Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Save he who snatches a fragment; and a piercing flame follows him.

اِلَّا مَنْ خَطِفَ الْخَطْفَةَ فَاَتْبَعَهُ شِهَابٌ ثَاقِبٌ
Illa man khatifa alkhatfatafaatbaAAahu shihabun thaqib
#wordmeaningroot
1illāExcept
2man(him) who
3khaṭifasnatchesخطف
4l-khaṭfata(by) theftخطف
5fa-atbaʿahubut follows himتبع
6shihābuna burning flameشهب
7thāqibunpiercingثقب
  • Aisha Bewley

    except for him who snatches a snippet and then is pursued by a piercing flame.

  • Progressive Muslims

    Any of them who snatches something away, he is pursued by a piercing flame.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Even if a thing of their conjecture comes to pass, they are pursued by a Flame of Brightness. (The Divine Revelation exposes the claimants to the 'occult sciences' (18:22), (26:210-212), (52:38), (67:5), (72: 8-9)).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Save he who snatches a fragment; and a piercing flame follows him.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Any of them who snatches a part, he is pursued by a piercing flame.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Any of them who snatches something away, he is pursued by a piercing flame.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    If any of them ventures to charge the outer limits, he gets struck with a fierce projectile.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Except those who eavesdrop and are pursued by a shooting flame.

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

    Except one who snatches by theft, but they are pursued by a burning flame, piercing .

  • Muhammad Asad

    but if anyone does succeed in snatching a glimpse , he is pursued by a piercing flame.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Save him who snatcheth a fragment, and there pursueth him a piercing flame.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And if any is able to snatch a fragment, he is pursued by a piercing flame.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And he who ventures upon catching whatever comes to his hearing of the secrets or future events is pursued by a piercing flame which does not miss.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    If one of them dares to escape the lower universe, a flashing projectile will be charged against him.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Except such as snatch away something by stealing, and they are pursued by a flaming fire of piercing brightness.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Except such as snatch away something by stealth, and they are pursued by a flaming fire, of piercing brightness.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    But whoever manages to stealthily eavesdrop is ˹instantly˺ pursued by a piercing flare.

  • Taqi Usmani

    however, if one snatches a little bit, he is pursued by a bright flame.

  • Abdul Haleem

    if any stealthily snatches away a fragment, he will be pursued by a piercing flame.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    except such as snatches a fragment, and he is pursued by a piercing flame.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    save such as snatches off a word, and there follows him a darting flame!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Except him who snatches a fragment by stealth, then there follows him a brightly shining flame.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Except him who snatches a snatching (away); then a piercing flaming (meteor) follows him up.

  • George Sale

    except him who catcheth a word by stealth, and is pursued by a shining flame.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Except such who may snatch something by stealing: And they are being followed by a flaming Fire of stabbing brightness.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Yet if anyone of them snatches away but once (to find out something), he is pursued by a bright shining flame.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    except him who snatches a snatch, whereat there pursues him a piercing flame.