Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

Said they: “O Governor: he has a father, old and great, so take thou one of us in his place; we see thou art among the doers of good.”

قَالُوا يَٓا اَيُّهَا الْعَز۪يزُ اِنَّ لَـهُٓ اَباً شَيْخاً كَب۪يراً فَخُذْ اَحَدَنَا مَكَانَهُۚ اِنَّا نَرٰيكَ مِنَ الْمُحْسِن۪ينَ
Qaloo ya ayyuhaalAAazeezu inna lahu aban shaykhan kabeeran fakhuth ahadanamakanahu inna naraka mina almuhsineen
#wordmeaningroot
1qālūThey saidقول
2yāayyuhāO
3l-ʿazīzuAzizعزز
4innaIndeed
5lahuhe has
6abana fatherابو
7shaykhanoldشيخ
8kabīran[great]كبر
9fakhudhso takeاخذ
10aḥadanāone of usاحد
11makānahu(in) his placeكون
12innāIndeed, we
13narāka[we] see youراي
14minaof
15l-muḥ'sinīnathe good-doersحسن
  • Aisha Bewley

    They said, ‘Your Eminence! He has an old and venerable father, so take one of us instead of him. We see without a doubt that you are of the people who do good.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    They said: "O Governor, he has an elderly father, so take one of us in his place. Indeed we see you as one of the good doers."

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    They said to Joseph, "O Noble one! He has an aged father, so take one of us instead of him. We see that you are a doer of good."

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    Said they: “O Governor: he has a father, old and great, so take thou one of us in his place; we see thou art among the doers of good.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    They said: "O governor, he has an elderly father, so take one of us in his place. Indeed we see you as one of the good doers."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    They said, "O Governor, he has an elderly father, so take one of us in his place. Indeed we see you as one of the good doers."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    They said, "O you noble one, he has a father who is elderly; would you take one of us in his place? We see that you are a kind man."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    They said: "O Minister, he has an aged father, so keep one of us in his place. We see you are a virtuous man."

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

    They said, "O 'Azeez, indeed he has a father an old man, so take one of us in place of him. Indeed, we see you as a doer of good."

  • Muhammad Asad

    They said: "O thou great one! Behold, he has a father, a very old man: detain, therefore, one of us in his stead. Verily, we see that thou art a doer of good!"

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    They said: O ruler of the land! Lo! he hath a very aged father, so take one of us instead of him. Lo! we behold thee of those who do kindness.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    They said: "O powerful chief (al-aziz)!* His father is an age-stricken man, (and in order that he may not suffer) seize one of us in his stead. We indeed consider you an excellent person."

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    Yusuf said: "O you noble one, he has a father who is carried through the stealing steps of age to advanced life. Take one of us in his stead, we do see you a man of piety and we see in you virtue in its true signification."

  • Bijan Moeinian

    The brothers said: "Your highness, he has a very old father (which may have a heart attack or something, hearing his baby is enslaved. ) You are a kind man; take one of us in his place."

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    They said: "O ruler of the land! Verily, he has an old father (who will grieve for him); so take one of us in his place. Indeed we think that you are one of the Muhsinûn (good-doers - see the footnote of V.9:120)."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    They said: "O exalted one! Behold! he has a father, aged and venerable, (who will grieve for him); so take one of us in his place; for we see that thou art (gracious) in doing good."

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    They appealed, "O Chief Minister! He has a very old father, so take one of us instead. We surely see you as one of the good-doers."

  • Taqi Usmani

    They said, "O ‘Azīz, he has a father, a very old man. So, take one of us in his place. We see you are a generous man."

  • Abdul Haleem

    They said, ‘Mighty governor, he has an elderly father. Take one of us in his place. We can see that you are a very good man.’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    They said, 'Mighty prince, he has a father, aged and great with years; so take one of us in his place; we see that thou art one of the good-doers. '

  • E. Henry Palmer

    They said, 'O prince! Verily, he has a father, a very old man; take then one of us instead of him; verily, we can see that thou art of those who do good. '

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    They said, "If he has stolen, a brother of his has stolen before him. " But Joseph kept it secret in his soul and disclosed it not to them, but said within himself, "You are in a worse situation (than you think), and Allah knows best the truth about what you allege."

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    They said, "O you mighty (Governor), (Literally: the ever-Mighty Al-cazîz) surely he has a father, aged and great with years; so take one of us in his place; surely we see that you are one of the fair-doers. "

  • George Sale

    They said unto Joseph, noble lord, verily this lad hath an aged father; wherefore take one of us in his stead; for we perceive that thou art a beneficent person.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    They said (to the king): "O high one! Verily! He has an old and respected father, (who will feel very sad without him); So take (and keep) one of us in his place; Indeed, we see that you are (kind) in doing good. "

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    (Brothers of Joseph) said, `O noble chief! surely he has an old father, advanced in years, so retain one of us in his place. Surely, we see you to be of the doers of good (to all).'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    They said, ‘O emir! Indeed he has a father, a very old man; so take one of us in his place. Indeed we see that you are a virtuous man.’