Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And We passed the children of Israel through the sea; and they came upon a people devoted to idols which they had. They said: “O Moses: make thou for us a god, just as they have gods.” He said: “You are a people in ignorance.

وَجَاوَزْنَا بِبَن۪ٓي اِسْرَٓائ۪لَ الْبَحْرَ فَاَتَوْا عَلٰى قَوْمٍ يَعْكُفُونَ عَلٰٓى اَصْنَامٍ لَهُمْۚ قَالُوا يَا مُوسَى اجْعَلْ لَـنَٓا اِلٰهاً كَمَا لَهُمْ اٰلِهَةٌۜ قَالَ اِنَّكُمْ قَوْمٌ تَجْهَلُونَ
Wajawazna bibanee isra-eelaalbahra faataw AAala qawmin yaAAkufoona AAalaasnamin lahum qaloo ya moosaijAAal lana ilahan kama lahum alihatunqala innakum qawmun tajhaloon
#wordmeaningroot
1wajāwaznāAnd We led acrossجوز
2bibanī(the) Childrenبني
3is'rāīla(of) Israel
4l-baḥrathe seaبحر
5fa-atawThen they cameاتي
6ʿalāupon
7qawmina peopleقوم
8yaʿkufūnadevotedعكف
9ʿalāto
10aṣnāminidolsصنم
11lahumof theirs
12qālūThey saidقول
13yāmūsāO Musa
14ij'ʿalMakeجعل
15lanāfor us
16ilāhana godاله
17kamālike what
18lahumthey have
19ālihatungodsاله
20qālaHe saidقول
21innakumIndeed, you
22qawmun(are) a peopleقوم
23tajhalūnaignorantجهل
  • Aisha Bewley

    We conveyed the tribe of Israel across the sea and they came upon some people who were devoting themselves to some idols which they had. They said, ‘Musa, give us a god just as these people have gods.’ He said, ‘You are indeed an ignorant people.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And We let the Children of Israel cross the sea, then they came upon a people who were devoted to idols made for them; they said: "O Moses, make for us a god like they have gods" He said: "You are an ignorant people!"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    After they crossed the sea (into Sinai (2:50-51)), the Children of Israel passed by some people who were worshiping statues. They said, 'O' Moses! Make a god for us, like the gods they have." Moses said, "You are a folk who wish to lurk in darkness.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And We passed the children of Israel through the sea; and they came upon a people devoted to idols which they had. They said: “O Moses: make thou for us a god, just as they have gods.” He said: “You are a people in ignorance.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And We let the Children of Israel cross the sea, then they came upon a people who were devoted to statues made for them; they said: "O Moses, make for us a god like they have gods?" He said: "You are an ignorant people!"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    We let the Children of Israel cross the sea, then they passed by a people who were devoted to idols they had. They said, "O Moses, make for us a god like the gods they have." He said, "You are an ignorant people!"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    We delivered the Children of Israel across the sea. When they passed by people who were worshipping statues, they said, "O Moses, make a god for us, like the gods they have." He said, "Indeed, you are ignorant people.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    When We brought the children of Israel across the sea, and they came to a people who were devoted to their idols, they said: "O Moses, make us also a god like theirs. " "You are ignorant," he replied.

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

    And We took the Children of Israel across the sea; then they came upon a people intent in devotion to idols of theirs. They said, "O Moses, make for us a god just as they have gods." He said, "Indeed, you are a people behaving ignorantly.

  • Muhammad Asad

    AND WE BROUGHT the children of Israel across the sea; and thereupon they came upon people who were devoted to the worship of some idols of theirs. Said : "O Moses, set up for us a god even as they have gods!" He replied: "Verily, you are people without any awareness !

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea, and they came unto a people who were given up to idols which they had. They said: O Moses! Make for us a god even as they have gods. He said: Lo! ye are a folk who know not.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And We led the Children of Israel across the sea; and then they came upon a people who were devoted to the worship of their idols. They said: '0 Moses, make for us a god even as they have gods.' Moses said: 'You are indeed an ignorant people.'

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And We brought Bani Israel safely across the sea, and there, they came across a people who paid divine honours to idols**. They demanded of Mussa to make for them an idol as an object of worship similar to the idols worshipped by those people. In response, said Mussa: "You people are indeed ignorant and you are a wicked impudent boldfaced people who have no shame of their sins".

  • Bijan Moeinian

    After letting the Israelites pass through the sea, they started their journey and came upon a people who were worshipping their idols. The Israelites said: "Moses, Make a similar god for us Moses replied: "What an ignorant people you are."

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And We brought the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea, and they came upon a people devoted to some of their idols (in worship). They said: "O Mûsâ (Moses)! Make for us an ilâh (a god) as they have âlihah (gods)." He said: "Verily, you are a people who know not (the Majesty and Greatness of Allâh and what is obligatory upon you, i.e. to worship none but Allâh Alone, the One and the Only God of all that exists)."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    We took the Children of Israel (with safety) across the sea. They came upon a people devoted entirely to some idols they had. They said: "O Moses! fashion for us a god like unto the gods they have." He said: "Surely ye are a people without knowledge.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    We brought the Children of Israel across the sea and they came upon a people devoted to idols. They demanded, "O Moses! Make for us a god like their gods." He replied, “Indeed, you are a people acting ignorantly!

  • Taqi Usmani

    We made the children of Isrā’īl cross the sea, then they came across a people sitting in devotion before their idols. They (the Israelites) said, "O Mūsā, make a god for us like they have gods." He said, “You are really an ignorant people.

  • Abdul Haleem

    We took the Children of Israel across the sea, but when they came upon a people who worshipped idols, they said, ‘Moses, make a god for us like theirs.’ He said, ‘You really are foolish people:

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And We brought the Children of Israel over the sea, and they came upon a people cleaving to idols they had. They said, 'Moses, make for us a god, as they have gods.' Said he, 'You are surely a people who are ignorant.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And with the children of Israel we passed across the sea; and they came unto a people devoted to their idols, and said, 'O Moses! make for us a god as they have gods. ' Said he, 'Verily, ye are ignorant people.'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And We passed the children of Israel safely across the sea. They came upon a people devoted to their idols, and said, "O Moses! Make for us a god as the gods they have." Said he, "Verily, you are ignorant people.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And We made the Seeds (or: sons) of Israel) pass over the sea. Then they came upon a people consecrating themselves to idols they had. They said, "O Mûsa, (Moses) make for us a god as they have gods." He said, "Surely you are a people who are ignorant.

  • George Sale

    And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea and they came to a people who were devoted to their idols. They said, 'O Moses, make for us a god just as they have gods.' He said, 'Surely you are an ignorant people.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And We took the Children of Israel (safely) to the other side of the sea. And (here) they found a people who were completely devoted to some idols that they had (worshipped) they said: "O Musa (Moses)! Put together for us a god like the gods that they have." He said: "Surely, you are a people without Knowledge.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And We brought the Children of Israel across the sea. Then they came to a people who clung to some idols they had (for worship). They said, `O Moses! make for us a god like the gods they have.' He (-Moses) said, `You are a foolish people who act through lack of knowledge.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    We carried the Children of Israel across the sea, whereat they came upon a people cleaving to certain idols that they had. They said, ‘O Moses, make for us a god like the gods that they have.’ He said, ‘You are indeed an ignorant lot.