Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And the people of Moses, while he was away, took up a calf out of their ornaments — a body that lowed. Did they not consider that it spoke not to them, neither guided them to a path? They took it up, and were wrongdoers.

وَاتَّخَذَ قَوْمُ مُوسٰى مِنْ بَعْدِه۪ مِنْ حُلِيِّهِمْ عِجْلاً جَسَداً لَهُ خُوَارٌۜ اَلَمْ يَرَوْا اَنَّهُ لَا يُكَلِّمُهُمْ وَلَا يَهْد۪يهِمْ سَب۪يلاًۢ اِتَّخَذُوهُ وَكَانُوا ظَالِم۪ينَ
Wattakhatha qawmu moosamin baAAdihi min huliyyihim AAijlan jasadan lahu khuwarunalam yaraw annahu la yukallimuhum wala yahdeehimsabeelan ittakhathoohu wakanoo thalimeen
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-ittakhadhaAnd tookاخذ
2qawmu(the) peopleقوم
3mūsā(of) Musa
4minfrom
5baʿdihiafter himبعد
6minfrom
7ḥuliyyihimtheir ornamentsحلي
8ʿij'lana calf عجل
9jasadanan imageجسد
10lahu[for] it
11khuwārun(had) a lowing soundخور
12alamDid not
13yarawthey seeراي
14annahuthat it
15(could) not
16yukallimuhumspeak to themكلم
17walāand not
18yahdīhimguide themهدي
19sabīlan(to) a wayسبل
20ittakhadhūhuThey took it (for worship)اخذ
21wakānūand they wereكون
22ẓālimīnawrongdoersظلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    After he left, Musa’s people adopted a calf made from their ornaments, a form which made a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could not speak to them or guide them to any way? They adopted it and so they were wrongdoers.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And the people of Moses, in his absence, made from their ornaments the image of a calf which made a sound. Did they not see that it could not speak to them, nor guide them to any way They took it and they were wicked.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    The people of Moses made up a calf out of their ornaments while Moses was on the Mount Sinai. They made it such that blowing into it produced a lowing sound. They didn't even see that it couldn't talk to them or show them any way. Still they chose it as a god, and thus wronged their own "Self".

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And the people of Moses, while he was away, took up a calf out of their ornaments — a body that lowed. Did they not consider that it spoke not to them, neither guided them to a path? They took it up, and were wrongdoers.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And the people of Moses, in his absence, made from their ornaments a sculpture of a calf that emitted a cry. Did they not see that it could not speak to them, nor guide them to any way? They took it and they were wicked.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    The people of Moses, in his absence, made from their ornaments the statue of a calf which had a sound. Did they not see that it could not speak to them, nor guide them to any way. They took it and turned wicked.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    During his absence, Moses' people made from their jewelry the statue of a calf, complete with the sound of a calf. Did they not see that it could not speak to them, or guide them in any path? They worshipped it, and thus turned wicked.,

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    In the absence of Moses his people prepared the image of a calf from their ornaments, which gave out the mooing of a cow. Yet they did not see it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the right path. Even then they took it (for a deity) and did wrong.

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

    And the people of Moses made, after , from their ornaments a calf - an image having a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to a way? They took it , and they were wrongdoers.

  • Muhammad Asad

    AND IN his absence the people of Moses took to worshipping the effigy of a calf of their ornaments, which gave forth a lowing sound. " Did they not see that it could neither speak unto them nor guide them in any way? they took to worshipping it, for they were evildoers:

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And the folk of Moses, after (he left them), chose a calf (for worship), (made) out of their ornaments, of saffron hue, which gave a lowing sound. Saw they not that it spake not unto them nor guided them to any way? They chose it, and became wrong-doers.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And in the absence of Moses* his people made the image of a calf from their ornaments, which lowed. Did they not observe that it could neither speak nor give them any guidance? And still they made it an object of worship. They were indeed wrong-doing. *

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Influenced by idolatrous Egypt, the people of Mussa took advantage of his absence on the Mount, being absorbed in the intense spiritual communion with Allah, and melted all their gold ornaments and built a body in the image of a calf* lowing like cattle when down wind. Did they not perceive that it was mute! Never did it speak to them nor would it guide them or determine the course of events! Yet they reverenced it and adored it with appropriate acts and rites, and were wrongful of actions.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    While Moses was absent , his people melted down their jewelries to make the statue of a cow with a capacity to make a sound. Were they not able to see that it could not neither talk nor guide them to the right path? Yet they took it as their god; how unjust of them.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And the people of Mûsâ (Moses) made in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of a calf (for worship). It had a sound (as if it was mooing). Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the way? They took it (for worship) and they were Zâlimûn (wrong-doers).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    The people of Moses made, in his absence, out of their ornaments, the image of calf, (for worship): it seemed to low: did they not see that it could neither speak to them, nor show them the way? They took it for worship and they did wrong.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    In the absence of Moses, his people made from their ˹golden˺ jewellery an idol of a calf that made a lowing sound. Did they not see that it could neither speak to them nor guide them to the ˹Right˺ Path? Still they took it as a god and were wrongdoers.

  • Taqi Usmani

    And in the absence of Mūsā, his people made a calf from their ornaments, which was merely a sculpture with a moaning sound. Did they not see that it neither talked to them nor could it guide them to any way? They adopted it (as god), and were so unjust.

  • Abdul Haleem

    In his absence, Moses’ people took to worshipping a mere shape that made sounds like a cow- a calf made from their jewellery. Could they not see that it did not speak to them or guide them in any way? Yet they took it for worship: they were evildoers.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And the people of Moses took to them, after him, of their ornaments a Calf -- a mere body that lowed. Did they not see it spoke not to them, neither guided them upon any way? Yet they took it to them, and were evildoers.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And Moses' people after him took to themselves of their ornaments a corporeal calf that lowed; did they not see that it could not speak with them, nor could it guide them in the path? They took it and they were unjust;

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And the people of Moses, after he had left them, chose (for worship) an image of a lowing calf (or one that seemed to low) made out of their ornaments. Did they not see that it could not speak to them or guide them in the path? They chose it and became wrongdoers (or unjust, unreasonable, irrational, superstitious people).

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And the people of Mûsa (Moses) took to themselves even after him, of their (diverse) ornaments, a corporeal Calf that had a lowing (voice). Did they not see that it did not speak to them nor did it guide them upon any way? They took it to themselves and were an unjust (people)..

  • George Sale

    And the people of Moses made, in his absence, out of their ornaments, a calf -- a lifeless body, producing a lowing sound. Did they not see that it spoke not to them, nor guided them to any way? They took it for worship and they were transgressors.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    During his absence, the People of Musa (Moses), from their (own) ornaments made, the image of a calf, (for worship): It seemed so low (and improper): (That also, it had a low pitch sound when struck) did they not see that it could not speak to them, nor show them the Way? They took it (for worship) and they did wrong.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And the people of Moses in his absence, made out of their ornaments a calf; a mere frame (of saffron hue), with a lowing sound. Could they not see that it neither spoke to them, nor guided them to any way? Yet they took it (for god to worship) and became wrongdoers.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    The people of Moses took up in his absence a calf from their ornaments —a body that gave out a lowing sound. Did they not regard that it did not speak to them, nor did it guide them to any way? They took it up and they were wrongdoers.