Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Say thou: “If you possessed the treasuries of the mercy of my Lord, then would you hold them back for fear of spending”; and man is miserly.

قُلْ لَوْ اَنْتُمْ تَمْلِكُونَ خَزَٓائِنَ رَحْمَةِ رَبّ۪ٓي اِذاً لَاَمْسَكْتُمْ خَشْيَةَ الْاِنْفَاقِۜ وَكَانَ الْاِنْسَانُ قَتُوراً۟
Qul law antum tamlikoona khaza-inarahmati rabbee ithan laamsaktum khashyata al-infaqiwakana al-insanu qatoora
#wordmeaningroot
1qulSayقول
2lawIf
3antumyou
4tamlikūnapossessملك
5khazāinathe treasuresخزن
6raḥmati(of) the Mercyرحم
7rabbī(of) my Lordربب
8idhanthen
9la-amsaktumsurely you would withholdمسك
10khashyata(out of) fearخشي
11l-infāqi(of) spendingنفق
12wakānaAnd isكون
13l-insānumanانس
14qatūranstingyقتر
  • Aisha Bewley

    Say: ‘Even if you possessed the vast storehouses of my Lord’s mercy, you would still hold back, fearing they would run out. ’

  • Progressive Muslims

    Say: "If you were the ones possessing the vaults of my Lord's mercy, you would have held back for fear of spending. And man was always stingy!"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Say, "If you owned the treasure-houses of my Lord's Bounty, you would try to hold on to them tightly for fear of spending too much. For, man has ever been self-serving."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Say thou: “If you possessed the treasuries of the mercy of my Lord, then would you hold them back for fear of spending”; and man is miserly.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Say: "If you were the ones possessing the vaults of the mercy of my Lord, you would have held back for concern of spending. And man was always stingy!"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Say, "If you were the ones possessing the vaults of my Lord's mercy, you would have held back for fear of spending. The human being became stingy!"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Proclaim, "If you possessed my Lord's treasures of mercy, you would have withheld them, fearing that you might exhaust them. The human being is stingy."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Say: "Even if you owned the stores of the mercy of my Lord, you would have held them back for fear of spending them, for man is niggardly. "

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

    Say , "If you possessed the depositories of the mercy of my Lord, then you would withhold out of fear of spending. " And ever has man been stingy.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Say: "If you were to own' all the treasure-houses of my Sustainer's bounty, lo! you would still try to hold on tightly for fear of spending : for man has always been avaricious .

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Say (unto them): If ye possessed the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, ye would surely hold them back for fear of spending, for man was ever grudging.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Tell them, (O Prophet): "Even if you owned the treasures of my Lord's Mercy you would have held them back for fear of spending them." Man is indeed ever niggardly.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Say to them: "If you -infidels- were to have a place in the realm of the ruling power and you have the power of governing and controlling the vast treasuries of Allah's mercy, you would have exercised restraint by virtue of your niggardly disposition and for fear of want. Nonetheless, man has always been characterized by parsimony.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Say to them: "Even if you had the Lord’s treasures of mercy at your disposition, you would have held it back, fearing that they may be exhausted!" How narrow minded is man.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Say (to the disbelievers): "If you possessed the treasure of the Mercy of my Lord (wealth, money, provision.), then you would surely hold back (from spending) for fear of (being exhausted), and man is ever miserly!"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Say: "If ye had control of the Treasures of the Mercy of my Lord, behold, ye would keep them back, for fear of spending them: for man is (every) niggardly!"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Say ˹to them, O  Prophet˺, "Even if you were to possess the ˹infinite˺ treasuries of my Lord’s mercy, then you would certainly withhold ˹them˺, fearing they would run out—for humankind is ever stingy!"

  • Taqi Usmani

    Say, "If you were to own the treasures of my Lord’s blessing, you would certainly hold them back, lest it should be spent. Man is so niggardly."

  • Abdul Haleem

    Say, ‘If you possessed the very stores of my Lord’s bounty, you would hold them back in your fear of spending: man is ever grudging.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Say: 'If you possessed the treasuries of my Lord's mercy, yet would you hold back for fear of expending; and man is ever niggardly. '

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Say, 'Did ye control the treasuries of the mercy of my Lord, then ye would hold them through fear of expending; for man is ever niggardly!'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Say, "If you did control the treasuries of the mercy of my Lord, then you would hold them back for fear of spending; for man is ever niggardly!"

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Say, "If you possessed the treasuries of the mercy of my Lord, then lo, you would indeed hold back in apprehension of expending. " (i.e., You would be miserly) and man has been constantly grudging.

  • George Sale

    Say, if ye possessed the treasures of the mercy of my Lord, ye would surely refrain from using them, for fear of spending them; for man is covetous.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Say: "If you had control of the Treasures of the Mercy of my Lord, then you would keep them back, in the fear of spending them: Because man is (always) stingy!"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Say, `Even if you possessed all the treasures of the mercy and blessings of my Lord yet you would hold (them) back for fear of depleting, for a human being is very niggardly indeed. '

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Say, ‘Even if you possessed the treasuries of my Lord’s mercy, you would withhold them for the fear of being spent, and man is very niggardly. ’