyment (of days), until age grew long for them. Do they then not see that We come up to the earth, diminishing it in its extremes? Or are they then the overcomers?

  • George Sale

    But We have permitted these men and their fathers to enjoy worldly prosperity, so long as life was continued unto them. Do they not perceive that We come unto the land of the unbelievers, and straiten the borders thereof? Shall they therefore be the conquerors?

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    No, We gave the good things of this life to these men and their fathers till (their) time grew long for them; Do they not see that We slowly reduce (their) land from its far borders? Then, is it they who will win?

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    The thing is that We provided those and their fathers with the good things (of this world), until a long period (of enjoyment) passed over them (and now they are steeped in negligence). But do they not see that We are invading the land (of disbelief) and are gradually reducing it from its outlying borders? Can they even then be the victors?

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Rather We have provided for them and their fathers until they lived on for long years. Do they not see how We visit the land diminishing it at its edges? Are they the ones who will prevail?