Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And if you are on a journey, and find not a writer, then: a pledge in hand. But if one of you trusts another, then let him who is trusted discharge his trust, and let him be in prudent fear of God, his Lord. And conceal not the witness; and he who conceals it, his heart is sinful; and God knows what you do.

وَاِنْ كُنْتُمْ عَلٰى سَفَرٍ وَلَمْ تَجِدُوا كَاتِباً فَرِهَانٌ مَقْبُوضَةٌۜ فَاِنْ اَمِنَ بَعْضُكُمْ بَعْضاً فَلْيُؤَدِّ الَّذِي اؤْتُمِنَ اَمَانَتَهُ وَلْيَتَّقِ اللّٰهَ رَبَّهُۜ وَلَا تَكْتُمُوا الشَّهَادَةَۜ وَمَنْ يَكْتُمْهَا فَاِنَّهُٓ اٰثِمٌ قَلْبُهُۜ وَاللّٰهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ عَل۪يمٌ۟
Wa-in kuntum AAala safarin walamtajidoo katiban farihanun maqboodatun fa-inamina baAAdukum baAAdan falyu-addiallatheei/tumina amanatahu walyattaqi Allaha rabbahuwala taktumoo ashshahadata waman yaktumhafa-innahu athimun qalbuhu wallahu bimataAAmaloona AAaleem
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-inAnd if
2kuntumyou areكون
3ʿalāon
4safarina journeyسفر
5walamand not
6tajidūyou findوجد
7kātibana scribeكتب
8farihānunthen pledgeرهن
9maqbūḍatunin handقبض
10fa-inThen if
11aminaentrustsامن
12baʿḍukumone of youبعض
13baʿḍan(to) anotherبعض
14falyu-addithen let dischargeادي
15alladhīthe one who
16u'tuminais entrustedامن
17amānatahuhis trustامن
18walyattaqiAnd let him fearوقي
19l-lahaAllah
20rabbahuhis Lordربب
21walāAnd (do) not
22taktumūconcealكتم
23l-shahādatathe evidenceشهد
24wamanAnd whoever
25yaktum'hāconceals itكتم
26fa-innahuthen indeed he
27āthimun(is) sinful اثم
28qalbuhuhis heartقلب
29wal-lahuAnd Allah
30bimāof what
31taʿmalūnayou doعمل
32ʿalīmun(is) All-Knowerعلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    If you are on a journey and cannot find a writer, something can be left as a security. If you leave things on trust with one another the one who is trusted must deliver up his trust and have taqwa of Allah his Lord. Do not conceal testimony. If someone does conceal it, his heart commits a crime. Allah knows what you do.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And if you are traveling or do not find a scribe, then a pledge of collateral. If you trust each other then let the one who was entrusted deliver his trust, and let him be aware of God, and do not hold back the testimony. And whoever holds it back, then he has sinned in his heart, and God is aware of what you do.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    If you are traveling and a scribe is not available, a collateral of some value may serve the purpose, or a bond shall be posted to guarantee repayment. If one is trusted in this manner, he shall return the collateral or the bond when due, and be mindful of Allah, his Lord. Do not withhold any testimony by concealing what you have witnessed. Anyone who withholds a testimony is noxious to his own sensitivity. Allah is Aware of all your actions.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And if you are on a journey, and find not a writer, then: a pledge in hand. But if one of you trusts another, then let him who is trusted discharge his trust, and let him be in prudent fear of God, his Lord. And conceal not the witness; and he who conceals it, his heart is sinful; and God knows what you do.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And if you are traveling or do not find a scribe, then a pledge of collateral. So, if you have entrusted each other in this manner, then let the one who was entrusted deliver his trust, and let him be aware of God his Lord. And do not hold back the testimony. And whoever holds it back, then he has sinned in his heart, and God is aware of what you do.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    If you are traveling or do not find a scribe, then a pledge of collateral. If you trust each other then let the one who was entrusted deliver his trust, and let him be conscientious of God, and do not hold back the testimony. Whoever holds it back, then he has sinned in his heart; God is aware of what you do.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    If you are traveling, and no scribe is available, a bond shall be posted to guarantee repayment. If one is trusted in this manner, he shall return the bond when due, and he shall observe GOD his Lord. Do not withhold any testimony by concealing what you had witnessed. Anyone who withholds a testimony is sinful at heart. GOD is fully aware of everything you do.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    If you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, pledge your goods (against the Loan); and if one trusts the other, then let him who is trusted deliver the thing entrusted, and have fear of God, his Lord. Do not suppress any evidence, for he who conceals evidence is sinful of heart; and God is aware of all you do.

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

    And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then a security deposit taken. And if one of you entrusts another, then let him who is entrusted discharge his trust and let him fear Allah, his Lord. And do not conceal testimony, for whoever conceals it - his heart is indeed sinful, and Allah is Knowing of what you do.

  • Muhammad Asad

    And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, pledges in hand: but if you trust one another, then let him who is trusted fulfil his trust, and let him be conscious of God, his Sustainer. And do not conceal what you have witnessed - for, verily, he who conceals it is sinful at heart; and God has full knowledge of all that you do.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    If ye be on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then a pledge in hand (shall suffice). And if one of you entrusteth to another let him who is trusted deliver up that which is entrusted to him (according to the pact between them) and let him observe his duty to Allah his Lord. Hide not testimony. He who hideth it, verily his heart is sinful. Allah is Aware of what ye do.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And if you are on a journey and do not find a scribe to write the document then resort to taking pledges in hand. But if any of you trusts another, let him who is trusted, fulfil the trust and fear Allah, his Lord. And do not conceal what you have witnessed, for whoever conceals it, his heart is sinful. Allah has full knowledge of all that you do.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And if you are on a journey and cannot find a writer, then place a pledge in the creditor’s possession as a guarantee of good faith. And if the debtor considers the creditor a credible person then the creditor should prove himself trustworthy and return the pledge upon receiving the debt from the debtor, also expected to be trustworthy, and either of them should keep Allah in mind and revere Him. And do not conceal, destroy, suppress or refuse to provide evidence when summoned, and he who withholds testimony is indeed morally depraved with a soiled and sinful heart. And Allah is 'Alimun of all you do.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    If you are traveling, and you can not find someone to write down the transaction, ask for collateral. Once the debt is paid back, the collateral must immediately be returned. Say the whole truth once asked to serve as a witness. Only those who have a disease in their heart commit the sin of not revealing the whole truth. Do not forget that God knows what you are doing.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And if you are on a journey and cannot find a scribe, then let there be a pledge taken (mortgaging); then if one of you entrust the other, let the one who is entrusted discharge his trust (faithfully), and let him be afraid of Allâh, his Lord. And conceal not the evidence for he, who hides it, surely his heart is sinful. And Allâh is All-Knower of what you do.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    If ye are on a journey, and cannot find a scribe, a pledge with possession (may serve the purpose). And if one of you deposits a thing on trust with another, Let the trustee (Faithfully) discharge His trust, and let him fear his Lord. Conceal not evidence; for whoever conceals it,- His heart is tainted with sin. And Allah Knoweth all that ye do.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    If you are on a journey and a scribe cannot be found, then a security can be taken. If you trust one another, then ˹there is no need for a security, but˺ the debtor should honour this trust ˹by repaying the debt˺—and let them fear Allah, their Lord. And do not conceal the testimony, for whoever conceals it, their hearts are indeed sinful. And Allah ˹fully˺ knows what you do.

  • Taqi Usmani

    If you are on a journey, and find no scribe, then (you may have resort to holding something as) mortgage, taken into possession. However, if one of you trusts the other, then the one who has been trusted should fulfill his trust, and should fear Allah, his Lord. Do not conceal testimony. Whoever conceals it, his heart is surely, sinful. Allah is All-Aware of what you do.

  • Abdul Haleem

    If you are on a journey, and cannot find a scribe, something should be handed over as security, but if you decide to trust one another, then let the one who is trusted fulfil his trust; let him be mindful of God, his Lord. Do not conceal evidence: anyone who does so has a sinful heart, and God is fully aware of everything you do.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And if you are upon a journey, and you do not find a writer, then a pledge in hand. But if one of you trusts another, let him who is trusted deliver his trust, and let him fear God his Lord. And do not conceal the testimony; whoso conceals it, his heart is sinful; and God has knowledge of the things you do.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    But if ye be upon a journey, and ye cannot find a scribe, then let a pledge be taken. But if one of you trust another, then let him who is trusted surrender his trust, and let him fear God his Lord, and conceal not testimony, for he who conceals it, verily, sinful is his heart: God knows what ye do.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    But if you are upon a journey, and you cannot find a scribe, then let a pledge be taken. But if one of you trust another, then let him who is trusted surrender his trust, and let him fear Allah his Lord, and conceal not testimony, for he who conceals it, verily, sinful is his heart: Allah is Aware of what you do.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And in case you are on a journey and you do not find a writer, then (take) a pledge in hand. (i.e. to be paid) Yet in case some of you feel more secure with some others, (Literally: if some of you "trust" some "others") then let him who is given the deposit pay back his deposit and let him be pious to Allah his Lord. And do not keep back the testimony; and whoever keeps it back, then surely his heart is vicious; and Allah is Ever-Knowing of whatever you do.

  • George Sale

    And if ye be on a journey, and find no writer, let pledges be taken: But if one of you trust the other, let him who is trusted return what he is trusted with, and fear God his Lord. And conceal not the testimony, for he who concealeth it, hath surely a wicked heart: God knoweth that which ye do.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    If you are on a journey, and cannot find a scribe, a pledge with possession (that may serve the purpose) and if one of you deposits a thing on trust with another, let the trustee (faithfully) discharge his trust, and let him fear his Lord. Do not conceal testimony; For whoever conceals it— His heart is stained with sin. And Allah Knows well (Aleem) all that you do.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And if you be on a journey and do not find a scribe, then (let there be) a pledge with possession (of some article to secure your debt). If one of you entrusts something to another let him who is entrusted deliver his trust, and let him take Allâh, his Lord, as a shield. Do not conceal the evidence, for whoso conceals it, his heart is certainly sinful. Allâh is Well-Aware of all that you do.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    If you are on a journey and cannot find a writer, then a retained pledge . And if one of you entrusts to another, let him who is trusted deliver his trust, and let him be wary of Allah, his Lord. And do not conceal testimony; anyone who conceals it, his heart will indeed be sinful. And Allah knows best what you do.