Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And the likeness of a bad word is like a bad tree: uprooted from the earth, it has no fixed lodging.

وَمَثَلُ كَلِمَةٍ خَب۪يثَةٍ كَشَجَرَةٍ خَب۪يثَةٍۨ اجْتُثَّتْ مِنْ فَوْقِ الْاَرْضِ مَا لَهَا مِنْ قَرَارٍ
Wamathalu kalimatin khabeethatinkashajaratin khabeethatin ijtuththat min fawqi al-ardi malaha min qarar
#wordmeaningroot
1wamathaluAnd (the) exampleمثل
2kalimatin(of) a wordكلم
3khabīthatinevilخبث
4kashajaratin(is) like a treeشجر
5khabīthatinevilخبث
6uj'tuthatuprootedجثث
7minfrom
8fawqithe surfaceفوق
9l-arḍi(of) the earthارض
10not
11lahāfor it
12min(is) any
13qarārinstabilityقرر
  • Aisha Bewley

    The metaphor of a corrupt word is that of a rotten tree, uprooted on the surface of the earth. It has no staying-power.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And the example of a bad word is like a tree which has been uprooted from the surface of the Earth, it has nowhere to settle.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And the example of an evil ideology is that of a bad tree that gets easily uprooted from the surface of the earth, and it has no stability. (It is neither firmly rooted, nor reaches any heights).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And the likeness of a bad word is like a bad tree: uprooted from the earth, it has no fixed lodging.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Andthe example of a bad word is like a tree which has been uprooted from the surface of the earth, it has nowhere to settle.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    The example of a bad word is like a tree which has been uprooted from the surface of the earth, it has nowhere to settle.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    And the example of the bad word is that of a bad tree chopped at the soil level; it has no roots to keep it standing.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    An evil act is like a rotten tree torn out of the earth with no (base or) firmness.

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

    And the example of a bad word is like a bad tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, not having any stability.

  • Muhammad Asad

    And the parable of a corrupt word is that of a corrupt tree, torn up onto the face of the earth, wholly unable to endure.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, uprooted from upon the earth, possessing no stability.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And the example of an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, wholly unable to endure.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Whereas an evil word stands similitude exact of an evil tree; it may flourish to begin with but soon enough it is uprooted from the soil and the surface of the earth. Its roots being loosely implanted, it does not have the strength to grow erect nor does it eventually grow at all.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    As to the "Evil Word" (opposite of the Pure word), it is like a tree that has no root (essence) to stand upon. It is chopped at the soil level.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree uprooted from the surface of earth, having no stability.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    And the parable of an evil Word is that of an evil tree: It is torn up by the root from the surface of the earth: it has no stability.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    And the parable of an evil word is that of an evil tree, uprooted from the earth, having no stability.

  • Taqi Usmani

    And the parable of a bad word is like a bad tree, removed from the top of the soil, having no firm root.

  • Abdul Haleem

    but an evil word is like a rotten tree, uprooted from the surface of the earth, with no power to endure.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And the likeness of a corrupt word is as a corrupt tree -- uprooted from the earth, having no stablishment.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And the likeness of a bad word is as a bad tree, which is felled from above the earth, and has no staying place.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And the similitude of a bad saying is as a bad tree, which is felled from above the earth, possessing no stability.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And the similitude of a wicked word is as a wicked tree: uprooted from above the earth; in no way does it have any stability.

  • George Sale

    And the likeness of an evil word is as an evil tree; which is torn up from the face of the earth, and hath no stability.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And the parable of an evil word is like that of an evil tree: It is pulled up by the root (see 15. 34) from the surface of the earth; It cannot be stable (alive).

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And the likeness of an evil word is as an evil tree which can be uprooted from above the earth; it has no stability.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    And the parable of a bad word is that of a bad tree: uprooted from the ground, it has no stability.