Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

He said: “I have been given it only because of knowledge I have,” — knew he not that God had destroyed before him generations stronger than him in power, and greater in accumulation? — “and the lawbreakers will not be questioned about their transgressions!”

قَالَ اِنَّـمَٓا اُو۫ت۪يتُهُ عَلٰى عِلْمٍ عِنْد۪يۜ اَوَلَمْ يَعْلَمْ اَنَّ اللّٰهَ قَدْ اَهْلَكَ مِنْ قَبْلِه۪ مِنَ الْقُرُونِ مَنْ هُوَ اَشَدُّ مِنْهُ قُوَّةً وَاَكْثَرُ جَمْعاًۜ وَلَا يُسْـَٔلُ عَنْ ذُنُوبِهِمُ الْمُجْرِمُونَ
Qala innama ooteetuhu AAalaAAilmin AAindee awa lam yaAAlam anna Allaha qad ahlaka minqablihi mina alqurooni man huwa ashaddu minhu quwwatan waaktharujamAAan wala yus-alu AAan thunoobihimu almujrimoon
#wordmeaningroot
1qālaHe saidقول
2innamāOnly
3ūtītuhuI have been given itاتي
4ʿalāon (account)
5ʿil'min(of) knowledgeعلم
6ʿindīI haveعند
7awalamDid not
8yaʿlamhe knowعلم
9annathat
10l-lahaAllah
11qadindeed
12ahlakadestroyedهلك
13minbefore him
14qablihibefore himقبل
15minaof
16l-qurūnithe generationsقرن
17manwho
18huwa[they]
19ashaddu(were) strongerشدد
20min'huthan him
21quwwatan(in) strengthقوي
22wa-aktharuand greaterكثر
23jamʿan(in) accumulationجمع
24walāAnd not
25yus'aluwill be questionedسال
26ʿanabout
27dhunūbihimutheir sinsذنب
28l-muj'rimūnathe criminalsجرم
  • Aisha Bewley

    he said, ‘I have only been given it because of knowledge I have. ’ Did he not know that before him Allah had destroyed generations with far greater strength than his and far more possessions? The evildoers will not be questioned about their sins.

  • Progressive Muslims

    He said: "I have attained all this only because of my own knowledge. " Did he not realise that God had annihilated before him generations that were much stronger than he, and greater in riches The transgressors were not asked about their crimes.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    He replied, "This wealth has been given to me because of the knowledge that is in me. " Did he not know that Allah's Law of Requital had annihilated, before him, whole generations which were superior to him in strength and richer in what they had amassed? But such guilty need no questioning since their guilt is obvious and yet, they are not exempt from the Law of Respite.

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    He said: “I have been given it only because of knowledge I have,” — knew he not that God had destroyed before him generations stronger than him in power, and greater in accumulation? — “and the lawbreakers will not be questioned about their transgressions!”

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    He said: "I have attained all this only because of my own knowledge." Did he not realize that God had annihilated before him generations that were much stronger than he, and greater in riches? The transgressors were not asked about their crimes.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    He said, "I have attained all this only because of my own knowledge." Did he not realize that God had annihilated before him generations that were much stronger than he, and greater in riches? The transgressors were not asked about their crimes.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    He said, "I attained all this because of my own cleverness." Did he not realize that GOD had annihilated before him generations that were much stronger than he, and greater in number? The (annihilated) transgressors were not asked about their crimes.

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    He said: "This has come to me through my own acumen. " Did he not know that God had destroyed many generations before him who possessed far more acumen than he, and more wealth? The sinners will not be asked about their sins.

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

    He said, "I was only given it because of knowledge I have. " Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him of generations those who were greater than him in power and greater in accumulation ? But the criminals, about their sins, will not be asked.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Answered he: "This has been given to me only by virtue of the knowledge that is in me!" Did he not know that God had destroyed many a generation that preceded him - people who were greater than he in power, and richer in what they had amassed? But such as are lost in sin may not be asked about, their sins.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    He said: I have been given it only on account of knowledge I possess. Knew he not that Allah had destroyed already of the generations before him men who were mightier than him in strength and greater in respect of following? The guilty are not questioned of their sins.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    He replied: "All this has been given to me on account of a certain knowledge that I have."* Did he not know that Allah had destroyed before him those who were stronger in might* than he and were more numerous in multitude? The wicked are not asked about their acts of sin.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    But -Qarun- said: "I have acquired what came into my possession by reason of the knowledge inherent in me and for my intellectual acquaintance with fact". Did he not know that Allah had reduced to a useless form before him people who were stronger and greater in affluence! However, there is no need to question those who had been steeped in crime.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    Korah’s response was: "I have earned my wealth by using my brain!" Did he not know that God had destroyed many wealthier and stronger than him in the past? The guilty ones, however, are judged according to the law

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    He said: "This has been given to me only because of the knowledge I possess." Did he not know that Allâh had destroyed before him generations, men who were stronger than him in might and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected? But the Mujrimûn (criminals, disbelievers, polytheists, sinners) will not be questioned of their sins (because Allâh knows them well, so they will be punished without being called to account).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    He said: "This has been given to me because of a certain knowledge which I have." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed, before him, (whole) generations,- which were superior to him in strength and greater in the amount (of riches) they had collected? but the wicked are not called (immediately) to account for their sins.

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    He replied, "I have been granted all this because of some knowledge I have." Did he not know that Allah had already destroyed some from the generations before him who were far superior to him in power and greater in accumulating ˹wealth˺? There will be no need for the wicked to be asked about their sins. 

  • Taqi Usmani

    He said, "This is given to me because of the knowledge (I have) with me." Did he not know that Allah had destroyed, from the generations before him, those who were stronger than him in power and greater than him in multitude? And the sinners have not to be asked about their sins.

  • Abdul Haleem

    but he answered, ‘This wealth was given to me on account of the knowledge I possess.’ Did he not know that God had destroyed many generations before him, who had greater power than him and built up greater wealth? The guilty will not be questioned about their sins.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    He said, 'What I have been given is only because of a knowledge that is in me. ' What, did he not know that God bad destroyed before him generations of men stronger than he ill might, and more numerous in multitude? And yet the sinners shall not be questioned concerning their sins.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Said he, 'I have only been given it for knowledge which I have!' did he not know that God had destroyed before him many generations of those who were stronger than he, and had amassed more? But the sinners need not to be asked concerning their crimes.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    "But seek the abode of the Hereafter through what Allah has given you, and forget not your portion in this world, and do good as Allah has done good to you; and seek not corruption in the earth; verily, Allah loves not corrupters. "

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    He said, "Surely what has been brought to me is only for a knowledge that is in my presence. " And did he not know that Allah had already caused to perish, even before him, of the generations, (men) who were stronger than he in power and more multiplying in (heaping) together? (Of wealth, or followers) And the criminals will not be questioned for their guilty (deeds)."

  • George Sale

    He answered, I have received these riches, only because of the knowledge which is with me. Did he not know that God had already destroyed, before him, several generations, who were mightier than he in strength, and had amassed more abundance of riches? And the wicked shall not be asked to discover their crimes.

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    He said: "This (wealth) has been given to me only because of a certain knowledge which I have. " Did he not know that Allah had ruined, before him, (whole) generations— Which were superior to him in strength and exceeded in the amount (of riches) that they h.ad collected? But the wicked are not called (right away) to account for their sins.

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    (Korah) said, `(All) this (wealth) that I have been given is because of the knowledge I possess. ' But did he not know that Allâh had destroyed before him generations of people who were mightier than he and greater in riches and number? And the guilty shall not be questioned about their sins (their sins being self evident).

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    He said, ‘I have indeed been given this because of the knowledge that I have. ’ Did he not know that Allah had already destroyed before him some of the generations who were more powerful than him and greater in amassing ? The guilty will not be questioned about their sins.