Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

For that cause We prescribed for the children of Israel that whoso takes a life other than for a life or corruption in the land, it will be as if he killed mankind altogether; (and whoso gives life, it will be as if he gave life to mankind altogether ­— and Our messengers came to them with clear signs, then many of them after that are committers of excess in the earth — )

مِنْ اَجْلِ ذٰلِكَۚۛ كَتَبْنَا عَلٰى بَن۪ٓي اِسْرَٓائ۪لَ اَنَّهُ مَنْ قَتَلَ نَفْساً بِغَيْرِ نَفْسٍ اَوْ فَسَادٍ فِي الْاَرْضِ فَكَاَنَّمَا قَتَلَ النَّاسَ جَم۪يـعاًۜ وَمَنْ اَحْيَاهَا فَكَاَنَّمَٓا اَحْيَا النَّاسَ جَم۪يعاًۜ وَلَقَدْ جَٓاءَتْهُمْ رُسُلُنَا بِالْبَيِّنَاتِۘ ثُمَّ اِنَّ كَث۪يراً مِنْهُمْ بَعْدَ ذٰلِكَ فِي الْاَرْضِ لَمُسْرِفُونَ
Min ajli thalika katabna AAalabanee isra-eela annahu man qatala nafsan bighayri nafsinaw fasadin fee al-ardi fakaannama qatala annasajameeAAan waman ahyaha fakaannama ahyaannasa jameeAAan walaqad jaat-hum rusulunabilbayyinati thumma inna katheeran minhum baAAda thalikafee al-ardi lamusrifoon
#wordmeaningroot
1minFrom
2ajlitimeاجل
3dhālikathat
4katabnāWe ordainedكتب
5ʿalāon
6banī(the) Childrenبني
7is'rāīla(of) Israel
8annahuthat he
9manwho
10qatalakillsقتل
11nafsana soulنفس
12bighayriother thanغير
13nafsin(for) a soulنفس
14awor
15fasādin(for) spreading corruptionفسد
16in
17l-arḍithe earthارض
18faka-annamāthen (it) is as if
19qatalahe has killedقتل
20l-nāsamankindنوس
21jamīʿanallجمع
22wamanand whoever
23aḥyāhāsaves itحيي
24faka-annamāthen (it) is as if
25aḥyāhe has savedحيي
26l-nāsamankindنوس
27jamīʿanallجمع
28walaqadAnd surely
29jāathumcame to themجيا
30rusulunāOur Messengersرسل
31bil-bayinātiwith clear Signsبين
32thummayet
33innaindeed
34kathīranmanyكثر
35min'humof them
36baʿdaafterبعد
37dhālikathat
38in
39l-arḍithe earthارض
40lamus'rifūna(are) surely those who commit excessesسرف
  • Aisha Bewley

    on account of that. So We decreed for the tribe of Israel that if someone kills another person – unless it is in retaliation for someone else or for causing corruption in the earth – it is as if he had murdered all mankind. And if anyone gives life to another person, it is as if he had given life to all mankind. Our Messengers came to them with Clear Signs but even after that many of them committed outrages in the earth.

  • Progressive Muslims

    It is because of this that We have decreed for the Children of Israel: "Anyone who kills a person who has not committed murder, or who has not committed corruption in the land; then it is as if he has killed all the people! And whoever spares a life, then it is as if he has given life to all the people. " Our messengers had come to them with clarification, but many of them are, after this, still corrupting on the Earth.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    On that account, We decreed to the Children of Israel the Eternal Moral Ordinance for all humanity (2:178) that whoever kills a human being, unless it is in the course of justice for murder or bloody crimes on the earth, it shall be as if he killed all mankind. And whoever saves one life it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. Our Messengers came to people with clear Truth, yet many of them continued to transgress in the earth.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    For that cause We prescribed for the children of Israel that whoso takes a life other than for a life or corruption in the land, it will be as if he killed mankind altogether; (and whoso gives life, it will be as if he gave life to mankind altogether ­— and Our messengers came to them with clear signs, then many of them after that are committers of excess in the earth — )

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    It is because of this that We have decreed for the Children of Israel: "Anyone who kills a person for other than murder, or corruption in the land; then it is as if he has killed all the people! And whoever spares a life, then it is as if he has given life to all the people." Our messengers had come to them with clarities, but many of them are, after this, still corrupting on the earth.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    It is because of this that We have decreed for the Children of Israel, "Anyone who kills a person who has not committed murder, or who has not committed mischief in the land; then it is as if he has killed all the people! Whoever spares a life, then it is as if he has given life to all the people." Our messengers had come to them with clarification, but many of them are, after this, still transgressing on the earth.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    Because of this, we decreed for the Children of Israel that anyone who murders any person who had not committed murder or horrendous crimes, it shall be as if he murdered all the people. And anyone who spares a life, it shall be as if he spared the lives of all the people. Our messengers went to them with clear proofs and revelations, but most of them, after all this, are still transgressing.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    That is why We decreed for the children of Israel that whosoever kills a human being, except (as punishment) for murder or for spreading corruption in the land, it shall be like killing all humanity; and whosoever saves a life, saves the entire human race. Our apostles brought clear proofs to them; but even after that most of them committed excesses in the land.

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

    Because of that, We decreed upon the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul unless for a soul or for corruption in the land - it is as if he had slain mankind entirely. And whoever saves one - it is as if he had saved mankind entirely. And our messengers had certainly come to them with clear proofs. Then indeed many of them, after that, throughout the land, were transgressors.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Because of this did We ordain unto the children of Israel that if anyone slays a human being-unless it be for murder or for spreading corruption on earth-it shall be as though he had slain all mankind; whereas, if anyone saves a life, it shall be as though he had saved the lives of all mankind. And, indeed, there came unto them Our apostles with all evidence of the truth: yet, behold, notwithstanding all this, many of them go on committing all manner of excesses on earth.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    For that cause We decreed for the Children of Israel that whosoever killeth a human being for other than manslaughter or corruption in the earth, it shall be as if he had killed all mankind, and whoso saveth the life of one, it shall be as if he had saved the life of all mankind. Our messengers came unto them of old with clear proofs (of Allah's Sovereignty), but afterwards lo! many of them became prodigals in the earth.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Therefore We ordained for the Children of Israel* that he who slays a soul unless it be (in punishment) for murder or for spreading mischief on earth shall be as if he had slain all mankind; and he who saves a life shall be as if he had given life to all mankind.* And indeed again and again did Our Messengers come to them with clear directives; yet many of them continued to commit excesses on earth.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    By reason of this We ordained to Bani Isra‘il thus: "He who deprives an innocent life not implicated in homicide, corruption or mischief on earth, will have committed, as it were, massacre of all innocent people". "And he who preserves it and defends it will have protected, as it were, all innocent people". Our Messengers came to them equipped with clear signs to implement Our statues, yet many among them continued to carry disobedience and mischief to excess.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Based upon this incidence, I decreed to the children of Israel (and such passages are missing in the existing bibles except a few verses in Thalmud) that: "Whoever kills a human being (unless the latter being guilty of murder or spreading corruption on earth) should be looked upon as though he has killed the entire humanity and whoever saves a life should be considered as the savior of whole mankind. " However, in spite of many Prophets which came to them with undeniable miracles, the majority of them chose to disregard the Divine laws.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Because of that We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person not in retaliation of murder, or (and) to spread mischief in the land - it would be as if he killed all mankind, and if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind. And indeed, there came to them Our Messengers with clear proofs, evidence, and signs, even then after that many of them continued to exceed the limits (e.g. by doing oppression unjustly and exceeding beyond the limits set by Allâh by committing the major sins) in the land!

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    On that account: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if any one slew a person - unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land - it would be as if he slew the whole people: and if any one saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of the whole people. Then although there came to them Our messengers with clear signs, yet, even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    That is why We ordained for the Children of Israel that whoever takes a life—unless as a punishment for murder or mischief in the land—it will be as if they killed all of humanity; and whoever saves a life, it will be as if they saved all of humanity. ˹Although˺ Our messengers already came to them with clear proofs, many of them still transgressed afterwards through the land.

  • Taqi Usmani

    For this reason, We decreed for the children of Isrā’īl that whoever kills a person not in retaliation for a person killed, nor (as a punishment) for spreading disorder on the earth, is as if he has killed the whole of humankind, and whoever saves the life of a person is as if he has saved the life of the whole of humankind. Certainly, Our messengers have come to them with clear signs. Then, after all that, many of them are there to commit excesses on the earth.

  • Abdul Haleem

    On account of , We decreed to the Children of Israel that if anyone kills a person- unless in retribution for murder or spreading corruption in the land- it is as if he kills all mankind, while if any saves a life it is as if he saves the lives of all mankind. Our messengers came to them with clear signs, but many of them continued to commit excesses in the land.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    Therefore We prescribed for the Children of Israel that whoso slays a soul not to retaliate for a soul slain, nor for corruption done in the land, shall be as if he had slain mankind altogether; and whoso gives life to a soul, shall be as if he ha given life to mankind altogether. Our Messengers have already come to them with the clear signs; then many of them thereafter commit excesses in the earth.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    For this cause have we prescribed to the children of Israel that whoso kills a soul, unless it be for another soul or for violence in the land, it is as though he had killed men altogether; but whoso saves one, it is as though he saved men altogether. Our apostles came to them with manifest signs; then, verily, many of them did after that commit excesses in the earth.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    For this cause have We prescribed to the children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, unless it be for murder or for mischief (or corruption) in the land, it would be as though he had killed all mankind; but whoever saves the life of one, it would be as though he had saved mankind. Our Messenger came to them in the past with manifest signs, afterwards, verily, many of them commit excesses in the earth.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    On that account We prescribed for the Seeds (Or: sons) of Israel) that whoever kills a self-other than for (killing another) self or (Literally: nor) for corruption in the earth-then it will be as if he had killed mankind altogether; and whoever gives life to it, (i. e., a self) then it will be as if he had given life to mankind altogether. And indeed Our Messengers have already come to them with supreme evidences; thereafter surely many of them after that are indeed extravagant in the earth.

  • George Sale

    Wherefore we commanded the children of Israel, that he who slayeth a soul, without adding thereto the murder of another soul, or without committing wickedness in the earth, shall be as if he had slain all mankind: But he who saveth a soul alive, shall be as if he had saved the lives of all mankind. Our apostles formerly came unto them, with evident miracles; then were many of them, after this, transgressors on the earth.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    On that basis: We ordained for the Children of Israel that if anyone killed a person— Unless it be for murder or for spreading mischief in the land— It would be as if he killed all mankind (the people): And if anyone saved a life, it would be as if he saved the life of all mankind (the people). Then although there came to them Our messengers with Clear Signs, yet even after that, many of them continued to commit excesses (and do injustices) in the land.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Because of this (incident) We laid down for the Children of Israel that he who kills a human being - unless it be for (murdering) a person or for (reforming) disorder in the country, it is as if he has killed entire human race. And whoso saves a (human) life it is as if he has saved the entire mankind. Certainly, Our Messengers had already come to them with clear arguments, yet (even after that) many of them were certainly those who committed excesses in the land.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    That is why We decreed for the Children of Israel that whoever kills a soul, without manslaughter or corruption on the earth, is as though he had killed all mankind, and whoever saves a life is as though he had saved all mankind. Our apostles certainly brought them manifest signs, yet even after that many of them commit excesses on the earth.