Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

If thou thinkest that most of them hear or reason — they are only as the cattle; nay, they are further astray in the path.

اَمْ تَحْسَبُ اَنَّ اَكْثَرَهُمْ يَسْمَعُونَ اَوْ يَعْقِلُونَۜ اِنْ هُمْ اِلَّا كَالْاَنْـعَامِ بَلْ هُمْ اَضَلُّ سَب۪يلاً۟
Am tahsabu anna aktharahumyasmaAAoona aw yaAAqiloona in hum illa kal-anAAamibal hum adallu sabeela
#wordmeaningroot
1amOr
2taḥsabudo you thinkحسب
3annathat
4aktharahummost of themكثر
5yasmaʿūnahearسمع
6awor
7yaʿqilūnaunderstandعقل
8inNot
9humthey
10illā(are) except
11kal-anʿāmilike cattleنعم
12balNay
13humthey
14aḍallu(are) more astrayضلل
15sabīlan(from the) wayسبل
  • Aisha Bewley

    Do you suppose that most of them hear or understand? They are just like cattle. Indeed they are even more astray!

  • Progressive Muslims

    Or do you think that most of them hear or understand They are just like cattle. No, they are worse off.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Or do you think that most of them really hear and use their reason? Nay! they are but like cattle. Nay, they are farther astray. (The cattle at least follow the Divine Laws instinctively).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    If thou thinkest that most of them hear or reason — they are only as the cattle; nay, they are further astray in the path.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Or do you think that most of them hear or comprehend? They are just like livestock. No, they are worse off.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are just like cattle. No, they are worse off.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Do you think that most of them hear, or understand? They are just like animals; no, they are far worse.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are no better than cattle; in fact they are farther astray from the path.

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

    Or do you think that most of them hear or reason? They are not except like livestock. Rather, they are more astray in way.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Or dost thou think that most of them listen and use their reason? Nay, they are but like cattle - nay, they are even less conscious of the right way!

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Or deemest thou that most of them hear or understand? They are but as the cattle - nay, but they are farther astray?

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Do you think that most of them hear or understand? For they are merely like cattle; nay, even worse than them.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Or do you think that most of them open their hearts' ears or their minds' eyes! they are like cattle, in fact even worse, for the only path they see is that leading to the loss in the maze of errors.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Do you think that such people can ever listen? They are like the cattle. No they are worse than animals.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Or do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are only like cattle - nay, they are even farther astray from the Path (i.e. even worse than cattle).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Or thinkest thou that most of them listen or understand? They are only like cattle;- nay, they are worse astray in Path.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Or do you think that most of them listen or understand? They are only like cattle—no, more than that, they are astray from the ˹Right˺ Way! 

  • Taqi Usmani

    Or do you think that most of them listen or understand? They are but like cattle. Rather, they are even farther astray from the (right) way.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Do you think that most of them hear or understand? They are just like cattle- no, they are further from the path.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Or deemest thou that most of them hear or understand? They are but as the cattle; nay, they are further astray from the way.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    or dost thou reckon that most of them will hear or understand? they are only like the cattle, nay, they err more from the way.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Have you considered him who takes for his god his own lusts (prejudices, fantasies, superstitions)? Would you then be guardian over him?

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Or even do you reckon that most of them hear or consider? Decidedly they are (nothing) except as the cattle. (Ancam inclues cattle, camels, sheep and goats) No indeed, they have erred further from the way.

  • George Sale

    Dost thou imagine that the greater part of them hear, or understand? They are no other than like the brute cattle; yea, they stray more widely from the true path.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Or do you think that most of them listen or understand? They are only like cattle— No! They are worse astray in path.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Do you think that most of these (opponents) can hear and understand (what you say)? They are only like cattle, rather they are even worse in their ways and behaviour.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Do you suppose that most of them listen or apply reason? They are just like cattle; rather they are further astray from the way.