Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

“But,” — they say — “a confused medley of dreams; but he has invented it; but he is a poet. So let him bring us a proof like that sent to the former peoples!”

بَلْ قَالُٓوا اَضْغَاثُ اَحْلَامٍ بَلِ افْتَرٰيهُ بَلْ هُوَ شَاعِرٌۚ فَلْيَأْتِنَا بِاٰيَةٍ كَمَٓا اُرْسِلَ الْاَوَّلُونَ
Bal qaloo adghathu ahlaminbali iftarahu bal huwa shaAAirun falya/tinabi-ayatin kama orsila al-awwaloon
#wordmeaningroot
1balNay
2qālūthey sayقول
3aḍghāthuMuddledضغث
4aḥlāmindreamsحلم
5balinay
6if'tarāhuhe (has) invented itفري
7balnay
8huwahe
9shāʿirun(is) a poetشعر
10falyatināSo let him bring usاتي
11biāyatina signايي
12kamālike what
13ur'silawas sentرسل
14l-awalūna(to) the formerاول
  • Aisha Bewley

    Furthermore they say, ‘A muddled jumble of dreams!’ and, ‘He has invented it!’ and, ‘He is a poet!’ and, ‘Let him bring us a Sign like those sent to previous peoples. ’

  • Progressive Muslims

    They said: "No, these are just bad dreams; no, he made it up; no, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign like those who were sent before."

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    "Nay, " they say, "Muddled dreams! Nay, he has but invented it! Nay, he is but a poet! Let him then bring us a miracle (as we have heard), like the ones that were given to Prophets of old!"

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    “But,” — they say — “a confused medley of dreams; but he has invented it; but he is a poet. So let him bring us a proof like that sent to the former peoples!”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    They said: "No, these are just bad dreams; no, he made it up; no, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign like those who were sent before."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    They said, "No, these are just bad dreams; no, he made it up; no, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign like those who were sent before."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    They even said, "Hallucinations," "He made it up," and, "He is a poet. Let him show us a miracle like those of the previous messengers."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Yet they say: "These are only confused dreams, " or rather: "He has invented them;" or: "He is only a poet. Let him therefore bring a miracle to us as the earlier (apostles) were sent with."

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

    But they say, " a mixture of false dreams; rather, he has invented it; rather, he is a poet. So let him bring us a sign just as the previous were sent ."

  • Muhammad Asad

    "Nay, " they say, “ the most involved and confusing of dreams!” “Nay, but he has invented this!” - “Nay, but he is a poet!” - “Let him, then, come unto us with a miracle, just as those of old were sent ?”

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Nay, say they, (these are but) muddled dreams; nay, he hath but invented it; nay, he is but a poet. Let him bring us a portent even as those of old (who were Allah's messengers) were sent (with portents).

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    They say: "Nay, these are confused dreams; nay, he has forged it; nay, he is a poet.* So let him bring us a sign, even as the Messengers of the past were sent with signs."

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    They -the infidels- went further and fared worse -in their description of the Quran and of the Prophet They said: "confused dreams, no, but he forged it, no, but he is a poet; he must present us with a miraculous sign like those with which were equipped the prophets of old".

  • Bijan Moeinian

    They have called you names saying: "These are his dreams; he has forged it; he is nothing but a poet, etc. " They also say: “Why cannot he come up with a miracle like the previous prophets?”

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Nay, they say: "These (revelations of the Qur’ân which are revealed to Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) are mixed up false dreams! Nay, he has invented them! - Nay, he is a poet! Let him then bring us an Ayâh (sign as a proof) like the ones (Prophets) the former were sent (with)!"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    "Nay," they say, "(these are) medleys of dream! - Nay, He forged it! - Nay, He is (but) a poet! Let him then bring us a Sign like the ones that were sent to (Prophets) of old!"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Yet they say, "This ˹Quran˺ is a set of confused dreams! No, he has fabricated it! No, he must be a poet! So let him bring us a ˹tangible˺ sign like those ˹prophets˺ sent before."

  • Taqi Usmani

    Further they said, "(The Qur’ān is) a mixture of jumble dreams. Rather, he (the prophet) has fabricated it. Rather, he is a poet. So, let him bring a sign to us, as the earlier ones were sent with."

  • Abdul Haleem

    Some say, ‘Muddled dreams’; others, ‘He made it up’; yet others, ‘He is just a poet, let him show us a sign as previous messengers did.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Nay, but they say: 'A hotchpotch of nightmares! Nay, he has forged it; nay, he is a poet! Now therefore let him bring us a sign, even as the ancient ones were sent as Messengers. '

  • E. Henry Palmer

    'Nay!' they say, 'a jumble of dreams; nay! he has forged it; nay! he is a poet; but let him bring us a sign as those of yore were sent. '

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Say, "My Lord knows what is said in the heavens and the earth, He is Hearer and Knower. "

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    "No indeed, " they said, "Jumbled dreams! No indeed, he has fabricated it; no indeed, he is a poet! Then let him come up to us with a sign, as the earliest ones were sent (as Messengers). "

  • George Sale

    But they say, the Koran is a confused heap of dreams: Nay, he hath forged it; nay, he is a poet: Let him come unto us therefore with some miracle, in like manner as the former prophets were sent.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    They (the disbelievers) say, "No, (they are) confused (songs) of dreams! No, he wrote it (by himself)! No, he is (only) a poet! Let him then bring us a Sign like those that were sent to (prophets) of old!"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Nay, they say, `This (Qur'ân) is (no revelation), but a jumble of confused dreams, rather he (- the Prophet) has forged it himself; he is a poet. (If it is not) so let him then bring us some sign (of destruction) just as the former (Prophets) were sent with.'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Rather they said, ‘ confused nightmares!’ ‘Rather he has fabricated it!’ ‘Rather he is a poet!’ ‘Let him bring us a sign, like those sent to the ancients. ’