Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

They said: “O Dhūl-Qarnayn: Ya’jūj and Ma’jūj are workers of corruption in the land; so may we appoint for thee payment, that thou make between us and them a barrier?”

قَالُوا يَا ذَا الْقَرْنَيْنِ اِنَّ يَأْجُوجَ وَمَأْجُوجَ مُفْسِدُونَ فِي الْاَرْضِ فَهَلْ نَجْعَلُ لَكَ خَرْجاً عَلٰٓى اَنْ تَجْعَلَ بَيْنَنَا وَبَيْنَهُمْ سَداًّ
Qaloo ya tha alqarnayniinna ya/jooja wama/jooja mufsidoona fee al-ardi fahalnajAAalu laka kharjan AAala an tajAAala baynanawabaynahum sadda
#wordmeaningroot
1qālūThey saidقول
2yādhāO Dhul-qarnain
3l-qarnayniO Dhul-qarnainقرن
4innaIndeed
5yajūjaYajuj
6wamajūjaand Majuj
7muf'sidūna(are) corruptersفسد
8in
9l-arḍithe landارض
10fahalSo may
11najʿaluwe makeجعل
12lakafor you
13kharjanan expenditureخرج
14ʿalā[on]
15anthat
16tajʿalayou makeجعل
17baynanābetween usبين
18wabaynahumand between themبين
19saddana barrierسدد
  • Aisha Bewley

    They said, ‘Dhu’l-Qarnayn! Yajuj and Majuj are causing corruption in the land. Can we, therefore, pay tribute to you in return for your constructing a barrier between us and them?’

  • Progressive Muslims

    They said: "O Two Eras, Gog and Magog are destroyers of the land, so shall we make a tribute for you that you will make between us and them a barrier"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    (Through interpreters) they presented a grievance, "O Zul-Qarnain! Behold, Gog and Magog are spoiling this land. They keep attacking and commit bloody crimes. May we, then, pay to you a regular tribute that you will erect a barrier between us and them?" (21:96).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    They said: “O Dhūl-Qarnayn: Ya’jūj and Ma’jūj are workers of corruption in the land; so may we appoint for thee payment, that thou make between us and them a barrier?”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    They said: "O Two Horned One, Gog and Magog are destroyers of the land, so shall we make a tribute for you that you will make between us and them a barrier?"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    They said, "O Two Eras, Gog and Magog are destroyers of the land, and so shall we make a tribute for you that you will make between us and them a barrier?"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    They said, "O Zul-Qarnain, Gog and Magog are corruptors of the earth. Can we pay you to create a barrier between us and them?"

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    They said: 'O Dhu'l-Qarnain, Gog and Magog are oppressing the land. May we pay you some tribute so that you could build a rampart between us and them?"

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

    They said, "O Dhul-Qarnayn, indeed Gog and Magog are corrupters in the land. So may we assign for you an expenditure that you might make between us and them a barrier?"

  • Muhammad Asad

    They said: "O thou Two-Horned One! Behold, Gog and Magog" are spoiling this land. May we, then, pay unto thee a tribute on the understanding that thou wilt erect a barrier between us and them?"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    They said: O Dhu'l-Qarneyn! Lo! Gog and Magog are spoiling the land. So may we pay thee tribute on condition that thou set a barrier between us and them?

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    They said: "O Dhu al-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog are spreading corruption in this land. So shall we pay you taxes on the understanding that you will set up a barrier between us and them?"

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    They said to him -through interpreters-: "O you Zul- Qarnain, the tribes of Gog and Magog* are people who have both mischief and ill-will in their composition and they spread discord in the land. May we apportion to you a tribute in payment of raising a rampart between us, a rampart that would be invincible against all assaults!"

  • Bijan Moeinian

    They somehow explained their concern about "Gog" and “Magog” and said: “They are hurting us a lot; will you accept money form us for building a wall between them and us?”

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    They said: "O Dhul-Qarnain! Verily Ya’jûj and Ma’jûj (Gog and Magog) are doing great mischief in the land. Shall we then pay you a tribute in order that you might erect a barrier between us and them?"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    They said: "O Zul-qarnain! the Gog and Magog (People) do great mischief on earth: shall we then render thee tribute in order that thou mightest erect a barrier between us and them?

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    They pleaded, "O Ⱬul-Qarnain! Surely Gog and Magog are spreading corruption throughout the land. Should we pay you tribute, provided that you build a wall between us and them?"

  • Taqi Usmani

    They said, "O Dhul-Qarnain, the (tribes of) Ya’jūj and Ma’jūj (Gog and Magog) are mischief-makers on the earth. So, should we assign a tax for you on condition that you make a barrier between us and them?"

  • Abdul Haleem

    They said, ‘Dhu ’l-Qarnayn, Gog and Magog are ruining this land. Will you build a barrier between them and us if we pay you a tribute?’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    They said, 'O Dhool Karnain, behold, Gog and Magog are doing corruption in the earth; so shall we assign to thee a tribute, against thy setting up a barrier between us and between them?'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    They said, 'O Dhu 'l Qarnain! verily, Yagug and Magug are doing evil in the land. Shall we then pay thee tribute, on condition that thou set between us and them a rampart?'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Until when he reached the point between the two mountains, he found below them a people who could scarcely under-stand speech.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    They said, "O Thulqarnayn! Surely YaÉjûj and MÉajûj (God and Magog) are corruptors in the earth; so shall we make for you a tribute on condition that you make a barrier between us and them?" (Literally: between us and between them)

  • George Sale

    And they said, O Dhu'lkarnein, verily Gog and Magog waste the land; shall we therefore pay thee tribute, on condition that thou build a rampart between us and them?

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    They said: "O Zul-Qarnain! Verily, the Yajuj and Majuj (Gog and Magog) do great mischief on the earth: Shall we pay you the tribute and honor if you may build a wall between us and them?"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    They said, `Dhul-Qarnain! Gog and Magog (-respectively the ancestors of the present Teutonic and Slavonic races) are playing havoc in this country. Shall we pay you tribute on condition that you set up a barrier between us and them?'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    They said, ‘O Dhul Qarnayn! Indeed Gog and Magog are causing corruption in the land. Shall we pay you a tribute on condition that you build a barrier between them and us?’