Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

And he said: “O my sons: enter not by one gate, but enter by different gates. But I cannot avail you anything against God. Judgment is but for God; in Him have I placed my trust. And in Him let trust those who would place their trust aright.”

وَقَالَ يَا بَنِيَّ لَا تَدْخُلُوا مِنْ بَابٍ وَاحِدٍ وَادْخُلُوا مِنْ اَبْوَابٍ مُتَفَرِّقَةٍۜ وَمَٓا اُغْن۪ي عَنْكُمْ مِنَ اللّٰهِ مِنْ شَيْءٍۜ اِنِ الْحُكْمُ اِلَّا لِلّٰهِۜ عَلَيْهِ تَوَكَّلْتُۚ وَعَلَيْهِ فَلْيَتَوَكَّلِ الْمُتَوَكِّلُونَ
Waqala ya baniyya latadkhuloo min babin wahidin wadkhuloo minabwabin mutafarriqatin wama oghnee AAankum mina Allahimin shay-in ini alhukmu illa lillahiAAalayhi tawakkaltu waAAalayhi falyatawakkali almutawakkiloon
#wordmeaningroot
1waqālaAnd he saidقول
2yābaniyyaO my sonsبني
3(Do) not
4tadkhulūenterدخل
5minfrom
6bābinone gateبوب
7wāḥidinone gateوحد
8wa-ud'khulūbut enterدخل
9minfrom
10abwābingatesبوب
11mutafarriqatindifferentفرق
12wamāAnd not
13ugh'nīI can availغني
14ʿankumyou
15minaagainst
16l-lahiAllah
17minany
18shayinthingشيا
19iniNot
20l-ḥuk'mu(is) the decisionحكم
21illāexcept
22lillahiwith Allah
23ʿalayhiupon Him
24tawakkaltuI put my trustوكل
25waʿalayhiand upon Him
26falyatawakkalilet put (their) trustوكل
27l-mutawakilūnathe ones who put trustوكل
  • Aisha Bewley

    He said, ‘My sons! You must not enter through a single gate. Go in through different gates. But I cannot save you from Allah at all, for judgement comes from no one but Allah. In Him I put my trust, and let all those who put their trust, put it in Him alone.’

  • Progressive Muslims

    And he said: "My sons, do not enter from one gate, but enter from separate gates; and I cannot avail you anything against God, for the judgment is to God. In Him I put my trust, and in Him those who put their trust should trust."

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    And he said, "O My sons! Do not enter the town all by one gate, but enter by different gates. Yet, I cannot avail you against the Divine Laws. (So, handle all situations accordingly). Rule and Law-giving belongs to Allah alone. In Him I trust, and everyone must place trust in Him since the Divine Laws never change." (17:77), (33:38), (35:43). (It is a common misconception that Jacob told his eleven sons to enter by different gates to obviate 'evil eye'. Historically the brothers had been accused of spying on a previous occasion. The Qur'an consistently rejects all superstition).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    And he said: “O my sons: enter not by one gate, but enter by different gates. But I cannot avail you anything against God. Judgment is but for God; in Him have I placed my trust. And in Him let trust those who would place their trust aright.”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    Andhe said: "My sons, do not enter from one gate, but enter from separate gates; and I cannot avail you anything against God, for the judgment is to God. In Him I place my trust, and in Him those who place their trust should trust."

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    He said, "My sons, do not enter from one gate, but enter from separate gates; and I cannot avail you anything against God, for the judgment is to God. In Him I put my trust, and in Him those who put their trust should trust."

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    And he said, "O my sons, do not enter from one door; enter through separate doors. However, I cannot save you from anything that is predetermined by GOD. To GOD belongs all judgments. I trust in Him, and in Him shall all the trusters put their trust."

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    (As they were leaving) their father said to them: "O my sons, do not seek one approach but employ different ways (of attaining your object). If anything should befall you from God I shall not be able to avert it, for all authority belongs to God. I have placed my trust in Him, and the trusting should rely on Him alone."

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

    And he said, "O my sons, do not enter from one gate but enter from different gates; and I cannot avail you against Allah at all. The decision is only for Allah; upon Him I have relied, and upon Him let those who would rely rely."

  • Muhammad Asad

    And he added: "O my sons! Do not enter by one gate, but enter by different gates. Yet I can be of no avail whatever to you against God: judgment rests with none but God. In Him have I placed my trust: for, all who have trust must place their trust in Him alone."

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    And he said: O my sons! Go not in by one gate; go in by different gates. I can naught avail you as against Allah. Lo! the decision rests with Allah only. In Him do I put my trust, and in Him let all the trusting put their trust.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    And he enjoined them: "My sons! Do not enter the city by one gate; rather enter it by different gates. I can be of no help to you against Allah. Allah's command alone prevails. In Him have I put my trust and in Him should all those who have faith put their trust."*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    He -Ya'qub- in a word with grace divine imbued, advised his sons," not to make entry through the same gate. He said to them: " O my sons, do not all enter by the same gate but segregate yourselves from one another and enter by different gates. Not that I will deprecate a misfortune that Allah has meant to befall you, it is not in mortals to command success." "Allah is He Who has the command; in Him do I trust and in Him must all the faithful put their trust."

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Jacob then said: "When you arrive (to the capital of Egypt, ) do not enter from the same gate (to attract attention. ) Enter from different gates and know that (even though I am a prophet and the Lord may grant my wishes) I cannot save you from what is pre-determined by God. I put my trust in Him the same way that all those who have to make a decision should put their trust in Him."

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    And he said: "O my sons! Do not enter by one gate, but enter by different gates, and I cannot avail you against Allâh at all. Verily! The decision rests only with Allâh. In Him, I put my trust and let all those that trust, put their trust in Him."

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    Further he said: "O my sons! enter not all by one gate: enter ye by different gates. Not that I can profit you aught against Allah (with my advice): None can command except Allah: On Him do I put my trust: and let all that trust put their trust on Him."

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    He then instructed ˹them˺, "O my sons! Do not enter ˹the city˺ all through one gate, but through separate gates. I cannot help you against ˹what is destined by˺ Allah in the least. It is only Allah Who decides. In Him I put my trust. And in Him let the faithful put their trust."

  • Taqi Usmani

    And he said, "O my sons, do not enter (the city) all of you from the same gate, rather, enter from different gates. And I cannot help you in any way against (the will of) Allah. Sovereignty belongs to none but Allah. In Him I place my trust, and all those who trust should trust in Him alone."

  • Abdul Haleem

    He said, ‘My sons, do not enter all by one gate- use different gates. But I cannot help you against the will of God: all power is in God’s hands. I trust in Him; let everyone put their trust in Him,’

  • Arthur John Arberry

    He also said, 'O my sons, enter not by one door; enter by separate doors. Yet I cannot avail you anything against God; judgment belongs not to any but God. In Him I have put my trust; and in Him let all put their trust who put their trust.'

  • E. Henry Palmer

    And he said, 'O my sons! enter not by one gate, but enter by several gates; but I cannot avail you aught against God. Judgment is only God's; upon Him do I rely, and on Him do the reliant rely.'

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    He said, "I will by no means send him with you until you give me a solemn oath - In the name of Allah that you will surely bring him back to me, unless you are yourselves besieged (made powerless). " So when they had sworn their oaths he said, "Allah is in charge (witness, judge and guardian) over what we say."

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    And he said, "O my sons, (Or: my seeds) do not enter by one gate, and enter by separate gates; and in no way can I avail you anything (whatever) against Allah. Decidedly judgment belongs to none except Allah. On Him I have put my trust, and in Him let (all) the trusting ones then put their trust."

  • George Sale

    And he said, my sons, enter not into the city by one and the same gate; but enter by different gates. But this precaution will be of no advantage unto you against the decree of God; for judgment belongeth unto God alone: In Him do I put my trust, and in Him let those confide who seek in whom to put their trust.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    And he said: "O my sons! All of you do not enter by one gate: (But) you enter by different gates. (It is) not that I can help you by the least against (the Will of) Allah: Verily, no one can command except Allah: On Him do I have my trust: And let all who trust have their trust in Him."

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    And he also said (on their departure), `My sons! (reaching Egypt) enter (the city) not by one gate rather enter (it) by different gates. Yet I can avail you naught against (the decree of) Allâh. The decision only rests with Allâh. In Him do I put my trust and in Him let all who would trust, put their trust (in the like manner).'

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    And he said, ‘My sons, do not enter by one gate, but enter by separate gates, though I cannot avail you anything against Allah. Sovereignty belongs only to Allah. In Him I have put my trust; and in Him let all the trusting put their trust.’