Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And when they scorned what they had been forbidden, We said to them: “Be despised apes!”

فَلَمَّا عَتَوْا عَنْ مَا نُهُوا عَنْهُ قُلْنَا لَهُمْ كُونُوا قِرَدَةً خَاسِـ۪ٔينَ
Falamma AAataw AAan ma nuhooAAanhu qulna lahum koonoo qiradatan khasi-een
#wordmeaningroot
1falammāSo when
2ʿatawthey exceeded all boundsعتو
3ʿanabout
4what
5nuhūthey were forbiddenنهي
6ʿanhufrom it
7qul'nāWe saidقول
8lahumto them
9kūnūBeكون
10qiradatanapesقرد
11khāsiīnadespisedخسا
  • Aisha Bewley

    When they were insolent about what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, ‘Be apes, despised, cast out!’

  • Progressive Muslims

    When they persisted in that which they had been prohibited from, We said to them: "Be despicable apes!"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    As they persisted with their rebellious behavior, Our Law caused their disposition take a downward turn and they developed apish mentality. We told them, "Be the living symbols of humiliation."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And when they scorned what they had been forbidden, We said to them: “Be despised apes!”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    So when they persisted in that which they had been prohibited from, We said to them: "Be despicable apes!"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    When they persisted in what they had been forbidden from, We said to them: "Be despicable apes!"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    When they continued to defy the commandments, we said to them, "Be you despicable apes."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    When they persisted in doing what they had been forbidden, We said to them: "Become (like) apes despised. "

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

    So when they were insolent about that which they had been forbidden, We said to them, "Be apes, despised. "

  • Muhammad Asad

    and then, when they disdainfully persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said unto them: "Be as apes despicable!"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    So when they took pride in that which they had been forbidden, We said unto them: Be ye apes despised and loathed!

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And when they persisted in pursuing that which had been forbidden We said: 'Become despised apes.'*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    When they insolently persisted in disobedience and buried exhortation in oblivion, We laid their transgression to their charge and decreed that they be monkeyfied and that their monkey- like character and behaviour be viewed with contempt, and that they be despised and rejected of men.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    When, even after this punishment, they persisted in breaking the law, I said to them, "Become apes; disgusted and disgraced!"

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    So when they exceeded the limits of what they were prohibited, We said to them: "Be you monkeys, despised and rejected."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    When in their insolence they transgressed (all) prohibitions, We said to them: "Be ye apes, despised and rejected."

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    But when they stubbornly persisted in violation, We said to them, "Be disgraced apes!" 

  • Taqi Usmani

    When they persisted in doing what they were forbidden from, We said to them, "Become apes debased."

  • Abdul Haleem

    When, in their arrogance, they persisted in doing what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, ‘Be like apes! Be outcasts!’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And when they turned in disdain from that forbidding We said to them, 'Be you apes, miserably slinking!'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    but when they rebelled against what they were forbidden, we said to them, 'Become ye apes, despised and spurned!'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    But when they rebelled against what they were forbidden, We said to them, "Become you as apes, despised and spurned!"

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Then as soon as they rebelled against what they had been forbidden to do, We said to them, "Be you apes, (totally) spurned!".

  • George Sale

    And when they insolently rebelled against that which they had been forbidden, We said to them, 'Be ye apes despised. '

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    When in their haughtiness, they exceeded (all) that was prevented, We said to them: "You be (like) monkeys, disliked and rejected. "

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    So when they insolently refused to keep away from that which they were forbidden, We condemned them to be (as) apes despised.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    When they defied what they were forbidden from, We said to them, ‘Be you spurned apes. ’