Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

The likeness of what they spend in the life of this world is as the likeness of a wind wherein was biting cold: it befell the tilth of a people who wronged their souls and destroyed it; and God wronged them not, but they wronged themselves.

مَثَلُ مَا يُنْفِقُونَ ف۪ي هٰذِهِ الْحَيٰوةِ الدُّنْيَا كَمَثَلِ ر۪يحٍ ف۪يهَا صِرٌّ اَصَابَتْ حَرْثَ قَوْمٍ ظَلَمُٓوا اَنْفُسَهُمْ فَاَهْلَكَتْهُۜ وَمَا ظَلَمَهُمُ اللّٰهُ وَلٰكِنْ اَنْفُسَهُمْ يَظْلِمُونَ
Mathalu ma yunfiqoona fee hathihialhayati addunya kamathali reehinfeeha sirrun asabat hartha qawmin thalamooanfusahum faahlakat-hu wama thalamahumu Allahuwalakin anfusahum yathlimoon
#wordmeaningroot
1mathaluExampleمثل
2(of) what
3yunfiqūnathey spendنفق
4in
5hādhihithis
6l-ḥayati[the] lifeحيي
7l-dun'yā(of) the worldدنو
8kamathali(is) like (the) exampleمثل
9rīḥin(of) a windروح
10fīhāin it
11ṣirrun(is) frostصرر
12aṣābatit struckصوب
13ḥartha(the) harvestحرث
14qawmin(of) a peopleقوم
15ẓalamūwho wrongedظلم
16anfusahumthemselvesنفس
17fa-ahlakathuthen destroyed itهلك
18wamāAnd not
19ẓalamahumu(has) wronged themظلم
20l-lahuAllah
21walākin[and] but
22anfusahumthemselvesنفس
23yaẓlimūnathey wrongedظلم
  • Aisha Bewley

    The metaphor of what they spend in their life in this world is that of a wind with an icy bite to it which strikes the crops of a people who have wronged themselves and destroys them. Allah did not wrong them; rather it was themselves they were wronging.

  • Progressive Muslims

    The example of what they spend in this world is like a wind in which there is a frost; it afflicts the field of the people who wronged themselves, and thus destroys it. God did not wrong them, but it was their souls that they wronged.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    The likeness of what they spend in this life of the world is the likeness of a biting, frosty wind that destroys the harvest of a people who wronged their own "Self". Allah wronged them not, but they wronged themselves. (They spent their wealth on themselves although it was a trust given to them to share with fellow human beings).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    The likeness of what they spend in the life of this world is as the likeness of a wind wherein was biting cold: it befell the tilth of a people who wronged their souls and destroyed it; and God wronged them not, but they wronged themselves.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    The example of what they spend in this world is like a wind in which there is a frost; it afflicts the field of the people who wronged themselves, and thus destroys it. God did not wrong them, but it was their souls that they wronged.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    The example of what they spend in this world is like a wind in which there is a frost; it afflicts the field of the people who wronged themselves, and thus destroys it. God did not wrong them, but it was themselves that they wronged.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    The example of their accomplishments in this life is like a violent wind that hits the harvest of people who have wronged their souls, and wipes it out. GOD never wronged them; it is they who wronged themselves.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    What they spend in the life of this world is like a frosty wind which smites and destroys the crops of a people who had wronged themselves. God did not wrong them, they wronged themselves.

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

    The example of what they spend in this worldly life is like that of a wind containing frost which strikes the harvest of a people who have wronged themselves and destroys it. And Allah has not wronged them, but they wrong themselves.

  • Muhammad Asad

    The parable of what they spend on the life of this world is that of an icy wind which smites the tilth of people who have sinned against themselves, and destroys it: for, it is not God who does them wrong, but it is they who are wronging themselves.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    The likeness of that which they spend in this life of the world is as the likeness of a biting, icy wind which smiteth the harvest of a people who have wronged themselves, and devastateth it. Allah wronged them not, but they do wrong themselves.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    The example of what they spend in the life of this world is like that of a wind accompanied with frost which smites the harvest of a people who wronged themselves, and lays it to waste. It is not Allah who wronged them; rather it is they who wrong themselves.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    The example of whatever they spent in this world that was not pertaining to Allah is just like the crops of wrong headed farmers who were wrongful of actions. Their yield was hit by an icy cold wind that reduced it to ruin. It was not Allah Who did them injustice but it was they who wronged themselves.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Their accomplishments in this world will be wiped out like a harvest scattered by a strong windstorm. God never means to harm them; it is them who are unjust to their own souls.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    The likeness of what they spend in this world is the likeness of a wind which is extremely cold; it struck the harvest of a people who did wrong against themselves and destroyed it, (i.e. the good deed of a person is only accepted if he is a monotheist and believes in all the Prophets of Allâh, including the Christ عليه السلام and Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم). Allâh wronged them not, but they wronged themselves.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    What they spend in the life of this (material) world May be likened to a wind which brings a nipping frost: It strikes and destroys the harvest of men who have wronged their own souls: it is not Allah that hath wronged them, but they wrong themselves.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    The good they do in this worldly life is like the harvest of an evil people struck by a bitter wind, destroying it ˹completely˺. Allah never wronged them, but they wronged themselves.

  • Taqi Usmani

    The example of what they spend in this worldly life is just like a wind that, having chill within, struck the tillage of those who wronged themselves, and destroyed it. Allah has not wronged them; rather, they did wrong to themselves.

  • Abdul Haleem

    and whatever they give away in this life will be nullified: a frosty wind strikes and destroys the harvest of people who have wronged themselves. It was not God who wronged them; they wronged themselves.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    The likeness of that they expend in this present life is as the likeness of a freezing blast that smites the tillage of a people who wronged themselves, and it destroyed that; God wronged them not, but themselves they wronged.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    The likeness of what they expend in this life of the world, is as the likeness of wind wherein is a cold blast that falls upon a people's tilth who have wronged themselves and destroys it. It is not God who wrongs them, but it is themselves they wrong.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    The likeness of what they spend in this life of the world is as the likeness of wind wherein is a cold blast that falls upon the harvest of a people who have wronged themselves and destroys it. It is not Allah who wrongs them, but it is themselves they wrong.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    The likeness of whatever they expend in this present life (Literally: the lowly "life", i. e., the life of this world) is as the likeness of a wind wherein there is clamoring cold that afflicted the tillage of a people who did injustice to themselves, and so it did cause it to perish. And in no way did Allah do any injustice to them but they did injustice to themselves.

  • George Sale

    The likeness of that which they lay out in this present life, is as a wind wherein there is a scorching cold: It falleth on the standing corn of those men who have injured their own souls, and destroyeth it. And God dealeth not unjustly with them; but they injure their own souls.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    What they spend in the life from this (material) world may be compared to a wind that brings nipping frost: It strikes and destroys the crops of men who have wronged their own souls: It is not Allah who has wronged them, but they (continue to) wrong themselves.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    That which they spend for the present life bears likeness with the wind wherein is freezing cold which smites the tilth of the people who have done injustice to themselves, so it destroys it. Allâh does no injustice to them but they wrong themselves.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    The parable of what they spend in the life of this world is that of a cold wind that strikes the tillage of a people who wronged themselves, destroying it. Allah does not wrong them, but they wrong themselves.