Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And the life of this world is only play and games; and the abode of the Hereafter: that is Life, did they but know.

وَمَا هٰذِهِ الْحَيٰوةُ الدُّنْيَٓا اِلَّا لَهْوٌ وَلَعِبٌۜ وَاِنَّ الدَّارَ الْاٰخِرَةَ لَهِيَ الْحَيَوَانُۢ لَوْ كَانُوا يَعْلَمُونَ
Wama hathihi alhayatuaddunya illa lahwun walaAAibun wa-inna addaraal-akhirata lahiya alhayawanu law kanooyaAAlamoon
#wordmeaningroot
1wamāAnd not
2hādhihi(is) this
3l-ḥayatulifeحيي
4l-dun'yā(of) the worldدنو
5illābut
6lahwunamusementلهو
7walaʿibunand playلعب
8wa-innaAnd indeed
9l-dārathe Homeدور
10l-ākhirata(of) the Hereafter اخر
11lahiyasurely, it
12l-ḥayawānu(is) the lifeحيي
13lawif only
14kānūtheyكون
15yaʿlamūnaknowعلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    The life of this world is nothing but a game and a diversion. The abode of the Next World – that is truly Life if they only knew.

  • Progressive Muslims

    This worldly life is no more than fun and distraction, while the abode of the Hereafter is the reality, if they only knew.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    For, (if they did, they would understand that) the life of this world is nothing but a pastime and play - whereas, behold, the life in the Home of the Hereafter is the true life, if they but knew (that their actions in this short life will determine their Eternal abode).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And the life of this world is only play and games; and the abode of the Hereafter: that is Life, did they but know.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And this worldly life is no more than distraction and play, while the abode of the Hereafter is the reality, if only they knew.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    This worldly life is no more than fun and distraction, while the abode of the Hereafter is the reality, if they only knew.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    This worldly life is no more than vanity and play, while the abode of the Hereafter is the real life, if they only knew.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    The life of this world is only a sport and play. It is surely the home of the Hereafter that will indeed be life extended and new, if only they knew!

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

    And this worldly life is not but diversion and amusement. And indeed, the home of the Hereafter - that is the life, if only they knew.

  • Muhammad Asad

    for, the life of this world is nothing but a passing delight and a play - whereas, behold, the life in the hereafter is indeed the only life: if they but knew this!

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    This life of the world is but a pastime and a game. Lo! the home of the Hereafter - that is Life, if they but knew.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    The present life is nothing but sport and amusement.* The true life is in the Abode of the Hereafter; if only they knew.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Life here is but an illusive and rapid change of feeling, fancy and thought and an amusement bringing happiness to those who cannot think. Whereas the Hereafter -which you should keep in mind and work for- is the life that is meaningful and significant, purposeful and blissful and above all eternal if only they knew!

  • Bijan Moeinian

    The life of this world is nothing but a game The real life starts in Hereafter, if they only knew.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And this life of the world is only an amusement and a play! Verily, the home of the Hereafter - that is the life indeed (i.e. the eternal life that will never end), if they but knew.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    What is the life of this world but amusement and play? but verily the Home in the Hereafter,- that is life indeed, if they but knew.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    This worldly life is no more than play and amusement. But the Hereafter is indeed the real life, if only they knew.

  • Taqi Usmani

    This worldly life is nothing but an amusement and play, and the Last Abode is the real life indeed. Only if they know!

  • Abdul Haleem

    The life of this world is merely an amusement and a diversion; the true life is in the Hereafter, if only they knew.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    This present life is naught but a diversion and a sport; surely the Last Abode is Life, did they but know.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    This life of the world is nothing but a sport and a play; but, verily, the abode of the next world, that is life,- if they did but know!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And if you should ask them, "Who causes water to come down from the sky and revives therewith the earth after its death?" they will surely say, "Allah!" Say, "And praise be to Allah!" But most of them have no sense.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And in no way is this present life (Literally: this lowly life, i. e., the life of this world) anything except a diversion and a plaything; and surely the Last Home is indeed the (Eternal) Life, (Literally: the all-blessed life) if they know (the Truth).

  • George Sale

    This present life is no other than a toy, and a play-thing; but the future mansion of paradise is life indeed: If they knew this, they would not prefer the former to the latter.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And what is the life of this world but an amusement and a play? But surely, the home in the Hereafter— That is (Eternal) life indeed, if they only knew.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    The life of this world is nothing but futile and frivolous and the abode of the Hereafter is the real life (being eternal). If they but knew (they would have paid heed).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    The life of this world is nothing but diversion and play, but the abode of the Hereafter is indeed Life, had they known!