Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And follow the best of what is sent down to you from your Lord, before the punishment comes upon you unexpectedly when you perceive not

وَاتَّبِعُٓوا اَحْسَنَ مَٓا اُنْزِلَ اِلَيْكُمْ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ مِنْ قَبْلِ اَنْ يَأْتِيَكُمُ الْعَذَابُ بَغْتَةً وَاَنْتُمْ لَا تَشْعُرُونَۙ
WattabiAAoo ahsana maonzila ilaykum min rabbikum min qabli an ya/tiyakumu alAAathabubaghtatan waantum la tashAAuroon
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-ittabiʿūAnd followتبع
2aḥsana(the) bestحسن
3mā(of) what
4unzilais revealedنزل
5ilaykumto you
6minfrom
7rabbikumyour Lordربب
8minbefore
9qablibeforeقبل
10an[that]
11yatiyakumucomes to youاتي
12l-ʿadhābuthe punishmentعذب
13baghtatansuddenlyبغت
14wa-antumwhile you
15lā(do) not
16tashʿurūnaperceiveشعر
  • Aisha Bewley

    Follow the best that has been sent down to you from your Lord before the punishment comes upon you suddenly when you are not expecting it;

  • Progressive Muslims

    And follow the best of what has been sent down to you from your Lord, before the retribution comes to you suddenly when you least expect it.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And follow the best teaching (the Qur'an) that has been revealed for you by your Lord before the doom comes upon you suddenly without your perceiving of the why, how and whence of it. (39:18). (I have rendered: revealed 'for' you instead of 'to' you since the addressee in the verse is plural).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And follow the best of what is sent down to you from your Lord, before the punishment comes upon you unexpectedly when you perceive not

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And follow the best of what has been sent down to you from your Lord, before the retribution comes to you suddenly when you least expect it.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    Follow the best of what has been sent down to you from your Lord, before the retribution comes to you suddenly when you least expect it.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    And follow the best path that is pointed out for you by your Lord, before the retribution overtakes you suddenly when you least expect it.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Follow the best of what has been revealed to you by your Lord before the punishment overtakes you suddenly and you are caught unawares,

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

    And follow the best of what was revealed to you from your Lord before the punishment comes upon you suddenly while you do not perceive,

  • Muhammad Asad

    And ere that suffering comes upon you of a sudden, without your being aware , follow the most goodly that has been revealed unto you by your Sustainer,

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And follow the better (guidance) of that which is revealed unto you from your Lord, before the doom cometh on you suddenly when ye know not,

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    Follow the best* of what has been revealed to you from your Lord before the chastisement suddenly comes upon you without you even being aware of it."

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And follow the best course best discoursed by Allah, your Creator, in the Quran which rounds off all precepts in all aspects; before you are suddenly confronted with the retributive punishment; you will neither know how it happened nor whence it came.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Follow the best path indicated by your Lord before unexpectedly, and not knowingly, being exposed to the disaster.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    "And follow the best of that which is sent down to you from your Lord (i.e. this Qur’ân, do what it orders you to do and keep away from what it forbids), before the torment comes on you suddenly while you perceive not!"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    "And follow the best of (the courses) revealed to you from your Lord, before the Penalty comes on you - of a sudden while ye perceive not!-

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Follow ˹the Quran,˺ the best of what has been revealed to you from your Lord, before the punishment takes you by surprise while you are unaware,

  • Taqi Usmani

    And follow the best of what has been sent down to you from your Lord before the punishment comes to you suddenly when you do not even expect,

  • Abdul Haleem

    Follow the best teaching sent down to you from your Lord, before the punishment suddenly takes you, unawares,

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And follow the fairest of what has been sent down to you from your Lord, ere the chastisement comes upon you suddenly while you are unaware.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    and follow the best of what has been sent down to you from your Lord, before there come on you the torment suddenly, ere ye can perceive!

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And follow the best of that which has been revealed to you from your Lord before the punishment comes suddenly while you do not even perceive;

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And closely follow the fairest of what has been sent down to you from your Lord even before the torment comes up to you suddenly while (Literally: and) you are not aware,

  • George Sale

    And follow the most excellent instructions which have been sent down unto you from your Lord, before the punishment come suddenly upon you, and ye perceive not the approach thereof;

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    "And follow the best (of the paths) revealed to you from your Lord, before the penalty comes upon you— All of a sudden, when you are not aware!"—

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And follow the best (teaching suiting your condition) that has been revealed to you from your Lord before you receive the punishment which will come upon you all of a sudden and take you unawares.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    And follow the best of what has been sent down to you from your Lord, before the punishment overtakes you suddenly while you are unaware. ’