Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And strike thou for them the similitude of the life of this world: — as water which We send down from the sky, then the vegetation of the earth mingles with it; then it becomes dry stalks which the winds scatter. And God is omnipotent over everything.

وَاضْرِبْ لَهُمْ مَثَلَ الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَٓاءٍ اَنْزَلْنَاهُ مِنَ السَّمَٓاءِ فَاخْتَلَطَ بِه۪ نَبَاتُ الْاَرْضِ فَاَصْبَحَ هَش۪يماً تَذْرُوهُ الرِّيَاحُۜ وَكَانَ اللّٰهُ عَلٰى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ مُقْتَدِراً
Wadrib lahum mathala alhayatiaddunya kama-in anzalnahu mina assama-ifakhtalata bihi nabatu al-ardi faasbahahasheeman tathroohu arriyahu wakanaAllahu AAala kulli shay-in muqtadira
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-iḍ'ribAnd presentضرب
2lahumto them
3mathalathe exampleمثل
4l-ḥayati(of) the lifeحيي
5l-dun'yā(of) the worldدنو
6kamāinlike waterموه
7anzalnāhuwhich We send downنزل
8minafrom
9l-samāithe skyسمو
10fa-ikh'talaṭathen minglesخلط
11bihiwith it
12nabātu(the) vegetationنبت
13l-arḍi(of) the earthارض
14fa-aṣbaḥathen becomesصبح
15hashīmandry stalksهشم
16tadhrūhuit (is) scatteredذرو
17l-riyāḥu(by) the windsروح
18wakānaAnd Allahكون
19l-lahuAnd Allah
20ʿalāover
21kullieveryكلل
22shayinthingشيا
23muq'tadiran(is) All Ableقدر
  • Aisha Bewley

    Make a metaphor for them of the life of this world. It is like water which We send down from the sky and the plants of the earth combine with it but then become dry chaff scattered by the winds. Allah has absolute power over everything.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And give them the parable of this worldly life is like a water which We have sent down from the sky, so that the plants of the Earth mix with it and it becomes murky being moved by the wind. And God is capable of all things.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Cite for them the example of the materialistic life of this world. It is like the water We send down from the sky, and which is absorbed by plants of the earth. But in time they turn into dry stubble or hay which the winds blow freely about. Allah is Competent and all events take place according to His Laws over which He has full control. (Total preoccupation with the material aspects of life deprives people from growing in humanity).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And strike thou for them the similitude of the life of this world: — as water which We send down from the sky, then the vegetation of the earth mingles with it; then it becomes dry stalks which the winds scatter. And God is omnipotent over everything.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And give them the example of this worldly life is like a water which We have sent down from the sky, so that the plants of the earth mix with it and it becomes murky being moved by the wind. And God is capable of all things.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Give them the parable of this worldly life, like water which We have sent down from the sky, so that the plants of the earth mix with it and it turns dry twigs scattered by the wind. God is capable of all things.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Cite for them the example of this life as water that we send down from the sky to produce plants of the earth, then they turn into hay that is blown away by the wind. GOD is able to do all things.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Present to them the example of the life of this world so like the water We send down from the skies that mingles with the earth to nourish its vegetation, which then on the morrow turns to stubble and is blown away by the wind. God has power over everything.

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

    And present to them the example of the life of this world, like rain which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it and it becomes dry remnants, scattered by the winds. And Allah is ever, over all things, Perfect in Ability.

  • Muhammad Asad

    AND PROPOUND unto them the parable of the life of this world: like the water which We send down from the skies, and which is absorbed by the plants of the earth: but they turn into dry. stubble which the winds blow freely about. And it is God who determines all things.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And coin for them the similitude of the life of the world as water which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingleth with it and then becometh dry twigs that the winds scatter. Allah is able to do all things.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    (O Prophet), propound to them the parable of the present life: it is like the vegetation of the earth which flourished luxuriantly when it mingled with the water that We sent down from the sky, but after that the same vegetation turned into stubble which the winds blew about. Allah alone has the power over all things.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Express to them O Muhammad the likeness of life here, it stands similitude exact of a cycle in which a certain round of events or phenomena is completed, thus: We send down rain water from the floor of the vault of heaven; it mingles with the product of the soil which absorbs it and thrives thereby, then it eventually withers and dries up and gets dispersed with the wind, and Allah has always been Qadirun (Omnipotent) capable of doing all things.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Let them know that the man’s life in this world is similar to the (short) life of the plants. When I send the rain, the plants grow up. After a while, however, they dry up and are blown away by the wind. See how God is capable of doing everything (meaning: God can take what He has blessed you with, the same way that He turns the plants into hay.)

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And put forward to them the example of the life of this world: it is like the water (rain) which We send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth mingles with it, and becomes fresh and green. But (later) it becomes dry and broken pieces, which the winds scatter. And Allâh is Able to do everything.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Set forth to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which we send down from the skies: the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes dry stubble, which the winds do scatter: it is (only) Allah who prevails over all things.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    And give them a parable of this worldly life. ˹It is˺ like the plants of the earth, thriving when sustained by the rain We send down from the sky. Then they ˹soon˺ turn into chaff scattered by the wind. And Allah is fully capable of ˹doing˺ all things.

  • Taqi Usmani

    Give them the example of the worldly life; it is like water We sent down from the sky, then the vegetation of the earth was mingled with it, and then it turned into chaff that is blown by the winds, and Allah is powerful over everything.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Tell them, too, what the life of this world is like: We send water down from the skies and the earth’s vegetation absorbs it, but soon the plants turn to dry stubble scattered about by the wind: God has power over everything.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And strike for them the similitude of the present life: it is as water that We send down out of heaven, and the plants of the earth mingle with it; and in the morning it is straw the winds scatter; and God is omnipotent over everything.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Strike out for them, too, a parable of the life of this world; like water which we send down from the sky, and the vegetation of the earth is mingled therewith; - and on the morrow it is dried up, and the winds scatter it; for God is powerful over all.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    In such a case the patronage is Allah's alone, the True; He is best at rewarding and best for consequences (or success).

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And srike for them the similitude of the present life: (Literally: the lowly life, the life of this world) (it is) as Water that We send down from the heaven, (and) so the growth of the earth mixes up with it, and then it becomes chaff that the winds winnow. And Allah has (always) been Supreme Determiner over everything.

  • George Sale

    And propound to them a similitude of the present life. It is like water which We send down from heaven; and the herb of the earth is mixed therewith, and after it hath been green and flourishing, in the morning it becometh dry stubble, which the winds scatter abroad: And God is able to do all things.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Present to them the similitude of the life of this world: It is like the rain which We send down from the sky: And the earth's vegetation absorbs it, but soon it becomes fresh and green (but) later it becomes dry and short sticks, which the winds spread about: And it is (only) Allah, Who has the Power and Ability (Muqhtadir) to do all things.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And give them the similitude of the life of this world. It is like water which We send down from the clouds, so the vegetation and plants of the earth flourish with it. And then it turns into chaff which the winds scatter about. Behold! Allâh is the Holder of all power over what He will.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Draw for them the parable of the life of this world: like the water We send down from the sky. Then the earth’s vegetation mingles with it. Then it becomes chaff, scattered by the wind. And Allah is omnipotent over all things.