Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Said he: “He has wronged thee in asking thy ewe for his ewes; and many among acquaintances oppress one another save those who heed warning and do righteous deeds — and few are they.” And David understood that We had but subjected him to means of denial; and he asked forgiveness of his Lord, and fell down humbly and repented.

قَالَ لَقَدْ ظَلَمَكَ بِسُؤَالِ نَعْجَتِكَ اِلٰى نِعَاجِه۪ۜ وَاِنَّ كَث۪يراً مِنَ الْخُلَطَٓاءِ لَيَبْغ۪ي بَعْضُهُمْ عَلٰى بَعْضٍ اِلَّا الَّذ۪ينَ اٰمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ وَقَل۪يلٌ مَا هُمْۜ وَظَنَّ دَاوُ۫دُ اَنَّمَا فَتَنَّاهُ فَاسْتَغْفَرَ رَبَّهُ وَخَرَّ رَا‌كِعاً وَاَنَابَ
Qala laqad thalamakabisu-ali naAAjatika ila niAAajihi wa-innakatheeran mina alkhulata-i layabghee baAAduhum AAalabaAAdin illa allatheena amanoowaAAamiloo assalihati waqaleelun mahum wathanna dawoodu annama fatannahufastaghfara rabbahu wakharra rakiAAan waanab
#wordmeaningroot
1qālaHe saidقول
2laqadCertainly
3ẓalamakahe has wronged youظلم
4bisuāliby demandingسال
5naʿjatikayour eweنعج
6ilāto
7niʿājihihis ewesنعج
8wa-innaAnd indeed
9kathīranmanyكثر
10minaof
11l-khulaṭāithe partnersخلط
12layabghīcertainly oppressبغي
13baʿḍuhumsome of themبعض
14ʿalā[on]
15baʿḍinanotherبعض
16illāexcept
17alladhīnathose who
18āmanūbelieveامن
19waʿamilūand doعمل
20l-ṣāliḥātirighteous deedsصلح
21waqalīlunand fewقلل
22(are) they
23hum(are) they
24waẓannaAnd became certainظنن
25dāwūduDawood
26annamāthat
27fatannāhuWe (had) tried himفتن
28fa-is'taghfaraand he asked forgivenessغفر
29rabbahu(of) his Lordربب
30wakharraand fell downخرر
31rākiʿanbowingركع
32wa-anābaand turned in repentanceنوب
  • Aisha Bewley

    He said, ‘He has wronged you by asking for your ewe to add to his ewes. Truly many partners are unjust to one another – except those who have iman and do right actions, and how few they are!’ Dawud realised that We had put him to the test. He begged forgiveness from his Lord and fell down prone, prostrating, and repented.

  • Progressive Muslims

    He said: "He has wronged you by asking to combine your lambs with his lambs. And many who mix their properties take advantage of one another, except those who believe and do good works, and these are very few." And David guessed that We had tested him, so he sought forgiveness from his Lord, and fell down kneeling, and repented.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    David said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your farm in addition to his farms. Thus, behold, many close associates and business-partners treat each other unfairly - except those who believe in the Divine Values and care for the needs of others - but how few are they!" Afterwards, David wondered that We had tried him. (The feudal and economic system in his kingdom needed reform, as the poor were getting poorer). He implored his Lord to absolve his imperfections, and he immediately bowed himself and turned unto Him for guidance.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Said he: “He has wronged thee in asking thy ewe for his ewes; and many among acquaintances oppress one another save those who heed warning and do righteous deeds — and few are they.” And David understood that We had but subjected him to means of denial; and he asked forgiveness of his Lord, and fell down humbly and repented.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    He said: "He has wronged you by asking to combine your lamb with his lambs. And many who mix their properties take advantage of one another, except those who believe and do good works, and these are very few." And David guessed that We had tested him, so he sought forgiveness from his Lord, and fell down kneeling, and repented.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    He said, "He has wronged you by asking to combine your lambs with his lambs. Many who mix their properties take advantage of one another, except those who acknowledge and promote reforms, and these are very few." David guessed that We had tested him, so he sought forgiveness from his Lord, and fell down kneeling, and repented.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    He said, "He is being unfair to you by asking to combine your sheep with his. Most people who combine their properties treat each other unfairly, except those who believe and work righteousness, and these are so few." Afterwards, David wondered if he made the right judgment. He thought that we were testing him. He then implored his Lord for forgiveness, bowed down, and repented.,

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    (David) said: "He is unjust in demanding your ewe to add to his (many) ewes. Many partners are surely -- unjust to one another, except those who believe and do the right; but there are only a few of them." It occurred to David that he was being tried by Us, and he begged his Lord to forgive him, and fell down in homage and repented.

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

    said, "He has certainly wronged you in demanding your ewe to his ewes. And indeed, many associates oppress one another, except for those who believe and do righteous deeds - and few are they." And David became certain that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness of his Lord and fell down bowing and turned in repentance .

  • Muhammad Asad

    Said : "He has certainly wronged thee by demanding that thy ewe be added to his ewes! Thus, behold, do many kinsmen wrong one another save those who believe and do righteous deeds: but how few are they!" And David understood that We had tried him: and so he asked his Sustainer to forgive him his sin, and fell down in prostration, and turned unto Him in repentance.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    (David) said: He hath wronged thee in demanding thine ewe in addition to his ewes, and lo! many partners oppress one another, save such as believe and do good works, and they are few. And David guessed that We had tried him, and he sought forgiveness of his Lord, and he bowed himself and fell down prostrate and repented.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    David said: "He has certainly wronged you in seeking to add your ewe to his ewes;* and indeed many who live together commit excesses, one to the other, except those that believe and act righteously; and they are but few." (While so saying) David realized that it is We Who have put him to test; therefore, he sought the forgiveness of his Lord, and fell down, bowing and penitently turning (to Him).*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And there said Dawud in his judicial decision. "He, your brother has wronged you indeed by asking you to add your ewe to his ewes and sure enough some of the business partners, and they are many, do wrong their associates except those in whose hearts reigns habitual reverence and obedience to Allah and their deeds reflect wisdom and piety and how few they are". There and then it occurred to Dawud that We had tried him and He invoked Allah, his Creators for forgiveness and fell down with comely prostration of his body expressing repentance. He had listened to the claimant and neglected the defendant

  • Bijan Moeinian

    David said: "This person is definitely wrong. In fact the people who live together are prone to be unjust to each other save a few believer who are extremely righteous." David suddenly realized that he himself has been tried by this case David then fell down prostrate and begged his Lord for forgiveness for his wrong intention.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    said (immediately without listening to the opponent): "He has wronged you in demanding your ewe in addition to his ewes. And, verily, many partners oppress one another, except those who believe and do righteous good deeds, and they are few." And Dâwûd (David) guessed that We have tried him and he sought Forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down prostrate and turned (to Allâh) in repentance.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    (David) said: "He has undoubtedly wronged thee in demanding thy (single) ewe to be added to his (flock of) ewes: truly many are the partners (in business) who wrong each other: Not so do those who believe and work deeds of righteousness, and how few are they?"... and David gathered that We had tried him: he asked forgiveness of his Lord, fell down, bowing (in prostration), and turned (to Allah in repentance).

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    David ˹eventually˺ ruled, "He has definitely wronged you in demanding ˹to add˺ your sheep to his. And certainly many partners wrong each other, except those who believe and do good—but how few are they!" Then David realized that We had tested him so he asked for his Lord’s forgiveness, fell down in prostration, and turned ˹to Him in repentance˺.

  • Taqi Usmani

    He (Dawūd) said, "He has certainly wronged you by demanding your ewe to be added to his ewe. Many partners oppress one another, except those who believe and do righteous deeds, and very few they are." And Dawūd realized that We had put him to a test, so he prayed to his Lord for forgiveness, and bowing down, he fell in prostration, and turned (to Allah).

  • Abdul Haleem

    David said, ‘He has done you wrong by demanding to add your ewe to his flock. Many partners treat each other unfairly. Those who sincerely believe and do good deeds do not do this, but these are very few.’ David realized that We had been testing him, so he asked his Lord for forgiveness, fell down on his knees, and repented:

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Said he, 'Assuredly he has wronged thee in asking for thy ewe in addition to his sheep; and indeed many intermixers do injury one against the other, save those who believe, and do deeds of righteousness -- and how few they are!' And David thought that We had only tried him; therefore he sought forgiveness of his Lord, and he fell down, bowing, and he repented.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Said he, 'He wronged thee in asking for thy ewe in addition to his own ewes. Verily, many associates do injure one another, except those who believe and do what is right, and very few are they!' And he thought that we were trying him; and he asked pardon of his Lord and fell down bowing, and did turn;

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    He said, "Surely he has been unjust to you in demanding your ewe (to add) to his own ewes. Lo! Many partners act wrongfully towards one another, except those who believe and do good, and very few are they." And David was sure that We had tried him. So he sought the protection of his Lord and he fell down bowing and turned in repentance (to Him).

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    He (Dawûd) said, "Indeed he has already done an injustice to you in asking for your ewe (in addition) to his ewes; and surely many intermixes are indeed inequitable one against the other, (Literally: some of them are unfair to some "others") except the ones who have believed and done deeds of righteousness, and how few they are!" And Dawûd surmised that We had only tempted (Or: tried) him; so he asked forgiveness of his Lord, and he collapsed bowing down and turned penitent. A prostration is to be performed here.

  • George Sale

    David answered, verily he hath wronged thee, in demanding thine ewe as an addition to his own sheep: And many of them who are concerned together in business, wrong one another, except those who believe and do that which is right; but how few are they! And David perceived that We had tried him by this parable, and he asked pardon of his Lord: And he fell down and bowed himself, and repented.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    (Dawood) said: "Without a doubt he has done wrong to you by asking you for (the single) sheep to add to his (flock of) sheep: And truly, there are many partners (in business) who do wrong to each other, except those who believe and work deeds of righteousness do not act like that, and how few are they?"... And Dawood (David) gathered that We had tried him, and he asked forgiveness from his Lord, and he fell down, bowing (in prostration), and turned (to Allah in repentance).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    (David) said, `He has certainly been unjust to you in demanding your ewe (to be added) to his own ewes. And surely many partners transgress against one another except those who believe (in God) and do deeds of righteousness. Yet how few are these!' (While saying this) David realised that We had tried him, therefore he sought protection of his Lord and fell down bowing in worship and turned (to his Lord) in repentance.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    He said, ‘He has certainly wronged you by asking your ewe in addition to his ewes, and indeed many partners bully one another, except such as have faith and do righteous deeds, and few are they. ’ Then David knew that We had indeed tested him, whereat he pleaded with his Lord for forgiveness, and fell down prostrate and repented.