Sam Gerrans - The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

We presented the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they refused to bear it and were afraid of it; but man bore it — he is unjust and ignorant —

اِنَّا عَرَضْنَا الْاَمَانَةَ عَلَى السَّمٰوَاتِ وَالْاَرْضِ وَالْجِبَالِ فَاَبَيْنَ اَنْ يَحْمِلْنَهَا وَاَشْفَقْنَ مِنْهَا وَحَمَلَهَا الْاِنْسَانُۜ اِنَّهُ كَانَ ظَلُوماً جَهُولاًۙ
Inna AAaradna al-amanataAAala assamawati wal-ardiwaljibali faabayna an yahmilnahawaashfaqna minha wahamalaha al-insanuinnahu kana thalooman jahoola
#wordmeaningroot
1innāIndeed, We
2ʿaraḍnā[We] offeredعرض
3l-amānatathe Trustامن
4ʿalāto
5l-samāwātithe heavensسمو
6wal-arḍiand the earthارض
7wal-jibāliand the mountainsجبل
8fa-abaynabut they refusedابي
9anto
10yaḥmil'nahābear itحمل
11wa-ashfaqnaand they fearedشفق
12min'hāfrom it
13waḥamalahābut bore itحمل
14l-insānuthe manانس
15innahuIndeed, he
16kānawasكون
17ẓalūmanunjustظلم
18jahūlanignorantجهل
  • Aisha Bewley

    We offered the Trust to the heavens, the earth and the mountains but they refused to take it on and shrank from it. But man took it on. He is indeed wrongdoing and ignorant.

  • Progressive Muslims

    We have offered the trust to the heavens and the Earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were fearful of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant.

  • Shabbir Ahmed

    Verily, We did offer the trust of compliance to the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains and they, being fearful, breach not what is entrusted upon them. Yet man, with his free will, is the only one who breaches this trust of compliance. For, verily, he wrongs himself without knowing it. (Haml = Accept or bear and = Betray the trust - Like Haram = Forbiddingly bad and = Sacred).

  • Sam Gerrans The Qur'an: A Complete Revelation

    We presented the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they refused to bear it and were afraid of it; but man bore it — he is unjust and ignorant —

  • The Monotheist Group The Quran: A Monotheist Translation

    We have offered the trust to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were fearful of it. But man accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant.

  • Edip-Layth Quran: A Reformist Translation

    We have offered the trust to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were fearful of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant.

  • Rashad Khalifa The Final Testament

    We have offered the responsibility (freedom of choice) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were afraid of it. But the human being accepted it; he was transgressing, ignorant.,

  • Mohamed Ahmed - Samira

    We had offered the Trust (of divine responsibilities) to the heavens, the earth, the mountains, but they refrained from bearing the burden and were frightened of it; but man took it on himself. He is a faithless ignoramus.

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

    Indeed, we offered the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, and they declined to bear it and feared it; but man bear it. Indeed, he was unjust and ignorant.

  • Muhammad Asad

    Verily, We did offer the trust to the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains: but they refused to bear it because they were afraid of it. Yet man took it up - for, verily, he has always been prone to be most wicked, most foolish.

  • Marmaduke Pickthall

    Lo! We offered the trust unto the heavens and the earth and the hills, but they shrank from bearing it and were afraid of it. And man assumed it. Lo! he hath proved a tyrant and a fool.

  • Abul A'la Maududi Tafhim commentary

    We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to carry it and were afraid of doing so; but man carried it. Surely he is wrong-doing, ignorant.*

  • Abdel Khalek Himmat Al- Muntakhab

    We offered the "trust" to the heavens, the earth and the mountains -with what it entails of expectation of knowing and reasoning, of feeling and thinking and of obligations and responsibilities- but they declined to bear it for what it involves of burdensome consequences. But man (Adam -his genes-) accepted it and was willing to bear the responsibility and to give an undertaking of fidelity; He was indeed unfair to himself, having no knowledge of the logical Sequence.

  • Bijan Moeinian

    I (God) offered the responsibility to the heavens, the earth and the mountains , they refused to bear it Only man accepted this mission; how ignorant this unjust creature is.

  • Al-Hilali & Khan

    Truly, We did offer Al-Amânah (the trust or moral responsibility or honesty and all the duties which Allâh has ordained) to the heavens and the earth, and the mountains, but they declined to bear it and were afraid of it (i.e. afraid of Allâh’s Torment). But man bore it. Verily, he was unjust (to himself) and ignorant (of its results).

  • Abdullah Yusuf Ali

    We did indeed offer the Trust to the Heavens and the Earth and the Mountains; but they refused to undertake it, being afraid thereof: but man undertook it;- He was indeed unjust and foolish;-

  • Mustafa Khattab The Clear Quran

    Indeed, We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they ˹all˺ declined to bear it, being fearful of it. But humanity assumed it, ˹for˺ they are truly wrongful ˹to themselves˺ and ignorant ˹of the consequences˺,

  • Taqi Usmani

    We did offer the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear its burden and were afraid of it, and man picked it up. Indeed he is unjust (to himself), unaware (of the end).

  • Abdul Haleem

    We offered the Trust to the heavens, the earth, and the mountains, yet they refused to undertake it and were afraid of it; mankind undertook it- they have always been inept and foolish.

  • Arthur John Arberry

    We offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to carry it and were afraid of it; and man carried it. Surely he is sinful, very foolish.

  • E. Henry Palmer

    Verily, we offered the trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and shrank from it; but man bore it: verily, he is ever unjust and ignorant.

  • Hamid S. Aziz

    He will put your deeds into a right state (correctly adjust, harmonise, make whole) for you, and forgive you your faults; and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, he indeed achieves a mighty success.

  • Mahmoud Ghali

    Surely We presented (Literally: set before) the Trust (i. e., Trust of devotion) to the heavens and the earth and mountains. Yet they refused to carry it and felt timorous about it, and man carried it. Surely he has been constantly unjust, constantly ignorant.

  • George Sale

    We proposed the faith unto the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains: And they refused to undertake the same, and were afraid thereof; but man undertook it: Verily he was unjust to himself, and foolish:

  • Syed Vickar Ahamed

    Truly, We did offer the trust, duty and responsibility to the heavens, and the earth, and the mountains; But they refused to undertake it, because they were afraid of it: But man undertook it— Verily, he was being ignorant (and foolish about the responsibility)—

  • Amatul Rahman Omar

    Verily, We presented the trust (- Our injunctions and laws) to the heavens and the earth and the mountains and they refused to prove false to it, and they were struck with awe of it. On the other hand a human-being has proved false to it (by betraying the trust and violating the Divine commandments), for he could be unjust and is forgetful.

  • Ali Quli Qarai

    Indeed We presented the Trust to the heavens and the earth and the mountains, but they refused to bear it, and were apprehensive of it; but man undertook it. Indeed he is most unfair and senseless.