Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And you had wished for death before you met it; and now you have seen it with your own eyes.

وَلَقَدْ كُنْتُمْ تَمَنَّوْنَ الْمَوْتَ مِنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ تَلْقَوْهُۖ فَقَدْ رَاَيْتُمُوهُ وَاَنْتُمْ تَنْظُرُونَ۟
Walaqad kuntum tamannawna almawta min qablian talqawhu faqad raaytumoohu waantum tanthuroon
#wordmeaningroot
1walaqadAnd certainly
2kuntumyou used toكون
3tamannawnawishمني
4l-mawta(for) deathموت
5minfrom
6qablibeforeقبل
7an[that]
8talqawhuyou met itلقي
9faqadthen indeed
10ra-aytumūhuyou have seen itراي
11wa-antumwhile you (were)
12tanẓurūnalooking onنظر
  • Aisha Bewley

    You were longing for death before you met it. Now you have seen it with your own eyes.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And you used to long for death before you came upon it; so now you see it right in-front of you!

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    You used to long for death in the Cause of Allah before you faced it. Now you have faced it, right before your eyes. You understand that honorable life in this world belongs to those who have conquered the fear of death, and that death is the gateway to the Eternal life.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And you had wished for death before you met it; and now you have seen it with your own eyes.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And you used to long for death before you came upon it; so now you see it right in-front of you!

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    You used to long for death before you came upon it, and now you see it right in front of you!

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    You used to long for death before you had to face it. Now you have faced it, right before your eyes.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    You had wished to know death before you faced it (in battle); so now you have seen it before your own eyes.

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

    And you had certainly wished for martyrdom before you encountered it, and you have seen it while you were looking on.

  • Muhammad Asad

    For, indeed, you did long for death before you came face to face with it; and now you have seen it with your own eyes!

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And verily ye used to wish for death before ye met it (in the field). Now ye have seen it with your eyes!

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    You previously longed for death (in the way of Allah): now you have faced it, observing it with your own eyes.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Before the encounter with death, you had always wished yourselves dead in the cause of Allah, and now that you have seen it executed in your companions, you falter and let go; you quit your posts and seek much after booty.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    You were wishing for the death (martyrdom) and now you saw it with your own eyes

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    You did indeed wish for death (Ash-Shahâdah - martyrdom) before you met it. Now you have seen it openly with your own eyes.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Ye did indeed wish for death before ye met him: Now ye have seen him with your own eyes, (And ye flinch!)

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    You certainly wished ˹for the opportunity˺ for martyrdom before encountering it, now you have seen it with your own eyes.

  • Taqi Usmani

    You had longed for death before you faced it. Now, you have seen it with your eyes wide open.

  • Abdul Haleem

    Before you encountered death, you were hoping for it. Well, now you have seen it with your own eyes.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    You were longing for death before you met it; now you have seen it, while you were beholding.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Why, ye longed for death before ye met it! Now ye have looked upon it and ye halt!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Verily, you used to long for death before you met it! Now you see it (and flinch)!

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And indeed you readily coveted death even before you met it; then you have already seen it, and you were looking (at it).

  • George Sale

    Moreover ye did sometime wish for death before that ye met it; but ye have now seen it, and ye looked on, but retreated from it.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    You did indeed wish for death before you met it: Now you have seen it (in battles) with your own two eyes, (and you draw back!)

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And you used to long for (Jihâd and a martyr's) death before you met it, but now you have seen it and you will see yet (many more wonders happen).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Certainly you were longing for death before you had encountered it. Then certainly you saw it, as you looked on.