Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And he strikes for Us a similitude, and forgets his creation; he says: “Who will give life to the bones when they are rotted away?”

وَضَرَبَ لَنَا مَثَلاً وَنَسِيَ خَلْقَهُۜ قَالَ مَنْ يُحْـيِ الْعِظَامَ وَهِيَ رَم۪يمٌ
Wadaraba lana mathalanwanasiya khalqahu qala man yuhyee alAAithamawahiya rameem
#wordmeaningroot
1waḍarabaAnd he sets forthضرب
2lanāfor Us
3mathalanan exampleمثل
4wanasiyaand forgetsنسي
5khalqahuhis (own) creationخلق
6qālaHe saysقول
7manWho
8yuḥ'yīwill give lifeحيي
9l-ʿiẓāma(to) the bonesعظم
10wahiyawhile they
11ramīmun(are) decomposedرمم
  • Aisha Bewley

    He makes likenesses of Us and forgets his own creation, saying, ‘Who will give life to bones when they are decayed?’

  • Progressive Muslims

    And he cites an example for Us, while forgetting his own creation! He says: "Who can resurrect the bones while they are dust"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And he makes comparisons for Us and forgets the fact of his creation, saying, "Who will revive these bones when they have crumbled to dust?" (37:16), (73:3).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And he strikes for Us a similitude, and forgets his creation; he says: “Who will give life to the bones when they are rotted away?”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And he puts forth an example for Us, while forgetting his own creation! He says: "Who can resurrect the bones while they are dust?"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    He cites an example for Us, while forgetting his own creation! He says: "Who can resurrect the bones while they are dust?"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    He raises a question to us - while forgetting his initial creation - "Who can resurrect the bones after they had rotted?"

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    And applies comparisons to Us, having forgotten his origin, and says: "Who can put life into decayed bones?"

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

    And he presents for Us an example and forgets his creation. He says, "Who will give life to bones while they are disintegrated?"

  • Muhammad Asad

    And he thinks of Us in terms of comparison, and is oblivious of how he himself was created! he says, "Who could give life to bones that have crumbled to dust?"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And he hath coined for Us a similitude, and hath forgotten the fact of his creation, saying: Who will revive these bones when they have rotted away?

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    He strikes for Us a similitude and forgot his own creation. He says: "Who will quicken the bones when they have decayed?"

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    And he draws meaningless parallels and sets forth to Us comparisons and he expresses his thoughts in words, thus: "Who shall restore life", he asks, "to these bones when they have undergone morbid changes and degeneracy?"

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Forgetting their own creation they ask: "Who has the power to resurrect us while our bones are rotten?"

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And he puts forth for Us a parable, and forgets his own creation. He says: "Who will give life to these bones after they are rotten and have become dust?"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    And he makes comparisons for Us, and forgets his own (origin and) Creation: He says, "Who can give life to (dry) bones and decomposed ones (at that)?"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    And they argue with Us—forgetting they were created—saying, "Who will give life to decayed bones?"

  • Taqi Usmani

    He has set up an argument about Us and forgot his creation. He said, "Who will give life to the bones when they are decayed?"

  • Abdul Haleem

    producing arguments against Us, forgetting his own creation. He says, ‘Who can give life back to bones after they have decayed?’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    And he has struck for Us a similitude and forgotten his creation; he says, 'Who shall quicken the bones when they are decayed?'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    and he strikes out for us a likeness; and forgets his creation; and says, 'Who shall quicken bones when they are rotten?'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And he strikes out a likeness for Us and forgets his own creation. Says he, "Who will give life to the bones when they have decomposed?"

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And he has struck for Us a similitude and forgotten his creation. He has said, "Who will give life to the bones (after) they are rotten?"

  • George Sale

    and he propoundeth unto us a comparison, and forgetteth his creation. He saith, who shall restore bones to life, when they are rotten?

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And he puts forth (and invents) comparisons for Us, and forgets his own (true origin of) Creation: (And) he says: "Who can give life to the bones after they have become rotten and turned to dust?"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And he coins strange things about Us and forgets his own creation. He says, `Who will quicken the dead bones to life when they are decayed?'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    He draws comparisons for Us, and forgets his own creation. He says, ‘Who shall revive the bones when they have decayed?’