Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

“Eight pairs: of sheep two and of goats two––” Say thou: “Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females? If what the wombs of the two females contain: inform me with knowledge, if you be truthful.”

ثَمَانِيَةَ اَزْوَاجٍۚ مِنَ الضَّأْنِ اثْنَيْنِ وَمِنَ الْمَعْزِ اثْنَيْنِۜ قُلْ آٰلذَّكَرَيْنِ حَرَّمَ اَمِ الْاُنْثَيَيْنِ اَمَّا اشْتَمَلَتْ عَلَيْهِ اَرْحَامُ الْاُنْثَيَيْنِۜ نَبِّؤُ۫ن۪ي بِعِلْمٍ اِنْ كُنْتُمْ صَادِق۪ينَۙ
Thamaniyata azwajin mina adda/niithnayni wamina almaAAzi ithnayni qul aththakarayniharrama ami alonthayayni amma ishtamalat AAalayhiarhamu alonthayayni nabbi-oonee biAAilmin in kuntum sadiqeen
#wordmeaningroot
1thamāniyataEightثمن
2azwājinpairs زوج
3minaof
4l-ḍanithe sheepضان
5ith'naynitwoثني
6waminaand of
7l-maʿzithe goatsمعز
8ith'naynitwoثني
9qulSayقول
10āldhakarayni(Are) the two malesذكر
11ḥarramaHe has forbiddenحرم
12amior
13l-unthayaynithe two femalesانث
14ammāor what
15ish'tamalatcontainsشمل
16ʿalayhi[in it]
17arḥāmu(the) wombsرحم
18l-unthayayni(of) the two femalesانث
19nabbiūnīInform meنبا
20biʿil'minwith knowledgeعلم
21inif
22kuntumyou areكون
23ṣādiqīnatruthfulصدق
  • Aisha Bewley

    There are eight in pairs: A pair of sheep and a pair of goats – Say: ‘Is it the two males He has made haram, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Tell me with knowledge if you are being truthful. ’

  • Progressive Muslims

    Eight pairs: from the lambs two, and from the goats two; Say: "Is it the two males that He forbade or the two females, or what the womb of the two females bore Inform me if you are truthful!"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Take the example of eight quadrupeds: Two sheep, one male and one female, two goats, one male and one female. Say, "Is it the two males that He has forbidden, or the two females, or the calves in the wombs of the females? Tell me if you have true knowledge.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    “Eight pairs: of sheep two and of goats two––” Say thou: “Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females? If what the wombs of the two females contain: inform me with knowledge, if you be truthful.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Eight in pairs: from the lambs two, and from the goats two. Say: "Is it the two males that He forbade or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females bore? Inform me if you are truthful!"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Eight pairs: from the sheep two, and from the goats two; say, "Is it the two males that He forbade or the two females, or what the womb of the two females bore? Inform me if you are truthful!"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Eight kinds of livestock: regarding the two kinds of sheep, and the two kinds of goats, say, "Is it the two males that He prohibited, or the two females, or the contents of the wombs of the two females? Tell me what you know, if you are truthful."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    There are eight pairs, two of the species of sheep and two of goats. Ask them which has He forbidden, the two males or the two females, or what the females carry in their wombs? Produce the sanction if you are truthful.

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

    eight mates - of the sheep, two and of the goats, two. Say, "Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me with knowledge, if you should be truthful."

  • Muhammad Asad

    four kinds of cattle of either sex : either of the two sexes of sheep and of goats. Ask : "Is it the two males that He has forbidden, or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females may contain? Tell me what you know in this respect, if what you say is true."

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Eight pairs: Of the sheep twain, and of the goats twain. Say: Hath He forbidden the two males or the two females, or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Expound to me (the case) with knowledge, if ye are truthful.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    These are eight couples, two of sheep, two of goats. Now ask them: 'Is it either the two males that Allah has forbidden or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females may contain? Tell me about this on the basis of sure knowledge, if you speak the truth.'

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Another strained point upon which the whole unreasoning turns is their superstitious belief of dedicating what they consider sacred to their males denying and condemning their females. Thus they dedicate what sheep and goats, camels and oxen carry in their wombs to their males and exclude their females; a concept bringing Us to eight copulatory mates. Four of them are a pair of sheep and a pair of goats. Ask them O Muhammad: "Is it the two males or the two females that Allah has forbidden or is it what both females carry in their wombs! "Tell me who gave you this authority that you speak like a book if indeed you are declaring the truth"

  • Bijan Moeinian

    As to eight males and females cattle that they take first a pair of the sheep family and a pair of the goat family and say: "Has God forbidden for you the males, the females or the unborn sheep and goats? What kind of games are you playing? Tell me, if you are true in your belief. "

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Eight pairs: of the sheep two (male and female), and of the goats two (male and female). Say: "Has He forbidden the two males or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Inform me with knowledge if you are truthful."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    (Take) eight (head of cattle) in (four) pairs: of sheep a pair, and of goats a pair; say, hath He forbidden the two males, or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females enclose? Tell me with knowledge if ye are truthful:

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    ˹Allah has created˺ four pairs: a pair of sheep and a pair of goats—ask ˹them, O  Prophet˺, "Has He forbidden ˹to you˺ the two males or the two females or what is in the wombs of the two females? Tell me with knowledge, if what you say is true."—

  • Taqi Usmani

    (Allah has created) eight pairs: two of sheep and two of goats. Say, "Is it the two males that He has prohibited or the two females, or whatever the wombs of the two females contain? Tell me on the basis of knowledge if you are true."

  • Abdul Haleem

    eight animals, in pairs: a pair of sheep and a pair of goats- ask them , ‘Has He forbidden the two males, the two females, or the young in the wombs of the two females? Tell me based on knowledge if you are telling the truth.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Eight couples: two of sheep, of goats two. Say: 'Is it the two males He has forbidden or the two females? Or what the wombs of the two females contain? Tell me with knowledge, if you speak truly.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Eight pairs, - of sheep two, and of goats two; say, 'Are the two males unlawful, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? inform me with knowledge if ye tell the truth. '

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Eight pairs - of sheep two, and of goats two; say, "Hath He forbidden the two males, or the two females, or what the wombs of the two females contain? Inform me with knowledge if you tell the truth. "

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Eight pairs: (i. e., eight males and females paired together) of mutton two, (i.e., sheep) and of goats two. Say, "Has He prohibited the two males or even the two females? Or even what the wombs of the two females contain? Fully inform me with knowledge, in case you are sincere."

  • George Sale

    Four pair of cattle hath God given you; of sheep one pair, and of goats one pair. Say unto them, hath God forbidden the two males, of sheep and of goats, or the two females; or that which the wombs of the two females contain? Tell me with certainty, if ye speak truth.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Eight pairs (of cattle), two (male and female): Of sheep, a pair; And two of goats, a pair; Say: "Has He forbidden the two males, or the two females, or (the young) which the wombs of the two females hold? Tell me with knowledge, if you are truthful:"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And (of cattle slaughtered for food, He has created) eight (heads in four) pairs, the pair of sheep, the pair of goats. Say, `Is it the two males He has made unlawful, or the two females, or is it that (young) which the wombs of the two females contain (which He has forbidden)? Expound to me (the case) with (sure) knowledge if you are in the right.'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Eight mates: two of sheep, and two of goats. Say, ‘Is it the two males that He has forbidden or the two females, or what is contained in the wombs of the two females? Inform me with knowledge, should you be truthful.’