Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And when affliction touches man, he calls to Us on his side, or sitting, or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he passes by as though he had not called to Us about an affliction which touched him; thus is made fair to the committers of excess what they do.

وَاِذَا مَسَّ الْاِنْسَانَ الضُّرُّ دَعَانَا لِجَنْبِه۪ٓ اَوْ قَاعِداً اَوْ قَٓائِماًۚ فَلَمَّا كَشَفْنَا عَنْهُ ضُرَّهُ مَرَّ كَاَنْ لَمْ يَدْعُنَٓا اِلٰى ضُرٍّ مَسَّهُۜ كَذٰلِكَ زُيِّنَ لِلْمُسْرِف۪ينَ مَا كَانُوا يَعْمَلُونَ
Wa-itha massa al-insana addurrudaAAana lijanbihi aw qaAAidan aw qa-imanfalamma kashafna AAanhu durrahu marra kaanlam yadAAuna ila durrin massahu kathalikazuyyina lilmusrifeena ma kanoo yaAAmaloon
#wordmeaningroot
1wa-idhāAnd when
2massatouchesمسس
3l-insānathe manانس
4l-ḍuruthe afflictionضرر
5daʿānāhe calls Usدعو
6lijanbihi(lying) on his sideجنب
7awor
8qāʿidansittingقعد
9awor
10qāimanstandingقوم
11falammāBut when
12kashafnāWe removeكشف
13ʿanhufrom him
14ḍurrahuhis afflictionضرر
15marrahe passes onمرر
16ka-anas if he
17lam(had) not
18yadʿunācalled Usدعو
19ilāfor
20ḍurrin(the) afflictionضرر
21massahu(that) touched himمسس
22kadhālikaThus
23zuyyina(it) is made fair seemingزين
24lil'mus'rifīnato the extravagantسرف
25what
26kānūthey used (to)كون
27yaʿmalūnadoعمل
  • Aisha Bewley

    When harm touches man, he calls on Us, lying on his side or sitting down or standing up. Then when We remove the harm from him he carries on as if he had never called on Us when the harm first touched him. In that way We make what they have done appear good to the profligate.

  • Progressive Muslims

    And if any adversity inflicts mankind, then he calls upon Us on his side or sitting or standing. But when We remove his adversity from him, he goes on as if he never called upon Us to an adversity which touched him! It is thus that what the carefree have done was made to appear good to them.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    When affliction befalls man, he cries unto Us, whether he be lying, or sitting or standing. But when We have relieved him of the affliction, he goes his way as if he had never cried unto Us for what afflicted him. Those who trespass the Divine Laws, lose discernment and even their ill deeds then seem fair to them.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And when affliction touches man, he calls to Us on his side, or sitting, or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he passes by as though he had not called to Us about an affliction which touched him; thus is made fair to the committers of excess what they do.

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    And when hardship touches man, he calls upon Us on his side or sitting or standing. But when We remove his hardship from him, he carries on as if he never called upon Us for a hardship which touched him! Thus it was made to appear good to the transgressors what they had done.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    If any adversity inflicts people, then he calls upon Us on his side or sitting or standing. But when We remove his adversity from him, he goes on as if he never implored Us because of an adversity afflicted him! Thus the works of the transgressors are adorned for them.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    When adversity touches the human being, he implores us while lying down, or sitting, or standing up. But as soon as we relieve his adversity, he goes on as if he never implored us to relieve any hardship! The works of the transgressors are thus adorned in their eyes.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    When man is afflicted with adversity he calls to Us, whether lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We take away his troubles, he moves away, as though he had never called to Us in affliction. In the same way, attractive have been made their deeds to the prodigals.

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

    And when affliction touches man, he calls upon Us, whether lying on his side or sitting or standing; but when We remove from him his affliction, he continues as if he had never called upon Us to an affliction that touched him. Thus is made pleasing to the transgressors that which they have been doing

  • Muhammad Asad

    For when affliction befalls man, he cries out unto Us, whether he be lying on his side or sitting or standing; but as soon as We have freed him of his affliction, he goes on as though he had never invoked Us to save him from the affliction that befell him! Thus do their own doings seem goodly unto those who waste their own selves.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And if misfortune touch a man he crieth unto Us, (while reclining) on his side, or sitting or standing, but when We have relieved him of the misfortune he goeth his way as though he had not cried unto Us because of a misfortune that afflicted him. Thus is what they do made (seeming) fair unto the prodigal.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And (such is man that) when an affliction befalls him, he cries out to Us, reclining and sitting and standing. But no sooner than We have removed his affliction, he passes on as though he had never cried out to Us to remove his affliction. Thus it is that the misdeeds of the transgressors are made fair-seeming to them.

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    When man is touched or befallen with a misfortune or wedded to a calamity, he invokes us for relief, reclining on his side or sitting or standing, and when We deliver him from what was burdensome and exhaustive to the mind, he passes heedless of Allah as if he never invoked Him to relieve him from a misfortune that had befallen him. Thus are the extravagant in their accounts of themselves allured by false hopes springing eternal in their bosoms.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    When man find himself in an unpleasant situation, he begs Me (no matter in what position: standing, sitting or lying down. ) As soon as I relieve him from the hardship, he forgets My favor and goes back to his routine! The sinners’ behavior seems fair to them and is justified by them.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And when harm touches man, he invokes Us, lying on his side, or sitting or standing. But when We have removed his harm from him, he passes on as if he had never invoked Us for a harm that touched him! Thus it is made fair-seeming to the Musrifûn that which they used to do.

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    When trouble toucheth a man, He crieth unto Us (in all postures)- lying down on his side, or sitting, or standing. But when We have solved his trouble, he passeth on his way as if he had never cried to Us for a trouble that touched him! thus do the deeds of transgressors seem fair in their eyes!

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Whenever someone is touched by hardship, they cry out to Us, whether lying on their side, sitting, or standing. But when We relieve their hardship, they return to their old ways as if they had never cried to Us to remove any hardship! This is how the misdeeds of the transgressors have been made appealing to them.

  • Taqi Usmani

    When man is afflicted by a hardship, he prays to Us (at all times), when reclining or sitting or standing. But when We remove his hardship, he just takes his way as though he had never prayed to Us in any hardship that afflicted him. This is how their deeds appear beautified to the transgressors.

  • Abdul Haleem

    When trouble befalls man he cries out to Us, whether lying on his side, sitting, or standing, but as soon as We relieve him of his trouble he goes on his way as if he had never cried out to Us to remove his trouble. In this way the deeds of such heedless people are made attractive to them.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    When affliction visits a man, he calls Us on his side, or sitting, or standing; but when We have removed his affliction from him, he passes on, as if he never called Us to an affliction that visited him. So decked out fair to the prodigal is that they have been doing.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    When distress touches man, he calls us to his side, whether sitting or standing; but when we have removed from him his distress, he passes on as though he had not called on us in a distress that touched him. Thus unto the extravagant is made seemly that which they have done.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    And if Allah should hasten for men the evil they earn, as they would fain hasten on the good, their respite would surely have expired. But We suffer those who look not for (or expect not) the meeting with Us to wander blindly on in their rebellion.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And when adversity touches man, he invokes Us to his side, or sitting, or upright, then as soon as We have lifted off him his adversity, he passes on, as if he had not invoked Us to an adversity that touched him. Thus, whatever they were doing was adorned (i.e., made attractive) for the extravagant.

  • George Sale

    When evil befalleth a man; he prayeth unto Us lying on his side, or sitting, or standing: But when We deliver him from his affliction, he continueth his former course of life, as though he had not called upon Us to defend him against the evil which had befallen him. Thus was that which the transgressors committed prepared for them.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And when trouble touches a man, he cries to Us (in many ways)— Lying down on his side, or sitting, or standing. But when We have solved his trouble, he goes on his way as if he never cried to Us for the trouble that had touched him! Thus the actions of who exceed their limits look all right in their (own) eyes!

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    When a person is in a certain affliction he calls on Us (lying) on his sides, or sitting or standing; but when We remove his affliction he passes on (with his face turned away) as if he had never called on Us for (the removal of) the affliction that befell him. Thus it is that their (base) doings are made fair seeming to these extravagant.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    When distress befalls man, he supplicates Us, on his side, sitting, or standing; but when We remove his distress, he passes on as if he had never supplicated Us concerning the distress that had befallen him. To the profligate is thus presented as decorous what they have been doing.