Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Said they: “By God, you know we came not to work corruption in the land! And we are not thieves.”

قَالُوا تَاللّٰهِ لَقَدْ عَلِمْتُمْ مَا جِئْنَا لِنُفْسِدَ فِي الْاَرْضِ وَمَا كُنَّا سَارِق۪ينَ
Qaloo tallahi laqadAAalimtum ma ji/na linufsida fee al-ardi wamakunna sariqeen
#wordmeaningroot
1qālūThey saidقول
2tal-lahiBy Allah
3laqadcertainly
4ʿalim'tumyou knowعلم
5not
6ji'nāwe cameجيا
7linuf'sidathat we cause corruptionفسد
8in
9l-arḍithe landارض
10wamāand not
11kunnāwe areكون
12sāriqīnathievesسرق
  • Aisha Bewley

    They said, ‘By Allah, you know we did not come to corrupt the land and that we are not thieves. ’

  • Progressive Muslims

    They said: "By God, you know we did not come to cause corruption in the land, and we are no thieves!"

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    They explained, "By God! Well you know that we did not come here to create mischief in the land, and we are no thieves. "

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Said they: “By God, you know we came not to work corruption in the land! And we are not thieves.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    They said: "By God, you know we have not come to cause corruption in the land, and we are not thieves!"

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    They said, "By God, you know we did not come to cause corruption in the land, and we are no thieves!"

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    They said, "By GOD, you know full well that we did not come here to commit evil, nor are we thieves."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    They said: "We swear by God. You know we did not come to commit any crime in the land, nor are we thieves."

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

    They said, "By Allah, you have certainly known that we did not come to cause corruption in the land, and we have not been thieves. "

  • Muhammad Asad

    Said : "By God! Well do you know that we have not come to commit deeds of corruption in this land, and that we have not been thieving!"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    They said: By Allah, well ye know we came not to do evil in the land, and are no thieves.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    They said: "By Allah, you certainly know that we did not come to act corruptly in this land, nor are we those who steal."

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    The brothers said: "By Allah! you people know that we did not come here to cause mischief or create discord, nor are we disposed to such conduct. "

  • Bijan Moeinian

    The brothers said: "You know very well, and we take God as our witness, that we have not come here to do mischief and that we are not thieves. "

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    They said: "By Allâh! Indeed you know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!"

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    (The brothers) said: "By Allah! well ye know that we came not to make mischief in the land, and we are no thieves!"

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Joseph’s brothers replied, "By Allah! You know well that we did not come to cause trouble in the land, nor are we thieves."

  • Taqi Usmani

    They said, "We swear by Allah, you know, we did not come to make mischief in the land, nor have we ever been thieves."

  • Abdul Haleem

    They said, ‘By God! You must know that we did not come to make mischief in your land: we are no thieves.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    'By God, ' they said, 'you know well that we came not to work corruption in the land. We are not robbers.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    They said, 'By God! Ye knew we came not to do evil in the land, and that we were not thieves. '

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    Said they, "We miss the goblet of the king, and whoever brings it shall have a camel-load, and I will be bound by it (the promise). "

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    They said, "By (The Arabic here is at-llahi, which is a stronger oath than the usual we-llahi) Allah, indeed you already know that in no way have we come to corrupt in the land and in no way are we thieves. "

  • George Sale

    Joseph's brethren replied, by God, ye do well know, that we come not to act corruptly in the land, neither are we thieves.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    (The brothers) said: "By Allah! Indeed you know well that we did not come to make mischief in the land, and we are not thieves!"

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    They replied, `By Allâh, you know well that we did not come to commit mischief in this country, nor are we (professional) thieves. '

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    They said, ‘By Allah! You certainly know that we did not come to make trouble in this country, and we are not thieves. ’