Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And: “Take thou in thy hand a bouquet, and strike thou therewith, and break thou not thine oath!” We found him patient. How excellent a servant! He was one turning in repentance.

وَخُذْ بِيَدِكَ ضِغْثاً فَاضْرِبْ بِه۪ وَلَا تَحْنَثْۜ اِنَّا وَجَدْنَاهُ صَابِراًۜ نِعْمَ الْعَبْدُۜ اِنَّهُٓ اَوَّابٌ
Wakhuth biyadika dighthan fadribbihi wala tahnath inna wajadnahu sabiranniAAma alAAabdu innahu awwab
#wordmeaningroot
1wakhudhAnd takeاخذ
2biyadikain your handيدي
3ḍigh'thana bunchضغث
4fa-iḍ'riband strikeضرب
5bihiwith it
6walāand (do) not
7taḥnathbreak (your) oathحنث
8innāIndeed, We
9wajadnāhu[We] found himوجد
10ṣābiranpatientصبر
11niʿ'maan excellentنعم
12l-ʿabduslaveعبد
13innahuIndeed, he
14awwābunrepeatedly turnedاوب
  • Aisha Bewley

    ‘Take a bundle of rushes in your hand and strike with that but do not break your oath. ’ We found him steadfast. What an excellent slave! He truly turned to his Lord.

  • Progressive Muslims

    "And take in your hand a bundle and travel with it, and do not break your oath. " We found him steadfast. What a good servant! He was obedient.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    (And finally We told him, ) "Now gather your strength and travel the land and break not your pledge. " Behold, We found him steadfast. How excellent a servant! In every situation he turned to Our Commands.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And: “Take thou in thy hand a bouquet, and strike thou therewith, and break thou not thine oath!” We found him patient. How excellent a servant! He was one turning in repentance.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    "And take in your hand a bundle and go forth with it, and do not break your oath." We found him steadfast. What a good servant! He was obedient.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    "Take in your hand a bundle and travel with it, and do not break your oath." We found him steadfast. What a good servant! He was obedient.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    "Now, you shall travel the land and preach the message, to fulfill your pledge." We found him steadfast. What a good servant! He was a submitter.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    "Take a handful of herbs, " (We said to him), and apply and rub them, and do not make a mistake. " We found him patient in adversity, an excellent devotee, always turning in repentance.

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

    , "And take in your hand a bunch and strike with it and do not break your oath. " Indeed, We found him patient, an excellent servant. Indeed, he was one repeatedly turning back .

  • Muhammad Asad

    "Now take in thy hand a small bunch of grass, and strike therewith, and thou wilt not break thine oath!" for, verily, We found him full of patience in adversity: how excellent a servant , who, behold, would always turn unto Us!

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And (it was said unto him): Take in thine hand a branch and smite therewith, and break not thine oath. Lo! We found him steadfast, how excellent a slave! Lo! he was ever turning in repentance (to his Lord).

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    (and We said to him): "Take in your hand a bundle of rushes and strike with it, and do not break your oath."* Indeed We found him steadfast. How excellent a servant (of Ours) he was. Indeed he constantly turned (to his Lord).*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And in fulfillment of his oath that he would beat his wife hundred strokes We said to him: Hold in your hand a bunch of a hundred blades of grass and strike her therewith once and gently to avoid breaking your oath. We found him really long suffering to affliction and unwearied in the face of difficulties and hardship. How excellent a worshipper He was and how in lowliest plight did He always repentant stand.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Now instead of beating , as you have sworn to your Lord, use only weak straws to strike I found him patient and an excellent servant of mine who returned to Me over and over again.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    "And take in your hand a bundle of thin grass and strike therewith (your wife), and break not your oath. Truly! We found him patient. How excellent a slave! Verily he was ever oft-returning in repentance (to Us)!

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    "And take in thy hand a little grass, and strike therewith: and break not (thy oath)." Truly We found him full of patience and constancy. How excellent in Our service! ever did he turn (to Us)!

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    ˹And We said to him,˺ "Take in your hand a bundle of grass, and strike ˹your wife˺ with it, and do not break your oath." We truly found him patient. What an excellent servant ˹he was˺! Indeed, he ˹constantly˺ turned ˹to Allah˺.

  • Taqi Usmani

    And (We said to him,) "Take (a bundle of) thin twigs in your hand, and strike with it, and do not violate your oath. Surely, We found him very enduring. He was really an excellent servant. Surely, he was great in turning (to Us, in penitence and praise).

  • Abdul Haleem

    ‘Take a small bunch of grass in your hand, and strike with that so as not to break your oath.’ We found him patient in adversity; an excellent servant! He, too, always turned to God.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    and, 'Take in thy hand a bundle of rushes, and strike therewith, and do not fail in thy oath. ' Surely We found him a steadfast man. How excellent a servant he was! He was a penitent.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    'and take in thy hand a bundle, and strike therewith, and break not thy oath!' Verily, we found him patient, an excellent servant; verily, he turned frequently to us.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And (It was said, ) "Take in your hand a green branch (or grass) and beat her (his rebellious wife gently) with it (rather than with cruelty), and break not your oath. Surely We found him patient; a most excellent servant! Surely he was frequent in turning (to Allah).

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And (we said) "Take in your hand a jumble of rushes, then strike therewith, and do not break (your oath). " Surely We found him a patient (man). How excellent a bondman he was! Surely he was a constant resorter (to Us).

  • George Sale

    And We said unto him, take a handful of rods in thy hand, and strike thy wife therewith; and break not thine oath. Verily We found him a patient person: How excellent a servant was he! For he was one who frequently turned himself unto Us.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    "And take in your hand a little (bunch of thin) grass, and strike (your wife with) it: And do not break your promise. " Truly, We found him (Ayub or Job) full of patience and constancy. How well in Our service did he ever return (to Us)!

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And (We commanded him, ) `Take in your hand a handful of twigs and strike (the riding beast) therewith. And do not ever incline towards falsehood. Indeed, We found him steadfast. An excellent servant was he. He was always turning (towards God) in obedience.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    ‘Take a faggot in your hand and then strike with it, but do not break oath. ’ Indeed We found him to be patient. What an excellent servant! Indeed he was a penitent .