Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

“And my sincere counsel will not profit you, if I desire to give you sincere counsel, if God has desired to cause you to err; He is your Lord, and to Him will you be returned.”

وَلَا يَنْفَعُكُمْ نُصْح۪ٓي اِنْ اَرَدْتُ اَنْ اَنْصَحَ لَكُمْ اِنْ كَانَ اللّٰهُ يُر۪يدُ اَنْ يُغْوِيَكُمْۜ هُوَ رَبُّكُمْ وَاِلَيْهِ تُرْجَعُونَۜ
Wala yanfaAAukum nushee inaradtu an ansaha lakum in kana Allahuyureedu an yughwiyakum huwa rabbukum wa-ilayhi turjaAAoon
#wordmeaningroot
1walāAnd (will) not
2yanfaʿukumbenefit youنفع
3nuṣ'ḥīmy adviceنصح
4in(even) if
5aradttuI wishرود
6anto
7anṣaḥa[I] adviseنصح
8lakum[to] you
9inif
10kānait was Allah'sكون
11l-lahuit was Allah's
12yurīduwillرود
13anto
14yugh'wiyakumlet you go astrayغوي
15huwaHe (is)
16rabbukumyour Lordربب
17wa-ilayhiand to Him
18tur'jaʿūnayou will be returnedرجع
  • Aisha Bewley

    My counsel will not benefit you, for all my desire to counsel you, if Allah desires to lead you into error. He is your Lord and you will return to Him.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    "And my advice will not benefit you if I wanted to advise you and God wanted that you should stray. He is your Lord, and to Him you will return."

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Noah said, "My counseling and well-wishing will not help you outside of Allah's Law of Guidance and straying (4:88). He is your Lord, and unto Him you must return along with your deeds."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    “And my sincere counsel will not profit you, if I desire to give you sincere counsel, if God has desired to cause you to err; He is your Lord, and to Him will you be returned.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    "And my advice will not benefit you if I wanted to advise you and God wanted that you should go astray. He is your Lord, and to Him you will return."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    "My advice will not benefit you if I wanted to advise you and God wanted that you should stray. He is your Lord, and to Him you will return."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    "Even if I advised you, my advice cannot benefit you if it is GOD's will to send you astray. He is your Lord, and to Him you will be returned."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    Even if I wish to advise you aright, my counsel will not profit you if God intend that you go astray, for He is your Lord and to Him you will return. "

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

    And my advice will not benefit you - although I wished to advise you - If Allah should intend to put you in error. He is your Lord, and to Him you will be returned."

  • Muhammad Asad

    for, my advice will not benefit you -much as I desire to give you good advice - if it be God's will that you shall remain lost in grievous error. He is your Sustainer, and unto Him you must return."

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    My counsel will not profit you if I were minded to advise you, if Allah's will is to keep you astray. He is your Lord and unto Him ye will be brought back.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    If I want to give you good advice that will not profit you if Allah Himself has decided to let you go astray.* He is your Lord, and to Him will you be returned.'

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    "Nor shall my admonition profit you little or much even if I do my best if Allah should decide to lead you in the wrong in the- train of your ill-natured hearts which reflect the morbidity inherent in your innermost being. He is your Creator, and back to Him shall all of you inevitably return."

  • Bijan Moeinian

    "Even if I wanted to give a well wished lecture, now it is too late for you to benefit from it. After all, when God wants to send someone to the wrong path, none can re-direct them to the right path. But know that He is your Lord and to Him you will return."

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    "And my advice will not profit you, even if I wish to give you good counsel, if Allâh’s Will is to keep you astray. He is your Lord! and to Him you shall return."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    "Of no profit will be my counsel to you, much as I desire to give you (good) counsel, if it be that Allah willeth to leave you astray: He is your Lord! and to Him will ye return!"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    My advice will not benefit you—no matter how hard I try—if Allah wills ˹for˺ you to stray. He is your Lord, and to Him you will ˹all˺ be returned."

  • Taqi Usmani

    My good counsel will not profit you, even though I wish you the best, if Allah wills to let you go astray. He is your Lord, and to Him you shall be made to return."

  • Abdul Haleem

    My advice will be no use to you if God wishes to leave you to your delusions: He is your Lord and to Him you will be returned.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And my sincere counsel will not profit you, if I desire to counsel you sincerely, if God desires to pervert you; He is your Lord, and unto Him you shall be returned. '

  • E. Henry Palmer

    nor will my advice profit you, should I wish to advise you, if God wish to lead you into error. He is your Lord, and unto Him shall ye be returned.'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Said he, "Allah will only bring it on you when He pleases, nor can you make Him helpless (frustrate Him);

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And my advice will not profit you, in case I am willing to advise you, in case Allah wills to misguide you; He is your Lord, and to Him you will be returned. "

  • George Sale

    Neither shall my counsel profit you, although I endeavour to counsel you aright, if God shall please to lead you into error. He is your Lord, and unto Him shall ye return.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    "And, my advice will be of no benefit for you, even though I would like much to give you good advice, if it be Allah Who wills to leave you astray: He is your Lord! And to Him will you return!"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    `And my sincere counsel will do you no good, choose as I may to counsel you in case Allâh intends to destroy you. (All the same,) He is your Lord and to Him you shall be made to return.'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    My exhorting will not benefit you, much as I may seek to exhort you, if Allah desires to consign you to perversity. He is your Lord, and to Him you shall be brought back.’